Alcohol can turn into an addictive habit if left unchecked. In most people who are addicted to alcohol, it had started off only as a social drinking habit. But, over a period of time, it may soon become a daily habit. People who are addicted to alcohol may require a combinatorial treatment approach. It includes talking to those with similar problems – through forums or support groups, working out regularly, making changes to your daily dietary plan as well as a regular intake of a few drugs. Key among such drugs is a medication called campral. It needs to be taken under the clinical care of your medical team. This drug may cause a few side effects. Care to know more about its adverse side effects before taking it.

There are several types of meds which are prescribed to control your habit of drinking alcohol. You need to know each medication does its task in a completely different manner. A drug called naltrexone is administered to drinkers to dissuade them from excessive drinking; this drug does not give you a high feeling. This high is often a basic reason why drinkers patronise the bottle. So, when drinkers are deprived of their highs, their consumption of alcohol only nosedives soon. Likewise, there is another drug called as antabuse. This does not control the high feeling you may get; instead, it can lead to sickness when you consume alcohol. In a such a wide range of drugs (and their unique mechanisms of action), campral does an altogether different function.

How does campral work?

Campral is prescribed to people who have recently stopped taking alcohol. So, this drug has almost nil effects on those who are presently drinking. Campral is provided to arrest your cravings for an alcoholic drink. This drug stops you from longing to again come under the spell of alcohol. It effectively controls your stimuli to take another swig; this is done by calming your mind and easing it from needless anxieties or nervousness. How does it reduce your cravings? Those who had been drinking alcohol for long may have an altered balance of brain chemicals. In fact, it is these chemicals that make you seek more drinks – especially, when the effect of alcohol wears off. Campral mainly restores the chemical balance of your brain; this becomes essential to make you stay calm.

You need to know that it often takes a lot of efforts and time to make people to come off their drinking habits. Drugs such as campral are administered to strike a proper balance of neuro transmitting chemicals present in your central nervous system and brain. Not all people who have recently stopped taking alcohol are provided with the same dose. Your dose is influenced by a host of factors – namely, your age, other medical conditions, prior clinical history and more importantly, how well your system responds to the initial doses of this medication. In their enthusiasm to kick away their drinking habits, some people are likely to take added or more powerful doses. Their belief is (which is an erroneous one) a boosted dosage is likely to suppress cravings to consume alcohol more effectively. The opposite often becomes true; such enhanced doses can only aggravate your cravings. Hence, it is always recommended to take the medication under the proper care and supervision of a healthcare professional.

How to administer campral?

The medical team usually recommends a standard dose, which is 666 milligrams (mg). These dosages may need to be started soon after you have stopped taking alcohol. A delayed start of this medication plan may only lead to a likely relapse of your yearning for alcoholic beverages. A few users of campral wrongly believe that this drug is adequate to completely stop the habit. It is an incorrect belief. Stopping such addictive habits may need a wide range of other interventions; these include adhering to an exercising / working out schedule, taking a complete meal plan, taking memberships in like-minded communities as well as support groups – for example, groups such as alcoholics anonymous, etc. You may also need to change your other habits – such as avoid spending time with people who drink; instead, talk to your therapist or a mental healthcare provider. Last but not the least, you are advised not to miss the doses of drugs like campral.

In this light, you need to remember that campral is approved by the food and drug administration (FDA) – a renowned drug approving agency. Its approval is mainly to reduce your cravings for alcohol. These cravings or yearnings may manifest in many forms; common among them are insomnia, twitching of muscles, sweating, staying anxious, being restless, etc.

Side effects of campral

This drug is capable of triggering a few adverse effects. Most common among its side effects are formation of gas or flatulence, migraines, feeling dizzy, tiredness, pain in muscles, abdominal discomforts (such as vomiting, diarrhea, etc.) and drop in libido. In some instances, you may also encounter sudden changes in weight – i.e., a gain or loss of bodyweight, etc. You need to remember that your physician may have prescribed this drug as its benefits clearly outweigh the risks of adverse side effects.

In some one-off cases, a few users have reported acute side effects; such very adverse effects may include mood shifts including depression, hallucinations, etc., early symptoms of a likely renal dysfunction, erratic heartbeats, blurring of eyesight, partial impairment of hearing, enhanced sense of hunger or thirst, pains in the lower abdomen, etc. In remote instances, you may throw up (with vomit resembling brown pellets), convulsions, epileptic fits or seizures.

