Has anyone any experience of at home rehab?

[72hours]

We have reached the point of DH needs rehab for alcoholism. It really is overdue. He starts drinking as soon as he wakes. Shakes when he hasn't drunk for an hour or two. Unexplained cuts, bruises, injuries. No self-care, showering, etc. Currently attends two AA groups per week. Cannot work and is signed off.

We cannot afford inpatient rehab and nothing moves fast in the NHS so we have opted for at-home rehab. He has a support worker, has gone through the assessment with the Dr, been approved and the drugs will be delivered next week. I have taken three days off to support for the first 72 hours as requested by the program. He is at risk of seizures. Medication every two hours.

I know it isn't going to be easy.

Please can anyone tell me their experiences, from either carer or rehab side so I can at least prepare a little for what's coming?

I get that you don't have time for al anon but they maybe have online/live chat support you can access when convenient?
Is there anybody at all that can support you as a family, take the children out/get shopping- even could you afford to pay a cleaner for a few hours?
And/or be more explicit with him about what needs doing in the house- lists of jobs etc- although I have no idea if that's compatible with detox
good luck

@72hours Are you paying for this? Do you not have a local substance abuse centre? You must have, you can self refer. I was seen the same week. Straight into the process.

The counselling (by ex addicts) was crucial. As was the nurse appointments through the detox.

I was on chlordiazepoxide. Day 1 I was just shocked and overjoyed to not be withdrawing, no sickness (I was malnourished late stage alcoholic), I felt… ok. Day 2 after that first beautiful nights sleep (I still adore sober sleep) I was dragging my Mum into town to book a hair appointment and we had lunch!! I was off, the darkness was taken and I had life back. I was sick and tired of being sick and tired.

Good luck, feel free to ask me anything.

Find your local service here applies to alcohol too:

www.nhs.uk/Service-Search/other-services/Drug%20treatment%20services/LocationSearch/340

My husband had it. It worked for (ten months). He insisted on doing it the moment he could, rather than waiting until I got back from visiting my mother in Spain. I gather it wasn’t pretty. He didn’t answer his phone for three days and I was worried sick.

from what I recall he had pretty major doses of diazepam or something similar. Once the worst has past (in those three days), he was just zonked. Then he chased diazepam relentlessly and abused that 🙄.

I had 0 symptoms from my first morning on the medication.

At home detox is available through your local substance abuse centre and is common place, but not imo well enough known as an available route.

The cgl place is on that list @theemmadilemma but yes, we are paying through detox uk.

That’s a shame, my treatment was fully NHS funded. I’m so sorry you’re not getting the same support, or counselling, my service was great for Partners too.

The medication was only 10 days worth, I think it was maybe more frequent and was certainly on a tapering dose. I had reduced my intake somewhat, but not hugely. I had to have my last drink at 10pm the night before.

As mentioned I had 0 symptoms, it was like a miracle to me. I was a normal functioning human, not a shaking, sick mess. Life for me literally started again day 2 of detox, and I never looked back.

I was very late stage. Dying. Maybe a year left.

If there’s anything else I can answer, let me know.

• I paid standard prescription charges only.

It sounds like you’re too far down this paid route now, but for others, you should be able to access an NHS Service for this, with counselling, provided you commit (I did the daily breath test while on detox - if I failed I could not access the service for another year..).

Dear Albert can help: www.dearalbert.co.uk/nhs-alcohol-detox/

Thinking of you. Can’t offer any practical support but for your sake more than anyones I hope it works xx