Antabuse was a good tool for me at a time I just could no seem to stay quit. It was a relief to take the option to drink away and gave me focus on other things that were important. Most of the side effects if any are fairly innocuous. The only major side effect one would have is if they drank on it and it is memorable.
Antabuse should only be taken if one is already motivated to stay sober, but just keep lapsing. Truth be said I never got away with drinking anyway, but the mental gymnastices would tell me this time I will. Antabuse takes that away.
For me, the important thing in the long run was finding interests, healthy relationships and activities which filled my life in such a way that drinking is just plain ridiculous (for me).