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I had to divert myself from my studies this last week to visit someone with a relapse into alcoholism and I was amazed the hospital casualty department did not take him in as he was well done in.
Surely when someone has drunk a litre of vodka for three months when they have relapsed, an understanding that withdrawal will cause a life threatening condition is obvious. Bad history taking and a lack of alcohol knowledge I reckon.
Anyway, University was fortunately closed this week with the weather, and I got the guy to his GP (as I always work closely with the GP) and got the kit to do the home supervised detox. Diazepam at a reducing dosage to manage withdrawal, Lorazepam for the stomach, dehydration sachets, thiamine for vitamin deficiency and paracetamol for the headaches.
Constant monitoring and adjustment in medication dosage and amazingly back to an AA meeting on Thursday. Some may take longer to come around. This client had relapse history so Acamprosate will start after the diazepam detox ends to combat craving, and it blends in nicely with diazepam which has a great half-life.
Start them off on Complan to drink, then small meals and he was eating by Friday. He’s gone home and has a new individual support plan. I’m going to chill today which is my inventory day, and I feel I’ve already done it.
Home detox only works if supervised – no one can do it alone.
Have a good week everyone.
Enjoy your chill – you deserve it.
I have a friend who was turned away from A&E when he arrived with his father asking for medical help. They told him they didn’t have the facilities and was advised not to stop drinking. He had been drinking alcoholically for years, but the doctor told him to see his GP. Scary advice! I can see why the doctor didn’t advise him to stop (withdrawal), but I fear if that had been me, that would have been enough to feed my denial that I wasn’t an alkie!
I did a home detox as rehab hadn’t worked for me previously. Essentially I did it alone. But, although I didn’t find AA until day 10 of the detox, my Higher Power was with me.
So whilst I didn’t have someone like you to guide me, support me, and listen, I did have my God. I just didn’t know it at the time.
Like Michaela says, enjoy your well earned chill.
Peace,
Keiran
Enjoy your chill as the above have said, pucker he had someone who knew what to do, done a few home detoxes myself and are totally draining and took it out of me, like up 24/7 meeting their needs.
It is pucker you know the meds that are needed! it is no way a fun place to be in. Well done and proud to read your blog.
Well done for helping this chap out Chris and I hope you enjoyed your chill out! I hope the chap is able to continue on his path now. We have a hostel in Cardiff that offers supervised detox and they too work closely with GPs, to try and offer people a chance to sever the physical necessity for drink. We have some good feedback about it and can see the progression people can make when they have their choice back. You raised a good point about history taking. I hope the studies are going well.
Sarah in his words, I feel the compulsive need is gone so hes got the tools had the detox and motivational interviewing combined with integrative counselling and its setttled nicely on him.
I am a fairly good planner and I need to be, I have the last couple of months with my Addictions Bsc the solicitor to see tommorow for my CIC Veterans support set up, then funding to sort out, then I hope the weather holds to drive to Wales on Friday to study.
I really take care of myself,eat well, exercise and rest.I seem to attract some really nice people into my life which is great.The drink plays no part in my life,it is gone,my expectations of getting anything at all out of taking alcohol have diminished thank God.
I am spiritual in every sense and share my experience with others.
That’s great Chris! Keep us posted and I hope one day Wired In will be able to support some veterans work. Good luck for Friday, I think the weather is meant to be rainy but OK :-)
Pucker Chris, wish you the best of luck. I forgot to add that with all the detoxes i have had and done for others, what helped me many a time and I use to pass ont others, is remember the “PAIN!”
it took me along time to understand this when told to me, even in the hospital,
“The emotional – physical and mental pain” of detoxing. With each individual we experience differant pains etc, yet it sure is something that has now stuck in my head. No way do I wish to go back to that painful place.
Look after yourself and your own needs and best of luck. “Pucker” guy!
I am in recovery but I am also a professional working with people who are heavily dependent on various substances including alcohol. I do not want to over-medicalise clients’ situations, or project their responsibility onto the medical or any other profession. However, it is my experience that the medical response that is required when someone withdraws from alcohol varies depending on the local and regional health system from excellent, appropriate sympathetic support offered in a timely and effective manner, through unsympathetic grudging treatment that is not so helpful to utter rejection, or even hostility with no support whatsoever.
There is an alcohol detox guideline from NICE which is published for consultation which provides a basic standard that all health authorities should meet when people present for detox, no matter what their background or situation. It is time that the public became more aware of their rights and the standards that should apply to their health treatment. In good health authorities clients and their supporters are informed as a matter of course what the process should be. Maybe through these pages people will become more aware that there are standards that should be followed to provide medical care regarding this issue, which people are entitled to as of right. Where those standards are met the service deserves praise for a difficult job well done, but where the services are deficient someone is responsible for that failing, which needs bringing into line with good practice.
The person who begins withdrawal (maybe inadvertantly) may not appreciate the severity of their dependency. This is especially true of those who who relapse after a period of abstinence and often my clients are shocked by the levels of alcohol they have built up in their body and the extent of their symptoms when they withdraw comes as a complete surprise. It is in precisely this sort of situation that the NICE standards should be invoked and the person given appropriate hospital care, regardless of what has happened before or what support system they have afterwards.
I wish you well
