justme623

I don't if I spelled those right... I am going to see my doctor today and just want to know if anyone has had a good experience with either of these meds, or know of any others that are out?

Thanks!!!

Isaiah

I've heard bad things about antabuse. All it really does is prevent the body from breaking down the toxic components of alcohol. One of the few drugs I can think of that's purpose is to cause punishment to a person, by taking away the natural elimination of a toxic chemical, who has done something wrong.

Mostly it's used for people with addictions that are immediately life-threatening and who are undertaking other intensive treatments. Antabuse alone isn't going to change anything. If you are deeply addicted enough that you truly cannot stop drinking with AA, behavior modification, willpower, or detox, then chances are you need more than just a doctor's prescription. Because there'll be nothing there to stop you from using again when you stop taking antabuse.

least

Can't speak for antabuse, but I was given Campral to help with the cravings and to restore my brain chemicals to a proper balance. I found Campral helpful in dealing with the cravings.

barb dwyer

Campral worked well for me.

mle-sober

I have 3 friends who take antabuse and are doing well. They seem perfectly content with it but I think they take it as part of a court-ordered injunction.

I think Isaiah's comments are a little hardcore. I think its used more widely than he states. And I think its a reasonable incentive for some people. Every one's different and we all get sober in a way that's unique to us. Antabuse is just one peice of the puzzle to help create and sustain sobriety for some people. There's nothing about it that makes it essentially a BAD drug. It does what it does. It might help some where it might not help others.

I took campral and felt no effects but thought it was worth a try.

Good luck!

Isaiah

Yes, I thought I may have been too harsh after I wrote that.

What I meant to get at, and didn't express very well, was that antabuse alone isn't really going to do much for a person. The people I've met who were on it were simultaneously involved in detox, therapy and/or AA. They were learning strategies to deal with alcoholism, which would be necessary to have when the antabuse was no longer administered.

Ideally I think that in all but the most severe cases of alcoholism the best thing is to eliminate the compulsion to drink, and not to simply make drinking a more unpleasant experience. Just by the casual way antabuse was brought up made me think that this isn't one of those situations where antabuse would be necessary of fruitful.

Jadmack25

Have friends who have been on both. Couple of years ago a lass had antabuse chip inserted, couldn't stop and kept drinking, she was dead 3 months later. ABF has had Campral and stayed off booze for 15 months. Others have taken it for periods 6 - 12 months and said it helped them with cravings.

mle-sober

Yikes

caitlin666

ive been on antabuse for over a year now, and rate it highly,
i do of course back it up with AA and soberrecovery:bounce