FAQs

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.

The common medicines which we can treat your addiction to include Naltrexone, Acamprosate, Disulfiram, Diazepam for detox, and Chlordiazepoxide.  We also treat addiction to the opioid painkillers Codeine, Oxycodone, Hydrocodone, Morphine, Pethidine and Tramadol, amongst others.

If you are struggling with addiction to another medication, please book a consultation and we will assess your situation and let you know if we can help.

Buvidal is administered by a depot injection, usually once a month.

After your initial medical assessment, you will first receive a low dose of Buvidal via a tablet under your tongue.   Once we have monitored the effects and you are comfortable, you will receive your first injection.  We will assess the results after a week and adjust the dose as needed.  Once your symptoms are stable, you will start on a monthly injection programme.

We will monitor and support you during your programme and provide advice on additional support services where needed.

The NHS advises the following:

If you take buprenorphine towards the end of pregnancy your baby might have withdrawal symptoms, such as drowsiness, after they're born. Your baby may need extra time in hospital for observation.

The European Medicines Agency states:

Buprenorphine should be used during pregnancy only if the potential benefit outweighs the potential risk to the foetus. Towards the end of pregnancy, buprenorphine may induce respiratory depression in the newborn infant even after a short period of administration.

Book a consultation and we can discuss whether you are a suitable candidate for Buvidal treatment and the risks involved if you are pregnant.

 

The active ingredient in Buvidal is buprenorphine.  The most common side effects with buprenorphine (which may affect more than 1 in 10 people) are headache, nausea (feeling sick), constipation (this is a common side effect), hyperhidrosis (excessive sweating), insomnia (difficulty sleeping), drug withdrawal syndrome and pain.

Buvidal must not be used by patients with severe respiratory insufficiency (inability to breathe properly) and severe liver problems and in patients who are intoxicated with alcohol or are experiencing alcohol withdrawal symptoms.

At your initial consultation we will discuss the full list of side effects and restrictions of Buvidal.  These will also be set out on the package leaflet which you will receive.

It is important to consider carefully whether Buvidal is the right form of treatment for you.  Our doctors will discuss your medical history with you to assess whether you are a suitable candidate.  You should also consider the following:

• As this is a depot injection, which may only take place monthly, you will have less contact with your regular healthcare team and pharmacists. Will you miss this support?
• Although the additional energy reported by many people can be an advantage, some patients report having too much energy in the first 2 days following their injection.
• Buvidal can cause side effects including nausea and constipation (which is a commonly experienced side effect).  We will discuss what you can expect at your initial consultation.
• Some people report that they find the injection painful, like a bee sting or elastic band snapping.  This can last for up to a minute.
• Although many people relish the freedom of not having to attend regular appointments and take regular doses of medication, others can find this loss of routine difficult.  If you think this might leave you feeling bored or lacking in direction, it's important to plan alternative activities to use your time positively.  For example, this could be a good opportunity to take up a new hobby or exercise class.  We will talk to you about this before you start treatment.

 

Yes, you will need to be in mild withdrawal when you start your treatment, but we will discuss this with you and support you through starting your treatment journey.

You will not need to experience serious withdrawal symptoms or feel very unwell.  You will, however, probably be experiencing mild withdrawal symptoms such as shivers and goosebumps, aches and tiredness.   Once treatment starts, most patients report feeling better by the next day.

An occasional small amount of alcohol will not affect your Buvidal treatment (3 units or less) or cause harm, but Buvidal is not recommended for people who consume large volumes of alcohol.

This is because you need to have a healthy liver function for this treatment to be suitable for you.   Our doctors will check this with you at your initial consultation.

If you are on weekly injections, there is a two day grace period either side of your scheduled injection appointment, during which the treatment will remain effective.  For monthly injections, there is a seven day window either side of the scheduled injection date where treatment will not be affected.

It is important to remember, however, that optimum results will be achieved if you stick to your regular treatment programme and maintain your injections.  You should consider this when booking your appointments.   The good news is that with regular injections, we see very positive patient outcomes from the treatment.

Yes.  Nirvana Recovery is founded and run by Dr Zak Taylor, a fully registered doctor with the General Medical Council and highly experienced and respected clinician.

Dr Taylor is a specialist in addiction psychiatry, having worked with substance misuse services for many years. He is passionate about challenging the stigma of addiction in society, helping people to break their addiction and supporting them to maintain their abstinence and recovery.

We offer a range of medications that can be used to treat addiction and support abstinence in your recovery. We also offer psychological support and coaching to aid in the recovery process.

Yes.  Dr Zak Taylor is a specialist in addiction psychiatry, having worked with substance misuse services for years. He is passionate about breaking addiction and supporting people to maintain their abstinence and recovery. This includes ongoing support programmes.

Yes, we can offer tailored regimens to help you tackle addiction to alcohol.  Contact us to book a consultation for more details.