Esperal Słupsk – alcohol implant

The Esperal alcohol implant is a subcutaneous implant containing disulfiram – an active substance used in the treatment of alcohol addiction for over 70 years. The procedure involves placing medication tablets under the skin, from where the active substance is gradually released over 8-12 months.

Esperal is a registered prescription drug in Poland that works for 8-12 months without the need for daily tablet intake. Implantation takes place in the buttock area – a discreet location. The procedure is performed under local anesthesia and is painless. It does not require hospitalization – the patient returns home the same day.

The implant is an element of comprehensive addiction therapy. It does not cure alcoholism itself, but creates a pharmacological barrier providing time for psychotherapy and building new habits.

Esperal affects the metabolism of ethyl alcohol in the liver by blocking the enzyme responsible for breaking down acetaldehyde.

Normal Alcohol Metabolism

1. Ethyl alcohol is converted to acetaldehyde – a toxic substance
2. Acetaldehyde is broken down to harmless acetic acid
3. Acetic acid is metabolized to water and carbon dioxide

What Happens with Esperal Implant

Disulfiram blocks the enzyme that breaks down acetaldehyde. After consuming alcohol, the toxin accumulates in the body, causing disulfiram reaction:

• Severe nausea and vomiting (within 5-10 minutes)
• Pulsating headache and dizziness
• Facial and neck flushing
• Rapid heartbeat, palpitations
• Blood pressure drop
• Shortness of breath and feeling of chest tightness
• Strong anxiety and distress

The severity of symptoms is proportional to the amount of alcohol consumed. With large doses, the reaction can be life-threatening. Therefore, alcohol consumption with an implant is absolutely contraindicated.

The alcohol implant is intended for individuals with diagnosed alcohol addiction who are motivated for treatment and need additional pharmacological support.

The implant is particularly effective for people who:

• Have difficulty with self-control and need an external barrier
• Have repeatedly tried to maintain abstinence without success
• Want to protect themselves from impulsive reaching for alcohol
• Have completed detoxification and maintain minimum 24-48 hours of abstinence
• Are ready for comprehensive treatment combining pharmacotherapy with psychotherapy

Patient profiles using implants in Słupsk:

• High-functioning alcoholic – maintains the appearance of normal professional and family life despite addiction. The implant provides external motivation to maintain sobriety.
• Weekend alcoholic – drinks intensively on weekends, maintains abstinence during the week. Esperal protects against "weekend relapses".
• Patients after alcohol binges – after detox, the implant provides protection against relapse in the first months of sobriety.
• "Dry alcoholic" – a person who is not drinking but has not worked through the causes of addiction. The implant provides time for psychological therapy.

The implant is a supporting tool – full treatment requires parallel psychotherapy.

Before the procedure at Nasz Gabinet Słupsk, each patient undergoes medical qualification during which we exclude contraindications.

Absolute contraindications (excluding the procedure):

• Hypersensitivity to disulfiram
• Severe heart disease – failure, coronary disease, past heart attack
• Severe liver or kidney failure
• Pregnancy and breastfeeding
• Mental disorders – psychosis, severe depression, schizophrenia
• Peripheral neuropathy
• Epilepsy
• Concurrent use of metronidazole
• Lack of abstinence (minimum 24 hours)

Relative contraindications (requiring consultation):

• Diabetes – requires stabilization
• Hypothyroidism
• Hypertension
• Use of anticoagulants (warfarin)

Proper preparation increases the safety and comfort of the procedure.

Requirements before the procedure:

• Abstinence minimum 24-48 hours – absolute requirement
• Identity document
• List of medications taken
• Information about chronic diseases and allergies

What you DON'T need:

• To be fasting – you can eat normally
• A referral – we accept without referral
• Arrange transport – you will return home independently
• Take time off – most patients return to work the next day

If you cannot maintain abstinence:

For patients after an alcohol binge, we offer a 6h Detox + Implant package for 1899 PLN. 6-hour detox under medical care allows you to safely stop drinking and have the implantation performed the same day. Call: 880 808 880.

