Download Antabuse leaflet

Common items containing alcohol
that should be avoided
Perfumes and aftershaves
Antiperspirant/ deodorants
Mouthwashes
Hair gels and sprays
Liquid medicines such as some
cough mixtures, head lice and skin
preparations, anaesthetic creams,
insect repellents, eye drops and
liniments.
• Uncooked alcohol in food,
commonly tiramisu, sherry trifle,
liqueur chocolates and truffles.
• Food containing wine, cider or
spirit vinegar
Drinks that state they are “low
alcohol”, “non alcoholic” or “ alcohol
free”
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Symptoms include flushing, nausea,
vomiting, headache, cardiac instability
and in very rare cases, death. If you
experience problems breathing or feel that
your symptoms are very severe then it is
important to seek immediate medical
attention. It is also important that you
discuss the incident with your nurse or
doctor before continuing to take further
medication.
FITZWILLIAM CENTRE
Substance Misuse
Treatment Services
Drug interactions
Antabuse can interact with a number of
drugs. It can inhibit the metabolism of
chlordiazepoxide, diazepam, warfarin,
phenytoin and rifampicin. Please tell the
doctor if you are taking medication so they
can check to make sure they are safe to
take with Antabuse.
DISULFIRAM
(Antabuse)
Alcohol may be listed as ethyl alcohol,
ethanol, alcohol SD, or alcohol denat,
cetyl alcohol and steryl alcohol.
What do I do if I drink alcohol while
taking Antabuse?
If you do drink alcohol while taking
Antabuse then it is likely you will
experience an Antabuse reaction. A
reaction can start as soon as 10
minutes after drinking alcohol.
143-145 Fitzwilliam Street
Sheffield
S1 4JP
Tel: 0114 30 50 500
Fax: 0114 30 50 552
Always read the patient leaflet before
taking any medication
Aim of the leaflet
This leaflet is designed to give an
overview of:
• How Antabuse works
• Who might consider taking Antabuse
• When is Antabuse not advised
• Taking Antabuse
• What dose is prescribed
• Products that cannot be used during
treatment
• What if I drink alcohol
• What if I miss a dose
• Drug interactions
How does Antabuse work?
Antabuse acts as a deterrent against
drinking alcohol. It won’t make you feel
physically any different, however it can act
as a safety net for some people. Antabuse
is not a “magic pill” and is best used alongside relapse prevention and or other support.
Antabuse blocks one of the key metabolising enzymes of alcohol. If you drink alcohol
while taking Antabuse, or up to seven days
after stopping the medication, you will
experience unpleasant side effects.
Who might consider taking Antabuse?
You may wish to consider Antabuse if
you have stopped drinking alcohol and
want to remain abstinent. Antabuse is
suited to people who would be prevented
from drinking alcohol if they knew they
would have adverse physical reaction, an
“Antabuse reaction”. This drug is not
licensed for people over the age of 65.
When is Antabuse not advised
Antabuse should not be given to
people with cardiovascular problems,
high blood pressure, history of stroke,
heart attack, epilepsy, experiencing
psychosis, risk of suicide, pregnant or
breastfeeding. Caution is taken if you
have a history of kidney or liver disease
or if you have diabetes. It is not advised
if you are taking certain medications. It is
important to inform your Doctor of any
medications you are taking.
Taking Antabuse
Research suggests that Antabuse
treatment is the most effective if you take
it in front of someone. You may wish to
talk to a family member and partner
about gaining their support while taking
Antabuse. Initially you may experience
some side effects. For most people the
side effects quickly disappear. Side
effects can include drowsiness, fatigue,
nausea. If symptoms are severe or have
not subsided within two weeks discuss it
with your doctor or nurse.
What dose is prescribed?
Antabuse comes in 200mg tablets.
A higher dose is generally prescribed for the
first three days. This enables the medication
to reach the required level in the blood
stream. After this a daily maintenance dose
of 200mg is usually prescribed. Alcohol
should not be drunk at least 24 hours prior
to taking Antabuse.
What if I miss a dose?
If it is more than 12 hours than when you
normally take the dose then don’t take it and
wait for your next dose. Do not take double
the dose the next time.
Products that cannot be used during
treatment
Some everyday products contain small
amounts of alcohol and can cause an
“Antabuse reaction”. You will need to look
carefully at your product and food labels to
make sure that what you use is alcohol free.
It may feel daunting at first but once replacements for items have been found, most
people find it reasonably easy to avoid
products and food containing alcohol.