Starting antabuse tomorrow I feel will change my life for the better as I don’t know how to stop myself from drinking alcohol and I heard antabuse makes you sick when you drink alcohol so I’m really relying on this to start a better chapter in my life
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Have you tried everything else like meetings, rehab , addiction team there are many other way
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@DarrenUK had success with antabuse - I’m sure there are others too.
Good for you for taking some action!
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Please just remember that a person shouldn’t solely rely on antabuse to fix their alcohol issues. It does not reduce cravings. You will still need to do the hard work on overcoming them yourself. But antabuse will reduce the desire to drink ONLY because the side effects are absolutely awful. Really really awful.
Antabuse ideally needs to be taken in conjunction with working a recovery program or with a counsellor etc as antabuse alone is rarely a good or safe idea.
Also please remember that any contact with alcohol products (on your skin or inhaled) will cause a reaction, such as mouthwash, purfume, hand sanitiser, tonics, cough medicines, vinegars, paint thinners etc so avoid all and any product that contains alcohol.
I’m sorry if I’m coming across as a negative nancy - I think it’s really fantastic that you’re taking steps towards sobriety - just be 100% sure this is the right and most appropriate medication for you, it’s not to be taken lightly at all x
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Hi Jess
I echo what Becsta said- Antabuse is a stepping stone and helps but doesn’t fix the problem
I stayed sober for 97 days on Antabuse alone but I was still craving all the time, after a while I used it to control my drinking
I’d take it for a week, stop, drink a few days later when it was out my system and repeat the cycle of behaviour.
It was only when I started a recovery program that the mental obsession was removed and I didn’t need to take it any more, I was anxious about stopping it but I did. See below what I typed when I wanted to stop, I sent this to my sponsor and my recovery network
Antabuse- why I want to stop?
- I’m spiritually better in my recovery
- The compulsion to drink has been removed
- I feel as giving it up is the next stepping stone in my recovery
- I’m doing daily prayer and readings which focuses me on the next 24 hours
- I’m following the 12 step programme in my day to day life
- I offer service at my home group and have friends and support in AA
- I have friends and support via SoberTime
- Over the past 6 months I haven’t needed or wanted a drink
- Thinking about drinking makes me very anxious
- I never want to go back to the life I had before and don’t want to drink
- Stopping the tablets will be another journey in my recovery and will show I have the willpower and knowledge to not need a drink again
- If I really still wanted to drink I’d just stop taking my tablets and drink like I did in the past- I haven’t wanted or needed to do this
- I’ve been honest with my partner and my recovery groups about my plan on Antabuse
- I am willing to hand this over to my higher power and continue to work hard
- I will pray about this
- The tablets are still on my repeat prescription and I have a small stock so if I need to start taking them again I will do
What I’m worried about?
Antabuse is a safety net so if I decided I ever wanted a drink I physically couldn’t and would have time to change that decision and take action.
I will keep a stock for high risk occasions, but only take if I think I need them (holidays etc…)
Stopping Antabuse is making me anxious as I never want to go back to drinking
I’ve been sober since the 28/06/2019 and I haven’t needed to take another Antabuse tablet, they’re still in my cupboard though
Any more questions just ask? 
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I echo what the others have said. I was put on Topiramate and relied on it to stop my behaviors, of course it did not. I found a way to drink through that medication which ended up being very dangerous.
Support is important and can not be replaced by meds… but they can work well together.
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@DarrenUK covered it well! I used Antabuse before I got permanently sober as my only tool and it did not last. But in combination with other tools it worked great! Gave me the confidence to know I would not drink that day.
I had side effects, dizziness, so after a month I had to go off it and up my recovery game with AA getting all my attention.
Good luck to you, @Jess1989, and blessings on your house 
as you begin your journey.
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In the eighties a friend of mine was ordered to take Antabuse by the courts. He drank on it and it fried his kidneys. He died. Use with caution!
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This! What Jason said!! They would not put me on it for this reason. I’m on Naltrexone which does help with cravings, but you still need to do recovery work. I’m too much of a dumbass anyway, I would have to test out to see what really happened with Antabuse. 
Now, some people would call this cheating, and I don’t give a rat’s fat ass about what other people think. I almost refused it because of what other people would think. In my eyes it’s part of what’s saving my life, so why the fuck would I turn it down just because people might respect my recovery less??? You do you. Do what you have to do to get sober. I’m also on some anti-anxiety stuff and in therapy. I think the entire mix, including this place is what has helped me move towards ongoing success.
I love being sober. I don’t miss drinking. I actually get sick when I even think about it. I have absolutely no problem being around others drinking. I don’t even notice it. I’m just happier.
Good luck!!! Keep us posted on your progress 
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People who judge others’ sobriety are fearful of losing their own, I have found. And those folks tend to forget that one of the founders of AA was a medical doctor and the other urged members to make use of the medical (and religious) professions. All practices that lead to serenity in sobriety are equally valuable.
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#word!
