Sobrexa

SOBREXA

I have been asked about Sobrexa in my travels, by colleagues and by clients. Sobrexa is a trade name for a purported herbal remedy to decrease or eliminate alcohol consumption. By a number of reports; the active ingredient in Sobrexa is a root from a vine found in Asia, the Kudzu vine. The active ingredient is Daidzin.  The makers / sellers of the product state the use of this herbal supplement decreases the craving for alcohol. It is unclear how it may relate to other anti-craving medication. You can see information at their website: drinklessnow .com

The makers cite an 84% success rate. "Success in the program was de fined as not having unusual cravings for alcohol and following Last Call Program post-program guidelines." Well, the 84% success rate may or may not be impressive. Now you have to define "unusual cravings".  What if the users continued to have cravings for alcohol? Is that usual or unusual? Lots of other questions about the study.

I suggest any program dealing with alcohol use disorder that can cite and legitimize an 84% success rate would have clinicians, clients, the government, and others flocking to their door. This does not seem to be the case with Sobrexa.

All this said. I did contact Sobrexa and offered to use it on a few clients EHD has that have trouble sustaining their sobriety. I informed them I would be happy to comment on it's efficacy and informed them if I saw positive results then I would recommend if for many of my clients.  They were kind enough to offer to sell me the product.  I can't, in good faith, recommend a product I have never used, nor never seen used by any reputable treatment program.

I would hope Sobrexa can help and assist the person struggling with alcohol. I don't believe the data is convincing at this time. Maybe with a double blind study by a reputable research organization will convince me otherwise.

Home Detox: Anti-craving medication: Naltrexone

Executive Home Detox comes to the client. Wherever they live, EHD travels to the client and manages the alcohol detox in the comfort of the client's home. But what happens after the alcohol home detox? EHD works with the client to create an aftercare plan to sustain sobriety. One specific treatment option is the use of medication. Anti-craving medications include Naltrexone (Revia, Vivitrol) and Acamprosate (Campral)).

Naltrexone is a medication that, in theory, decreases the cravings for alcohol. Naltrexone works by interacting with the brain to interrupt the messages the brain gives the alcoholic to make him or her drink. The Naltrexone may interrupt the 'cues' the brain gives to the person to make them drink.

Oral Naltrexone (Revia, and generics) is usually given in a 50 mg dose each day. Naltrexone can cause some GI upset the first few days but then has minimal to no side effects. It is very important to know that Naltrexone will trigger opiate withdrawal in anyone that is dependent on opiates and have used opiates in the past seven days. Additionally, Naltrexone attaches itself to opiate receptors and blocks opiate effectiveness.

Intra-Muscular Naltrexone (Vivitrol) can be given every three to four weeks in the gluteal maximus - the backside - this method of Naltrexone delivery provides a steady therapeutic dose and eliminates the need to take the pill (oral Naltrexone) every day. This form of medication is expensive and has it's own side effects, namely the possibility of an abscess at the injection site.

The use of Naltrexone alone may assist in decreasing cravings for alcohol. The use of Naltrexone, Campral, and Antabuse altogether increases the likelihood of maintaining sobriety compared to using any of those medications alone.