UK- Observer newspaper Dr Ameisen

[Rusty]

UK- Observer newspaper Dr Ameisen

Loop,

I looked at both pharmacies for NAL and both said they don't sell it. Thanks for the heads up. Yup, I know River is expensive.

[Lo0p]

UK- Observer newspaper Dr Ameisen

They might have just been out of stock...? I get my nal from all day:

https://www.alldaychemist.com/311__Naltrexone-Hcl

[SW16]

UK- Observer newspaper Dr Ameisen

LOOP and Daisie

I know ?300 + might sound crazy to get a prescription, however the idea is to then get the treatment transferred to the National Health Service once I'm on the maintenance dose, then each quarter it will be ?7.20.

Also the Drs I've been in contact with are widely published experts in addiction and mood disorders, it's a pretty big investment and we each have to take the route that makes most sense to us in our own circumstances. I have to say having it on my medical record is more of concern than the money and I'm by no means a rich man!

[tiptronic_ct]

UK- Observer newspaper Dr Ameisen

London sw16;862741 wrote: LOOP and Daisie

I know ?300 + might sound crazy to get a prescription, however the idea is to then get the treatment transferred to the National Health Service once I'm on the maintenance dose, then each quarter it will be ?7.20.

Also the Drs I've been in contact with are widely published experts in addiction and mood disorders, it's a pretty big investment and we each have to take the route that makes most sense to us in our own circumstances. I have to say having it on my medical record is more of concern than the money and I'm by no means a rich man!

Just an observation: based on my own experiences and those of members who have posted on these threads, I would be very wary of so-called "addiction and mood disorder" specialists. Also refer the threads Dr. Ameisen posted here.

As for getting it via NHS: I wish I lived in the UK! We have no such cover in South Africa, and there MUST be collusion in the medicine supply chain. Baclofen bought through normal channels (pharmacies) are almost 5 times as expensive as that which I buy from Inhouse).

[Rusty]

UK- Observer newspaper Dr Ameisen

Loop and Tip,

Thanks for the helpful information! I'll try alldaychemists when I order next time.

[hippie37]

UK- Observer newspaper Dr Ameisen

Really inspiring article that London. Thanks for the link.

Many Blessings
Phil

[Henrietta]

UK- Observer newspaper Dr Ameisen

Question for London SW16, and all others from the UK

I understand about the initial expense for a specialist, then switching the treatment plan to the NHS and the low prescription costs that follow. I'm just curious, do you have doctors in the UK who will routinely prescribe over 100 mg per day? I've read that most doctors around the world are hesitant to do so. But many people, especially larger men, seem to need much higher doses to reach their switch. I needed 130 mg and I'm a fairly small female. Are you able to get enough Bac prescribed or stockpiled to sustain these higher doses if need be?

Cheers,
Henrietta

[scot98]

UK- Observer newspaper Dr Ameisen

Cheers for the link to the observer article London, It's interesting that they name the Psychiatrist I was planning on seeing in Edinburgh, I am not sure i will go and see him as he won't prescribe more than 100mg of baclofen according to the article which is likely not going to be much good.
I will stick with Naltrexone for the moment and maybe start Bac in a couple of months if my units don't drop.
?300 is very expensive! heck I thought ?180 was bad enough. I am sure it will be worth it though if you are wanting medical supervision rather than self prescribe.

Let us all know how it goes
Good luck

Lo0p, you are an inspiration, glad to see you are still around the forum and I am really pleased to see how great things are for you. I will never drink again without Nal and will probably follow your path with a combination of nal and bac in the future.

[SW16]

UK- Observer newspaper Dr Ameisen

I'm hoping that the maintenance dose will be below 100mg, and if the specialist will not go above 100 on the journey to the switch I'll order on line at my own risk but request he continues to monitor me.

I'm still on the look out for cheaper options and I'm only a few days into pursuing Bac, i imagine it will be weeks before i start and I'll remain very open to the board's help, pointers and experience.

