Antabuse Thread

[Chelle12]

Antabuse Thread

Is it ok to take antabuse with prozac? I think prozac is an SSRI.
Also, how long AF before I take the first dose? Some websites say 12 hours and some say 1 day and some say 2 days.

[bloggy]

Antabuse Thread

I have read 12 hours too, but typically I will take a last drink at say 11pm then take the antabuse at witching hour 6pm the following day- therefore its around 18 hours.

I also make sure I take it very easy the day before I start- have the minimum amount of drink I need to get me through withdrawal.

And maybe just take half a tab the first day- this is plenty that you will not be able to drink, but it could prevent you having too bad a reaction if there is still some alcohol in the body.

[Chelle12]

Antabuse Thread

Thanks for that Marbella, Ive decided to choose a day where my other half is around to watch me. It will be so hard to go AF for the 18 hours beforehand, but so much of a relief to know that I simply CANT drink when Im taking them.
Also, I think I'll do what someone else said on the forum and get my partner to give me the pill every morning before he goes to work.. that way he can be assured that I cant drink at all.
Im so excited about getting them! It's going to be such a great deterrent.
BTW I still need that paypal invoice from you. If you need my paypal address again, I'll send it to you in a PM.
Chelle

[bloggy]

Antabuse Thread

Oh Yes, thanks with all the drama yesterday with Jack I completely forgot.

I will do it now.

I think both my friends who successfully stopped drinking altogether with Antabuse had it given to them by their husbands- so if your BF can I guess it is the best solution- but tell him to crush it in a drink and make sure you drink the whole glass- another friend who was in AA told me how one lady was given the pill everyday by her hubby and would hide it under her tongue then spit it out!

We can be sneaky folk- us alcoholics

[sami]

Antabuse Thread

Hi all. I'm planning on starting antabuse tomorrow. Going today to have the prescription filled. I don't think I'll want to start taking it tonight b/c last night was a very heavy drinking night and I think I'll need a few more hours to get all the alcohol out of my body. I'm nervous.......but hopeful.

[bloggy]

Antabuse Thread

It is actually a relief once you have taken it Sami- you know you will be OK- I find I think much less about drink once I have taken it.

Good luck for tomorrow

[sami]

Antabuse Thread

Thanks Marbella.
Was just trying to clean out my youngest daughter's room. She just graduated high school and instead of going to the college that I had helped her enroll in, she decided in July to move in with another family. She thinks that they will offer her the structure and religious support that she didn't get here. That hurts so much! And I know that I did fail her in many ways because of my drinking. I have made so many stupid, stupid decisions that sometimes I just can't believe this is my life!

It just hurts so much to go through her "little girl" things and then her angry adolescent things, and know that I let her down. And so, of course, I want to drink b/c it hurts....

O.K....will return now to the lavender room of lost dreams and disappointments and try to clear a way for the future.

[Cinders]

Antabuse Thread

Marbella, Chelle, and Sami,

Here is wishing all of you wonderful things as you start with the Antabuse.

It has been a huge blessing in my life, even when I have been literally mentally screaming for a drink, because I CAN'T drink.

The internal struggle goes away quicker, the AF days pile up and our partners know we are abstinent. There are so many good reasons to take it. Especially if you are like me and cave so easily when alcohol is available.

I had a great travel week last week with only a few incidents of really wishing. Because of the Antabuse, the wishing was just that, and I am still sober. In the past, without AB, I would have gotten drunk. No question.

Good luck to all of you!!
Love,
Cindi

[SpiritGirl]

Antabuse Thread

Good luck to all the people starting the AB this week. You are on your way to having the BEST week you have had in a long time. You may have cravings and feel consumed with the thoughts of drinking - but these definately PASS! When it was really overwhelming for me I would drink a cold AF beer - ODouls Amber and Warsteiner are both very tasty non-alcoholic beers.

Again, please remember, all the initial "longings" for AL and the awkward moments in front of old drinking friends will get better. As a matter of fact, my friends seem to care a lot less than I thought they would that I was not drinking. And after a couple of hours at a drinking event most people weren't in a frame of mind to notice!! It's a great feeling waking up feeling fresh and healthy with no regrets!

Let us know how you are feeling!

[sami]

Antabuse Thread

Thanks Cindi and SpiritGirl! I needed the encouragement right now....I am so antsy and irritable and depressed. Ugh! Just need to remember that what I'm going through now is normal and life is better ahead. Thank you so very much for the kind words of encouragement!

[Nurseindistress]

Antabuse Thread

OK, am considering this--help

Ok, I can't seem to stop on my own. I have days now where I can go without, but keep slipping. I am considering the Antibuse, but I'm so scared that I won't be able to handle it. When I feel trapped I can have an anxiety attack--and I am afraid that if I took Antibuse, and then started craving alcohol, I would flip out. I can see where it is very helpful as a tool, but, then what? People who are on it seem to need to be on it for a long time. Then sometimes the minute they go off they slip--what good is that? Please explain how that works--how it is helpful in the long term. What are your experiences. I know I should go back and read all of this thread. I have been reading on and off. I realize it helps a lot of people, but what I want to know is: (1) how do you get through the initial "panic", and (2) how do you know when you can stop:thanks: and do it on your own? What makes you able to do that? Thanks!

[Cinders]

Antabuse Thread

Nurse,

1. If having an anxiety attack scares you (you don't have them after a heavy night of drinking?? I sure did.) Go to your psyche or a doctor and talk about a med to help with that.

2. Yes, when I quit taking AB after about 3 weeks I started drinking again. However, my shrink warned me that I need to be on it a year or longer and work on the other issues that are part of the our problems.

I am back on it, happy to be back on it, and will stay on it long term.

Love,
Cindi

[Carmac]

Antabuse Thread

Nurse

I am not a long termer on Antabuse but after 24 days AF, have to say it has been awesome. I do have to take it with meals though for find i sometimes gives me a bit of nausea. Not bad but there. As for the cravings, it seems to lesson over the days for you know you will get sick if you do it. I am also on Revia, 50 mg which is for the cravings and I find it very helpful as well. Yes, I think about it but it is not overwhelming at all.

Its certainly worh trying it seems for you since nothing else is working.

Erin

[bloggy]

Antabuse Thread

Nurse

I think I posted here that the normal time stint doctors recommend here is 90 days. After that I guess new habits should have set in, and the cravings will have gone. (I found when I was AF for 2 years it took about that time- after the first month everything was much much easier) unfortunately I did not look at the mental issues of it- no one told me and after 2 years caved in to pressure from 'friends').

However I have a friend who's Dr has prescribed it at her request for 3 years now. Doctor says it isn't necessary but my friend feels safer.

I only get anxiety attacks after drinking heavily, so if you can taper of the booze or have a med to help, hopefully tou too will find as soon as you stop drinking the anxiety also stops.

[Journey]

Antabuse Thread

day 3 on anabuse

I am on day 3 and feel great. Iam so excited and I know this is going to work for me. I have been a cronic relapser and so sick of it. I have been to rehab twicie in one year, went to AA and have a sponcer I also tried campal, I have even ended up in the hospital with a blood alcohol level 3 times the legal limit and thought that was my rock bottom but it wasnt. I went to a phyc doc and asked for the antabuse and he also put me on Lexapro. My husband gives me my pill in the morning, it helps him and doesnt have to worry while he is at work and Iam home with our two kids that are under the age 3. I also have had the gastric bypass surgery back in 2003. I guess they call that cross addiction!! opps, I mean day 3 on antabuse... spelling error