The Truth about Naltrexone

[Guest]

The Truth about Naltrexone

alexan;1175195 wrote: Hi UkBlonde,
Where did you read this? Can you post links? I'm just curious because that might explain why some people inadvertently tend to drink more on Nal as opposed to what they should be doing which is actually be drinking less.
Thanks.

I didn't read it anywhere, it's based upon my own experiences. Being aware of it actually helps me not have spikes because I consciously will step back and slow down, go to bed when I feel the slight nal + al tiredness knowing I'll get through it and won't wake with burning cravings.

[Ne/Neva Eva]

The Truth about Naltrexone

I suspect, uk and katie and others, that there are two BIG reasons that nal is not used more frequently. One reason is that one can drink on it. My experience is that the traditional route to recovery insists that abstinence is a prerequisite. So offering a medication that extinguishes the pleasure pathway, through TSM or not, is not likely to be promoted.
The second is probably even more relevant. It's expensive. I am damn sure that the places I ended up trying to get help were never, ever, ever going to spend that kind of money. Ever. Unless it was to keep me locked up somewhere.
Whatever the reasons, it's a great thing that it's working for you guys.

[gotta stop]

The Truth about Naltrexone

Ne/Neva Eva;1175260 wrote: I suspect, uk and katie and others, that there are two BIG reasons that nal is not used more frequently. One reason is that one can drink on it. My experience is that the traditional route to recovery insists that abstinence is a prerequisite. So offering a medication that extinguishes the pleasure pathway, through TSM or not, is not likely to be promoted.
The second is probably even more relevant. It's expensive. I am damn sure that the places I ended up trying to get help were never, ever, ever going to spend that kind of money. Ever. Unless it was to keep me locked up somewhere.
Whatever the reasons, it's a great thing that it's working for you guys.

I hear what you are saying NE, but in my experience (at MWO) many wish only the power to control their drinking rather than abstain, so I am surprised it's not more popular. I suppose many post on TSM rather than MWO?
I for one am happy to have the diversity here

[Guest]

The Truth about Naltrexone

gotta stop;1175310 wrote: I hear what you are saying NE, but in my experience (at MWO) many wish only the power to control their drinking rather than abstain, so I am surprised it's not more popular. I suppose many post on TSM rather than MWO?
I for one am happy to have the diversity here

Hmm, it's around ?1 per day assuming you use 1 pill per day at standard pharmacy rates (I'm talking the trade cost the pharmcies buy it for), a rehab in this country could get a private prescription dispensed at around ?30 for 4 weeks supply. Considering it costs around ?2000-4000 per week in a UK rehab that cost is minute. It isn't however compatible with residential treatment because you need to drink on it, I'd say it would be of most use to an outpatient programme. I had to have a consult with a local NHS team Dr before my GP would eventually prescribe. He works with such an outpatient service, and did say he'd consider prescribing.

The cost to society of alcohol related crimes, and the National Health has been highlighted recently - is in the public eye on and off.

I'd say ?1 a day is a cheap trade off. I've cost the NHS thousands over the years(and the police too), since using Naltrexone I've not been involved with either for any drinking related complaint and don't expect to be - although I do have to periodically have the odd liver check up etc.

Cost of one years supply to the state is around ?365 assuming you take it every day, I know other drugs for other conditions cost many times this amount. It's tiny.

[mario]

The Truth about Naltrexone

gotta stop;1175310 wrote: I hear what you are saying NE, but in my experience (at MWO) many wish only the power to control their drinking rather than abstain, so I am surprised it's not more popular. I suppose many post on TSM rather than MWO?
I for one am happy to have the diversity here

That's an interesting point as i thought/assumed that most people wanted to abstain ? Wonder what the true goal is for people here.

Ps Mine is to abstain as i never could moderate despite trying again and again

[gotta stop]

The Truth about Naltrexone

mario;1175340 wrote: That's an interesting point as i thought/assumed that most people wanted to abstain ? Wonder what the true goal is for people here.

Ps Mine is to abstain as i never could moderate despite trying again and again

Ho Mario!
I love reading your posts Please allow me to clarify and remember - this is just my opinion I think that most people want to stop drinking altogether - like you and I but that is a very scarey concept to never drink again, so I think many wish that they could just get it under control, and not have to give it up completely - does that make sense?

[Doggygirl]

The Truth about Naltrexone

Gotta stop, that makes sense to me. I spent a VERY long time in that place. Sort of knowing that I needed to stop, but wanting so desparately to find a way to control it. I think a very high % of us go through that.

I had absolutely no success controlling or stopping until I really and truly put to bed any secret notions of someday magically being able to drink like a normie.

DG

[KatieSmiles]

The Truth about Naltrexone

Naltrexone is used as "harm reduction" therapy. This method of treating alcohol dependence is starting to become the topic of discussion at medical conferences in the USA and Canada.

