DonnaJL

I have been talking with my ADP about trying medications to help with the addiction. His brother is a DPM so he is the person that I turn to for help and I also contacted one of ADP's former physicians who is involved in abuse treatment. He advised the use of Naltrexone.
Dr. brother is willing to prescribe that med, but it's going to be tricky for him to bring this up with ADP because he doesn't live close by and they only speak on the phone from time to time.
I would rather stay out of it, or at least appear to have stayed out of it otherwise it will look like collusion to my ADP.
Do any of your A's have an experience with Naltrexone? And have any advice on how the subject can be brought up sucessfully?

KittyP

How much do you know about Naltrexone? When used as a medication along with abstinence it has proven to be less successful than placebo. So currently the only successes with Naltrexone that are being reported are when it is being used with The Sinclair Method, which means that the A takes a tablet an hour before they plan to drink.

Supposedly the more they drink, the less they will eventually want to. The theory is that bit by bit the medication instigates an "extinction" process which stops the brain from enjoying alcohol/other drugs. This process takes months to years and the A is supposed to keep drinking throughout this process.

I have no real idea if it works or not but I think there are a lot of drawbacks to it. Especially as the extinction process prevents the brain from feeling certain normal pleasurable feelings, like endorphin release from exercise. I'd be quite worried that it would only make the A more miserable while they were on the medication.

I'm afraid I'd be unwilling to recommend this medication without the full-time supervision of a prescribing psychiatrist. Why exactly has the doctor suggested this medication?

DonnaJL

One is not supposed to drink on this medication, and it's supposed to lessen the desire for alcohol. I have read of positive results on this medication, so I have to trust the Dr on this, I guess, if my ADP will try it.

KittyP

That was certainly the original thinking behind the medication and it showed positive results. But further, more indepth studies showed that for the most part those who experienced decreased desire to drink were the ones who continued drinking while taking the medication. I've certainly read a lot of good things about Nal and I hope it does work out for your partner if he tries it.

jayscott

My AW has been taking Naltrexone daily for several months now. In her case, it has not made any improvements (her drinking continued, and in fact increased). One huge challenge is getting her to continue taking any of her meds once she has started drinking, because she basically stops taking all of them at that point.

lc1972

Ok I have heard that this medicine hinders the buzz you would get when drinking. That you would have to drink more to get the buzz feeling or to get drunk. The journel I read stated that if someone does not want to stop drinking this medicine could be dangerous, because they could get alcohol poisoning. They use this medicine also for opiate addicts. If someone addicted to opiates takes their DOC they get withdrawel symptoms for some severely ill. I also know of a place that uses this in a mannor of inplanting it so it last a month or more at a time.

Just wondering how everyone has so many different sources of information on this medicine????

DonnaJL

My ADP was all gung ho on the implant when he first heard of it, and of course, after I called to get the info on it, he changed his tune. His 'fear' of side effects in the future excuse. I've heard good results from it and thought it might be the answer, but until he stops putting up roadblocks, nothing will help him.