Addiction Recovery

Antabuse

Disulfiram

Antabuse is disulfiram, a tablet taken once a day as an alcohol deterrent, listed here in 250mg and 500mg strengths as part of treatment for alcohol dependence.

All strengths and pack prices
Antabuse: price of every strength and pack size
Strength Pack Price
250mg 30 tablets $29.40
250mg 60 tablets $52.20
250mg 90 tablets $69.30
250mg 120 tablets $85.20
250mg 180 tablets $118.80
250mg 360 tablets $223.20
500mg 30 tablets $36.00
500mg 60 tablets $58.80
500mg 90 tablets $77.40
500mg 120 tablets $97.20
500mg 180 tablets $133.20
500mg 270 tablets $191.70
Category
Addiction Recovery
Active ingredient
Disulfiram
Route
Oral
Form
Tablet
Strengths
250/500mg

You will receive a quality generic equivalent, depending on stock.

Shipped in a discreet, unmarked envelope.

Details

Conditions
Alcohol dependence
Therapeutic Class
Alcohol dependence treatment
Pharmacological Class
Aldehyde dehydrogenase inhibitor
Minor Side Effects
Metal taste, Drowsiness
Moderate Side Effects
Skin rash, Headache
Dosage Forms
Tablet
Administration Route
Oral
Originator
Odyssey Pharmaceuticals
Onset Time
12 hours
Duration
Up to 2 weeks post-discontinuation
Storage Instructions
Store away from light.
Drug Interactions
Alcohol, Metronidazole
Age Restrictions
Adults only

What you will receive

Antabuse is the originator brand name, made by Odyssey Pharmaceuticals. We use it to identify the medicine; the pack you receive is a generic equivalent, not the original Antabuse.

  • The same active ingredient (Disulfiram) at the same strength.
  • The exact brand supplied depends on what is in stock when your order ships.

FAQ

Which Antabuse strengths and pack sizes are available?

Antabuse comes as tablets in 250mg and 500mg. Packs range from 30 up to 360 tablets for 250mg, and 30 up to 270 for 500mg. It is generic disulfiram, not the original Antabuse. Prices are per tablet in Hong Kong dollars, and larger packs cost less per pack.

How discreet is Antabuse delivery to Hong Kong?

Antabuse ships in plain, unbranded packaging with nothing on the outside about the contents. Choose tracked courier for 5 to 9 business days with online tracking, or standard airmail for 14 to 21 business days, untracked. A parcel that does not arrive within that window is sent again free.

What is another name for disulfiram?

Antabuse is a brand name of disulfiram, which is also sold as Esperal. Here, disulfiram can be bought online as generic Antabuse, and also as disulfiram tablets. These are generics, not the original brand.

Can I drink alcohol after stopping Antabuse?

Not for around two weeks. The blocked enzyme needs that long to recover, so a drink soon after the last tablet can still bring on the full reaction of flushing, headache and sickness.

Does a small amount of alcohol set off the reaction?

Yes, it can. Cooking wine, vinegar-based dressings, cough syrups, tonics, mouthwash, some desserts and alcohol-based rubs all contain alcohol. An amount you would once not have noticed can cause flushing, headache and nausea while disulfiram is working.

Does Antabuse interact with other medicines?

It slows the liver's handling of some of them. Warfarin and phenytoin are the best known: their levels can climb, so effects may be stronger or last longer than expected. Caffeine is affected too — coffee and energy drinks can feel more potent and keep you awake.

What happens if I miss a day of Antabuse?

One missed tablet does not switch the effect off at once. Disulfiram leaves the body slowly, and the blocked enzyme takes up to two weeks to recover, so alcohol can still bring on a reaction. Take the next tablet at the usual time, and keep away from drink while it is in your system.

About Antabuse

What Antabuse is for

Antabuse is disulfiram, taken daily by people who want to stay off alcohol. It sits inside a wider plan of counselling, a support group or family backing, and it does nothing about cravings. What it changes is the result of drinking: once alcohol is in the body, the tablet makes the outcome unpleasant.

What one drink does while you are taking it

Have one drink on Antabuse and the body cannot finish processing it. The liver turns alcohol into acetaldehyde, the compound behind much of a hangover, and an enzyme called aldehyde dehydrogenase then clears the acetaldehyde away. Disulfiram blocks that enzyme, so even a small drink leaves acetaldehyde piling up in the blood.

Flushing, a throbbing headache, a pounding heartbeat, nausea or vomiting, sweating, thirst, blurred vision and dizziness are the usual result, and blood pressure can fall. It starts within about ten minutes and can run from half an hour to several hours, depending on how much was drunk. Chest pain, difficulty breathing or fainting means a severe reaction that needs urgent treatment.

Taking your tablet

One tablet a day, swallowed whole with water. The amount is fixed when treatment begins, and many people go down to a lower amount after the first week or two. The tablets come in 250mg and 500mg. Because disulfiram clears slowly, its effect on alcohol outlasts the last tablet by days.

Side effects of disulfiram

The first days bring the most complaints: sleepiness, a flat, tired feeling, headache, nausea, a metallic or garlic-like taste, and sometimes a rash or acne-like spots. Some men find erections harder to get.

Other effects are less common but more serious. Jaundice (yellow skin and eyes), dark urine or tenderness below the right ribs points to the liver. Numbness or burning in the hands and feet, or changes in vision, points to the nerves. Disulfiram also slows how fast the body breaks down certain other medicines, so their effects can build up.

Antabuse or plain disulfiram?

These are one medicine under two listings: Antabuse, the name most people search, and Disulfiram, both as tablets in 250mg and 500mg and both taken once a day. Only the name on the listing changes.

Sources

  1. Disulfiram 200 mg tablets - Summary of Product Characteristics (SmPC) - (emc) | 11168 — UK Electronic Medicines Compendium (EMC)
  2. Alcohol-use disorder - NHS — NHS