Antabuse Thread

[on my way]

Antabuse Thread

every day

[Popeye]

Antabuse Thread

Hi Folks!
I started taking Antabuse on January 7th. My doctor had no problem prescribing them and from consultation to having them in my hand took less than a week. I've been seeing an alcohol councellor for a few weeks and she also helped. I have to say I'm very impressed with the help I'm being given. I asked for this help and so far it's been a very helpful experience.
I had to get some blood tests, to check my liver function and also I have to get an ECG to make sure my body's up for it. I was warned about the potentially serious consequences of drinking while taking Antabuse and given a list of products that may contain alcohol, that I will no longer be able to use, such as some deodourants and aftershaves.
I started by taking 4x200mg tablets on day one and reducing the dose by one tab/day until I was down to one a day. So far the only side effect is a great nights sleep, as they tend to make you drowsy. I'm feeling very confident about a successful outcome. I feel slightly disappointed in myself having to resort to meds, but needs must. Once my routines and habits have altered sufficiently to allow me to feel that I don't need these tablets any more, I can take them as long as I need to.

[Cinders]

Antabuse Thread

Popeye!!! Yay!!

I am incredibly proud of you for taking this step. I am also incredibly happy for you.

I can't take the Antabuse right now but will as soon as I can.

Love,
Cindi

[Lateott]

Antabuse Thread

Antabuse user

Hi. Been here lots of times and got much useful info. Now after two years decided to register. The reason being I bought Antabuse off the internet about six months ago, but was concerned about starting to take it. Tried to give up the sauce many times on my own with various ways, pills, therapies etc and failed miserably.

This is my third day of taking Antabuse. No cravings and no side effects. Stayed completely away from alcohol and have found it easy (so far), except it had become a habit so now have to do other stuff instead of tv and wine!!!

Want to stay af for at least a month. Then see if I am able to just drink socially. If I can't then I'll give it up altogether....with the help of Antabuse of course.

I don't want another night of being told what I had done, or mysterious cuts and bruises appearing where I had fallen over, or bumps on my head etc etc. It had got way out of control and rather than making me warm and comforted and happy it was making me mortified, ill, and interferring with work.

Here goes....
Thanks to everyone here who have shared their sories and their experiences with Antabuse, it gave me the strength to start off slowly with 1/2 a tablet to see what happened. today I have been the happiest I have been for several years. That's priceless!

:thanks:

[Cinders]

Antabuse Thread

Lateott,

:welcome:

It is heartwarming to hear when things start going well for one of "us."

I know the feeling well of being so happy because of being able to stay AF. It is an amazing journey.

Look at the 30 days as a time for your mind to readjust to what you need to do. Hopefully, by then, you will have a clearer idea of how you want to proceed.

Glad you are here!
Cindi

[Popeye]

Antabuse Thread

Thank you Cinders...
I'm feeling good..still...I look forward to taking my pill at 8:00 pm and relaxing, knowing I can't drink.
Hi Lateott. Nice to meet you. I hope things work out for you.

[Lateott]

Antabuse Thread

Are my tablets the real thing

Have read this post so many times backwards and forwards etc. Noticed someone (can't remember who) was concerned because their AB was in 200mg soluble tablets and they were concerned they were different and therefore not the real thing.

My AB is exactly the same as described above. Have taken it for 10 days with no side effects or cravings. Feel great, but restricted...can't dye my hair, eat what I want etc.

I feel strong enough to go it alone now, was only psychologically addicted not physically and have great support. Stopped taking AB 36 hours ago and with a school reunion on Friday wanted to do a test. Wanted to know
a) are my AB tablets real??!!
b) can i tolerate a small amount of alcohol in readiness for Friday??!!

Tried a half glass of wine

Answer to A) yes and B) no.

I am now sitting here with a shortness of breath and a bright red glowing hot face. From reading other posts knew to do it slowly....glad I did. Won't be drinking on Friday or for another two weeks at least. then only in moderation if I go out. Never alone, at home and for all the wrong reasons.

Thanks again for the support and info. Hope this has been helpful!

[stepintime]

Antabuse Thread

PupMum;426174 wrote: Just read all 31 pages of this post as can't sleep! Dr prescribed lamotrigine as was going completely manic when I went sober (and so stopped being sober!), and suggested I wait a week for it to kick in before starting AB. Now at week 4 and still trying to get up nerve to take AB. Ironically more worried about general side-effects (without AL!) than anything. Thinking will take half a tablet with lunch. Read my mouthwash bottle but then realised I use mouthwash so no one can smell booze on my breath so I won't need it!

Hi. Well I am at an all time low now! My only hope was getting someone to prescribe me antabuse, and seen as no one can, I just want to give up trying.
I am a serial relapser. My longest period of abstinance, being 3 months, before stupidly picking up a drink again.
I went to see my GP to ask for AB, but he said no. It was almost as tho he didn't want the responsibility of dealing with me. He referred me to an alcohol services group instead.
One of their CPN's has just been to see me...a lovely lady, but who sadly informs me that I will find it near-on impossible to get AB from any CPN/GP (i am in UK). So, thats it then. I don't have the money to buy it from the net, nor the patience to wait for it to arrive.
The lady who came out, was as upset as me. Upset, because she so wants to be able to help, but is powerless to do so.

