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I have read a little bit about this med but am wondering if any of you have ever been around someone taking it...does it work, what happens, how long are they on it, how much does it cost...is it worth it? Are there other meds that will help an A with withdraw?
Well to the best of my knowledge antibuse does not help with withdrawl, it is simply a voluntary deterant. It makes you deathly ill if you consume alcohol, or use alcohol based products.
My father took it after rehab and had to be careful about everything, like aftershave, mouthwash... everything.
Hope that helps.
Take care of you!
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"Good judgement comes from experience... experience comes from bad judgement" - unknown
Antabuse is supposed to make you sick if you drink alcohol. But it's a drug you have to take regularly in order for it to work. My husband has been prescribed it for years, but it hasn't been a huge help. If he thought he might give in to the cravings, he just didn't take it. In the beginning (of taking this drug, not the drinking) he would just not get that sick. His doc doubled the dose, but he would drink, vomit, drink some more and not bother taking any other pills.
There are a couple of drugs I'm aware of that are supposed to help reduce cravings for alcohol: Naltrexone is one, and Campral is another. My AH was supposed to be taking Campral 3X a day - so if he didn't take it as ordered, it didn't work - and since "it didn't work", he didn't take it as ordered...
I've heard there's a study underway with an injectable version of one of these drugs. This would be a once-a-month shot in the doc's office, and probably my AH's best chance of consistently getting medication.. but only if he wants to and makes the appt, which is always in doubt.
Our insurance covered these drugs, except for our copay, so I don't know what they retail for. I do know they were not inexpensive!
The problem with Antabuse is if they want to drink they simply don't take it. Naltrextone did help my A with cravings but he complained it made him feel kind of goofy(like alcohol didn't?). I do think if someone is really comitted to quit drinking it does help. It definately helped with withdrawl symptoms.
Christy
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If we think that miracles are normal, we will expect them. And expecting a miracle is the surest way to get one.
Hi , antibuse is not for withdrawl.It is a drug that an A takes to prove that he is not drinking . If he drinks while taking it he will become very ill , blood pressure goes up and they are a brilliant color of red . not a pretty site. It is nothing to play with Heart attacks are common if this drug is abused . Louise
