44milk

I started taking it 51 days ago. No physical cravings for alcohol, but still a lot of questions as to what others experiences are with it? Thanks in advance.

Dee74

welcome 44milk

No experience myself, but there are other threads around and I'm sure others with experience will chime in.

welcome to the forum

Tetra

I have taken it before. I also tried drinking on it once, and I would never repeat that again. Once I got serious about not drinking, I found that it was a useful tool, for the first month or so, but it made me feel quite sleepy.

john44

That would've come in very handy a couple weeks ago.

tomb

I stoped taking antibuse for two days and started drinking. I was rushed to the hospital and was told I came very close to having a heart attack. I don't advise taking antibuse.

jennikate

I took it off and on in early attempts at sobriety. Problem is that you can plan your drinking. I faked taking it by taking vitamins instead so that my dh thought I was on it. I guess it's helpful but you must first have the true desire to stop drinking. In the end, I got sober without it.

44milk

Did you take it at night? Or in the morning?

44milk

I'm not clear: Were you rushed to the hospital because you STOPPED taking it? Or because you drank after just two days off of it?

44milk

I've stopped taking it, this is the second day not taking it. Frankly it scares me.

44milk

Update: Now 3 days not taking it. No cravings so far. 55 days sober. Either way, it still is far too soon to have a few beers. Thoughts? Thanks in advance.

Dee74

Are you contemplating having a few beers again?
I doubt you'll find anyone here to give you the green light there, 44.

D

44milk

Not looking for the green light. With that said, must take things one day at a time. Looking ahead to day number 56, sober, tomorrow, and not looking any further. The reason I stopped taking the antabuse has to do with freaking out on it, and the nervous breakdown like feeling I was having at night.

Dee74

good to hear you're not looking for the green light

I never took antabuse - I figured sooner or later I'd have to find internal motivation not to drink, not an external one.

what else are you doing for your recovery 44milk?

D

44milk

I go to meetings once a week, also have a psychiatrist.

44milk

Now an entire week off the antabuse. No cravings, and no more shaking and twitching so much. Still slight panic and slight nervous breakdown type effects.

Grymt

Good. Sounds like a pretty common sequence.
Things do indeed pass.
Congratulations.

44milk

The thing is, I am fairly sure there are other meds that work better?

jennikate

Well, more different than better. Other meds like Campral and Naltrexone are designed to curb cravings for alcohol. However, unlike Antabuse, they do not make you sick if you drink.

Grymt

If you're not taking meds, feeling better, going to meetings and seeing a psychiatrist, why would you want to take meds?

44milk

I'm not sure what you're getting at?

Anyway, the whole thing is a work in progress. I am 58 days sober, and that is the bottom line. I've been around long enough to know that the main thing that matters is: DON'T DRINK.

While I have that going for me, I am attacking the other problems, one at a time. Right now, I have not taken the antabuse in 7 days. That's where thing s stand. I take the meds that my doctors prescribe, it's a work in progress, not a fixed thing.