Alcohol Home Detox
Effective Alcohol Home Detox Treatment Across the UK
Alcohol detox at home safely from £800. We operate in Sutton Coldfield, Birmingham but offer our services across the rest of the UK. A full medical assessment is carried out over the telephone and via a video consultation. If the medical situation is straightforward, the process can be carried out without a face-to-face meeting. If a home visit is necessary, the cost of a UK home detox remains at £950.
About Alcohol and Withdrawal Symptoms
Once a person becomes physically dependent on alcohol they cannot go without a drink without experiencing withdrawal symptoms. Depending on how much that person has been drinking, these withdrawal symptoms can be extremely severe. Excessive shaking and anxiety can lead to more dangerous symptoms such as seizures and Delirium Tremens (DTs). DTs cause confusion, hallucinations, rapid/irregular heartbeat and fever. At their most extreme, these withdrawal symptoms can be fatal.
Learn more about alcohol withdrawal through our blog post.
Heavy drinkers carry on drinking to avoid these symptoms and it works in the short term. It is not advised that any person, who has got to the point of needing alcohol to avoid withdrawal symptoms, attempts to stop drinking without medical assistance. This private alcohol detox treatment programme is carried out at home with 24/7 support from a qualified nurse prescriber.
How Long Is An Alcohol Home Detox?
Alcohol detox at home can be made safe and even comfortable for many people who are physically dependent on alcohol. Over a period which is normally between 5 and 7 days, medication can be given, in higher doses initially and reducing over the period of the programme. With the correct dosage, all physical withdrawal symptoms can be eliminated. As these can often be quite high doses initially, the person undergoing a home detox may spend the first two or three days feeling quite drowsy but, as the dose reduces, this wears off.
Can You Safely Detox From Alcohol At Home?
For the majority of people, an alcohol home detox is safe. In occasional circumstances, it may be the case that the alcohol problem has already caused physical health problems which mean that alcohol detox should be carried out in hospital and a home detox is not recommended. This is normally when serious damage has already been done to the liver or the general health of the client is poor.
I assess every individual thoroughly and will not offer a home detox programme if I consider there to be any risk of serious complications. The detox programme will be tailored around your situation so you can have the right help and support you need. If a home detox is deemed unsuitable for you, I can refer you to somebody who can help you find a residential facility, with a choice of locations and price ranges. However, if a home detox is deemed safe then we will look to begin the procedure of a home alcohol detox.
Alcohol Home Detox From Paul Turner
Unfortunately, most parts of the UK do not have services set up to offer a home detox on the NHS. It would be easy to criticise GPs for refusing to prescribe medication for this, but it should be recognised that unsupervised programmes has many risks and GPs are correct in not dishing out prescriptions to any patient that asks. GPs are now expected to refer people to their local specialist alcohol treatment service but, unfortunately, many of these do not have the qualified personnel to prescribe for, or support patients through a private alcohol detox. This means that many patients attend appointments for months keeping drinking diaries. This, very often, leads to no improvement in the situation and many go searching the Internet for a solution.
However, at Alcohol Home Treatment, we are experienced professionals and will provide you with the best alcohol detox help. Furthermore, although we are based in Sutton Coldfield, we offer our services across the UK. At Alcohol Home Treatment we have over 25 years of experience of working with people who suffer from problems with alcohol. Our approach is through offering a personalised experience for each client and developing a programme which best suits them and their habit.
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Confidential, no-obligation enquiry
Talk to Paul today to get advice for yourself or a loved one on how to treat Alcohol Use Disorder. Starting with an assessment and advice we can help you get your life back on track.
Call us on 0800 0546 221 if you would like to discuss further.
The Alcohol Home Detox Regime
An initial phone-based medical assessment is performed by either Dr David Eccleston from The Oakley Partnership or myself, focusing on your medical history, current conditions, and medications. This is to determine your safety for a home detox. Honesty during this assessment is crucial so we can get a clear understanding of your circumstances.
A ‘supervisor,’ ideally a partner, relative, or friend, is required to be with you throughout your detox due to potential effects of the medication on your blood pressure and balance, as well as the risk of severe alcohol withdrawal symptoms. We would recommend that you don’t go out alone also. The patient is instructed not to drive or operate machinery, during the detox, and it should be noted that a driver’s insurance is invalid if they have been advised not to drive for medical reasons.
Please note that access to a blood pressure monitor is required. If you need to purchase one, they cost around £20 and you should get one with a cuff that goes around the upper arm (not the wrist).
If the medical assessment greenlights a home detox, documentation will need to be electronically signed by the patient and supervisor (sent via email) and a video consultation will take place as I need to see the patient before prescribing.
Once all of these things have been done, detox medication will be prescribed, and the prescription will be posted to a pharmacy near to where the detox will be taking place. The supervisor will need to collect this and will need to take ID to the pharmacy.
The Supervisor then needs to call me before every dose of medication. This will be 4-hourly for the first 24 hours and then 4 times a day after that. Occasionally extra doses may be required or we may need to do the next dose earlier than planned. I will be available by telephone 24/7 and there is no time you will be left unsupported.
Should we deem it necessary that you are seen face-to-face before starting a home detox, this can be arranged and the process above will differ in those cases.
The home detox programme lasts 5-7 days, with medication starting on high doses and reducing over time. The price is £950 for most UK mainland areas and £800 for non-face-to-face treatments.
If you are living in more remote areas or further afield, contact us for prices.
Alcohol detox at home is very safe and effective if this is properly monitored and the patient has the appropriate level of support.
Please note, private detoxes without an approved supervisor are not permitted. This person must be present 24/7 for the full duration of the detox. A neighbour or a friend calling in will not be acceptable and cover needs to be found if the main supervisor needs to go to work. After an at home alcohol detox, if abstinence becomes challenging, we suggest The Sinclair Method for ongoing treatment.
For a free no-obligation chat call 0800 0546 221
