disulfiram

What is the most important information I should know about disulfiram?

Disulfiram should never be given to a person without his or her knowledge of taking the medicine.

What is disulfiram?

Disulfiram blocks an enzyme that is involved in metabolizing alcohol intake. Disulfiram produces very unpleasant side effects when combined with alcohol in the body.

Disulfiram is used in certain people with chronic alcoholism. This medicine can help keep you from drinking because of the unpleasant side effects that will occur if you consume alcohol while taking disulfiram.

Disulfiram is used together with behavior modification, psychotherapy, and counseling support to help you stop drinking. This medicine is not a cure for alcoholism.

Disulfiram may also be used for purposes not listed in this medication guide.

What should I discuss with my healthcare provider before taking disulfiram?

• you have recently taken metronidazole (Flagyl) or paraldehyde; or
• you have consumed any foods or products that contain alcohol (mouthwash, cough medicine, cooking wine or vinegar, certain desserts, and others).

To make sure disulfiram is safe for you, tell your doctor if you have:

• liver or kidney disease;
• heart disease, high blood pressure, history of heart attack or stroke;
• underactive thyroid;
• diabetes;
• seizures or epilepsy;
• head injury or brain damage;
• a history of mental illness or psychosis;
• an allergy to rubber; or
• if you take phenytoin (Dilantin), tuberculosis medicine, or a blood thinner (warfarin, Coumadin, Jantoven).

How should I take disulfiram?

Follow all directions on your prescription label. Your doctor may occasionally change your dose to make sure you get the best results. Do not take this medicine in larger or smaller amounts or for longer than recommended.

You will need frequent blood tests to check your liver function.

When disulfiram is used as part of a treatment program for alcohol addiction or detoxification, your doctor may recommend that this medicine be given to you by a family member or other caregiver. This is to make sure you are using the medicine as it was prescribed as part of your treatment.

Additional forms of counseling and/or monitoring may be recommended during treatment with disulfiram.

For best results, keep using this medicine as directed. Disulfiram is sometimes given for up to several months or years.

What happens if I miss a dose?

Take the missed dose as soon as you remember. Take the rest of the day's doses at evenly spaced intervals unless otherwise directed by your doctor.

What happens if I overdose?

What should I avoid while taking disulfiram?

Be aware that many common products contain small amounts of alcohol, enough to cause a disulfiram reaction. Such products include aftershave, cologne, perfume, antiperspirant, mouthwash, antiseptic astringent skin products, hair dyes, and others. Check the label to see if any food or medicine product contains alcohol. Ask your pharmacist if you have questions.

Avoid coming into contact with non-consumable products that may contain alcohol: paint thinners, solvents, stains, lacquers and others.

Avoid coming into contact with or breathing the fumes of pesticides or chemicals used in manufacturing or certain other industries (waxes, dyes, resins, and gums).

What are the possible side effects of disulfiram?

Even small amounts of alcohol can produce unpleasant symptoms while disulfiram is in your body. These symptoms include:

• flushing (warmth, redness, or tingly feeling);
• sweating, increased thirst, swelling, rapid weight gain;
• nausea, severe vomiting;
• neck pain, throbbing headache, blurred vision;
• chest pain, shortness of breath (even with mild exertion);
• fast or pounding heartbeats or fluttering in your chest;
• confusion, weakness, spinning sensation, feeling unsteady; or
• a light-headed feeling, like you might pass out.

• eye pain or sudden vision loss;
• confusion, unusual thoughts or behavior; or
• liver problems --nausea, upper stomach pain, itching, tired feeling, loss of appetite, dark urine, clay-colored stools, jaundice (yellowing of the skin or eyes).

Common side effects may include:

• skin rash, acne;
• mild headache, tired feeling;
• impotence, loss of interest in sex; or
• metallic or garlic-like taste in the mouth.

This is not a complete list of side effects and others may occur. Call your doctor for medical advice about side effects. You may report side effects to FDA at 1-800-FDA-1088.

What other drugs will affect disulfiram?

Other drugs may interact with disulfiram, including prescription and over-the-counter medicines, vitamins, and herbal products. Tell each of your health care providers about all medicines you use now and any medicine you start or stop using.

Where can I get more information?

Your pharmacist can provide more information about disulfiram.

Remember, keep this and all other medicines out of the reach of children, never share your medicines with others, and use this medication only for the indication prescribed.

Every effort has been made to ensure that the information provided by Cerner Multum, Inc. ('Multum') is accurate, up-to-date, and complete, but no guarantee is made to that effect. Drug information contained herein may be time sensitive. Multum information has been compiled for use by healthcare practitioners and consumers in the United States and therefore Multum does not warrant that uses outside of the United States are appropriate, unless specifically indicated otherwise. Multum's drug information does not endorse drugs, diagnose patients or recommend therapy. Multum's drug information is an informational resource designed to assist licensed healthcare practitioners in caring for their patients and/or to serve consumers viewing this service as a supplement to, and not a substitute for, the expertise, skill, knowledge and judgment of healthcare practitioners. The absence of a warning for a given drug or drug combination in no way should be construed to indicate that the drug or drug combination is safe, effective or appropriate for any given patient. Multum does not assume any responsibility for any aspect of healthcare administered with the aid of information Multum provides. The information contained herein is not intended to cover all possible uses, directions, precautions, warnings, drug interactions, allergic reactions, or adverse effects. If you have questions about the drugs you are taking, check with your doctor, nurse or pharmacist.

Copyright 1996-2023 Cerner Multum, Inc. Version: 2.01. Revision date: 3/13/2014.