Has anyone tried antabuse to stop drinking?

[BIGRED Z 4]

Please share the experience. Were you banded at the time? I'm asking my practitioner for a prescription. Just hpoing someone else has some feedback.

[mica 0]

Hi,

I'm a Registered Psychiatric Nurse from Canada. I didn't think that they used Antabuse anymore. My experience with it professionally was that it was not really that effective in the long term. I've seen patients get it then go out on pass, only to return and be violently ill,(vomitting and wretching severely, not so good for anyone, but so much worse for someone who is banded), and often repeat that scenario over and over. The person I'm thinking about has long since died of liver disease.

Alcoholism is such a brutal disease/condition! As a child of alcoholic parents, I would urge anyone to do what they can to stop! The damage done overall, to the alcoholic and the family and friends is so severe , widespread and long-lived that it is imperative that the alcoholic get the treatment they need........NOW! (but I'm certain that you already know that.)

All the best to you!

[foxboro jim 0]

I took antibuse a number of years ago now. I didn't drink while I took it because I really hate to get sick (never got hung over drinking, unfortunately). I stopped taking it after several months and, based on the half-life of the drug, had a good estimate of when I could start drinking again. And I did start drinking again as soon as i could. All in all my evaluation of the drug is that it stopped me from drinking but didn't change me at all.

I had much better luck with support groups. i started in AA but the whole preoccupation with religion got to me and I found a secular group. Where secular groups don't push dependency on the group like AA does, I eventually found myself able to survive without any supports (this is common in these groups, I've found). I've been sober and drug-free (pot) since July 1984 and never think about drinking at this time. However, if there wasn't another group around I wouldn't think twice about going to an AA group. Check out several groups as they are all little different. Meet some people trying to do what you are. They ae usually really nice people and will help you want to stay sober. Women might be happier looking for a women's group since all we guys are basicly horney no matter where we are.

Sobriety isn't that bad. It's about as inconvenient as a lapband.

Edited June 4, 2008 by foxboro jim

[minidriver 0]

My son receives an injection of long acting naltrexone every month. It has worked wonders for him . . . decreases the desire to drink and prevents the alcohol from having an effect when he does drink. I think the brand name is "vivitrol". It also comes in tablet form that you have to take daily. Good luck to you.

[BIGRED Z 4]

Thanks everyone for the replies. I have read up on the Naltrexone as well. I plan to speak with my doctor about the best choice for me. I will also check into local support groups.

Anyone esle with any experience, chime in! This is great.

[favorite 3]

i worked with a guy who used to take antibuse. it seemed to me that he loved taking it and being real strict. not using after shave or mouth wash or anything with the slightest bit of alcohol in it. to prove to himself that he could do it and not drink. but then i think the biggest charge he got was when he would stop taking it, and count down to the minute he could start drinking, then crack open a beer. he is sober now, but with the help of aa.

[ginny two 0]

I took Antabuse about six years ago. I had a "slip" after eleven years of sobriety in and out of AA. I drank one night and started going to meetings again, got a sponsor, etc. The desire to drink was still very strong. I asked my doctor for the prescription. I have to say I believe it saved my toosh. All it did was to take the option of drinking out of my head so that I had to work the AA program. I took it for over a year until I felt that it might be safe to stop. I guess it depends on the individual's perspective, whether it works or not. I didn't want to lose custody of my daughter, so I was very motivated to get sober again. Of course, I didn't have the lapband and don't have it now (yet). Good luck, I hope you find what works for you.

Ginny