Continuing prescribed medication in a rehab centre

Continuing on prescribed medication when going into rehab: Is this possible? We sincerely hope so! No centre should ever try and change your prescribed medication. This is not the point of rehab.

It is not uncommon for patients to be prescribed long term benzodiazepines and be alcohol dependent or for patients dependent on street heroin to also be prescribed opioids. Furthermore, it is essential that someone takes all their medication in with them so that the centre has a full picture of what medication someone is taking: This is important due to possible contra indications. Beware of any centre that says you cannot bring certain things along as they cannot store them. https://pharmaceutical-journal.com/article/ld/mixing-medicines-how-to-ensure-patient-safety

If a patient wants to explore coming off prescribed medication, any reputable center would insist that you speak to the person who prescribed the medication to you, in the first instance. This could be your GP, consultant, pharmacist prescriber or nurse prescriber.

Coming off prescribed medication could be the sole reason why someone is seeking admission. Again, this needs to be fully discussed with the clinical team at the centre. Some centre’s have a visiting specialist interests GP (GPSI) and/or a consultant psychiatrist who is on the General Medical Council list of specialists https://www.gmc-uk.org/

Some centre’s use a nurse prescriber, such as myself, or a pharmacist prescriber. They can initiate all the same medication as a doctor with two exceptions: Diamorphine and dipipanone . However, it would be rare, these days, for these items to be needed in rehab. https://www.nmc.org.uk/standards/standards-for-post-registration/standards-for-prescribers/ https://www.pharmacyregulation.org/education/pharmacist-independent-prescriber

How to get help

We can help you on 0333 041 9922 at Find Me a Rehab. Advice is free, confidential and impartial. If you need 24 hour rehab advice call in to get the 24 hour addiction help you need.

There are callers who want to use a rehab center to come off their prescribed mental health medication. This, as a mental health clinician, I would not recommend. Rehab centers are not mental health hospitals. This will not be allowed and any center that offers this should be reported to the Care Quality Commission: immediately. Rehab centers are there for rehab. It is not the environment in which to change long term mental health medication.

If there is a consultant psychiatrist available at the centre and if the situation is quite straightforward (ie someone wants to come off a very low dose of a long-term antidepressant) then, certainly, that is a conversation to be had. However, to go into a centre with the sole intention of coming off mental health medication is a non-starter.

If you are prescribed a new medication to continue after treatment (i.e., acamprosate) it is essential that you inform your GP. All health food shop remedies, vitamins, Chinese medicines, alternative medicines and over the counter items need to be declared: This is important in the case of contra indications. https://www.fda.gov/consumers/consumer-updates/mixing-medications-and-dietary-supplements-can-endanger-your-health

If you need 24 hour addiction help to find a rehab, call and speak to an experienced addictions clinician. We are available to give confidential, free and impartial advice. Anyone can call to get 24 hour rehab advice.

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