Sulfiram 500mg Tablet

Sulfiram 500mg Tablet is used to treat alcohol dependence or chronic alcoholism. Heavy long-term use of alcohol can cause addiction in an individual, thereby making changes in your brain. Long-term alcohol intake can severely damage your liver and cause liver cirrhosis or fatty liver syndrome.

Sulfiram 500mg Tablet contains 'Disulfiram', which works by blocking an enzyme that breaks down alcohol in our body. When a patient drinks alcohol, it is changed into acetaldehyde, Sulfiram 500mg Tablet blocks the enzyme that breaks down acetaldehyde. This results in a higher level of acetaldehyde in the blood, causing discomfort and physical reactions. Sulfiram 500mg Tablet can help alcohol-addicted people who have decided to quit alcohol drinking by deterring them from drinking again. So, it acts as a supportive agent in the treatment of alcoholism. 

Sulfiram 500mg Tablet should be taken as prescribed by your doctor, with or without a meal, to avoid stomach upset and at fixed daily intervals for best results. The common side effects of Sulfiram 500mg Tablet include drowsiness, tiredness, headache, acne, flushing (warmth, redness, or tingly feeling), sweating, increased thirst, swelling, rapid weight gain, nausea, severe vomiting, neck pain, throbbing headache, blurred vision, fast or pounding heartbeats or fluttering in your chest, confusion, weakness, spinning sensation, feeling unsteady, or and metallic/garlic-like taste in the mouth may occur as your body gets used to the medication. Everyone need not experience the above side effects. If the Sulfiram 500mg Tablet causes any serious case of discomfort, speak with a doctor.

Before starting Sulfiram 500mg Tablet, do not take Sulfiram 500mg Tablet if you have consumed alcohol within the past 12 hours. Do not consume alcohol while taking Sulfiram 500mg Tablet and at least up to 14 days after you stop taking Sulfiram 500mg Tablet. If your doctor prescribes, Sulfiram 500mg Tablet is safe to use during pregnancy and breastfeeding. Unpleasant effects may occur after taking minimal amounts of alcohol used in cooking or even if rubbed into the skin. Avoid alcohol-containing aftershaves, perfumes/colognes, body lotions, vinegar, and alcohol-containing mouthwash and hand sanitiser. Even exposure to alcohol-based hand sanitisers in some people can trigger a serious side effect response. Hence, hand washing with water and soap is recommended instead.

Sulfiram 500mg Tablet contains 'Disulfiram', which belongs to 'Antabuse' used to treat alcohol dependence. It works by blocking an enzyme (acetaldehyde) that helps break alcohol in the body. Sulfiram 500mg Tablet helps alcohol-dependent people who have decided to quit alcohol drinking by deterring them from drinking again.

• Drowsiness

• Tiredness

• Headache

• Acne

• Metallic/garlic-like taste in the mouth

Before taking the Sulfiram 500mg Tablet, let your doctor know about all your medical conditions, sensitivities, and all medications you are using. Signs of an overdose of Sulfiram 500mg Tablet include feeling or being sick, stomach pain, diarrhoea, drowsiness, mental disorders, tiredness, rapid heartbeat, rapid breathing, high body temperature, low blood pressure, loss of muscle control, high blood sugar, changes in the blood (as seen in blood tests). Certain foods, liquid medicines, remedies, tonics, toiletries, perfumes, and sprays may contain enough alcohol to cause a disulfiram tablet-alcohol reaction. So avoid using any alcohol-containing drugs, hand wash, mouth wash or alcoholic beverages as it may lead to an 'aldehyde reaction'.

Drug-Drug interactions: Sulfiram 500mg Tablet interacts with anti-seizure drugs (phenytoin), anti-asthma drugs (theophylline), blood thinners (warfarin, dicumarol), anti-tuberculosis drugs (rifampicin, isoniazid), sedatives (chlordiazepoxide, diazepam), antipsychotics (pimozide), anti-depressants (amitriptyline), mental health drugs (chlorpromazine), and antimicrobial drugs (metronidazole).

Drug-Food interactions: Avoid taking Sulfiram 500mg Tablet with caffeinated products like chocolate, coffee, energy drinks & tea. The patient is advised to avoid alcoholic beverages or alcohol-containing products/foods (e.g., cough and cold syrups, mouthwash, aftershave, sauces, and vinegar) while taking this medication and for two weeks after stopping the medication.

Drug-Disease interactions: Sulfiram 500mg Tablet is to be avoided in a patient with coronary artery disease, mental disorder, diabetes, underactive thyroid gland, brain seizures, brain damage, kidney disease & liver disease.

• THEOPHYLLINE
• PHENYTOIN
• WARFARIN
• DICUMAROL
• RIFAMPICIN
• ISONIAZID
• PIMOZIDE
• AMITRIPTYLINE
• CHLORPROMAZINE
• METRONIDAZOLE+CHLORHEXIDINE

• A patient is advised to have a diet that increases serotonin levels which makes a person feel good & involves eating foods high in carbohydrates, especially the complex carbohydrates present in starchy food items like legumes (e.g., beans, lentils and peas), root vegetables (e.g., potatoes and carrots), pasta and bread. Eating such foods in combination with protein in meals will benefit.

• Deficiencies in B-complex vitamins such as thiamine, folate or folic acid, and B12 are common with alcoholism, and inadequate stores of other B vitamins and vitamin C frequently occur. A patient should take supplements and vitamins on consulting a doctor.

• Malnutrition is common during alcohol consumption and is revealed slowly and gradually. The patient becomes tired and develops a weaker immune system—which means they are more susceptible to infections. These problems need to be identified and treated during the recovery process—ideally by a team of healthcare professionals.

• The patient should change his drinking priorities and prefer drinks like apple cider, vanilla shake, mixing juice or lemonade with sparkling water etc.

• Sulfiram 500mg Tablet may interfere with certain laboratory tests (including urine VMA/HVA tests), possibly causing false test results. It is a paramount priority for a patient to enlighten the laboratory personnel and all their doctors to know they use this drug.

• Sulfiram 500mg Tablet should never be given to a patient when they are in a state of alcohol intoxication or without his full knowledge.

• After you stop taking Sulfiram 500mg Tablet, do not drink alcohol for at least seven days as your body needs to start making the enzyme 'acetaldehyde' again. In case, drinking alcohol earlier than this may trigger an 'aldehyde reaction'.

Chronic alcoholism: Alcoholism is the addictive drinking of alcohol that results in physical & mental problems. A person can become an alcoholic out of stress, depression or just after developing a chronic habit. Excessive alcohol use can damage various organs like the brain, heart, kidneys and most importantly, the liver, which leads to liver cirrhosis (liver dysfunction). In most severe cases, there is an immediate need for liver transplantation. During pregnancy, drinking alcohol in large amounts affects the unborn baby and may lead to various birth complications.