The implantation procedure at Nasz Gabinet Słupsk is performed by experienced doctors in sterile conditions.

Procedure stages step by step:

1. Medical consultation – medical history, abstinence verification, signing informed consent
2. Preparation of surgical field – disinfection of buttock area
3. Local anesthesia – the only noticeable injection
4. Skin incision – small cut about 1-2 cm
5. Tablet implantation – placing disulfiram under the skin
6. Wound suturing – 2-3 stitches (dissolvable in VIP/Exclusive packages)
7. Dressing and observation – 15-30 minutes after the procedure

Procedure characteristics:

• Total time at clinic: 45-60 minutes
• Surgical procedure itself: 15-20 minutes
• Anesthesia: local
• Pain during procedure: none
• Hospitalization: not required

This is one of the most frequently asked questions. The procedure itself is painless thanks to local anesthesia.

During the procedure:

You only feel the prick when administering anesthesia – comparable to a standard injection. After the anesthetic takes effect, you do not feel pain during the incision or implantation.

After the procedure:

When the anesthesia wears off (after 1-2 hours), the following may appear:

• Slight tenderness at the implantation site
• Minor swelling and redness
• Feeling of skin tension

The discomfort is mild and subsides within 2-3 days. If needed, regular paracetamol is sufficient. Avoid ibuprofen and aspirin for the first few days due to bleeding risk.

Wound healing:

The wound heals in 7-14 days. Non-dissolvable stitches are removed during a follow-up visit. The scar is small (1-2 cm) and becomes practically invisible over time.

Proper care accelerates healing and minimizes the risk of complications. In the first 2 weeks, keep the wound dry for 3-5 days, avoid bathing in a tub or pool. Shower allowed after 48 hours – avoid the wound area. Do not remove the dressing for the first 24 hours, then change it every 2-3 days or when it gets wet.

In the first 24 hours avoid intense effort, for 2 weeks refrain from heavy physical work and lifting. Walks and light activity allowed from day two, full activity possible after 2-3 weeks.

Contact the clinic if you notice increasing redness or swelling, purulent discharge or unpleasant odor, fever above 38°C, or severe pain not relieved by paracetamol.

The duration of the implant's action depends on the disulfiram concentration in the selected package and individual patient metabolism characteristics. Packages with higher active substance concentration (VIP, Exclusive) provide longer protection period. During consultation, the doctor will select the appropriate variant for the patient's needs and situation.

Alcohol implant pricing in Słupsk:

Basic Package – 799 PLN

• Disulfiram in minimum concentration
• Non-dissolvable stitches (to be removed after 10-14 days)
• Free follow-up visit

Standard Package – 799 PLN

• Medium concentration Disulfiram
• Non-dissolvable stitches
• Intramuscular antibiotic (infection prophylaxis)

VIP Package – 1099 PLN (most popular)

• High concentration Disulfiram
• Dissolvable stitches (do not require removal)
• Antibiotic + 2 prescriptions for supporting medications

Exclusive Package – 1900 PLN

• Maximum concentration Disulfiram
• Dissolvable stitches + 2 additional medical consultations
• Full set of supporting medications

6h Detox + Implant – 1899 PLN

• 6-hour detox under medical supervision
• Standard concentration implant insertion

12h Detox + VIP Implant – 2499 PLN

• 12-hour detox under medical supervision
• VIP implant insertion (high concentration)

The reaction to alcohol with an implant is an intentional therapeutic mechanism, but can be dangerous. Within 5-15 minutes of alcohol consumption, facial flushing and feeling of heat appear. After 15-30 minutes, strong heart palpitations, shortness of breath and nausea occur. Then vomiting, headache, blood pressure drop and dizziness intensify. In severe cases, consciousness disorders and seizures may occur.

Some patients claim they drink with an implant without symptoms. This is a dangerous illusion – the reaction severity depends on the amount of alcohol consumed, drinking speed, individual metabolism, and overall health status and hydration. With small doses, symptoms may be mild or delayed, but this does not mean the implant is not working. Sudden dose increase, fatigue or dehydration can trigger a full life-threatening reaction.

