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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” • • • • • 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.