PROGRAMME MEDICAL NOTES FOR PROFESSIONALS, TO ACCOMPANY CLIENT'S PROGRAMME :  {1}

Over-Count Withdrawal Treatment Programme-Medical Notes >

 

         Over-Count's OTC Withdrawal Programme can be adopted by the Client themselve, but ideally

should be completed under supervision of a Doctor, or a local Drug Counseller.  At   05/06,  it has a

success Rate of over 87%.

 

THE  PROGRAMME- We have found almost in every case, when the Client is gradually withdrawn

from the actual OTC Product he/she has misused, the success Rate improves dramatically. Our own

Research has indicated poor results when an "alternative Drug" is Prescribed instead of the OTC

Product usually taken by the Client- these "alternative Drugs" are commonly a Tricyclic, or even

Methadone in several instances.

    The rule of thumb which has proven best, is... "The number of Years that the Client has misused

the OTC Product =  The number of Months the Withdrawal Regime should cover..."  Thus a Client

with a 5 year history of misusing Codeine Linctus, e.g, should ideally be given a 5 month long

Withdrawal Programme Regime, enabling very gradual Reduction of the quantities taken daily.

   Although the Physical Withdrawal Effects associated with long-term Misuse of some OTC Products

can be minor, the Psychological Dependence to the Product, cannot be under-estimated, and in some

cases can be readily compared to the severity of  long-term Heroin Addiction.

    There are some OTC Products where abrupt or speedy Withdrawal should NEVER be considered.

  These are commonly when the Client professes a long-term history of misusing CODEINE based

OTC Products, in excess of 300mg taken per diem, and with EPHREDINE/PSEUDEPHREDINE based

OTC Products, in excess of  200mg/600mg taken per diem, or a conjunction of both Ingredients.

    Several Reports have been made to Over-Count, of Clients suffering Status Epilepticus, and other

Epileptiform-type Fits, when Withdrawal has been affected over a short duration period.

 

INVOLVEMENT OF CLIENT'S DOCTOR AND LOCAL PHARMACIST >

 

 The Client, or the Drugs Counseller working with the Client, arranges for their G.P. or Drugs Clinic

Consultant, to arrange with one named Dispensing Pharmacist, in the Clients locality, to provide on a

Daily basis, agreed quantities of the actual OTC Product misused by the Client, the Amounts as per

the detailed Withdrawal Programme Timetable, supplied  to the Client, the Drugs Counseller, and

the G.P. or Consultant involved. [ Copies of Sample Programmes, available on request].

E.g,- The first week, perhaps 200mls Codeine Linctus may be supplied each day, Mon to Sun, and the

2nd week,- 200mls on Mon,Wed, Frid and Saturday, and 180mls on the Tues and Thursday, and so on.

    This facility reduces firstly, the Financial burden on the Client, as he/she no longer has to travel

great distances to "Trawl" obliging Pharmacies, who may have previously been willing to provide

regular supplies of the OTC Product.  Many Over-Count Clients spend up to £75 weekly purchasing

their OTC Product misused, but another £75 on Travelling Costs, required to visit the Pharmacies....

and secondly, this releases  Time originally spent on Travel and Procurement, for the Client to look

at their Lifestyle and Dependency Problems, and assist them to deal with them.

 

 

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