bringmeback7693

Hey y'all. 25 days sober over here and feeling damn happy about that.

Curious- has anyone used antabuse before? I know it can create an extremely adverse reaction to alcohol (vomiting etc.) I feel like this would be a good thing to have on hand, just in case I'm ever going into a situation in early sobriety that I'm feeling shaky about (wedding, bar, birthday, etc.)

Any thoughts on this?

tekink

Others might chime in on experience with meds, but I'll say avoiding these situations for a while tends to be extremely helpful. I relapsed too many times thinking I needed to be at these drinking events. I finally realized saving myself needed to happen first and I simply avoided any and all situations that made me want to drink. It sounds kind of bleak but that's just AV talk. It's nice to refocus and center yourself on what you need first. Once you are taken care of you'll be better apt and taking care of others.

August252015

Yes, I have the thoughts on this and other drugs that I share when these threads come up (if you search for various things like antabuse, campral, acamprosate, Naltrexone you should find different ones).

Antabuse is a serious drug and one to be taken under a good pysch's care. It is not meant to be taken "as needed" - it is a daily commitment. I took it the first 90 days of my sobriety; my dr took it so seriously that I had a sheaf of papers with a line for every day, that I signed and got witnessed with the time taken. If you drink on it, you can face the serious effects you mentioned, up to death.

It is also stressful on the liver so a responsible dr will weigh that vs the appropriateness of taking it.

I found it to be a helpful routine among several other drugs but a HUGE note here is that there is NO pill that cures alcoholism or anything of the sort, and drugs are simply tools good for some of us to use in conjunction with an active recovery program.

And- I didn't put myself anywhere near alcohol for quite awhile. No event, party, whatever was worth going to for my emotional or physical sobriety.

RDBplus3

I consider myself in the 'leper' class of alcoholics. I drank for 40 years and s-t-r-u-g-g-l-e-d for a long time trying to get sober. I refused to consider antabuse, but after i hit my absolute inner depth bottom (predicated by a seemingly never-ending series of bottoms) I had no choice but to completely give up and agree to work the 12 Step AA program like my life depended on it, with a sponsor that worked (and continually applies) the 12 Steps.

However, if I had not been on antabuse for a whole year, there is no way I could have not drank. I am now over 4 years Clean & Sober, and about 3 years without antabuse. After the year on atabuse, I would only take it sporadically, when I was going to be in any high risk situations (such as traveling for work).

RDBplus3 ... Happy, Joyous and FREE

doggonecarl

There is something that you can do in these circumstances that have no adverse side effects...just don't go.

BrandNewDay11

I considered asking my Dr. for Antabuse many times, but 2 things stopped me: 1. I was too embarrassed to admit to my Dr. that I was drinking that much and 2. There's a potential for some serious side effects from antabuse, in particular liver damage, which scared me.

Anna

It's best for you to talk to your dr to see if he thinks it's appropriate for you.

Honestly, I stayed away completely from situations where alcohol was served for many months. I wouldn't have made through early recovery otherwise.

Gazza

I took it for the first 6 months. It definitly helped. I probably wouldn't have made it otherwise. I also went to AA and did the steps I don't go anymore though. But having sober people to hang out with is awesome and I still have some AA friends.

I did use antabuse when I went to functions like that. I seldom go anymore because there's better things to do drunk people are so boring!

Try to find sober people to hang out with and sober things to do. There's heaps of sober people in the community not just ex drinkers either. Think about places were non drinkers go and what they do. Gym, meditation, yoga, sports (some), library, culture clubs, hobby clubs. Most people have interests they pursue sober I never realised!

Forward12

You can't have too many tools in the sobriety toolbox, and if you feel it would help, go for it.
Though your mainline defense is always a solid sobriety plan. If you aren't going to AA daily, start doing so. If not, you can ask your doc while you are at the appointment to refer you to an addiction therapist if you prefer a 1 on 1 approach.

AnvilheadII

antabuse is not like a morning after pill, where you take when needed. it is a daily dose of the medication, so that at ALL times you are likely to have a very bad reaction to alcohol.

it is a deterrent, but ONLY a deterrent. i know folks who went ahead and drank anyway on the stuff. or simply stop taking it. so it's no a magic pill. it is SELF driven.

PeacefulWater12

I see it as one of many tools available. I know of people who used it to support them getting a good foothold in sobriety. Then the real work can begin.

I also know of a lady who drank on it and ended up in the Emergency Room in hospital. Nearly lost her life.

ETA. In early sobriety i avoided events that might have knocked me off course like the plague. I made my recovery top priority.

MissOverIt

Hi there. I took it for my first 60 days and it helped immeasurably to just get away from chronically deciding to drink after 10 to 15 days. I finally got the relief of not having to fight that battle every day because I literally physically could not drink. I don’t think I could of gotten sober without it...BUT it won’t keep you sober. (As a lot of folks commented) Get in AA, or some sort of program that works for you and committ to your new exciting booze free life! Booze just ruins all the good stuff anyway

Good luck and keep fighting!

Porcetta

Side effects can be terrible.

Also, its not actually the pill that keeps you from drinking, its you.

ScottFromWI

Most of the drugs out there associated with quitting drinking are designed to be used in conjunction with a solid sobriety plan of some kind. Antabuse makes you sick if you drink, others claim to reduce cravings, etc. So they can certainly be an aid, but none are a solution within themselves. As others have mentioned, you can probably find other ways to deal with social events that are just as or even more effective than Antabuse. With any of them you'd need to first speak with your doctor as well to make sure it's a good fit medically.