[Brave Hearted]

UK- Observer newspaper Dr Ameisen

Hi London so pleased you have joined us . I too am in the UK I have been on baclofen since last Aug and do the same as Loop take a naltrezone an hour before I go out if I am having a drink, which like Loop (sorry Loop I sound like your echo) I can take it or leave it. I was thinking the other day how baclofen has changed hw I think aobut al and probably the best way to describe it is is that I just dont think aobut it much any more and if I do think about it the though goes fairlt quickly. My recent drinking is I had 2 glasses of wine last Saturday lunch time and I have not had or wanted a drink since (its Thursday now )

I truely hope you get the results I have had with baclofen

Regards

BH

[Virgil]

UK- Observer newspaper Dr Ameisen

London sw16;861936 wrote: I found this site through this newspaper article a couple of weeks ago, i had heard of Dr Ameisen before but never followed it up. Well i am now and very pleased to have the support of members as i try to source my Bac by the route that's best for me.

I'm surprised the site is not over run with brits by now, if any are lurking come on in, the more of us searching for our solution and supporting each other the better our chances.

The little pill that could cure alcoholism | Society | The Observer

Hi London,

One thing that concerns me about Dr Ameisen's approach to establishing a maximum safe dose for baclofen is that he consulted with those specialists who were using this medication for its primary, intended pupose, i.e. as a muscle relaxant. That's entirely understandable - who else could Dr Ameisen turn to at the time? But, what happens when we now throw alcohol into the mix?

In The Guardian article, it states:

For Ameisen, this is a frustration. "In the nearly 50 years that baclofen has been prescribed, including at high dose ? much higher than Dr Chick's maximum ? I challenge you to find any report of any side effect that was severe or not reversible within 24 or 48 hours. Trust me, had there been one such report, I would have been demolished since 2004."

From his book, I seem* to recall that Dr Ameisen established 300mg baclofen per day as the maximum 'safe' dose but does that figure still apply when heavy alcohol consumption is taken into account? I feel that I'm flying by the seat of my pants when I go over the limit set by the BNF (British National Formulary) guidelines, which I believe is 100mg daily. But I'm doing just that!

V.

* I'm going by memory. Please correct me if I'm wrong.

[gyco]

UK- Observer newspaper Dr Ameisen

hi gang,virgil one of the most interesting comments ive seen made on this forum,from one addiction to the next,maybe canadaahead of the rest of the world,ive just recently got out of surgery,for a cervical neck ailment,brot on by time,or hereditary thro abuse,lets letr the scientists figure tht one out,is the good doctor a chronic abuser of substance,like alchohol,in moderation,anything is good for you,unless u get a alergic reaction,ass i said earlier ive had an operatio earlier and i was persribed oxycodone,wo,i was addicted to Al.nt medication,here in canada the doc s are becpoming very aware of the epedemic,bravo,i solute us.and wish all u folks well gyco

[Virgil]

UK- Observer newspaper Dr Ameisen

London sw16;862259 wrote: I'm hoping to see a Dr in London, he has agreed in principle to prescribe Bac subject to a full diagnosis, but it is expensive ?300 per hour and that would be ongoing to supervise the meds. The idea is that he would then get my GP to take over. He has one good advantage ( as well as being respected in the field) in that he works as visiting consultant at my nearest hospital and this could help with my GP.

Hi London,

Me again!

My GP said that she was not in a position to prescribe baclofen as it would not be permitted by the ruling body by which GPs must comply - at least in my neck of the woods. This body is the PCT (Primary Care Trust). As I understand it, psychiatrists (perhaps working privately) are exempt from control by the PCT. I think it's something to do with using baclofen for off-license* usage, i.e. alcohol dependence as opposed to muscle relaxant. I fell foul of this several months ago.

V.

* What an unfortunate use of terminology! Still, it's better than using the word 'offie' :H

[SW16]

UK- Observer newspaper Dr Ameisen

Virgil;863042 wrote: Hi London,

Me again!

