Disulfiram
Description
Disulfiram is used to treat alcoholism. It discourages you to drink alcohol by reacting with alcohol and causing unpleasant effects such as flushing of the face, vomiting, breathing difficulty, sweating, choking, and anxiety. These effects may start 10 minutes after consumption of alcohol and last for about 1 hour. This medicine only discourages drinking alcohol and is not a cure for alcoholism.
Disulfiram can cause side effects like fatigue, headache, stomach pain, change in taste, etc. Consult your doctor if these side effects persist or worsen. This medicine can make you feel drowsy; therefore, you should avoid activities like driving vehicles and operating machines.
Disulfiram can be taken with or without food as instructed by your doctor. Take this medicine at the same time every day to maintain a constant level of medicine in your blood. Do not stop taking this medicine without consulting with your doctor. Avoid consuming any form of alcohol while taking this medicine.
Disulfiram is not recommended if you are allergic to it. Inform your doctor about all your current medications as they can interact with this medicine and cause side effects. If you are pregnant or breastfeeding, consult your doctor before taking this medicine.
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Side effects
Major & minor side effects for Disulfiram
- Dark colored urine
- Jaundice
- Stomach pain
- Loss of appetite
- Change in taste/ Metallic taste
- Headache
- Fatigue
Uses of Disulfiram
What is it prescribed for?
- Alcohol dependence
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Concerns
Commonly asked questions
- Onset of actionThe effect of Disulfiram can be observed within 30-60 minutes of taking the dose.
- Duration of effectThe effect of Disulfiram lasts for an average duration of 2 weeks.
- Safe with alcohol?Consumption of alcohol while on treatment with Disulfiram is not recommended as it will cause severe unpleasant side effects such as flushing of the face, vomiting, breathing difficulty, sweating, choking, and anxiety.
- Is it habit forming?No habit-forming tendencies were reported for Disulfiram.
- Usage in pregnancy?Disulfiram is not recommended to be taken in pregnancy as it may affect your foetus. Discuss all the risks and benefits with your doctor before taking this medicine.
- Usage while breast-feeding?Disulfiram is not recommended to be taken while breastfeeding as it is not known if this medicine is present in breast milk or not. Discuss all the risks and benefits with your doctor before taking this medicine. Your doctor may advise you to discontinue breastfeeding or to discontinue the medicine based on your clinical condition.
Allergy
Disulfiram is not recommended for use if you are allergic to it. Seek immediate medical attention if you notice any symptoms such as skin rash, swelling and/or itching (especially of your face, lips, throat), breathing difficulty, etc.
Warnings for special population
Pregnancy
Disulfiram is not recommended to be taken in pregnancy as it may affect your foetus. Discuss all the risks and benefits with your doctor before taking this medicine.
Breast-feeding
Disulfiram is not recommended to be taken while breastfeeding as it is not known if this medicine is present in breast milk or not. Discuss all the risks and benefits with your doctor before taking this medicine. Your doctor may advise you to discontinue breastfeeding or to discontinue the medicine based on your clinical condition.
General warnings
Alcohol use
Do not consume alcoholic beverages or medicines containing alcohol for at least 12 hours before starting therapy with Disulfiram and for several weeks after stopping the therapy. Consumption of alcohol during this period may cause severe side effects.
Drowsiness
Disulfiram may cause drowsiness or dizziness. It is advised that you do not perform activities that require high mental alertness like driving vehicles or operating machines during treatment with this medicine.
Missed Dose
If you miss a dose of Disulfiram, take the missed dose as soon as you remember it. If it is time for your next dose, skip the missed dose. Do not double your dose to make up for the missed one.
Overdose
Seek emergency medical treatment immediately in case of an overdose of Disulfiram.
All drugs interact differently for person to person. You should check all the possible interactions with your doctor before starting any medicine.
Interaction with Alcohol
Description
N/A
Instructions
Consumption of alcohol while on treatment with Disulfiram is not recommended as it will cause severe unpleasant side effects such as flushing of the face, vomiting, breathing difficulty, sweating, choking, and anxiety.
Interaction with Medicine
Leflunomide
Alcohol containing syrups
Paraldehyde
Disease interactions
Disease
Information not available.
Food interactions
Information not available.
Lab interactions
Information not available.
Take Disulfiram as advised by your doctor. Do not break, crush or chew the medicine.
Follow all the instructions given in the patient leaflet. Do not consume Disulfiram after the expiry date. Do not take in larger amounts than advised or share this medicine with others. Keep it away from children and pets.
Disulfiram is prescribed for a long period. Therefore, do not stop taking this medicine even if you feel better after a few doses.
Disulfiram is not the cure for alcoholism. It is clubbed with other therapies like counselling for managing alcoholism.
Be careful while standing up from a lying or sitting position to avoid feeling dizzy. Consult your doctor if your condition is worsening or not improving after a few days.
Miscelleneous
How it works
Disulfiram blocks the chemical which breaks the converted form of alcohol in your body. This leads to an increased level of converted form of alcohol in your body causing unpleasant effects while drinking alcohol.
Legal Status
Classification
Category
Drugs used in alcohol dependence, Alcohol antagonist, Acetaldehyde dehydrogenase inhibitors
Schedule
Schedule H
Dailymed.nlm.nih.gov. 2021. [online] Available at: < [Accessed 22 September 2021].
Medicines.org.uk. 2021. Disulfiram 200 mg tablets - Summary of Product Characteristics (SmPC) - (emc). [online] Available at: < [Accessed 22 September 2021].
Drugs, H., 2021. Disulfiram: MedlinePlus Drug Information. [online] Medlineplus.gov. Available at: < [Accessed 22 September 2021].
Information on this page was last updated on 28 Oct 2021
Disclaimer
We’ve made all possible efforts to ensure that the information provided here is accurate, up-to-date and complete, however, it should not be treated as a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. Practo only provides reference source for common information on medicines and does not guarantee its accuracy or exhaustiveness. The absence of a warning for any drug or combination thereof, should not be assumed to indicate that the drug or combination is safe, effective, or appropriate for any given patient. Practo does not assume any responsibility for any aspect of healthcare administered with the aid of information provided above. If you have any doubts about your medication then we strongly recommend that you consult with your doctor, nurse or healthcare provider. See detailed T&C here.