acamprosate

Typically, your healthcare team will recommend that you start acamprosate after you've already stopped drinking alcohol and have gone through the withdrawal period. In clinical studies, acamprosate was taken by people who had already detoxed and were abstaining (staying away) from alcohol. Research suggests that acamprosate might not work if you start it while you're still experiencing withdrawal symptoms. Talk to your healthcare team about the most ideal time for you to start taking this medication.

Acamprosate doesn't interact with alcohol, so you're unlikely to experience a bad reaction if you drink while taking this medication. You can still continue treatment if you happen to relapse. Acamprosate works by lowering your urge to drink and can help lower the risk of future relapses. Tell your healthcare team if you've had any alcohol since starting acamprosate. They can help provide you the support and resources you need to avoid future triggers and to maintain your recovery.

No, acamprosate isn't available over the counter. You'll need a prescription from a healthcare professional.

There isn't an exact length of time that you should take acamprosate. Guidelines from the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) suggests continuing treatment for alcohol use disorder for 6 months to a year. Your healthcare team might ask you to take acamprosate as long as it minimizes your cravings for alcohol and you're not experiencing any serious side effects. But if you continue to relapse after starting acamprosate or if you're experiencing depression or thoughts of self-harm during treatment, they might talk with you about other medication options. Keep in mind that taking acamprosate is just one aspect of the treatment plan for alcohol use disorder. Your healthcare team can talk with you about what your holistic treatment plan looks like.

For most people, it takes about a week for acamprosate to fully leave your system. This is based on the medication's half-life. It can take longer if you have kidney problems since this medication mainly leaves your body through your kidneys. Ask your healthcare team if you have specific concerns about how long acamprosate stays in your system.

Acamprosate can cause dizziness as a side effect, and this might make some people feel drowsy. But this medication can also cause trouble sleeping and nervousness in others. Since everyone responds differently to medications, wait and see how acamprosate makes you feel before driving or doing any activities that need a lot of attention and focus. If you feel very sleepy or drowsy after starting acamprosate, let your healthcare team know. They can talk with you to better understand what factors might be causing these symptoms.

Some people who took acamprosate in clinical studies did report weight gain as a side effect. It's unclear whether the weight gain was caused by acamprosate or by other factors. But in general, weight gain was more commonly seen in people who were also taking an antidepressant at the same time, rather than people taking acamprosate without an antidepressant. If you're concerned about the risk of weight gain from acamprosate, talk with your prescriber.