SweetPotato

My husband has been an alcoholic for about a decade. Only I guess I didn't realize it in the beginning. Over the years, there have been so many promises of sobriety and occasionally a short respite. Well now he actually seems serious about quitting. At least, it somehow feels more serious this time. Like he finally seems to see himself. He wants to get a prescription for Antabuse. I'm really leary of this method. I guess it feels like a bs quick fix, especially since he won't consider counseling along with it. Anyone have experience with this medicine?

LexieCat

Not personally (oh, and welcome), but I know a lot of people who have used it. It's only good for getting through the first days/weeks of early sobriety, when it's the shakiest. It isn't a long-term remedy.

I say let him go for it. Most people, when they first realize they have a serious problem with drinking use various ways of trying to manage it, or even to quit on their own. Almost everyone has to at least make those attempts before they realize it isn't going to work. (Actually, some people actually DO get sober without therapy or AA or rehab--but most get some kind of support and it's still a major undertaking and rarely works the first time/)

No harm in his giving it a shot. We all have to learn the hard way, it seems. I don't think I ever met someone in AA who just got up one day, realized their drinking was a problem, and went straight to rehab or AA.

SweetPotato

You are absolutely right. This is his recovery and I don't need to dictate how it needs to be done. I suppose I need to work on some control issues.

resolute50

I agree with Lexie.
It's a beginning. One step that hopefully leads to many more.

JScatt

A friend of mines wife tried it, he was in the same situation as you, she was an alcoholic putting a strain on the marriage and she wanted to go the Antabuse route as well....you have to take it for it to work so she replaced they Antabuse tabs in the bottle with aspirin as the look nearly identical( they did ten years ago anyway ) and continued to sneak drinks.
So if you go that route you need to keep the bottle away from him and administer them to him and make sure he swallows them.
They do nothing for the cravings and withdrawl symptoms, which makes the first few days of quitting so hard.

August252015

I took it successfully, the first 90 days of my sobriety - because I was DONE drinking and it was just one tool in my kit, as my psych said. It is a serious drug- not recommended for longtime use for one reason being it is hard on your liver which most alcoholics already damaged greatly. You can get very sick or even die if you drink while on it. It's not a cure and it should not be treated lightly. It IS a good thing for some recovering alcoholics to take in discussion of a plan for recovery with their doctor.

Other meds I have continued to take include Campral (acamprosate) which is an anti-craving med. At 462 days, i can honestly say I have had zero physical cravings. Ever. If I need to stay on it forever, fine by me.

Neither of these or the other pieces of my drug regimen keep me sober (or got me there). I had to choose sobriety and that's the bottom line.

Everything else is details- and my "Details" are my AA program, spiritual life, and the other components of living my best, healthiest life.

LexieCat

Sorry, but this is a TERRIBLE idea. A partner/spouse should not be the booze police (or the Antabuse police).

It's his deal, he's the one responsible for taking it. It generally becomes pretty obvious, pretty quickly, when someone starts drinking again,

LexieCat

Are you going to Al-Anon? It's a great way to keep the focus on your own recovery, and off his.

Forward12

Antibuse can be a strong deterrent to stay sober because of the harsh side effects if someone drinks on it, though the main problem with medications like this is often times they end up to stop taking them so they can continue to drink.
This isn't always the case, and may be enough to get the ball rolling so he can continue his sobriety. There is really no way of telling until he gives it a go.

Ladybird579

So if you go that route you need to keep the bottle away from him and administer them to him and make sure he swallows them

Sweet Potato is discussing a grown man here not a toddler. It's not up to her to make sure he takes them.

batchel9

My AH has been on Antabuse since January. I think it got him this long sober but two days ago he drank anyways. Ultimately, they need to be doing more than just pill popping. I kept saying this and he refused to listen, which is why I moved out. Oh look, I was right.

SweetPotato

I have not. I grew up with an alcoholic parent and then ended up marrying one. This is actually my first attempt reaching out and joining any kind of group for support. But I am considering it.

LexieCat

Oh, I DEFINITELY recommend it. It was an absolute lifeline for me when I was with my second husband (who had resumed drinking after almost dying of alcohol-related complications and I felt at the end of my rope). Moreover, it will help you address the effects of growing up in an alcoholic household.

I'd find a meeting ASAP--it will be hugely helpful to you, I'm betting.

SoloMio

I agree. AH took his doctor's recommendation to try Antabuse, but failed miserably because he was desperate for a quick fix. The second day he was on it he came out and told me that he was trying to figure out how to take the Antabuse and keep drinking. The third and fourth day he drank on the Antabuse, and then the fifth day he chose vodka over Antabuse.

If someone is still interested in drinking, I don't think Antabuse can do a thing for them. If they are interested in sobriety, as August said, it's one tool in the tool kit.

LexieCat

One other thing about Antabuse--it does nothing to relieve the obsession, nor the physical/mental discomfort of withdrawal. Even if one is "interested" in quitting drinking, unless those factors can be addressed, the NEED to keep drinking is likely to overcome the "interest" in sobriety.

Petat

My hb also has Antabuse but just refuses to take it! We had lots of fights about this as I feel it is a way to start and to help him along... but ultimately he drinks when he wants to.
Without treatment Antabuse will not help.
Good luck to you.

hopeful4

Bravo! Here is a shining example of true recovery. Congratulations on your sobriety August, thank you for sharing!!!!

JScatt

Yes, I stand corrected it was bad advise. I got to thinking about all the times someone forced me to quit when I didn't want to and it failed every time.

LeeJane

I am a double winner. I briefly took Antabuse. But it was before I was ready to quit. I think it is a useful tool as one of many we RAs can use.

When I was ready to quit, I just did it. No medication. Then a while later started attending 12 step meetings.

I don't think Antabuse is an actual solution.

I think it all comes down to willingness to quit and doing whatever is needed to support recovery. I am 7 years quit now.

SweetPotato

I appreciate the feedback. As far as making sure he takes it, he told me he plans to take it everyday in my presence, so he feels he has some accountability. I explained that this is his deal and I don't want to be put in the position of forcing it or enabling him to stop. But, yeah, if he feels better having me witness, that's reasonable. I don't know. I think I am just afraid I can't handle another let down if this doesn't work.