Hi from the UK

[Missing_link]

Hello everyone

I am in the UK and it seems that there is either no support or you have to almost kill yourself or someone else to get help here.

I read an article in New Scientist 2010-01-09 about Naltroxene (which with a bit of googling lead me to this site), and having tried various other cures like getting myself locked up & alternative therapies including AVS machines and stress reduction programs like Healng Rhythms and NP3, (none of which worked).

I approached the doctors (for the third time) and they have at last put me on a decreasing dose of chlordiazepoxide (Librium) & even though I am on the second day the cravings are still there and my anxiety and agitation seem to be getting worse especially between the 2nd and third dose.

Anyway I am now finnaly under a detox program at last and this is my second day.

I did ask them for Naltroxene but it is not yet licensed for alcohol dependance in the UK, just opiate dependancy, the doctors don't seem to have the time of day & keep going on about funding, god I hate this country.

Nurse is coming around to visit me again going tomorrow, (actually he's the only one that seems to know what he's talking about, although it's out of his power to prescribe me anymore).

Dosage is a 7 day cycle 4 times a day as follows
8am / 12pm/ 5pm/ 10mg
30mg/30mg/30mg/30mg
25mg/25mg/25mg/25mg
20mg/20mg/20mg/20mg
15mg/15mg/15mg/15mg
10mg/05mg/05mg/10mg
10mg/ ---- / ---- /10mg
05mg/ ---- / ---- /05mg

Then there going to put me on Campral 3 times a day for a year.

I really don't know what I'm trying to say here but thanks for looking.



Heres the article incase anyone wants to read it:
Prescription_Sobriety.pdf

[betty boop]

Hi from the UK

Hi Missing .......:welcome: to MWO

I'm from the UK too and did exactly the same detox programme that you are on, it was successful for me as I slept through most of the first few days so I didn't get any cravings and by the time I had finished the course the AL was out of my system so it was only mental cravings that I had to deal with not physical .........

Are you on a B12 supplement as well???

I understand how you feel about not being able to get drugs prescribed .........

Keep reading and posting, this place is brilliant ......

Keep us posted ......... :l

[Accountable for Me]

Hi from the UK

Welcome, Missing!

I don't know much about the medicine you are on. I do know that coming off of alcohol is very uncomfortable. Agitation was huge for me. It may take a couple of days to start working?

I think it is great that you on on a detox program and that you have a nurse to help you along!

My advice is to eat well, and drink lots of clear fluids. This will help out a bit. B-Vitamins are good as well.

[Dewdrop]

Hi from the UK

Welcome Missing :hallo:

I don't know much about the meds either I'm afraid but just wanted to say hello. I used the supplements and slept a lot during my first few days, drank loads of water with lemon and tried to get some exercise and fresh air when I wasn't sleeping.

Keep posting and reading as much as you can as there is a load of information and support on the threads. Try and pull together a plan as soon as you can there is good advice on the Tool Box Thread under Monthly Abstinence.

Good luck and just take it one day at a time, one hour at a time or one minute at a time.

Dewdrop :h

[Kimberley]

Hi from the UK

Hya Missing,

It can be frustrating and upsetting trying to get treatments in the UK sometimes - and it is often a long, long wait for referrals etc. But I have learnt that you just have to be assertive, I know it's easier said than done, and insist on being listened to. Don't hold back about letting them know how upsetting you are finding the process as well - if you do this in a nice way it can work wonders.

It is much easier of you can have all the facts at your fingertips and be very clear that you do your homework, know all about what you're talking about and then present that to your healthcare providers. I did this when I wanted to get onto antabuse. Don't even ask me about the horrendous trial of trying to get Librium in A&E - some docs just don't have a clue. Again, you have to be very assertive or have someone with you who is!!

Hope the Librium keeps you from the worst of the withdrawls. I'm in London - where are you? If I can give you any local advice, don't hesitate to ask. Rest up and take care of yourself,
K x

[sunshinedaisies]

Hi from the UK

Hi there missing - I am in USA but am English - can you get Topa in the UK? I know that you can - but can you get it prescribed for AL? My nephew had it prescribed for him many years ago for seizures. That is what I am on and it works really well. I know that the NHS is so different from USA but maybe you can order it on-line? Just a thought.....

Don't hate UK - I miss it a lot sometimes - the health care over here is REALLY expensive too - the people in UK don't know how lucky they have it - really!!!! To have a nurse VISIT you at home would be mind boggling to say the least!!

If you can get hold of a book called The Allen Carr easy Way to Control Alcohol - it really helped both my brother and me - read it and it will help you.

PM me if you want to. Hugs and love to you,

Sun xxxx

[Missing_link]

Hi from the UK

Hello Everyone

Betty Boop, thanks for your encouraging words I'm glad the detox program worked for you and am feeling a lot better today & much less anxious I explained to the Mental Health Nurse this morning who in turn phoned my keyworker and they upped todays meds from 20/20/20/20 to 20/25/25/25, I'll have to wait and see tomorrow what changes this will make to the rest of the week.

Accountable for me (good nick by the way ;-), I have been drinking lots of water and orange juice but have neglected Vit B although I have some B complex in the cupboard I will start taking them straight away, thanks for the reminder.

