Q. Is there any medicine to overcome the effects of alcohol?
Hi doctor,
I am contacting you regarding an uncle of mine. He is 40 years old. His health issues are related to alcohol (beer). He drinks quite a few times a week. When he starts drinking, he drinks a few liters before stopping. He also smokes, but only sometimes. He finds heavy breathing after just minor physical activity. In his medical history, he has high blood pressure, high cholesterol, anemia, anxiety disorder, severe headache and sometimes constipation. He had also ulcer earlier and was recommended Omeprazole. He found this medicine to be helpful for him in the beginning only, but not now anymore.
I know of a fact that it is best for him to quit drinking alcohol or at least reduce the amount of it. He has been advised for this several times. But, he is addicted to it and is not easy for him to quit. My question is specifically related to alcohol. Is there any medication he can take before or after intake of alcohol which can be helpful for him in kind of safe drinking? He takes Omeprazole, but is not satisfied with the results.
Hi,
Welcome to icliniq.com.
- Alcoholism is now acknowledged as a disease that requires a combined treatment (medications, psychological and social intervention).
- Medications to increase tolerance of the patient to alcohol as Iomazenil are not very much recommended as they tend to increase the patient's intake of alcohol as they tend to stop people from getting drunk.
- On the other hand, there are a number of medications that decrease the patient's tolerance to alcohol leading to unpleasant side effects when taking alcohol that force the patient to stop drinking.
- These drugs include Antabuse (Disulfiram), but the problem with that drug is that the patient might decide to stop the Antabuse instead of stopping alcohol.
- Another drug is Naltrexone, which decrease the pleasure that alcoholics receive when drinking and also decrease the craving for alcohol. It can be taken as a daily pill or as a once a month injection.
- Another drug is Campari, which is taken by mouth three times daily. It acts by reducing the symptoms that an alcoholic may experience when not having a drink over long periods. These symptoms may lead to relapse, but its effect is doubtful.
- Drugs are not enough to treat alcoholism and they need to be combined with rehabilitation and social intervention. Consult your specialist doctor, discuss with him or her and take the medicine with consent.
For further information consult a general medicine physician online --> https://www.icliniq.com/ask-a-doctor-online/general-medicine-physician
Was this answer helpful?
|Same symptoms doesn’t mean you have the same problem. Consult a doctor now!
Related Questions:
Dr.Utpal Sheth
M.B.B.S.,M. S. ORTHO.,DIPLOMA IN PHYSICAL MEDICINE AND REHABILITATION.,MCH (ORTH) (UK) Read full
How to get someone to stop taking alcohol forever?.. the alcohol, firstly you need to take him to nearby deaddiction center. You need to talk to him regarding the harmful consequences like liver damage which has now begun. You need to take him into confidence and take him to deaddiction center. Ther... Read full
Dr.Zubair MohammadBACHELORS OF PHYSIOTHERAPY.,CERTIFICATE IN ACTIVE REHABILITATION SKILLS.,MASTERS IN PHYSIOTHERAPY.,certificate in mulligan joint mobilization Read full
Also Read Answers From:
Comprehensive Medical Second Opinion.Submit your Case
Also Read
Coronavirus Variant Arcturus: | Omicron XBB.1.16 Variant
Arcturus is an emerging variant of the Omicron virus that causes various symptoms and spreads rapidly across the world. ... Read more»
Adrenaline Rush - Symptoms, Causes, Effects, and How to Control
Adrenaline is a hormone responsible for fight or flight response. It is also a neurotransmitter and medicine. It is also... Read more»
Fatty Liver - Types, Symptoms, Stages, and Treatment
The liver is the largest gland in the body. Its primary function is to process the food and drinks we consume. and filte... Read more»
Ask your health query to a doctor online?
Ask a General Medicine Physician Now* guaranteed answer within 4 hours.
