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Suggest Ways To Give Up Alcohol

Posted on Fri, 27 May 2016

Question: Was on Narcotic pain medicine since 1997. Never abused my pills. However, 3 months ago, I began drinking heavy. No breathing problems at all. I knew I had to stop. Went to a medical detox hospital. They wouldn't keep me on my prescribed meds. Was on a 5- day methadone taper to replace the MS Contin I need to stay on. I was in detox for alcohol only. My luck would have it that 3 days after the 20-15-10-5 taper, I had to give urine to my pain specialist and he cannot know I drank. If I lose him, theres nobody else in this area that will prescribe narcotics. They all want to give expensive injections, and I tried them in the past and felt more pain, physically and financially. Plus my brain is so used to opiod medication, my dopamine levels will be extremely low, leaving me in a terrible mental state for months, not to mention physical pain from my L5/S1 disc

Answered by Dr. Muhammad Hanif (11 hours later)

Brief Answer:
It is better to give derailed alcohol history to your Physician.

Detailed Answer:
Warm welcome to HCM.
Thanks for sharing your health query here for an expert analysis and opinion.
I am glad to help you according to the best medical practices intended for the best interest of patients in all circumstances.

I will suggest you to discuss the detailed alcohol history for the best of your health. They have a lot of methods to keep you in safe hands and treat you for the best interest of your health.

Alcohol interferes with most of the medicines and metabolic processes in liver destined to make metabolic end products. If a physician doesn't know what will interact with his prescribed medications, how can he advise best dosage for you??
We need to adjust dose of medicines according to all the pharmacologic interactions of different drugs.

Pain medicines and alcohol both cause CNS (brain) depression. If given wrongly in high dose without knowing a patient is heavy drinker, it may case devastating effects.

The detox program and the abstinence programs are intended to keep you out of danger of neurotransmitters imbalances. They will not let your Dopamine levels to get low.

Hope it helps. Please feel free to contact me anytime directly from my profile if you need further assistance.

Regards!

Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Deepak

Follow up: Dr. Muhammad Hanif (1 hour later)

I'm out of the detox now since Mar 8th. I'm concerned that if those urine results come back showing methadone in my system, and I cant tell him I had a temporary bout with heavy drinking, they may just call me and say that I'm terminated from their practice. Then what do I do?. I know they can only detect methadone thru the Gas chromography test, not a straight 5-panel test, I just don't know which one the lab is gonna use. If they terminate me , then I'll have a severe dopamine problem. I understand theres a drug called Levodopa that can help restore dopamine levels, but of course then I'd also have the chronic pain back.

Answered by Dr. Muhammad Hanif (17 hours later)

Brief Answer:
Join a "Rehab Program" for better help !!!

Detailed Answer:
I warmly Welcome you!
Thanks for the consult. I appreciate your follow-up query.

If this is the case, you have to make a decision regarding "future alcohol drinking". You will have to abstain from it and for that definitely you are in need to join a Rehabilitation Program. Do it at your earliest and before your Specialist contacts back to you, go to them and disclose all the drinking history and break the news that you have joined "Rehab Program too". I am sure, they are never gonna refuse treating you. They will not terminate you.

Please also take help from your Primary Care Physician in this regard. He will interact with your Specialist and will ask him that you will abstain from drinking and will go for a rehabilitation regarding the issue. He will further request them to continue your treatment as it is.

Hope it helps you today. If you need further assistance, contact me anytime directly from my profile. I will be happy to assist you anytime.

Regards!
DR.HANIF

Note: For more detailed guidance, please consult an Internal Medicine Specialist, with your latest reports. Click here..

Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Prasad