could you post about an antabuse ?

[kota]

Hi there!
I really want to know about an antabuse?
What is this?
How does it work?
To whom does it apply?
Any benefit rather than medicine?
Thank you for sharing.
Kota

[Guest]

could you post about an antabuse ?

Antabuse or disulfram is a medication that causes a severe reaction with alcohol, if ingested whilst taking the drug.

It doesn't work on withdrawl symptoms, cravings etc merely a severe deterrent which must be taken with care. Suitable for those who are serious about complete abstenance. Some Drs like you to show there will be someone responsible with you, or have confidence in you as they obviously don't want to be prescribing something that could have you end up in hospital.

[hangingoninFL]

could you post about an antabuse ?

antabuse

I have taken Antabuse in the past, and like an idiot, tried to drink on it. That was a major mistake; I thought I was going to have to call 911 because I felt like I was having a heart attack. I think Antabuse could be helpful for someone that has been AF for some time and may be in a situation where they are tempted to drink, it would help resist the temptation. As UKBlonde says, it does nothing to reduce cravings.

[RV434]

could you post about an antabuse ?

Never taken it but here's a link from the National Institutes of Health:

PubMed Health - Disulfiram

[Snowball79]

could you post about an antabuse ?

Hi, I am on Antebuse and have been for three months.. hence I have been sober for three months. I discovered this site while trying to find some side effects to it, as I feel i am suffering from them at the moment! Feel free to ask me any questions. Hope that you are well.

[Topsy-Turvy-Tracy]

could you post about an antabuse ?

Good for you, Snowball. Congrats on your three months!

Drinking on antabuse is not only uncomfortable, it is potentially dangerous. My experience attempting to drink on it is the same as hangingon's - it's not just throwing up, it was a fast heart rate, chest pain - scary stuff. My solution to the dilemma was, of course, to toss out the antabuse.

If you don't drink while on it, it is quite safe. You may have minor reactions to certain foods or condiments.

It does require a period of time AF before starting the medication. It is very common for parolees to be required to follow a treatment program which includes "monitored antabuse," meaning that some literally watches the parolee swallow the pill and watches him for any flushing of skin. I know this because I used to be the one doing the monitoring. FWIW, my instructions were to call an ambulance immediately if I saw any flushing or discomfort.

I knew all that and drank on antabuse anyway. Crazy. And I asked for the prescription from my doctor - no one was requiring me to take it.

Snowball, what kinds of effects are you feeling?

[Snowball79]

could you post about an antabuse ?

I wake up most mornings with a similar feeling to a hangover. headache and really dehydrated. I feel spaced out for the majority of the day and I feel sort of like my emotions have been cut off. My memory is shocking, but I am not sure if this is down to the drug or if I have just destroyed squillions of brain cells through drink! Also a huge loss of sex drive.. Is this normal??

[Topsy-Turvy-Tracy]

could you post about an antabuse ?

Mild headaches and impotence can be side effects. I've never heard of the spaced-out feeling, or emotional or memory issues you are talking about being as a result of the antabuse. That does not mean they are not, but they might be due to a lot of different things, including depression. Sorry I can't be more helpful.

[Accountable for Me]

could you post about an antabuse ?

Snowball, I get spaced out and tired on it. Especially in the beginning. It is suppose to subside. Maybe you are on a too-high dosage?

It may be helpful to take it at bedtime.

[K9Lover]

could you post about an antabuse ?

Kota -
I have been on Antabuse for almost 6 months. The most important thing to know is that you CANNOT drink on it. As previously stated, the side effects of mixing it with alcohol are severe and potentially life threatening. It is not a medication for people that aren't sure about quitting.

[ifulovelife2]

could you post about an antabuse ?

Hi all,
I am just starting out and am going to start my antabuse. I just can't lose hours of every day of my life anymore. I have spent hours reading your posts and I thank God I found this support. My life has sucked for so long I can't remember when my kids actually thought I was fun anymore. Again thank you all and I plan on staying with you for some time!

Life2!

:new:

[Greg]

could you post about an antabuse ?

I used Antabuse for a month or two at the start of my current alcohol-free period. I was very careful not to start taking it while there was still any alcohol in my system, but I did start taking it during outpatient detox (i.e. while taking Valium to detox from alcohol). The decision to take it was mine alone, and I decided to do this to stop endless thoughts running around inside my head about drinking again. I needed something to stop myself telling myself that I could or should have another drinking session after I had decided to quit. I was a heavy night-only drinker so I took the Antabuse during early afternoon, before the cravings to drink had hit me full-on. If I waited until my mind was overwhelmed with cravings to drink then I knew I wouldn't take the Antabuse!!

I credit Antabuse with allowing me to get off to a good start during my current AF period. Without it I don't think I would have been able to get through the nights without drinking. However I was also taking a small dose of baclofen and withdrawal medication, and experimented with cannabis as an alcohol substitute, because Antabuse definitely doesn't stop the cravings by itself. It was the fear of what would happen if I drank on top of Antabuse that stopped me drinking...also I knew I couldn't possibly get any enjoyment out of drinking after taking Antabuse. It is not a drug to take if you don't intend to be totally abstinent, that's for sure! I had previously wanted to take the drug in the past but was never able to push myself to go through with it, since I was not fully prepared for total abstinence in the past.

I was lucky enough not to experience any serious side effects from Antabuse although I only took half a tablet each afternoon. The after-effects I was getting from 20-21 standard drinks every night were so rotten that I would have probably put up with side-effects from Antabuse anyway. Good luck!

[Lowcountryman]

could you post about an antabuse ?

Kota,

Welcome!

I tried Refusal, which is also contains disulfiram. To be short: it worked for me for about 3 months because I was scared pf the effects when drinking. So that's good. But then....I started playing around with it. Maybe one drink, just to see what would happen. And indeed: a red head, heartbeating till it was no fun anymore. But it didn't stop me from trying how far i could go. I drank right through it eventually. Untlll up to the point that I wasn't scared anymore. The craving need took the red head and heartbeating as just another sideeffect of drinking. So for me, it helped, for a while. It just does not stop the craving and you'll find a way to work around. Very saddening experience;(

Now I'm on Baclofen. It works, but tonight I had to perform as an singing artist for a pub full of drunken people. It wasn't really craving, but I felt the need to be at least be on the same level, if you know what I mean. I'm on 200 mg a day now and doing pretty ok, but I am sure that I didn't reach my 'switch' yet. It's 4.36 in the morning now, where I live. The only positive thing from tonight is that I'm not sad that I don't have beers in the house right now. Anyway, I don't want to hijack your threat but I feel better now that it is of my chest. I'm worrying already about a text-message to a former student of mine, that I sent a few hours ago The kind of horneyness that I reasonably can't blame on the Bac Well, that is for tomorrow I gues. I am gonna put another 50mg in me now and try to sleep. Have a nice day across the ocean!

End of story, I hope the disulfiram will work for you. It helped me for a while.

Lowcountryman

[Kimberley]

could you post about an antabuse ?

Just wanted to wish you luck on the Antabuse, LuvLife2 - I am on it too.

Kota did you ever try it at all? Haven't hersd from you in a bit - hope all is ok.