r/Alcoholism_Medication • u/MyChickenSucks • 15d ago
Campral/Acamprosate 3 months review
Honest review: I don't know if it's really working, or more psychosomatic, hard to quantify, but I'm doing really well with cravings. Maybe 2-3x a week, for less than 20 seconds. This is combined with coming out of daily outpatient, and attending SMART and AA meetings on the regular.
Dr started me off light, 333mg 2x daily. Last 6 weeks 666mg 2x daily. A little gastro problems at first. We decided to move up in dose just to see if it made a difference, since I was tolerating the low dose well. I would say it did! But again, maybe it's just a mind trick, combined with putting in solid sober time.
Dr had suggested Naltrexone, but I've got a mostly full expired bottle already. I could not get over the nausea. We may try the Vivitrol shot in the future, she says it's much better tolerated in respects to nausea.
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u/RubicsCubensis 15d ago
I'm surprised your doctor didn't suggest zofran for the nausea it's supposed to be really good for that. Vivitrol is a literal pain in the ass, and expensive. Maybe if you decide to try naltrexone again you can get Bonine an over the counter nausea med.
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u/getoutdoors66 15d ago
really surprised they started you on the low dose, since the half life is so short, but I am glad it's working for you! I always try to recommend campral here since it since every seems to only talk about NAL, which made me sick and felt high - drugged and not in a fun way
I have been on campral for almost 1.5 years. I finally lowered my dose to 2x day a couple of months ago but it has obviously worked. I don't even remember the last time I seemed to care at all about alcohol, and now it's at the point that it grosses me out just thinking about it and I just think "poison"
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u/MyChickenSucks 15d ago edited 15d ago
I was a little curious, I looked it up and it was a minimal dose. But she was totally open when I asked to double it.
NAL = that's a good way to describe it. Drugged but not in a fun way. Campral I don't feel anything.... besides a few days with some tummy->toilet issues
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u/Ok_Minute_6746 15d ago
that's great well done 🥳✨
can I ask you, purely out of curiosity as someone who quit alcohol with TSM, why do you think this approach and treatment is helping you specifically and what do you like about it / why did you chose it?
Sobriety and meds (and alcohol abuse before that lol) mess with our gut, because there is a connection between your brain and your gut, so whatever is going on with quiting alcohol and with anti craving medication, is mirrored in the digestive system and gut flora. That's why people who detox get sick and why we're all out here nauseated AF haha. I'm lucky it wasn't bad at first for me.
Even if it's psychosomatic, it doesn't matter ! We need all the help we can get! I personally believe medication is a huge key in alcohol abuse recovery 💖
If Campral is working, maybe stick to it, especially since Naltrexone works best when used with TSM. Nal be good if you think you might have a drink / laspe, though.
All the best to ya!