Antabuse - I do not see the indications of this drug working !?

Hey y'all!
I didn't read the entire thread as I've got adhd and missed my meds the last days so reading is hard.
I saw a lot of people saying that "if she didn't get ill she didnt take the pill", which isn't necessarily (sp) correct.
I too, have taken antabuse 400 mg for 2 months now (alongside my girlfriend).
The other day we both drank a few beers each for the first time (stupid I know) and she got sick as a pig. Puking, increased heart rate, etc etc.
Me, on the other hand felt nothing at all, even though I have taken it properly.
Went to see my doctor today and she explained to me that some people simply are immune to antabuse, although she couldn't explain why, atleast not in a way I understood.

Sorry for the long answer, I hope it helped even a little.
Peace from Sweden

It is the correct medication based on the pill marking you gave. I also know that Antabuse effects people differently. It might be determined by the amount of alcohol consumed daily. I personally have taken 500 mg per day for 3 weeks and decided to see how it would effect me if I drank vodka. It made my heart race and I sweated w bit, but no bad side effects. I’m sure it’s because of body chemistry, but I will have to use something else to quit drinking.

It doesn’t make me ill either and I could never figure out why. I was taking a double dose which made me flush and not able to drink a lot, but certainly nothing like what other people describe. I wondered if I was alone, but obviously there are different physiological reactions among those who take it. Not much of a super power unfortunately.

I have been in and out of treatment for 1 year. For ten years I’ve been drinking very heavily. 8-12 nips a day. I started taking Antabuse , hoping it would help. Hoping I would get sick. I have taking 500mg a day and only side effects are sweating and slight headache. I guess from what I’ve read it just doesn’t work as well with some people. Maybe heavy use has something to do with this.

I drank once with Antabuse. Approximately the equivalent of 1 1/2 beers. Within minutes I was flush, I had heart palpitations and an elevated heart rate. About an hour or so later I started vomiting furiously. I had the shakes and could hardly eat dinner. The symptoms lasted approximately 6 hours. This comes from someone who could go through a pint of vodka, a bottle of wine and 2 40-ouncers in 24 hours, and not get sick. I felt like I had all that to drink within an hour or two when I took Antabuse.
Perhaps your girlfriend is immune as some have suggested. Or since you posted this over 8 years ago maybe she's in recovery (hopefully not dead).
My experience is that Antabuse is fierce.

For those where the medication is completely ineffective, what’s in your diet?
My theory is that something that’s in your diet may possibly neutralize the medication?

I’ve been taking Antabuse for about a month. 250mg court mandated and i only take it when my PO makes me take it infront of him. So about a pill or two a week, nothing more. I took one yesterday and am now out of town for the weekend and really wanted to enjoy some wine as it is my only chance to without getting in trouble with probation. But since i took a pill yesterday, I’ve been terrified and have been sipping extremely slowly. The only reaction I’ve had so far is a mild flushing of the face, but if that’s the worst it’s going to get then I’m fine.. i expected Way worse. Does it get worse the more you drink? If i continue to drink, will the reaction hit me like a truck and send me to the hospital or will it just continue to be a mild warmth to my face?

No lectures please. I’m an alcoholic to the bone. Never thought I’d be crazy enough to risk drinking on Antabuse but alas here i am. Seems like plenty of others have had experiences with it not working. Thoughts?

I got the subcutaneous Antabuse implant done 3 weeks ago, it’s supposed to make me really sick, it doesn’t work at all, I’ve been drinking like a sailor for the past two days

This is actually shocking to me and this comes from experience. I know you said you watched her take it but I'm telling you, it seems she is doing something other than taking it if she can still drink. Alcoholics have many tricks and again I'm talking from personal experience. If she is willing, you should first check the actual pills that are in the bottle, she could have already switched them out, once you have determined that they are actually the antabuse, when it is time for her to take it, you, not her, melt the pill in a spoon with a little warm water and actually feed it to her. Make sure once she does that she doesn't go to the bathroom, she could be throwing it up, especially with all that milk, milk makes it easier to throw up. I know this sounds extreme but you stated that you are about to leave her, so if this is important enough to you, and her, try it this way.

EXCUSE ME. EVERYONE COMMENTING HERE... do u take antabuse??? I, myself take Antabuse. I’m trying to stop drinking. I’ll go a few weeks without drinking then have the overwhelming urge and go on a binge. I went to the doc and got on the drug. I’m still drinking. The worst side affects I have is I get super flushed sometimes after several beers. My face or neck will get red. It’s not making me sick. I keep googling why it may not be working. I found a few posts saying to double the dosage. The past 2 days I did double my dosage to 500mg because I was planning to go to a block party for Halloween and needed help with control. Judge me all u want, but I wasn’t staying home. I didn’t even get my normal flush this time. But I was actually sleepy by the end of the night and didn’t go on a 2 day bender. I would call my doctor but I missed an appointment after having to reschedule and he wants $200+ a new $150 visit. So someone please explain, seeing as how u all appear to know all about this

I have also taken antabuse and drank on it and never once gotten sick. I think it is a placebo or something. I have also taken naltrexcone and other anti craving meds and they are worthless.

I know this is an old conversation, but fwiw I am also someone who can take this drug and still drink. I don't get sick. Literally. Maybe can have a bit less before I feel tipsy. And I'm not an alcoholic as it were, but I usually have 1-2 beers a night and have never had more than a vague face flush the first time I had a beer with this drug (I'm taking it as an antibiotic for other reasons... ). Stumbled upon this chat because a friend was floored that I had a beer at dinner last night while taking it and I don't quite understand why it had no affect on me! So, though you've probably long decided what would happen with you and your GF, just know there is a very real chance it simply didn't work. No drug reacts with every single possible physiology exactly the same way!

I have my own question- after 18 years in AA - what happened to hitting a bottom? this antibuse and all other medications are substitutes for doing the work. Thats the recovery - the work, and the change theat comes about from the work. If this stuff works for you great! but if for some reason you cant get it you dont have anything to fall back on do you?

Hello Gregory Concerned. I can safely say that if she were to be taking antabuse and drinking along with it, the chances of her feeling this drug working are as to say the the moon is there and the sun will rise in the morning. I drank with antabuse, and did so for a period of time. As yubugen said, you'll feel as if you're going to die. Its that scarey a feeling. The heart races, your pounds, you sweat, shake, its very very real. And can kill you if enough alchole is consumed. Your system will shut down. Literally and theres nothing you can do. Antabuse works. Its been around for years. And most probably will be for many more to come.best to you.

they are definetly 250mg antabuse.