Why Your Doctor May Not Help You Overcome Alcohol Abuse

We got yet another call from a long time reader who’d gone to her doctor hoping to be prescribed Naltrexone. Her physician refused, saying that “Naltrexone can only be prescribed by a psychiatrist with a specialization in addictions.”

This is absolutely false!

Worse yet, the doctor offered Antibuse which is extremely dangerous and/or Campral which is useless before 90 days of total abstinence and of dubious value after that.

So what’s going on here?

First, doctors are loathe to admit that they don’t know about Naltrexone so they hide behind the “…only a psychiarist…” or “…only and addictions specialist…” gambit.
Second, Naltrexone is a generic and hence there’s no profit motive inspiring Big Pharma to push it – as there is with Campral – and in fact most doctors haven’t heard of it, though it’s been FDA approved for over 15 years for combating alcohol abuse.

Third, Naltrexone has minor side effects and no negative interactions with other medications – but it may be used as an aid to moderating one’s drinking (as it is in Europe where it was developed 25 years ago) and many doctors object to this.

Fourth, it isn’t punative – like Antibuse – and many doctors like to punish patients for whatever sins they imagine you’ve committed.

Finally, your doctor too has been brainwashed into believing that alcohol abuse is a “disease” and that “AA is the only way”.

Suggestions?

Don’t let your doctor’s ignorance get in the way of actually ending your own alcohol problems – instead, either educate your doctor, for find another one.

And e-mail us for a free copy of the government handout “What the Medical Community Needs To Know About Naltrexone.”

Natrexone – Not  a Magic Bullet

A former client came by this week to sign up for some actual counseling, coaching, and support. He’d come to us 18 months ago, seen our physician, and departed with his prescripion for Naltrexone and a follow-up appointment.

A week later he called and canceled his appointmnet, saying that the Naltrexone had cured him!

Twelve weeks later he was back again, wanting to see the doctor again, and renew his prescription. We suggested that he also needed some additional help, which he declined.

This week he’s back and ready to get the help he needs after having wasted 18 months. What happened?

Simply put – Naltrexone doesn’t cure alcohol abuse. It merely ends the cravings and buys you a window of opportunity to make the lifestyle changes that will cure your alcohol abuse.

Yes, that’s right, it’s a short term fix, just as alcohol is, but it does give you a chance to make real changes to fix the real problems that up until now you’ve been medicating with alcohol.

That’s the one legitimate reason your doctor may proffer for his or her reluctance to prescribe – are you working with a competent counselor or effective program to actually cure the problem?

That’s where we come in. Work with us to get the best possible outcomes with the least wasted effort, time, emotion, and $$$.