Dewdrop, hello & many thanks for the heads up on the tool box thread and your advice on exercise and fresh air, I've just been playing the xbox all the time ;-). was thinking about Tai Chi or something similar but will definitely try and get a plan together for post detox, thank you.

Hi Kimberley, it certainly is frustrating, it's almost as if they think your trying it on which is a shame, but this time I feel that I have been assertive, and you are right it does work, last time they sent me to AA after about two sessions with the psychiatrist, as you say, if you show any sign of weakmess they see it as giving up and consequently give up on you, that's good advice you have given and it's only recently that I have come to understand. Thank you ;-), I'm in HERTS by the way.

Hello sunshinedaisies, not sure what topa is but I will look into it, i have lots of meds written down to ask the Dr. about when I see her next week and am glad it is working for you ;-), I would rather pay for my meds and be able to get what I want than have to go through weeks and weeks of group sessions talking about stuff that we all know having experienced it first hand (when most of the Dr.s, OT's etc etc have all of their knowledge from books), my nurse is very good though although the only reason they send him round every day is so he can dispense my meds, for some reason they think that if they give them all to me in one go I will eat them all then they will be in trouble (even though I have no intention of topping myself which I have told them several times), and thank's for the book idea I have heard of allen carr's smoking book but not the one you mentioned, I'm gonna jump on Amazon and go buy it ;-)

Thank you very much to all of you for your help and advice.

Missing_link xx

[sapphire1]

Hi from the UK

HI there Missing LInk,

Welcome to MWO. detox is rough, but staying drunk and getting sicker is even worse. Get stuck into those B vitmains, take double the recommended dose for a few weeks, as your system will need to be saturated with it for quite some time. It will help to repair your battered nervous system and give your liver a hand. If you have any vitamin C and magnesium, these will help tremendously as alkies are all very deficient in these and they will also help to calm you down and smooth out your detox. Stick with it, take it one day, one hour, or one minute at a time...for this too shall pass and you will come out the other end ready to face up to a brand new life. It is so worth the effort and so are you. Saffx

[Choochie]

Hi from the UK

:welcome:Hi ML - just wanted to say welcome. I'm new here but just wanted to tell you what a fantastic site it is. Read as much on the different threads as you can and post often. Best of luck to you. Sending you peace and strength.

Hugs,:l
Choochie

[Missing_link]

Hi from the UK

Hi Sapphire1

I took your advice and went and bought some magnesium (250mg), some B1, & B12 already had B complex and some High dose Vit C, as well as some Milk Thistle and have been tucking into them like smarties ;-), and thanks for your kind words, I am ready to come out the other end smelling of vitamins lol.

Thanks and welcome to you to Choochie, thanks for the peace and strength straight back to you my friend

And sunshinedaisies, I got an email from Amazon about an hour ago saying that book you recommended is on it's way, thanks again to all of you, I'm gonna have a mooch about then crash out the zopiclone's kicking in.

Sweet Dreams

[Guest]

Hi from the UK

One of the problems with the UK is that the health provision is free, ok we pay for it via our taxes BUT a lot of use never pay the sort of amount it actually costs. I know because I paid to go privately.

The health service has to be so careful how it spends it's funds and unfortunately addiction treatment comes a long way behind hip replacements for old grannies, and chemo for cancer patients. Prescription meds are also mostly very heavily subsidised once again, so they aren't going to hand them out willy nilly. I know of people who have stocks of librium built up, as well as AB because of loose prescribing by GPs - some of which gets misused dangerously, or sold onto the black market. GPs have funding, as well as professional constraints upon them and they don't want to waste resources giving out to someone who is going to mess about. And let's face it alcoholics do mess around.

I'm not defending the NHS, I just think we don't realise sometimes how lucky we are. If I'm not mistaken in the states people pay out hundreds of dollars a month, and then only get one or two stabs at beating their addiction before it's goodnight Vienna.

Just in case you did have the money you can get almost instant access to private help in this country, but it starts at around ?2k for initial 7-10 days detox.

[Missing_link]

Hi from the UK

Hi UKblonde

I hear what your saying and I do appreciate the help I am getting, it's just that it has been a long time coming, my doctors wouldn't prescribe me any meds (I think casue I messed up before) and it's taken ages for anyone too listen to me I have been telling them that I've had a problem for ages, the Dr. I see is actually quite nice although she doesn't seem to think so, she looked more stressed than me the last time I saw her (yesterday), and I know it must be hard for them to listen to everyones problems. I feel sorry for their psychotherapists, I wonder who sorts their heads out.

And yes I did have the money for private treatment but spunked it all on drink, although at a push i'd prefer to buy the meds online and self med (if they had not prescribed them to me) that would have been my next step as that is what I wanted to do in the first place but thankfully they did prescribe them to me although they insisted I had to do it there way (still would have prefered to self med), I do understand why though because as you said you are bound to get the few that abuse the system and use the meds for recreation or sell them on and how are they to know that I was not one of those few.

I take back about what I said about Dr.s & books they don't have it easy, I'm starting to think clearly again for the first time in years and it's all down to them.

And wow 2k is a heafty lump I take it thats for in-house detox.