If alcohol is consumed, you should immediately stop drinking, lie down in a safe place and drink plenty of water. With severe symptoms, call emergency (112).

With an alcohol implant, you must completely avoid alcohol and products containing it.

Beverages:

• Beer, wine, vodka, liqueurs
• Non-alcoholic beer (may contain trace amounts of alcohol)
• Drinks and cocktails

Medications containing alcohol:

• Cough and cold syrups
• Heart drops (hawthorn tincture)
• Stomach drops
• Some throat sprays

Food:

• Wine sauces (fresh, uncooked)
• Desserts with liqueur
• Cakes soaked in alcohol (rum cake)
• Chocolates with alcohol (pralines)
• Fondue

Fermented products:

• Kefir, buttermilk (in large amounts)
• Aged cheeses
• Some pickles

Always read product composition. Alcohol may appear as: ethanol, alcohol denat., spiritus.

The alcohol implant does not cure alcoholism itself – it is support in maintaining abstinence, providing time to work on the causes of addiction.

Why is the implant alone not enough?

Esperal blocks the ability to drink for 8-12 months, but does not change thinking patterns or solve emotional problems. A patient ending the implant's action without therapy remains a "dry alcoholic" with high risk of relapse.

"Dry alcoholic" – what is it?

The term describes a person who is not drinking but has not undergone therapy. Characterized by: irritability, attempts to control the environment, lack of work on emotions, and high risk of relapse after the implant's action ends.

Elements of comprehensive therapy:

1. Alcohol detoxification – safe interruption of a binge
2. Esperal implant – pharmacological barrier
3. Individual psychotherapy – working through the causes of addiction
4. Group therapy – peer support
5. Pharmacotherapy – medications for alcohol craving (naltrexone, acamprosate)

Patients combining implant with psychotherapy have significantly lower risk of returning to drinking after the implant's action ends.

Before Esperal implantation, abstinence of minimum 24-48 hours is required. For patients after an alcohol binge, we offer a package combining detox with implant.

When detox is necessary:

• After an alcohol binge lasting several days or longer
• With symptoms of withdrawal syndrome (hand tremors, sweating, anxiety)
• When the patient cannot maintain 24h abstinence independently
• With risk of alcohol seizures in medical history

6h Detox + Implant Package (1899 PLN) includes:

• 6-hour detox under the care of doctor and nurse
• Hydrating and stabilizing IV drips
• Medications alleviating withdrawal symptoms
• Implant insertion after state stabilization
• Follow-up visit

Thanks to this solution, the patient can interrupt the binge and protect against relapse the same day.

The Nasz Gabinet facility in Słupsk offers comprehensive addiction treatment in a convenient location in Pomerania.

Contact details:

• Address: Marszałka Józefa Piłsudskiego 2, 76-200 Słupsk
• Phone: 880 808 880
• Email: kontakt@nasz-gabinet.pl
• Opening hours: Monday-Sunday 8:00-20:00

Access:

The clinic is located in the center of Słupsk, on the main street. Access possible by public transport and by car – parking spaces available in the area.

For patients from the region:

Słupsk is a convenient location for residents of:

• Ustka
• Lębork
• Bytów
• Miastko
• Sławno
• Darłowo
• Koszalin
• Człuchów
• Gdańsk

The procedure can be performed the same day after consultation – no need to travel multiple times.

The choice of alcohol implant site matters for treatment safety and effectiveness. At Nasz Gabinet Słupsk, procedures are performed by experienced doctors specializing in addiction treatment who have completed thousands of implantations. The clinic ensures sterile conditions, modern equipment and constant medical supervision throughout the procedure.

We offer comprehensive care including full qualification before the procedure, possibility of combining detox with implant, and free follow-up visit included in package price. We are available by phone 7 days a week. We care for patient comfort – the clinic is located in a discreet location, waiting time is short (often procedure same day), and opening hours flexible: daily 8:00-20:00, including weekends.

We operate according to transparent principles: clear pricing without hidden costs, detailed procedure explanation, written informed consent, and information card with post-procedure recommendations. Book an appointment: call 880 808 880 or use online e-registration.