| For some of you out there, going to Alcoholic | | | | craving for alcohol. It is not really clear how it works to |
| Anonymous might not be enough. While they offer a | | | | reduce the craving but it's believed that the drug |
| great support system and belief system with the 12 | | | | affects the pathways in the brain where dopamine is |
| steps, it might not be enough. The call of alcohol might | | | | found. Usually it is taken as a pill and is taken over a |
| be too great to handle without some sort of medical | | | | period of 12 weeks to help people who have already |
| assistance. | | | | committed to stop drinking. As with Disulfiram, it is not |
| Right now there are only three medications that the | | | | used to teat the symptoms of withdrawal other than |
| FDA has approved for the treatment of alcohol abuse. | | | | the cravings. |
| These medicines will never be prescribed to you if you | | | | Lastly there is Acamprosate or Campral. Out of all |
| are still drinking because they do not stop you from | | | | three medications Campral is the most recent one that |
| drinking. They are only prescribed if you have already | | | | received FDA approval, however it has been used in |
| stopped drinking and are trying to stay clean. | | | | Europe for many years. As with Naltexone, it is not |
| The first medicine that is approved is Disulfiram. | | | | really clear how Campral works with the brain to help |
| Disulfiram was the first drug that was FDA approved | | | | you maintain your abstinence. Many doctors believe |
| for treatment of alcohol dependence. The purpose of | | | | that it restores a chemical balance in your brain that |
| this drug is cause a negative reaction if you were to | | | | has been out of whack due to long term alcohol |
| drink while taking it. This happens because Disulfiram | | | | abuse. This is also the only drug that reduces the |
| works against the alcohol to have a build up of | | | | physical distress and emotional discomfort you might |
| acetaldehyde (which causes hang over symptoms) | | | | experience once you quit drinking. You might find that |
| that is nearly 5x or even 10x greater than what would | | | | you don't suffer from as severe sweating, anxiety or |
| normally occur. In other words, this will give you the | | | | sleep disturbances than other who are not taking this |
| worse hangover you ever experienced. If you drink | | | | might. |
| while taking this you could experience nausea, chest | | | | If you have recently quit drinking either by entering |
| pain, headache, confusion, and marked uneasiness | | | | therapy or joining Alcoholics Anonymous and find |
| among others. Remember though that Disulfiram does | | | | yourself struggling with it, you should talk to your doctor |
| not treat any withdrawal symptoms nor does it stop | | | | to see if any of these medications would help you. |
| cravings. | | | | When it comes to kicking the bottle, you should make it |
| The second drug is Naltrexone which is otherwise | | | | a priority to pursue every option to help you beat your |
| known as Revia or Depade. This drug reduces the | | | | addiction. |