My doctor had never heard of TSM, but when she prescribed Nal she told me to take one 50 mg pill per day and continue drinking as the med will help me drink less. She DID NOT tell me to abstain. I explained TSM and she thought it made sense to take the pill closer to my drinking time rather than in the AM and that not taking the pill on the days I don't drink wouldn't hurt either way. She is quite interested in following my progress and I am to take this med for a full year and review the outcome.

This pill costs me a little less than a dollar a pill/day as it's covered under my medical plan. So, even if I continue to drink on it, it's cheap.

To abstain or not....after many months of taking Naltrexone one should be able to make that choice. Some do and never take Nal again and some don't and continue to take Nal one hour before they drink, but feel that they are in a much better place with their drinking than before Nal/TSM.

Will alcoholics ever be "normal" drinkers taking Nal? I would say no, we have malfunctions in the brain and drinking will always be a dangerous road, but if a pill can help with "harm reduction" and reduce one's drinking to safe or safer levels it's a good place to start, IMO.

[mario]

The Truth about Naltrexone

gotta stop;1175344 wrote: Ho Mario!
I love reading your posts Please allow me to clarify and remember - this is just my opinion I think that most people want to stop drinking altogether - like you and I but that is a very scary concept to never drink again, so I think many wish that they could just get it under control, and not have to give it up completely - does that make sense?

Yep gotta stop,It makes perfect sense to me The thing for me personally is once i gave it up and committed myself to abstaining it wasn't that scary,for me anyway.

[Doggygirl]

The Truth about Naltrexone

KatieSmiles;1175460 wrote: Will alcoholics ever be "normal" drinkers taking Nal? I would say no, we have malfunctions in the brain and drinking will always be a dangerous road, but if a pill can help with "harm reduction" and reduce one's drinking to safe or safer levels it's a good place to start, IMO.

Amen! And congratulations on your own progress.

DG

[Heavy Fuel]

The Truth about Naltrexone

If one considers alcoholism to be over consumption of alcohol to the point of physical and psychological harm, then any protocol of treatment that reduces that harm should be considered good. As I read through reactions to TSM, I am surprised people who would consider the preceding sentence logical and acceptable completely reject the Sinclair Method out of hand.

If one states the goal of treatment is alcohol consumption at safe levels, TSM succeeds approximately 78 percent of the time. If one considers the goal of treatment abstinence, TSM succeeds 16 percent of the time. Most traditional regimens don’t reduce drinking to safe levels, but 85-90 percent of those treated go back to drinking. As far as abstinence, the rates I have seen are 5-15 percent. Abstinence happens naturally in about five percent of all substance abusers each year. The results for abstinence are about the same between abstinence only programs and TSM, but the real action is in harm reduction: TSM is superior in that regard.

Because of the abstinence only approach being the most commonly accepted, TSM is considered “wild and out of the ordinary.” Accordingly, there are many misconceptions about TSM. My favorite is those of us who follow it aren’t honest with ourselves. The study I hope to replicate in my life originally used rats as subjects. Rats are neither honest nor dishonest, they are merely rats. Honesty isn't a problem for a rat, yet they exhibited the same behaviors as human alcoholics. Secondly, those of us who follow it are afraid to quit drinking. Well, that’s partially true. I know from my experience, and the experiences related to me by others, if I abstain for a long period and then partake, things will end badly. Really badly. As in lost friends, girlfriends, alienation of family, legal problems and last but not least health problems. Using TSM, I don’t have that risk. The hangovers are horrible, but as I tell everyone, I will bear them with a smile! Each one is one more closer to my last. And my life becoming mine again.

I think each person needs to find what works for their particular situation.

[Greg]

The Truth about Naltrexone

Heavy Fuel;1175663 wrote: If one considers alcoholism to be over consumption of alcohol to the point of physical and psychological harm, then any protocol of treatment that reduces that harm should be considered good.
Heavy Fuel;1175663 wrote: I think each person needs to find what works for their particular situation.

I agree 100 percent with these statements. Basically, whatever produces positive results for each person is what they would be best advised to keep on following, either until they succeed in their goal (whether it is safe/controlled drinking or total abstinence), or else until they have to admit that the method isn't allowing them to achieve their aim. If one method doesn't allow a person's goals to be met, after giving it enough time for results to have been likely, then another method may bring greater success. What works for some will probably not work for others, and this is a situation that would exist in many fields of medicine besides alcoholism treatment (depression treatment being one example that comes to mind).

[Guest]

The Truth about Naltrexone

Just wanted to post here, and will do on another Naltrexone thread too. I have just had the results of some routine blood tests, something they monitor with TSM followers and my Gamma GT levels are 14 - this is low and I'm very pleased. Random blood sugar and iron levels all 'normal' too.

Glowing health and I'm sure it's not unrelated to the fact I've been able to reduce my alcohol intake with the assistance of Naltrexone.