Withdrawal of alcohol can lead to a few discomforts. At times, the results can be very serious. If you have been drinking alcohol for a long time, your system soon gets accustomed to its adverse side effects. Over a period of time, your brain develops dependencies to such drinks. So, when you suddenly stop consuming alcohol, it can cause problems such as being restless, onset of a few abdominal conditions like vomiting or nausea, sweating profusely, sleeplessness or insomnia, etc. In some remote instances, signs of withdrawal have included convulsions or epileptic fits. Drugs such as campral are administered to minimise these effects. However, can you take campral along with librium? It becomes essential to know more on this, in detail.
Dependence on alcohol may result in a few clinical conditions. You may witness an impairment of bone health – marked by an acute loss of bones, changes in your blood sugar levels, stomach problems such as ulcers, a marked drop in immunity level, etc. Drinking may also lead to liver related conditions as well as heart problems. Owing to such risks, it is important to detect a likely addiction to alcohol at an early stage. If addiction is a problem, withdrawal of alcohol also poses a few other challenges. For example – a sudden discontinuation of the drinking habit can lead to a few signs of withdrawal and some clinical conditions. Drugs such as campral are prescribed to manage these discomforts.
Campral to reduce your craving for alcohol
Of the many drugs prescribed for managing alcohol withdrawal, campral is a commonly used medication. It is usually taken orally, either before or after a meal. The standard dosage plan includes intake of this drug thrice per day. No two people with withdrawal symptoms are prescribed with the same dosage levels; your doses may change based on your gender, age and also based on the severity of your drinking problem (i.e., how long have you been drinking?); you doses are also determined by how well your body responds to the first few doses of campral.
This drug is likely to trigger a few adverse side effects; most common among them include a decrease in appetite levels, pain in your lower abdomen, watery stools, formation of gas, flatulence, decrease in libido, etc. Owing to these adverse side effects and discomforts, it is not safe to take this drug without the supervision of a qualified clinical practitioner. Above all, it becomes necessary to remember that your treating doctor has prescribed this drug as its benefits far outweigh the risks of undesired side effects or adverse reactions.
Librium and its uses
The generic name of librium is chlordiazepoxide; this drug is categorized under a family of meds known as benzodiazepines. Key function of this drug is to bring about calmness, by acting on your central nervous system (CNS) and the brain. It does this task by activating a substance called GABA; this substance is naturally available in your system. An effective control on the availability of this chemical is known to alter your anxiety levels, thus making you to stay calm.
Librium is used to manage acute levels of withdrawal symptoms associated with the discontinuation of alcohol. As an extended use, this drug is also taken to allay your anxieties prior to surgical procedures. However, a long term intake of this drug may lead to substance abuse or addiction; such risks are more pronounced when you have a history of dependencies on alcohol. Owing to such risks, librium must never be taken over a longer term. It is considered safe to follow the medication plan of your treating doctor.
Intake of librium along with campral
Campral – as mentioned above – is taken to reduce your cravings for alcohol. On the other hand, librium is taken for managing acute levels of withdrawal symptoms. As these two drugs may have some overlapping capabilities, the chances of interactions between these drugs are quite high. Co-administration of these drugs may lead to tremors, involuntary twitching of muscles, insomnia or other sleep related problems, loss of sexual drive or libido, etc. So, it is seldom administered together. People – especially, those with withdrawal problems – who took these medicines together, reported an acute loss of coordination, passing out, discoloration of skin or eyes, soreness of throat, increase in body temperature, etc. If you notice any one or more of the aforesaid signs, you are advised to consult with a qualified medical practitioner as soon as you possibly can.
You need to remember that campral is given to those who are not drinking alcohol any more. If you are currently drinking, the drug may be rendered almost useless. The only task campral does is to help you resist the lure of alcohol – especially, after having kicked the drinking habit away. But, campral’s active ingredients may calm your mind only to a limited extent; while librium is well-recognised and is also a widely consumed drug to calm your mind. Thus, campral helps allay the signs of withdrawal; these signs may include inability to fall asleep, shakes, sweating profusely, etc.
Owing to the risks of addiction to librium, this drug must never to be taken through the self-medication mode. Always have a prescription for this drug, backed by a thoughtfully prepared medication / dosage plan. Never increase the doses or shorten the frequency of intake of this drug. Such practices run the risk of developing dependencies or possible episodes of substance abuse. Librium – in some one-off cases, has triggered a few allergies; these include acute spells of dizziness, inflammation of oral parts or facial organs, itchiness or rashes on skin, discoloration of skin, respiratory problems such as wheezing or gasping. In general, you are not advised to perform activities like driving or working on heavy machines soon after taking librium. Also, it is not considered safe to engage in adventure sports such as cycling, swimming or scuba diving.
In sum, campral and librium are known to have a few overlapping properties; owing to which they are used to manage post-withdrawal signs such as anxieties, tremors, shakes or abdominal conditions like nausea or vomiting. But, the chances of adverse interactions between these two medications are relatively high. For example – intake of these meds can cause involuntary muscular twitches, sleeplessness, decrease in libido, likely loss of coordination, soreness of throat, fever, etc. Upon witnessing any of these adverse side effects, it is highly recommended to seek medical help without any delay.