My GP said that she was not in a position to prescribe baclofen as it would not be permitted by the ruling body by which GPs must comply - at least in my neck of the woods. This body is the PCT (Primary Care Trust). As I understand it, psychiatrists (perhaps working privately) are exempt from control by the PCT. I think it's something to do with using baclofen for off-license* usage, i.e. alcohol dependence as opposed to muscle relaxant. I fell foul of this several months ago.

V.

* What an unfortunate use of terminology! Still, it's better than using the word 'offie' :H

Thanks, that made me grin, I'm still pursing the psychiatrists and if that doesn't work it will be online.

All the best Virgil

Kevin

[alex s]

UK- Observer newspaper Dr Ameisen

this is what ameisen said to me.............in the end baclofen made me quite depresses, even suicidal- but at that point hed not contact me....
Dr Ameisen,
I did not contact you as an addiction specialist, but rather as a close friend of my fathers- because i thought your interest exceeded that of all the many other "specialists" i have overpaid for "treatment" for the last 20 years. In addition, i was under the impression you were close w my brother- and so i invited you to be my guest, meet you, and perhaps get some advice, as a friend of the family. I do not pay my guests to come stay, irrespective of the time they afford me. I believed your interest, because of your relationship w my dad- to be guided my best interest...an interest, that was not financial. I mistook your mission to be spreading your word, rather than individual privatized medical care. At the end of the day, i see that you were not as close w my dad as i thought or believed. I was dissappointed that you have joined the group of many i have encountered who come at a price. Somehow, i imagine my dad would have nevered charged you for his opinion.
Im sorry you wont be joining us- my staff of 15, the chef preparred meals, and the ensuite room, tennis, pool, your guest, and boat come to about 5k a night. Join us in the future, as you were so close w my dad- i'll call it 4k, and consider us even.
Take care, alex
Sent from my BlackBerry? wireless device
From: olivier ameisen
Date: Sat, 19 Jun 2010 16:45:32 +0200
To: Alexandra Steiner
Subject: RE: Dear Alex

Dear Alex,

Sorry about my late answer.

I am surprised by your talking about a business meeting. When you go to rehab, when you visit your addiction specialists or any other doctor, those are medical matters that involve fees.

From your having rapidly started baclofen, I was under the impression that you wanted a formal medical consultation. This would have allowed me to establish a treatment plan tailored for you, as I design for each patient (since every responds differently) and that there was a certain degree of urgency in that. Baclofen treatment indeed requires a lot of fine-tuning and experience.

Since there seems to be no urgent medical issue, considering the amount of work I have to attend to, I'm afraid I won't be able to make it to St Tropez this time. Thanks so much, though, for your kind invitation.

If you were to need further help with your treatment, let me know and we'll plan for a formal tailored treatment plan.

Best wishes,
Olivier



Subject: Re: Dear Alex
To: oameisen@hotmail.com
From: alexsteiner@rocketmail.com
Date: Fri, 18 Jun 2010 18:28:14 +0000

Dr Ameisen,
Your girldriend is, of course, welcome to join you at our home. I regard you as a former friend of my fathers, and we have a common interest, so i was looking forward to meeting you. I am not willing to pay a large fee , as you mentioned, the circumstances dont dictate a business meeting. Nonetheless, i appreciate your interest in my case thus far.
Thanks, alexSent from my BlackBerry? wireless device
From: olivier ameisen
Date: Fri, 18 Jun 2010 20:13:35 +0200
To: Alexandra Steiner
Subject: Dear Alex

I have been extremely busy.

My girlfriend has joined me for a few days in Juan-les-Pins as a happy surprise.
Do you still want me to come this Sunday to St Tropez for a formal medical consultation?

I generally charge quite a high fee. Yet, since your dad and I were very close, I would charge €3,600 as initial fee if this is suitable to you.

Please let me know.

Best,
Olivier