Indications
- Medication used with counseling to treat alcoholism.
- Disulfiram blocks alcohol processing in the body.
- Induces a negative reaction if alcohol is consumed.
Dosage and administration
- Take medication orally as directed by the doctor.
- Usually once daily in the morning, with or without food.
- If drowsiness occurs, take it at bedtime.
- Dosage determined by medical condition and treatment response.
- Use regularly for maximum benefit.
- Take at the same time each day to aid in remembering.
Side effects
- Common side effects: drowsiness, tiredness, headache, acne, metallic/garlic-like taste.
- Inform doctor or pharmacist if these effects persist or worsen.
- Report serious side effects immediately to the doctor, including:
- Decreased sexual ability
- Vision changes
- Numbness/tingling of arms/legs
- Muscle weakness
- Mental/mood changes (agitation, confusion, extreme excitement)
- Seizures
- Rare risk of serious, potentially fatal liver disease; seek medical attention for:
- Nausea/vomiting that persists.
- Severe stomach/abdominal pain
- Dark urine
- Yellowing eyes/skin
- Very rare but serious allergic reactions may occur; seek immediate medical help for symptoms like:
- Rash
- Itching/swelling (especially of the face/tongue/throat)
- Severe dizziness
- Trouble breathing
- Not a complete list; contact doctor or pharmacist for other possible side effects.
Precautions
- Medication prescribed based on the doctor’s judgment of benefits outweighing risks.
- Inform doctor or pharmacist of allergies to disulfiram, thiuram, or related chemicals.
- Discuss medical history, especially heart/blood vessel disease, mental/mood disorders, diabetes, underactive thyroid, brain disorders, kidney disease, liver disease, and drug use history.
- Avoid all alcoholic beverages, alcohol-containing products/foods while taking and for 2 weeks after stopping medication.
- Check product labels for alcohol content.
- Combining alcohol with this medication can cause reactions such as flushing, headache, breathing problems, nausea, vomiting, dizziness, tiredness, fainting, fast/irregular heartbeat, or blurred vision.
- Report symptoms to the doctor, especially if they persist or worsen.
- Serious reactions may include trouble breathing, seizures, loss of consciousness, chest/jaw/left arm pain; seek immediate medical help for these symptoms.
- Use during pregnancy only when necessary; discuss risks and benefits with the doctor.
- Unknown if the drug passes into breast milk; consult the doctor before breastfeeding.