My other issue here...hence 'quote', is for Pupmum. I hope you are still an active member here, because I want to know how you are getting on on the lamotrigine. I was prescribed this at my last psychiatrists app, but am scared shitless to take it.
Did you have any side effects...noticibly hair loss/weight gain ?? or anything else? and has it made any difference in how you feel.

Do you know what?? I am so emotionally out of sorts right now. I had so much hope for today, oh how stupid!!! stupid, stupid! I really should have known better.

She was lovely tho, and I dont blame her. it's all just politics. She's as frustrated as me.
She did give me half hours accupuncture tho, never had that before,so maybe that will buy me some time. ...dont know how, just wishfull thinking.

Thanks for reading

Regards

Step

[fluffandstuff]

Antabuse Thread

Hi Step,

I am in the UK too and went fully armed with information about antabuse and got prescribed it no problems. I think he felt I knew more about it and was slightly affronted!! My DR is not pushover either.

Fluf

[beatle]

Antabuse Thread

Step, I recently posted a question about lamotrigine (which is usually called Lamictal). I was prescribed it 2 days ago and started yesterday. I did a lot of research first (in addition to grilling my psych) and there are apparently very few side effects. The only thing to watch out for is a rash, which can be dangerous.

If you refer to the thread titled Lactimal (I spelt it incorrectly), you will see that Skinnedknees answered that it had helped her tremendously. So I am very hopeful.

The main uses of Lamictal are for epilepsy and bipolar disorder. It's hard to diagnose bipolar disorder, but basically it is a mix of being high energy (manic) and depressed. In my case, I was never really high energy, so it took a while to be diagnosed. But actually, I have a lot of anxiety and panic attacks, which in a sense is a kind of being manic, and my new psych says that the SSRIs don't usually work on these type of people because they are only aimed at the depression and thus can make anxious people far more anxious and manic (which they did to me). She said the Lamictal is a mood-evener AND it works on depression, so is more appropriate for someone like me who is both depressed but prone to high levels of anxiety.

As I said, there is little evidence there are any side effects... so it you feel you fit in this kind of category, why not give it a try? I am.

[Popeye]

Antabuse Thread

Step,
It was actually my alcohol counsellor who approached my doctor, via a nurse, about getting on to Antabuse. My doc suggested counselling initially, and was happy to let me have the pills once all the hoops had been jumped through.
I'm still doing well on it.
I hope you can get something worked out.

[stepintime]

Antabuse Thread

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Hi guys. I am not good right now, and am in serious danger of slipping, and ruining all my good work. I was so in awe and full of hope, when I got my script for the antabuse, but so much crap has gone on this week, I am wondering why I am bothering. Without going into too much detail, I ended up on the wrong side of my B/F's temper. I hurt, and have been off work since tuesday. (please don't give me lectures on this, it was a rare event), it's just everything is so hard right now. The antabuse has been great, and I am 2 weeks sober, but I haven't taken a pill since tuesday, and am already plotting in my head how long I have to leave it before I can drink. (the rose is in the cupboard...x2). I play a lot of sport and at the moment I cant even do a press up. I am diagnosed with cyclothymia too, and feel I am on the down ward slide. I know too, that a drink would make me forget everything. ....the pain from where I hurt, and my low mood. I can always go back on the antabuse a little while after. It also doesn't help, that 2 weeks on, and I still feel much much worse than I ever did following constant nights of drinking. Probably wouldnt be so miserable tho, if I didn't physically hurt as well.
Perhaps I'm just not ready for this
__________________

[A Work in Progress]

Antabuse Thread

Step, I just wrote a reply to you on the other thread. I'm sure others will, as well. I hope you will read them, think about them, and let us know your thoughts: what do you think you might gain by drinking, now (or ever)? And what do you think it might cost you?

[stepintime]

Antabuse Thread

Beatle thank you.
I was diagnosed last year with Cyclothymia ( a mood disorder). It took me 21 years and a suicide attempt, to get diagnosed. As you say, mood disorders are often confused with depression. But the 2 are, in fact entirely different, and as you say... on the whole usually require entirely different meds. Thankyou for your encouragement with the Lamictal. It's nice to know someone else is taking it, and someone with an alcohol poblem too.

Yes WIP, I posted twice . Mainly because I meant to put it here, on the antabuse thread and put it in the wrong place by mistake. I thought it belonged here more.

Well, I haven't drank tonight - yet, but I haven't taken a 'pill' either. It may just have been my dreadful Friday night time. It does seem to be particularily bad for me.

I just wish I would start to notice the benefits, of not dinking for the last 2 weeks, instead of feeling worse than ever.

Thank you :l

Step

[Popeye]

Antabuse Thread

Hi Step.
I've been on Antabuse since Jan. 9th and been sober since Jan 5th. I didn't have any cravings until last night, and they lasted a while, but just knowing I couldn't drink without risking some potentially severe side effects made the choice whether to drink or not irrelevant. I just can't. I make a point of taking the tablet every night at 8 o'clock. I have a special alarm set on my phone in case I forget. Just taking the tablet is some kind of mental stimulation that reminds me what I'm trying to do. Today's been OK. I've been trying to stay busy and productive.
I'm sure the benefits will come for you. It takes a while to really get yout head in order when you stop, but I'm sure you know this already.

Good luck tonight and stay strong.