Is Naltrexone The Only Option For Alcohol Addiction treatment?

The medications for treating alcohol addiction include Topirimate, Baclofen, Naltrexone, Disulfiram, Campral and Ondansetron. Each of these medications has its side effects. The effectiveness and cost of the medications also differ.    These medications are prescription only – meaning that they must be prescribed by a physician before they can be sold to you.

Though these drugs have shown high degree of effectiveness, they may not be the best choice for helping you overcome addiction to the abuse of alcoho – you may want to choose addiction centers as your option. As you know, drugs do good job of treating the condition in which they are indicated for but at the same time cause some other unwanted side effects.

TOPIRIMATE is basically an anticonvulsant medication that stabilizes the moods and which is especially effective in reducing the cravings for alcohol.  It works by reducing the neurotransmitter dopamine levels. Dopamine creates the craving for alcohol and the pleasure that one gets from drinking. That way, it resets the brain chemistry to normal.

BACLOFEN is sold under brand names Gablofen or Lioresal.  It is basically a muscle relaxant that reduces the cravings for the abuse of alcohol.  It works by increasing the GABA level. GABA is basically a brain neurotransmitter that relaxes the brain.

Being an opioid antagonist, NALTREXONE can really help in reducing the desire and craving for alcohol.  It also lessens the pleasure that one gets from drinking the alcohol.  The medication works by blocking those brain parts that cause the alcohol abuser to experience pleasure after drinking. After blocking those parts, the craving for alcohol reduces.

DISULFIRAM which is sold under the brand name Antabuse is one of the medications for treatment for alcohol abuse that have been in use for quite long time. It was approved for use by FDA in 1951.  It works by creating unpleasant feelings and effects such as vomiting, nausea, headache and flushing when you take alcohol.

CAMPRAL which is sold under the brand name Acamprosate is mostly used in the European countries.  It has also been approved by the FDA after its clinical trails showed that it really works in leading people to quit drinking.  The drug works by reducing those bad feelings which are experienced when one stops the abuse of alcohol. Because of this effect, it is especially effective in the prevention of relapse.

ONDANSETRON which is sold under the brad name Zofran is primarily used in the treatment of nausea and vomiting in the patients that are undergoing certain chemotherapies.  It has also been found to be very effective in stopping the cravings, increasing abstinence and decreasing the consumption of alcohol especially in the persons who are at their early stages of drinking.  The drug works by blocking the serotonin receptor in the brain and causes the reduction of the craving for alcohol.

This information about the medications for treating alcohol addiction is very brief and intended for guidance only, we also recommend to find an affordable drug rehab. A lot can be said about the side effects, mode of action, effectiveness and otherwise of any of these drugs, you need to talk with your physician on whether medications are the best option for helping you overcome the addiction and dependence to alcohol.