Select one or more newsletters to continue. Your doctor may occasionally change your dose to make sure you get the best results. Keep out of the reach of children. Disulfiram will begin working shortly after taking one dose and will continue to work for 1-2 weeks after the last dose of medication. This medicine can help keep you from drinking because of the unpleasant side effects that will occur if you consume alcohol while taking Antabuse.Antabuse is used together with therapy and counseling support to help you stop drinking. We suggest consulting your family doctor or a medical professional who specializes in addiction treatment to be screened for treatment.If you have any questions, feel free to share them in the comments section below. Have a good day. Antabuse is used in certain people with chronic alcoholism. Author of "The Definitive Guide to Addiction Interventions" You may report side effects to FDA at 1-800-FDA-1088.Tell your doctor about all medicines you use, and those you start or stop using during your treatment with Antabuse, especially:blood thinning medications (including warfarin, Coumadin, Jantoven); orThis list is not complete and other drugs may interact with disulfiram, including prescription and over-the-counter medicines, vitamins, and herbal products. I hate it but as stated above, this is my experience tonight 24 hours after a single 250mg Antabuse. If you can call anyone or do anything other than drink please do. Call American Addiction Centers to find help with rehab. Likewise, it is also eliminated from the system at a very slow rate. The duration of Antabuse therapy may be several months (or sometimes even years), or simply until the patient has established a solid recovery from alcoholism and has established period of a long term sobriety.Antabuse is slowly absorbed by the body. Precautions while using Antabuse. Since it can cause a false positive on drug test results, it is important that you notify the laboratory personnel and all your doctors that you are using Antabuse.Antabuse tablets contain the active ingredient disulfiram, which is an aldehyde dehydrogenase inhibitor. Keep from freezing. The half life of Antabuse is 60-120 hours and up to 20% of a single dose may remain in the body for a week or more. Antabuse is sometimes given for up to several months or years.Store at room temperature away from moisture, heat, and light.Take the missed dose as soon as you remember. Any medical care provider who treats you should know that you are using disulfiram.When Antabuse 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. Antabuse starts to affect ethanol metabolism within 1-2 hours after administration. Dr. Dili Gonzalez, M.D. The disulfiram-alcohol reaction provokes the following number of unpleasant symptoms:Antabuse can be administered after at least 12 hours of alcohol abstinence. About the author Even if it is your very first time taking Antabuse/Disulfiram it starts working in your body within an hour or two and can last in your body for up to two weeks depending on dosage. 500mg will take 14 days to leave your body. You should not use Antabuse if you are allergic to disulfiram, or if:you have recently taken metronidazole (Flagyl) or paraldehyde;you have consumed any foods or products that contain alcohol (mouthwash, cough medicine, cooking wine or vinegar, certain desserts, and others).you have severe heart disease or blockage in the arteries of your heart; orTo make sure Antabuse is safe for you, tell your doctor if you have:heart disease, high blood pressure, history of heart attack or stroke;if you take phenytoin (Dilantin), tuberculosis medicine, or a blood thinner (warfarin, Coumadin, Jantoven).It is not known whether Antabuse will harm an unborn baby. We do our best to respond to all questions about Antabuse is prescribed for people who suffer from chronic alcoholism. Another thing for sure is that the antabuse is not going to do any more damage then the alcohol would do. You should not breast-feed while using this medicine.Do not give this medicine to anyone under 18 years old without medical advice.Take Antabuse exactly as directed by your doctor. Following a single dose of the medication, the body may react to any amount of alcohol for up to 14 days.Antabuse is not a narcotic and IS NOT subject to the legal restrictions of the Controlled Substances Act.