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Common uses
This medication interferes with the metabolism of alcohol resulting in unpleasant effects when alcohol is consumed.
Antabuse is used to treat chronic alcoholism.
Antabuse may also be used for purposes other than those listed in this medication guide.
Before using
Before taking this medication, tell your doctor if you have
• liver disease,
• kidney disease;
• thyroid disease;
• diabetes;
• brain damage or mental disorders;
• epilepsy or another seizure disorder.
You may not be able to take Antabuse, or you may require a lower dose or special monitoring during your therapy if you have any of these conditions.
Your doctor may want you to carry an identification card that states you are taking Antabuse. Ask your health care provider if you have any questions about this.
Disulfiram is in the FDA pregnancy category C. This means that it is not known whether Disulfiram will be harmful to an unborn baby. Do not take this medication without first talking to your doctor if you are pregnant or could become pregnant during treatment. Disulfiram passes into breast milk in small amounts and may affect a nursing baby. Do not take Antabuse without first talking to your doctor if you are breast-feeding a baby.
Directions
Take this treatment by a mouth, it is usual one or two tablets daily as it is directed by your doctor. Tablets can be broken or mixed with a liquid, if swallowing - a problem. Do not take this treatment within at least 12 hours drinking alcohol. Taking this treatment, it is extremely important, that you avoid some alcohol in all forms, including beer, wine, лосьоны aftershaving, a liquid for rinsing a mouth, colognes, liquid treatments. Read through labels carefully, including those of products sold without the recipe, and ask your pharmacist about the maintenance of alcohol, if you are uncertain.
Cautions
Antabuse should not be given without the patient's knowledge unless the prescriber deems it fit. Patients should not use aftershave lotions, colognes or any other toilet preparations containing alcohol. Foods and medicines containing alcohol should also be avoided, e.g. cough syrups, fermented vinegar, sauces.
The liver function of patients with liver damage should also be closely monitored.
Possible side effects
Tell your doctor as soon as possible if you do not feel well while you are taking Antabuse.
All medicines have side effects. Often they are not serious but sometimes they can be. You may need medical treatment if you get some of the side effects.
• Tell your doctor immediately if you notice any of the following:
• numbness, tingling, pain or weakness in hands or feet;
• change in vision or eye tenderness or pain;
• mood changes or abnormal thoughts;
• yellowing of the skin or eyes (jaundice) or abdominal pain
You may have some of the following effects for the first two weeks of treatment. If any of them worry you or continue please tell your doctor as soon as possible:
• Headache
• Weakness
• Acne or skin rash
• Stomach upset
• Impotence in men
• Metallic or garlic-like after taste
Do not hesitate to report any other side effects to your doctor or pharmacist.
If you take too much
Seek emergency medical attention.
Symptoms of a Antabuse overdose include nausea, vomiting, dizziness, loss of coordination, numbness and tingling, and seizures.
Additional information
Do not drink alcohol while taking Antabuse. Flushing, fast heartbeats, nausea, thirst, chest pain, vertigo, and low blood pressure may occur when alcohol is ingested during Antabuse therapy.
Do not take Antabuse for at least 12 hours after drinking alcohol.
Reactions may occur from drinking alcohol for several weeks after you have stopped taking Antabuse.
Drug interactions
Before taking this medication, tell your doctor if you are taking any of the following medicines:
• isoniazid (Nydrazid);
• a monoamine oxidase inhibitor (MAOI) such as isocarboxazid (Marplan), phenelzine (Nardil), or tranylcypromine (Parnate);
• a benzodiazepine such as diazepam (Valium), alprazolam (Xanax), chlordiazepoxide (Librium), clorazepate (Tranxene), temazepam (Restoril), triazolam (Halcion), and others;
• a tricyclic antidepressant such as amitriptyline (Elavil), imipramine (Tofranil), doxepin (Sinequan), nortriptyline (Pamelor), and others;
• warfarin (Coumadin);
• metronidazole (Flagyl);
• theophylline (Theo-Dur);
• phenytoin (Dilantin);
• lithium (Lithobid, Eskalith, others).
Drugs other than those listed here may also interact with Antabuse. Talk to your doctor and pharmacist before taking any prescription or over-the-counter medicines including vitamins, minerals, and herbal products.
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