Campral
Campral is acamprosate 333mg, a delayed-release tablet taken three times a day to help people who have stopped drinking heavily stay off alcohol.
All strengths and pack prices
| Strength | Pack | Price | Per tablet |
|---|---|---|---|
| 333mg | 30 tablets | $51.90 | $1.73 |
| 333mg | 60 tablets | $93.60 | $1.56 |
| 333mg | 90 tablets | $105.30 | $1.17 |
| 333mg | 120 tablets | $117.60 | $0.98 |
| 333mg | 180 tablets | $154.80 | $0.86 |
- Category
- Addiction Recovery
- Active ingredient
- Acamprosate
- Route
- Oral
- Form
- Tablet
- Strengths
- 333mg
You will receive a quality generic equivalent, depending on stock.
Shipped in a discreet, unmarked envelope.
Details
- Conditions
- Alcohol dependence
- Therapeutic Class
- Alcohol Deterrent
- Pharmacological Class
- GABA Analogue
- Minor Side Effects
- Diarrhoea, nausea, flatulence
- Moderate Side Effects
- Abdominal pain, anxiety, insomnia
- Dosage Forms
- Tablet
- Administration Route
- Oral
- Originator
- Merck
- Duration
- 6–8 hours
- Storage Instructions
- Store at room temperature away from moisture.
- Drug Interactions
- Alcohol
What you will receive
Campral is the originator brand name, made by Merck. We use it to identify the medicine; the pack you receive is a generic equivalent, not the original Campral.
- The same active ingredient (Acamprosate) at the same strength.
- The exact brand supplied depends on what is in stock when your order ships.
FAQ
What pack sizes does Campral 333mg come in?
Generic acamprosate tablets come in 333mg, with packs of 30 to 180 tablets. This is generic acamprosate, not the original Campral. Larger packs cost less per tablet.
Can I cancel a Campral order if I change my mind?
Orders for generic acamprosate can be cancelled within 24 hours if not yet dispatched. Tracking is on the tracking page, and support answers 24/7 in English and Cantonese by live chat.
Can I drink alcohol while taking Campral?
Yes. Acamprosate and alcohol do not react, so a drink will not make you flushed or unwell — the medicine is not there to punish a slip. If you do drink, keep taking the tablets, because they only help while you stay on them.
How many Campral tablets do I take a day?
The usual adult dose is two 333mg tablets three times a day, so six tablets in total. People of lower body weight often take one tablet per dose instead. Each dose goes down whole with water, at roughly the same times every day.
What are the common side effects of Campral?
Diarrhoea is the one people mention most, along with wind, nausea, stomach upset and a dry mouth. Some feel dizzy, itchy or sweaty, or find it harder to sleep. These usually ease within a few weeks as the body settles into the medicine.
What happens if I miss a dose of Campral?
Take it as soon as you remember, then carry on with your usual three-times-a-day pattern. If your next dose is only an hour or two away, let the missed one go rather than taking two together. Never double up to catch up.
How long do I need to keep taking Campral?
There is no set course: acamprosate helps for as long as you keep taking it. Most people stay on it for months rather than weeks, and carry on through a slip instead of stopping after a drink.
About Campral
Campral is acamprosate 333mg, a tablet taken three times a day by people who have stopped drinking heavily and want to stay that way.
What Campral is for
The tablets are used as part of a recovery plan, usually alongside counselling or a support group. Acamprosate helps you avoid going back to alcohol once you have stopped; it is not used to get through withdrawal, and it will not do much for someone who is still drinking heavily every day. It only helps while you keep taking it, so a slip is a reason to carry on with the tablets rather than stop.
How acamprosate works
Years of heavy drinking push glutamate — the brain chemical that wakes nerve cells up — into overdrive. Take the alcohol away and that system stays switched on, which is part of why the first weeks and months of abstinence feel so restless. Acamprosate acts on glutamate and on GABA, the calming side of the same system, to bring the balance back towards normal. The 333mg tablet has a delayed-release coat, so it passes through the stomach and releases the medicine further along the gut; that is why the tablets go down whole, never split, crushed or chewed.
Taking your tablets
Three doses a day, spread evenly and kept to the same hours, is the usual pattern, and food makes no difference — with a meal or between meals both work. Adults commonly take two 333mg tablets per dose, and one tablet per dose at lower body weights. Acamprosate is cleared by the kidneys and is not suitable for anyone with severe kidney problems. Alcohol itself is not dangerous with it: a drink will not make you flushed or sick, which is the main difference from disulfiram. If you do drink, keep taking the tablets.
Side effects
Diarrhoea, wind, nausea, an unsettled stomach, dry mouth, itching, dizziness, sweating and trouble sleeping are the ones people notice most, and they often settle after a few weeks. A rash, or burning, tingling or numbness in the hands, feet, arms or legs, is uncommon. Low mood is common in people who have drunk heavily, and acamprosate does not reduce — and may increase — the risk of thoughts about self-harm; new or worsening low mood of that kind needs urgent help.
Storing them
Keep the tablets in their blister strips inside the box, somewhere cool and dry and out of direct sun.
Sources
- Acamprosate: MedlinePlus Drug Information — MedlinePlus / U.S. National Library of Medicine
- Medications Development Program — National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA) / NIH