Naltrexone use and availability

[Highbiatch]

Hey, not been here for ages, but heard that naltrexone is given freely to users from Pharmacies, is that true?
And, I was wondering because I use hot in secret and have no friends who use, so I have no one to learn from, lean on or help, I was hoping to understand how quickly you would need to administer the naltrexone, and of course afterwards, I’m assuming you would go into an instant agonising withdrawal, so then when would you have your next hit or methadone dose. Thx.

 

[quasimodo21]

You mean Naloxone. Naltrexone is a long acting agonist used for Alcoholism and a few other things.

I got a script for Naloxone in the ACT and keep the nasal sprays at home and in my bag. You can apparently get it over the counter for a price:

Where to access naloxone

Find out where you can obtain naloxone in Australia and whether you will need a prescription.

www.health.gov.au

You use it when you OD. Passing out - being unresponsive - going blue - all these bad things. The thing is, it's more for other people to use on you than for you to use on yourself, as you'd need to pre-empt an OD.

I haven't had it used on me, but I know it puts you into withdrawal right away as it forces the other opiates off your receptors (and stops them killing you). If you've been using long acting opiates you might need to go to hospital and get an infusion after using the nasal spray, as the naloxone may wear off resulting in you ODing again.

Using Opiates alone is dangerous for this reason. It's so much better if you can have a trusted person around that knows when and how to use naloxone.

 

[n3ophy7e]

Yeah as quasimodo said, you mean naloxone. I believe, yes, you can get it from the pharmacy. I don't know if they just hand it out to you or if you have to purchase it. The problem is...who is going to administer it to you if you OD alone?

 

[Blankenstein]

Where to access naloxone

Find out where you can obtain naloxone in Australia and whether you will need a prescription.

www.health.gov.au

This has information regarding accessing naloxone for free in Australia. I’m not quite sure what happens at the end of the “trial period”. Surely they won’t stop making it available? Also that’s only for WA, VIC abs NSW.

I only started getting it 6 months ago. That’s because I realised given my drug use that I should have it at home. Though as people have pointed out it’s not of much use if you are using by yourself, which 99% of the time I am. The 1% of the time I wasn’t I actually had to have it administered to me because I overdosed. If I was by myself that day I wouldn’t have had a chance. I was very very lucky.

I actually tried to buy it from a pharmacy a few months back here one night after picking up and they had never heard of it. I called another pharmacy and same thing they didn’t know what it was. I couldn’t believe they didn’t know what it was. I think one knew naloxone because it’s in targin, but didn’t know a nasal spray product (nyxoid) existed to reverse opioid overdoses.

I can’t remember what pharmacies they were, but I googled after that and found chemist warehouse sells it but you need a prescription. $40 for the injection. Not sure about the spray.

I know some people don’t like the spray. They reckon it doesn’t work as well As the injection. I know when I dropped it took 2 Of the sprays to bring me back around. I guess there is more room for error in the spray. If you don’t get it properly in the nostril you might not get a full dose.