NahAn

Does anyone know if medications such as disulfiram or naltrexone work?
Has anyone had experience with their significant other taking these?

trailmix

As you probably already know, disulfiram is also known as antabuse.

Here are some older threads from this forum that you might find helpful:

https://www.soberrecovery.com/forums...-vivitrol.html (Anyone Have Any Experience with Antabuse and/or Vivitrol?)
https://www.soberrecovery.com/forums...-antabuse.html (Antabuse?)
https://www.soberrecovery.com/forums...use-pills.html (Antabuse pills)
https://www.soberrecovery.com/forums...work-some.html (Does Antabuse not work for some??)
https://www.soberrecovery.com/forums...-antabuse.html (Antabuse)


Here are a few threads from elsewhere in the forums that might have some info for you:

https://www.soberrecovery.com/forums...ant-drink.html (Is there medication to help me to not want to drink?)
https://www.soberrecovery.com/forums...abapentin.html (Gabapentin)
https://www.soberrecovery.com/forums...altrexone.html (Naltrexone)
https://www.soberrecovery.com/forums...new-tools.html (Day 15 with new tools)

trailmix

Unfortunately there is no magic pill to put an alcoholic in to recovery, these drugs appear to be more of a short term measure to help with cravings, but I am sure there are folks on this forum that will have info for you.

PeacefulWater12

Alcoholics have to WANT to quit and recover. A medication forcing a temporary halt do not work if the mindset is not there to go with it.

Antabuse can even be abused by alkies. I know folk who use it to stay sober for maybe week days then don't take it at the weekend so they can get their big drink on. Or say they need to test clean for something, maybe child access, it can be used to get stop them drinking to get the pass they need. Then stop it, let it clear their body and back to the booze.

When my alkie hubby was in hospital, they gave him something to ease the cravings and also to stop withdrawal seizure. Again this was temporary. As soon as he was home, he was back in his whisky.

He did not want to stop, so didn't.

Stark but true.

Beachn

Hey there,

My AW tried to drink through vivitrol and naltrexone with disastrous effects. Because she didn’t feel the buzzed effects of the alcohol she drank even more than usual and was walking blackout for weeks until that led to serious repercussions.

As was said unless the A wants recovery they’ll keep drinking no matter what.

NahAn

Well there goes that idea

Beachn

Science is amazing and studies show this medication does help IF the alcoholic is ready and willing to use it as prescribed and in conjunction with other remedies. Therapy, AA, etc but mostly if they’re done.

My AW drank before taking it, which one cannot do. Tried to drink through it which lead to serious alcohol poisoning or skipped it entirely because she wasn’t ready to put in the hard work of recovery.

Once my wife quit drinking a medication like naltrexone to help stop wasn’t necessary, well at least until she found out she could get her hands med marijuana. That’s a whole different animal.

NahAn

Oh wow Beachn, sounds like you’ve been through hell. How did you get through?

Beachn

I have no idea

knowthetriggers

In 2016 my then AH took antabuse after a month in the hospital. He was "happy" to have it and said he would be fine because if he drank while taking this drug it would make him sick. His doctor told him this was just to help him in the short term, he had to want to be sober and stop drinking, get help, make changes. Yeah, that went over like a lead balloon because my AH came out of the hospital with NO plan of action except this pill. Within six months he hit such a hard rock bottom that he tried to end his life. Thankfully this was his wake up call and has been sober for 4 years.
I guess my point here is, unless the alcoholic is ready, nothing will stop them from drinking.