Antabuse

Antabuse (disulfiram) is a medicine that interferes with the way alcohol is metabolized in the body and discourages the person taking it from drinking. It works by causing a number of very unpleasant symptoms when any amounts of alcohol are ingested by the patient. Such symptoms as flushing of the face, nausea, choking, anxiety, chest pain, weakness, breathing difficulty, blurred vision, mental confusion, vomiting, headache, and sweating are possible if the patient drinks alcohol or used any products that contain alcohol while on Antabuse. Even application of lotions or some other topical remedies that contain alcohol can cause a reaction and lead to headache, local redness, itching, and nausea. Antabuse is not supposed to be taken by people allergic to this medicine, as the same reaction is likely to happen again. The use of Antabuse in pregnant to breastfeeding women is very rarely justified. It has been classified as FDA pregnancy category C, meaning that it can pass to breast milk but there is insufficient data on whether this medicine can cause harm to an unborn baby. Take Antabuse for as long as recommended and avoid exceeding the dose prescribed. Taking more of this medicine is not going to make your treatment more efficient and can lead to an overdose. Seek emergency medical help if you have taken too much of Antabuse and experience symptoms such as nausea, vomiting, dizziness, numbness, seizures, tingling, and loss of coordination. Your health care provider needs to know if you are taking any medications that can interact with Antabuse and decrease the efficiency of your treatment, such as any nonprescription drugs that might contain alcohol, vitamins, isoniazid, phenytoin, metronidazole, amitriptyline, and anticoagulants. The dose you are prescribed is based on your individual needs and can also depend on some medial conditions you have or used to have, such as liver disease, thyroid disease, seizure disorder, diabetes, brain damage, mental disorders, or kidney disease. Unlike mild side effects (mild headaches, mild drowsiness, metallic taste in the mouth, tiredness, impotence, skin rash or acne, or sore tongue) that you do not need to report unless they get bothersome, the following serious side effects must be reported to your health care provider: loss of appetite, upset stomach, yellowness of the skin or eyes, excessive tiredness, weakness, dark urine, vomiting, and lack of energy.