You also need to remember that the above listed discomforts do not constitute a complete list of likely side effects of campral. It is hence possible to witness a few side effects that are not listed here. Upon sensing a few unknown or unlisted problems, you are advised to reach out to your treating doctor or pharmacist as quickly as you possibly can. Those who are residents of the US need to call 911 on an emergency basis. You may also call the 24-hour emergency helpline numbers of the FDA. It is customary for the FDA to monitor the efficacy as well as side effects of drugs it has cleared. If you are living in any of the Canadian provinces, you may reach out to Health Canada on an urgency mode. As an alternative, Canadian residents may also rush to a poison control center located closer to their home or situated in the province where you reside.

Likely incidence of allergies

This drug may cause a few allergic reactions. However, not all users who took campral witnessed allergies. It is only a minority of users who reported some allergies; these may include rashes on skin, acute levels of itchiness, inflammation of oral organs as well as facial parts, etc. A few users have experienced acute levels of drowsiness or dizziness; respiratory problems (chiefly – wheezing, gasping as well as shallow breathing cycles).

Things you may need to stay careful of before consuming campral

Apart from the above, you are advised to know more about the precautions you may need to take prior to starting the intake of campral. As mentioned above, those who have the following medical conditions need to talk to their treating doctor: difficulties to pass stools (or, constipation), sexual problems such as erectile dysfunction, etc. Also, if you have a clinical history of a constant increase in blood pressure levels (i.e., hypertension), it is highly recommended to stay away from this medication. Moreover, if you have a medical history of breathing problems – such as respiratory diseases such as asthma, bronchial asthma, bronchitis, a few types of pulmonary disorders (like COPD), etc., you must stay away from this medication.

Last but by no means least, campral needs the support of your kidneys to eliminate the residue from your body. Hence, if you are living with any chronic kidney problems or renal dysfunction, it may pose serious limitations in eliminating the active ingredients from your system. When the drug is not fully discharged from your system, it may soon turn toxic; you may also witness a sizable build-up of this drug inside your renal system. But, how can one tell if your kidneys are working well, and can eliminate campral along with its active ingredients? This can be inferred with the efficiency with which your kidneys discharge creatinine. So, if this efficiency goes under 30 mL / minute, you may never be given doses of campral. But, if creatinine is cleared at a range of 40 to 50 mL each minute, a moderate dose of campral may be given in such conditions.

Fighting alcoholism with campral

A full-fledged control of alcohol addiction requires a comprehensive approach to treatment. A well-made treatment plan often includes multiple modes of interventions; these interventions include sittings with a qualified therapist, enrolling onto support groups such as alcoholics anonymous (AA), adhering to a well-balanced diet or meal plan. It is equally important to work out or exercise regularly; if your medical team has given you a workout schedule, adhere to it without fail. In this milieu, intake of a few drugs – such as campral – can control your yearnings for an alcoholic drink. It is needless to state that a well-balanced treatment plan includes all the above elements.

In this light, you may also need to know that campral may have nil / very limited effects if you are presently taking alcohol. Ensure to follow your doctor’s advice while taking this med. This drug is taken orally either after or before a meal. Commonly prescribed dosage form stands at 666 milligrams (mg). This is considered as a regular dosage to help stop longing for an alcoholic beverage. The key thing to note is – this drug needs to be taken soon after you have fully discontinued the habit of drinking alcohol. Beware of starting to take these drugs in a delayed manner; such delays may only derail your attempts to discontinue the drinking habit. So, in order to minimize the risks of a possible relapse of the drinking habit, always take this drug as soon as possible.

In sum, campral may trigger a few adverse side effects; common among them are bloating, headaches, migraines, dizziness, weariness, painful muscles, abdominal problems like diarrhea, vomiting etc. Some people reported a marked decrease in sexual desires. In a few cases, you may also witness an abrupt change in body weight. A few users have experienced very serious or overly adverse side effects such as mood changes or hallucinations, early signs of a possible kidney problem, blurring of vision, hearing difficulties, thirstiness, etc. Upon noticing one or more of these problems, residents of US are advised to call 911 or the 24-hour emergency helpline of FDA. If you are living in Canada, you can either call Health Canada or a poison control center located in the province where you live.