Esperal And Its Anti-abuse Effect

Esperal is a drug that causes an acute reaction when consuming ethanol. This effect is known as the “anti-abuse effect”.

The active substance in Espéral is disulfiram. The latter is used to treat chronic alcoholism. This active principle causes an acute reaction on contact with ethanol: it blocks the enzyme which participates in the metabolism of the alcohol consumed.

The anti-abuse effect is a side effect of Espéral. Find out more in the rest of this article.

Espéral: uses, effects and precautions

As we said above, Esperal is a drug used to treat chronic alcoholism. It cannot be administered within twelve hours of drinking alcohol because of the unpleasant effects this could cause, even with a small amount of alcohol.

These effects are as follows:

• Flushing and headache
• Mausea and vomiting
• Pain in the chest
• Feeling weak
• Blurred vision
• Confusion
• Asphyxiation and difficulty breathing
• Anxiety

If alcohol is consumed after taking Esperal, the effects listed will start to appear after ten minutes and may last for an hour or more.

How to take this medicine

Esperal is a medicine that is administered orally, since it is in the form of tablets. Normally, you should take one tablet per day, but above all you should respect your doctor’s prescription. It is essential to respect the dose indicated on your prescription and not to prolong the treatment longer.

If it is difficult for you to take tablets, you can crush them and stir the resulting powder into juice, water, coffee or tea.

If you forget to take a dose, take it as soon as you remember. However, if by the time you realize it is already time for the next dose, continue as normal. Do not take a double dose to make up for forgetting.

Special precautions

Before you start taking this medicine, it is important to know whether or not you are allergic to its active substance, disulfiram.

Also, if you are already taking any medicines, you should tell your doctor, as these medicines may contain alcohol. If you have diabetes or have a disease related to the thyroid gland, liver or kidney, it is also important to tell your doctor.

For women, the doctor must know if his patient is pregnant or not, if she intends to become pregnant or if she is breastfeeding. If you become pregnant while still taking this medicine, consult your doctor promptly.

Finally, if you are going to undergo surgery, even dental surgery, the specialist should know that you are taking disulfiram treatment.

Do you have to follow a special diet?

You may not drink any alcoholic beverages or take medicines that contain alcohol during your treatment for 12 hours before you take the first dose and for several weeks after you finish treatment.

Also pay attention to your consumption of sauces, vinegars and any foods or dishes that may contain alcohol.

Side effects of Espéral

Side effects of Espéral include the appearance of acne, headache, drowsiness, fatigue and impotence. In addition, some patients have a certain metallic taste or a taste similar to garlic in the mouth.

You should see a doctor if you have one or more of the following symptoms:

• Excessive fatigue and a feeling of weakness
• Loss of appetite
• Yellow skin and yellow eyes
• Dark-colored urine

Some important recommendations

It is advisable to carry an identification card with you indicating that you have taken Espéral. It is also advisable that on this identification card the name of your doctor or the name of the medical center to be contacted in case of emergency.

You should avoid contact with products that contain alcohol such as the gases from paints, stains, varnishes and lacquers. You should not breathe these gases either.

Also, make sure you are not using any cosmetic product that contains alcohol, such as aftershave or perfume. On contact with disulfiram, these products can cause headache, nausea, redness and local itching.

Before using any product that contains alcohol on the skin, test it. Apply a dab to a small area of ​​the skin and wait for an hour or two. After this period of time has elapsed, if the skin has not reddened, if you do not have itching and other side effects, it is safe to use this product.

Espéral is not a cure for alcoholism, but it alleviates the need to consume alcohol.

To accompany the taking of this medication, it is essential to benefit from behavioral therapy, psychotherapy and personalized advice to stop drinking.