Hi all
I have currently just started seeing local alcohol services and they don't prescribe any anti craving drugs.
I previously tried Baclofen which I had some success with but made the mistake of telling my doc and it didn't go down well to say the least do had to stop and to be honest I'm glad I did as I now feel human again but obviously drinking again.
I now have a private prescription for naltrexone and feel u can't tell the powers that be as I think I will get the same reaction and have a gp that refuses to treat me.
The only thing I'm really worrying about is the LFTs that I hear need to be done.The private doctor that prescribed be the script sent a pdf about it and it says that 15 years ago it was prescribed stronger and that was the worry about the strain on the liver but that had now been resolved.But it still is a bit of a worry.Will be picking up the meds on the next day it two
Hi Nicole,
Glad you got yourself sorted, but it is terrible that people are having to go to all this trouble at all.
Sure Paul will be along with some information about how to arrange a LFT test - I remember he said there were companies online who can do that.
Naltrexone is processed through the liver and so is not recommended for those who already have fairly significant liver damage. In clinical testing, naltrexone showed no significant damage occured until it was prescribed at 300mg, which is 6 times the dosage needed.
Dr Sinclair himself said that the very low risk of naltrexone on a fairly healthy liver was minimal, especially in view of the risk of continued drinking. Plus, using TSM means that you only take a tablet one hour prior to drinking. So, if you don't drink every day, you don't subject your liver to it every day either. As an added reassurance, the less you crave, the less you need to drink, the less you take the tablet!
I had some liver tests done last year as part of something else, and all my results are in the normal range. My liver is healthier now than it was 10 years ago, and this is after using the naltrexone as per the TSM prescribing instructions which over a period of months completely extinguished all my alcohol cravings.
I hope this puts your mind at rest.
Hi. I don't think you should feel negative about this and I hope your dr has prescribed them correctly as this is what is very important. I was on baclofen for several months, didn't like the side effects or having to take so many pills. Plus if you do gone a binge while taking them you are in deep trouble( like me 4 years ago..severe reaction and coma for 4 days, but that's another story. )
You are very lucky as most Drs won't prescribe it( as they don't know about it). I'm on day 8 of it. It is working as it supposed to but you really need some advice from Paul and Joanna to make sure you're taking it correctly, so it's not a waste of effort.
Good luck xx
I now realise you've gone private after reading your post again. Wishing lots of luck xx
Yes,thanks Joanna
I had liver tests done last sept and I'm told everything was very normal.Im having another test on Friday so will know soon if everything is still ok .
I'm just sceptical that all these years of drinking is not showing up in my liver as I do get pain in that area and I'm sure my complexion had changed but my case worker today said I don't look jaundiced so I will have to take his word for it.
I will wait to have my blood test then take my first tablet that evening.
Will keep you posted
Am going to private message you a couple of hints and suggestions of how to begin the first couple of days - keep any side effects to a minimum.
Anything else, just ask :-)
I've told my husband about the pills and showed him the literature to put his mind at rest as I was a bit mad and not myself on Baclofen.
Personally, I would tell your GP to change his attitude (in a constructive non confrontational way) or bring someone along who could speak up for you. I would also telll him that you are taking it (so it is on your records and he can't deny knowledge) and say that if either he or the alcohol services had offered you the correct help, you wouldn't have had to take this action, so they have both failed you.
As for Naltrexone, you have already had one of our resident experts (Joanne) post and as she says, Paul will arive at some time to add anything extra.
I would tell your GP that you are taking a NICE approved drug and it is his duty of care (as your primary care provider) to provide LFT tests as and when needed. He doesn't even do it, the practice nurse will be the one doing it.
Out of interest, what is the name of the local alcohol services that don't offer anti-craving drugs?
Got it thanks.
Just out of interest, what anti-craving drug were you after? Was it the Naltrexone or something different? And are you looking to cut it out completely or bring it down to a safe manageable level?
I was looking at Nalefene originally but I read the side effects are worse and as I'm paying for it privately it's more expensive.
I'd like to cut it out completely but feel happy doing it and not white knuckling it.Trouble is I like the taste of wine to much!
Hello Nicole. Sending you a private message about LFTs
"..severe reaction and coma for 4 days..."
Eeeek!
That will fade. Your brain may get a bit snippy with you as you take away it's favorite toy, but the nice thing that i"ve been noticing is the less I anaesthetise myself, the more my brain rediscovers perfectly fine toys that it used to be happy with.
Today is my third day and the first on the full tablet.
No side effects as yet but no reduction in wanting to drink.
I'm due to see my caseworker on the 1st and will get the results of my blood test that I had on Friday.
Was just wondering if Paul or Joanna would know if my results are not so good would I be better changing to nalfemene and can you just switch over or do you need to start again
TIA
I would think that the chances of your liver being okay 5 months ago, to being poor enough now that you shouldn't take naltrexone are fairly slim.
If it should turn out that way, then yes nalmefene would be best. Both medications do the same thing so yes, you can just switch from one to another without any issues.
Glad you have nothing in the way of side effects so far.
When you take the first drink, it should feel sort of 'flat' - like something is missing. That will be the endorphin rush that is missing.
Remember to drink mindfully, asking yourself if you really want the drink, or the next drink, and then when you get the signal that you are satisfied, you need to act and put the drink down. Do something else and then see how you feel 20/30 minutes from then.
The process can take a while so keep patient. As long as you can recognise that the special 'something' that appealing about drinking before, is missing, then you have begun on the right track..... :-)
Thanks Joanna,Friday is when I took my first half tablet and went out for lunch.The first 2 glasses went down very slowly and I could have stopped then but didn't and had 5 or 6 large glasses so I really need listene to my head.Sat I had one bottle of wine at home and wanted more but made myself not go round the shop
Naltrexone CAN have an effect on the liver but it is nowhere near as bad as the effect of large amounts of alcohol.
When we assess people for their suitabilty for The Sinclair Method, we have to establish if their liver is ok before we tell them that it is ok for them to continue drinking. If a person had late stage liver disease, the only thing we could advise is that they must not drink alcohol at all and that would mean that TSM wasn't suitable for them.
With Nalmefene, we ask people to get a Liver Function Test done before we can prescribe and, for Naltrexone, we ask them to do this as well, but also that they do repeated tests every two or three months.
Hi Paul,I bought the LFT kit and will use it 2 to 3 months into this treatment,all being well with my most recent test
I wouldn't even want to see the results of mine. I'd be interested to know how accurate they are and what they test for.