Antabuse (disulfiram) is a medicine that can be prescribed for the treatment of alcohol dependency (alcoholism). Chronic alcoholism is a serious condition that can affect not only the lives of people suffering from it, but also those of other people around, especially family members and colleagues. There are many ways of treating chronic alcoholism, but there is no a single one that would be efficient for everyone. Antabuse has already helped many people trying to stop drinking because of the interesting principle its effects are based on. This medicine works by causing very unpleasant effects when any amounts of alcohol are consumed. Besides chronic alcoholism Antabuse can be used for some other conditions as prescribed by your health care provider. Since this medicine has been specially designed for the treatment of chronic alcoholism, you are not supposed to consume any amounts of alcohol during the treatment. The following symptoms are possible: nausea, fast heartbeats, chest pain, thirst, vertigo, low blood pressure, and flushing. You develop the effects mentioned within 15-20 minutes from the moment you drink any amounts of alcohol while on Antabuse, and they may continue for up to an hour. Because of this effects being very unpleasant, this «aversion therapy» works very well for many people tat decided to quiet drinking but do not seem to have enough willpower for it. At least 12 hours are supposed to pass after the last time you consumed alcohol. At the same time, the effects of Antabuse may last for up to 2 weeks, so it’s not recommended to consume any products containing alcohol within this period of time. You need to be aware of the fact not only alcoholic beverages are not supposed to be used along with Antabuse. Even some products that seem to be alcohol-free because they don’t make people drunk may cause the reactions mentioned. Throughout the entire period of the treatment you will need to read al the labels very carefully and when eating out ask your waiter for dishes that contain no alcohol. You will be surprised to find out how many products around us contain small amounts of alcohol. The reactions that Antabuse causes are not expected to be life-threatening and they go away after approximately an hour, but you still need to inform you doctor of any of such cases. Pregnant or breastfeeding women are not supposed to take Antabuse, as the risks of this treatment may not be justified. For best effects it’s recommended to take Antabuse regularly without missing doses and never share this drug with other people. Antabuse should never be given to someone who is always intoxicated, or to people that are not aware of the effects it may cause when alcohol is consumed. Make sure you have an honest conversation with you health care provider during which you will explain why you think you need to be taking Antabuse and will also tell your health care provider if there are any contraindications that you may have. All that is important to make sure your treatment is going to be efficient and you are going to benefit from it as much as possible.