Esperal is a drug used to treat alcoholism. Many people have alcohol labels, and almost everyone knows - even from hearsay - the person who "sewed up". No wonder: nearly 12% of adult Poles abuse alcohol. Some of them try to break the addiction by putting their hope in implanting Esperal. How long does Esperal work?

Esperal - alcohol label

Esperalis a product which production ended in 2009. After some time, however, it returned to the market and is available today. But it's no longer called Esperal, butdisulfiram WZF . In practice, however, it is exactly the same product, containing the same active ingredient - disufiramum. So while the name Esperal has disappeared from the drug list, it is still commonly used to describe the alcohol label with disulfiram by addicts seeking help and physicians alike.

What is Esperal?

Esperal (disulfiram) is a substance that blocks the enzyme aldehyde dehydrogenase, which is involved in the metabolism (breakdown) of alcohol in the liver. It is as a result of this blockade that acetaldehyde accumulates in the body, which is normally transformed into a harmless and non-unpleasant form. The action of aldehyde resembles the multiplied ailments caused by alcohol poisoning, i.e. a hangover.

The first effects of acetaldehyde accumulation appear 10 minutes after drinking alcohol. They are:

  • nausea and vomiting,
  • headaches and dizziness,
  • shortness of breath,
  • sweating,
  • hives,
  • facial flushing,
  • pressure surges,
  • tachycardia (i.e. increased heart rate),
  • increased anxiety, including a sense of fear of death.

There have been reports of seizures and even heart attacks. These discomforts may last from 4 to 10 hours.

How and where are the alcohol labels placed?

Esperal tablets are sewn in by a surgeon who cuts the skin, and then places the drug under it. The Esperal tab is usually placed under the shoulder blade or on the buttock. The agent placed in this way is slowly released into the bloodstream and present in the blood for the next several months. The manufacturer guarantees 8 months of operation of the product, practitioners (doctors and patients)they say that it often lasts longer - around 12 months.

You can undergo the implantation of an alcohol wipe after a minimum of 12 hours of abstinence, but it is best that a day should pass after drinking alcohol. The entire procedure takes approximately 30 minutes and is performed under local anesthesia. Implanted esperal, if it does not interact with alcohol, does not cause any side effects, nor does it affect other pharmacological preparations taken.

How does Esperal work?

Esperal is not a cure for alcoholism. The implantation of an alcohol wafer is only intended to discourage you from drinking. The fight against the addiction will fail, however, if the addicted person does not learn to take care of his own sobriety without external pressure.

The idea of ​​treating esperal is based on the assumptions of aversive therapy. According to this theory, an addict who is under the influence of disulfiram, after drinking alcohol, will feel so bad that the very thought of continuing to drink will be extremely disgusting (aversion) and thus discourage from reaching for a glass in the future. So the opposite mechanism to the one that prompts people to drink or use other intoxicants is to work.

After taking or drinking, there is a quick gratification in the form of a pleasant feeling of intoxication and relaxation. Unpleasant consequences are usually postponed. Here, the complaints related to the consumption of alcohol occur within a few minutes.

The thought about the consequences of the interaction of alcohol and disulfiram is a deterrent. It is assumed that the threat to he alth and even life will prevent at least some addicts from drinking.

Contrary to the intentions of the creators and supporters of the use of alcohol woven labels, in the case of Esperal implantation, there is rarely an aversion to alcohol itself. The patient knows perfectly well that the unpleasant symptoms are caused not by alcohol, but by the insert. That is why some, in a proper way for addicts, impulsively make both the decision to implant the Esperal wafer and to remove it.

Sometimes they come to the surgeon with a request to remove the alcohol wafer on the second day after its implantation. Such a carousel: sewing in and removal of disulfiram can take place several times a year. Moreover, addiction to narcotic substances does not have to be correlated with the pleasure associated with taking them (alcohol or drugs themselves often do not taste pleasant). So even when someone dislikes alcohol as a result of the action of Esperal, they can still cherish the intoxication of intoxication.

Important

Esperal - therapists' doubts

Needless to say thatthe vast majority of experts in addiction therapy are against the use of Esperal as the only means of combating addiction. First of all - in their opinion - these substances can only temporarily stop an addicted person from reaching for high-alcohol drinks.

The implantation of the drug only gives the effect of temporary abstinence, and without psychological overworking of the problems behind alcohol abuse, it is difficult to count on a permanent result. As emphasized by therapists, it also happens that after the end of the action of Esperal, such a person makes up for "lost" time and drinks much more than before the implantation of the alcohol insert.

Besides, Esperal does not improve withdrawal symptoms in any way. Alcohol craving exposes the patient to real torment. Sometimes the patient breaks down and starts drinking, regardless of the fear of the consequences, due to the discomfort associated with the withdrawal of alcohol. According to therapists, such rare cases illustrate the power of addiction.

On the other hand, not all alcoholics experience the expected disulfiram reaction. In some cases, the body's response to intoxication caused by the interaction of alcohol with Esperal may be weak, or even nonexistent. In such cases, Esperal's potency fluctuates around zero.

Why doesn't Esperal help?

After esperal, addicts often reach for the influence of pressure from other people or institutions: family, boss at work, court, etc. The lack of internal motivation does not bode well for success. So many people choose an alcohol tag without believing in its effectiveness and without being ready to face the addiction.

Esperal is often a remedy for those who do not find the strength and motivation to undertake drug addiction treatment. Because therapy means effort, taking responsibility for yourself and painstakingly learning other than drinking ways of living and solving problems. On the other hand, sewing up Esperal gives - admittedly deceptive - but immediate feeling of relief and improvement of the situation. However, it in no way reduces the urge to drink, which is why many "sewn-in" count the days until the end of Esperal's operation, so that they can return to the addiction.

Advantages of an alcohol label

On internet forums dealing with alcoholism treatment, you can often find statements by addicts about the positive effects of Esperal and their successes in fighting the addiction. For example: "It was one of the best decisions in my life"; "nothing helped until the insert"; "it's worth trying, I have esperal plus therapy and I'm sober"; "I was at the bottom many times, tried to stop but to no avail, finally decidedthe label and it was a shot at 10, I don't drink for eight years anymore ".

But you can also read: "I have alcoholic parents, they were sewed up and they didn't help, my father was already sewn up six times and he drinks again and I don't know if he can sew up again" or "my mother last year she had an Esperal implant surgery, she started drinking again exactly a year ago, a few days ago she decided to get another insert, today after a week of abstinence, she is in the hospital, and I'm dying of fear that nothing will happen to her. "

Why this discrepancy between users and therapists? Experts, citing studies, say that the effectiveness of Esperal in treating alcoholism is low (which does not mean that it is none at all). In addition, they add that in many cases, the implantation of this drug helped addicts to remain abstinent for a long time, and this also has its value.

The period of abstinence allows you to make a conscious decision to start drug addiction treatment: many alcoholics who do not drink have a history of implantation of disulfiram. Esperal can therefore be one of the factors contributing to overcoming the addiction. However, therapists emphasize that without real treatment, it is unlikely that you will permanently deal with addiction with a wipe. And the implantation of Esperal sometimes helps to stop drug addiction treatment, because addicts believe that the insert is enough. According to many experts, Esperal only prolongs the acute illness of an addict.

Category:

Psychology