Welcome to Nirvana Recovery

If you think that you might have become dependent on your opiates or painkillers,  it's important that you seek help from someone who can support you.  These might be signs that you need to address your dependence on your medicines:

• Difficulties in controlling your use of your opiates / painkillers.  Perhaps you are renewing your prescription early, or finding ways to request additional medications.  You might feel the need to make an urgent appointment or call  to your doctor to get more of your medication.  You might also be visiting lots of different doctors to try to obtain prescriptions, trying to buy medication online or "borrowing" / stealing medication from others.
• Cravings for your medication, meaning you find it hard to think of anything else.   Maybe you find it difficult to try alternative, non-opioid medications, if these are offered to you.  Or find that they simply don't work as well for you or give you side effects.
• Physical and mental symptoms.  These can include mood swings, feeling drunk, sleepy, irritable or anxious. You might also find yourself becoming either hyper-active or lethargic and lacking in energy.  Over-use of opiates can also lead to disturbed sleep and increased pain.  When you are feeling low with these symptoms, unsurprisingly, this can also lead to relationship problems and social withdrawal.
• Withdrawal symptoms when your medication stops or your dose reduces.  Withdrawal symptoms can range from flu-like feelings to severe sickness and diarrhoea.  It’s very important to seek qualified medical help to manage these symptoms.

What if I simply want to cut back on my painkillers usage?   If you don't think you're addicted to painkillers, but you want to cut back, we can help you with that too.  Book a consultation, and we can devise a programme to support you.

A depot injection is a form of slow-release medication.  Administered as an injection, it contains a liquid that released the medication slowly over time.   This means you do not have to remember to take your medication daily or attend frequent clinic appointments.

Yes, we offer treatment programmes for alcoholism.  Book a consultation to discuss further how we can help.

Yes we can.  Whether you simply want to cut down on your use or require a full medication detox, we are here to help.  Painkillers can be very addictive and over use can lead to dependency, so if you have recognised that you are taking high volumes, we can support you in cutting back.

Dr Zak Taylor is a specialist Addiction Psychiatrist, and he is experienced in helping people cut back on painkillers and conquer addiction using a variety of techniques.  Please book a consultation and we can discuss your needs.

Compared to other forms of treatment for opiate / painkiller addiction, including buprenorphine taken in tablet form (such as Subutex, Espranor or Suboxone), Buvidal offers the following advantages:

• The treatment allows you more freedom and flexibility, as you will not need to visit a pharmacy to collect your medicine on a regular basis.  This makes it much easier, for example, to travel or go on holiday.
• There is no chance of anyone else getting hold of your medicine, meaning its safer for families.
• It avoids the risk of diversion which is common with traditional treatments.
• Many people report that they are in a better mood taking Buvidal compared to other forms of medication.
• Buvidal users have also reported increased energy and greater clarity of thought.
• The results of the treatment remain stable, without the ups and downs associated with taking a daily dose.
• Some Buvidal users have reported improved sleep compared to using traditional treatments.
• The treatment offers more protection from the risk of accidental overdose that can be present with methadone or oral buprenorphine.

It is particularly suitable for people who are stable in their withdrawal from opioid painkillers, but find the need to collect and store their medication difficult.  It is also helpful if you live a busy lifestyle and find it challenging to manage the regular appointments needed to keep your treatment stable.

Buvidal may not be a suitable treatment for everyone however, and there are cons to consider.  These include reduced contact and interaction with your healthcare team, which may be important to you.  At your initial consultation our doctors will assess your suitability for this treatment.

People often feel so much better when taking Buvidal, and find their symptoms are under so much control, that they wonder if their next dose is really required.  This is unlike taking daily medication, where you will often start to feel symptoms of withdrawal that remind you to take your next dose.

Even if you don't feel like you need your next injection, it is very important to discuss this with your Nirvana Recovery doctor before making a decision to stop.  Stopping before you are ready can be likened to not completing a course of antibiotics because you feel better.  You may start experiencing withdrawal symptoms unless you have reached a stage where you have control over your drug usage.

If you have reached the stage where you may be ready to stop Buvidal, we can support you to gradually reduce your dose.  Bear in mind that you are most likely to stay off medication if you have the support of family or friends around you. It's also important to find positive ways in which to spend your time.

When you embark on a recovery programme at Nirvana, the first step will be managing your withdrawals safely and reducing cravings.  This will involve administering Buvidal injections.

Nirvana is focused on supporting you through the whole withdrawal process, and recognise that medication is only one aspect on the road to recovery.  Dr Zak Taylor has many years of experience in addiction psychiatry, and at Nirvana we can offer the ongoing coaching and specialist psychotherapy you will need to help you on your recovery journey.