Hi, I'm new to this forum and have been reading through posts including the finding a doctor section. I live in NYC and only really found one doctor mentioned, who of course does not accept my insurance. I'm wondering what your experience in general has been with finding a doctor willing to prescribe Naltrexone for drinking? Did you go to a family practice doctor, addiction specialist, psychiatrist? I'm just trying to figure out the best place to start to get the initial prescription to give it a try, without spending too much money visiting one doctor after another in NY trying to find someone open minded enough. (It's very expensive and time consuming to see a doctor here, so I'm trying to improve my chances of quick success in finding someone.)

Thanks for your help! It's been invaluable already reading about your experiences. I have also heard of many success stories on other forums, so I'm anxious to try it myself!

Here's my response from another thread where the person posting had a bad experience with their physician:

My primary care physician was the opposite. I asked him for Naltrexone and told him what I read on the website. He left for a few minutes and looked it up on the computer and came back and said, sure, let's try it. He prescribed it for one daily rather than one one hour before drinking because he said the insurance company probably wouldn't cover it written that way but to take it one hour before drinking. He told me go to a counselor if I wanted but it wasn't any type of requirement and come back in a month and tell him how it's going. I guess I'm pretty lucky! I started about 10 days ago and so far it seems to turn off the "I want more, more, more" thing that was going on so I'm pretty happy. Good luck to you.

I had a similar experience. I went to my GP with Eskapa's book in hand. He also searched the internet before prescribing; it really helps if they search for the Sinclair Method rather than naltrexone. I think he was falmiliar with TSM beforehand but was not sure; he may have just picked it up on the fly. At any rate, he could tell from the book and from the internet that this was an established approach, and was pleased to provide a prescription.

It may also help to ask the GP to search for the COMBINE study. It is recent, well regarded, and concluded that it was appropriate for GP's to prescribe TSM with minimal medical management and no concurrent counseling.

This thread addresses the issue at length. I agree with Bob: psychiatrists are far more willing to prescribe naltrexone than GPs.

viewtopic.php?f=12&t=124

It took me several visits to my GP, a gastroenterologist, and the emergency room, but now my GP just prescribes it for me. In fact, she suggested it. I'd never heard of naltrexone before.

She prescribed it as a one-a-day abstinence thing, but I am trying the Sinclair Method instead. It'll be interesting to see how she reacts when I bring this to her attention at our next appointment. I'm kind of nervous about that, and was thinking about bringing her a copy of the book. Or at least a printout of the "for doctors" chapter.

Could be, of course, that's she's aware of the Method, and, as was suggested above, is just being coy because of insurance reasons.

I am new at this, but need help. Anyone know
a doctor in Ventura County who will prescribe
naltrexone? My M,D. will not and referred me
to "a specialist" who has his own methods (naltrexone
not being one of them). Thanx for your help, Kim

Just curious, what is the cost of Naltrexone getting it from your local pharmacy with a prescription, compared to getting it from River Pharmacy or some other online place? (River charges $2.83 to 2.33 per pill depending on quantity ordered)

Space and Kim,

There are many online sources for naltrexone - search this site and you will find them. River is fine. I used my GP and insurance, but this may not be your best option. TSM is very simple and very safe, so many go forward without a doctor.

Good luck.
-wort