Started Antabuse

[PearlButterfly]

I started AB 3 days ago. So far so good - maybe a little tired but no other issues.

Some subtle cravings but they are only momentary as I know the consequences.

Any one with success story's with AB?

[NoraC]

Started Antabuse

Hi there - just saw your thread!

I am on antabuse too. I've been on it for a couple of weeks. I have taken it a few times before but always went off it after a few months. I started skipping pills, etc and gave myself an out. :upset: This time, I'm trying to be very careful that I take the pill first thing each morning. No skipping.

K9 Lover has been taking it for over a year and is doing great! I know that there are some others on here that have had success with it too.

I hope that this really helps you. It does stop the should I or shouldn't I game that plays in my head.

[spacebebe01]

Started Antabuse

Hi Pearl,

I have also had some success with antabuse, I did get 6 months off the drink with it last year I think it was, the problems only occurred when I stopped taking it every day and started skipping days, it sounds like you nora. Taking it every morning is definitely the best way to do it in my opinion and as nora has already said it stops the should I shouldn't I argument going on in my head which could torture me otherwise as I know I cant drink when I take it.

Just be safe with it in that you know you can never drink while taking it. It a good med for stopping drinking.

good luck with it its a good med for stopping and a lot of people have found success with it.

Hi Nora, good to hear that you are well and feeling positive again. Its good when we decide to make an action plan to stick to I think, makes me feel better and I hope it does for you both as well. Its never just plain sailing I think but having help does smooth the bumps.

Oh and Pearl I have always found that coming on here each day helps massively. Its a great place for support and I don't know what I would have don't without this site.

space x

[Cinders]

Started Antabuse

I am on Antabuse, too.

I take it every day religiously.

I tried it years ago and did the stop/start thing and ended up in the ER from it.

Do not mess with it. If you take it, do not drink. It takes a couple of weeks for it to leave your system.

I have found it an invaluable tool in aiding my sobriety but just quitting drinking is only one piece. You must find out how to live life without alcohol and do it happily.

Good luck!
Cindi

[PearlButterfly]

Started Antabuse

Thanks for the feedback

I'm so scared to drink on it and it has helped so much in squashing any cravings knowing that if I give in it will be nasty.

I agree Cindi - it is only one piece, I realise that I wasn't living happily with AL and I am much happier already. I'm optimistic for the future now as I tried to quit so many times before with no success.

Like you Nora - I'm planning on taking it every morning.

Thanks for the advice Space - I've been trying to come on here often to share. This place is wonderful for support

Nora and Space did you stop taking it because you thought you would be OK to do it on your own? I'm wondering how long to keep taking it for because my doctor advised 6 weeks to 6 months as required.

[skullbabyland]

Started Antabuse

Good for you, Pearl and Nora Glad to hear you're taking steps to get sober and healthy!

I take Antabuse daily, and I pair it with Baclofen daily. The Baclofen helps keep the cravings away, and the Antabuse takes away the habit or the "will I won't I".

Antabuse is a good tool, as long as you don't sabotage yourself by quitting it. And definitely DO NOT drink on it- it's much more than unpleasant, it can be damaging and even life-threatening to do so. Seriously and literally.

[spacebebe01]

Started Antabuse

Hi pearl your question as to why I stopped taking it well I had been taking a full tablet every day for 6 months with no problems at all then I got this idea that it would be ok to cut down on the amount of tablets I took and price,(what was going on in my brain there I don't know after what I spent on drin k) by taking half a tablet each day, then I read that someone took half a tablet every other day so I did that. Then I would miss a day so it would be three days without and low and behold I could drink in safety again, this is not medical advice by the way I am not a medical person just what I thought, so I would drink. Then take it again but after that it was very on and off with the getting three days or five days then leaving a gap and drinking, eventually I stopped taking it all together and went on a bender. Since then I have never got back onto taking it, but have used it to stop myselkf going down a slippery slope when I have had drank again just to stop but then I pretty well have a handle on it now, it just got me over the craving to carry on.

As to how long to take it, well some people take it for weeks and others years, it depends on you and how you feel, if at the end of 6 weeks (that seems to short IMO) or 6 months or 6 years that you are at a time you don't have to worry about drinking or craving or whatever then that is the time to stop.

The only thing I can recommend with antabuse is to take it every day, even if its just half a pill every day then that might do but if you miss a day then its too easy to miss another.

Good luck, oh another thing, keep posting here, getting support and someone to talk to about it has helped me enormously.

space x

[K9Lover]

Started Antabuse

Hi Pearl!

I have been on AB for well over a year as Nora said...I've been playing around with it for much longer though...you know the stopping and starting and mind games. I finally just decided that I'm going to TTDP (take the damn pill) every single day, rain or shine! It shuts up the internal mind battle...no need to decide whether I'm drinking tonight, because I physically CAN'T....problem solved, now I can move on!

Stick with it and let it work for you...I owe my sobriety to AB and MWO!

K9

[free at last]

Started Antabuse

I started taking AB in mid July when I knew I was going to have an intense period of exposure to AL and didn't want to cave in. I am pretty motivated to stop drinking but need something for those times when I feel as though I may not sustain my resolve. I take half a tablet (125mg) every 7-10 days -- knowing that I can't drink for at least another five days helps get me past the difficult situation. I know this is not standard practice but it is working for me. I, too, contribute the 74 consecutive AF days I have achieved thus far to my resolve to quit, MWO support, and AB.

Hope this is helpful.

[gmc38609]

Started Antabuse

I had 6 weeks on it missed a couple of days then counted down until I could drink again. Plan was a few days drinking ended up 6 weeks. My advice is no one goes on AB unless they have thought about it ALOT.
Its no easier to start it again once you have stopped seems like it is but it is not
AB is a miracle cure for a pretty serious life changing problem I have all I have to do is TTDP everyday and I live a normal life again
I am on day 10 no alcohol no problem, without AB I d be climbing the walls every night wanting to drink

[tmorties]

Started Antabuse

I took 250mg on a Friday and from about Tuesday I was itching to have a drink but was too afraid. The whole time I craved like ever. I broke on the following Friday (7 days) thank god without any SEs and had 8 beer

[gmc38609]

Started Antabuse

K9 is right you need to take the pill everyday and you need to be certain you no longer want to drink.
Tick both these boxes and IMO AB is a great tool for reaching your goal of being alcohol free and not dependent

[gmc38609]

Started Antabuse

Strange I really don't crave alcohol while I am on AB. I went to a live stand up show yesterday where everyone was drinking and it did not bother me in the slightest, I just thought I d want piss all the time if i was drinking so just had a bottle of coke.
So how come I am an alcoholic who locked themselves away for years getting blind drunk on my own and still would if I could, very odd indeed

[JRons13]

Started Antabuse

Can I take AB every 2 weeks since it stays in my system for 2 weeks? The medication is so expensive, even the generic version...

[Accountable for Me]

Started Antabuse

Don't do it unless you are 100% committed to abstinence.

I have been off the rails for a while again. Don't know why, but that is for me to figure out.

I took an antabuse Thursday afternoon........ drank Sunday, had some real bad blotching going on with the face, neck and legs. HUbby came home yesterday from work and bought beer and fireball.... I had to go to bed, after two shots of fireball. My heart was racing.

Not a pleasant experience. Don't mess with this stuff. And I only took 2 in the last year. Once on Monday and then again on Thursday afternoon!