Wednesday, November 11, 2009

Alcohol therapy


Drugs can be used to help treat alcohol dependence and abuse. Some medicines reduce withdrawal symptoms during detoxification. Other medicines help you stay sober during the long recovery process.
Drugs Choices

The drugs most often used to treat withdrawal symptoms during detoxification include:

* Antianxiety drugs (Benzodiazepines such as diazepam), which treat the symptoms such as delirium TREMENS (DTS).
* Confiscation of drugs to reduce or stop severe withdrawal symptoms during detoxification.

The drugs used to help you stay wise include:

* Disulfiram (Antabuse), which would reduce the enjoyment of producing alcohol and make your stomach when you drink.
* Naltrexone (ReVia, Vivitrol), which interferes with pleasure you get from drinking. Vivitrol is a once-a-month injection used to treat alcohol dependence.
* Acamprosate (Campral), which can reduce the craving for alcohol.
* Topiramate (topamax), medicines used to treat attacks. One recent study shows that it also can help treat alcohol problems.6 expert is learning how these drugs, and medicines like it, perhaps with help recovery from alcohol abuse and addiction.

About what to think

Misuse of alcohol can cause your body to be low in some vitamins and minerals, especially thiamine (vitamin B1). You may need to consider thiamine supplements to improve nutrition during recovery. Thiamine helps prevent Wernicke-Korsakoff syndrome, which causes brain damage.7

You also might need supplements to help replace fluids and electrolytes.

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has issued an advice about the injectable form of naltrexone. You may have skin reactions at the injection site, a place where the picture provided. Call your doctor if you notice any skin changes at the injection site, such as swelling, pain, redness, or pain, which does not improve or greater within 2 weeks.

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