Campral Description

Campral is a prescription medicine that your doctor may recommend if you are addicted to alcohol and have recently quit drinking but require additional help. Along with behavior modification, a good support system, and regular counseling sessions with an alcohol addiction worker or therapist, Campral can help you achieve and maintain sobriety so you are able to work and function throughout your daily routine without the urge to drink. Campral can help you get your life back on track so you can enjoy time with family, friends, and coworkers.

How Campral Decreases Cravings for Alcohol

When taken as directed, the active ingredient in Campral called Acamprosate is believed to work by altering the brain chemistry that has been changed by the effects of alcohol. Chemical messengers in the brain called neurotransmitters are responsible for mood, behavior, and emotions. When affected by alcohol, the balance of your neurotransmitters can be changed and with the release of dopamine from your brain’s reward center, you will crave more alcohol for that “feel good” state of mind. As Campral balances your neurotransmitters to their “factory setting”, so to speak, your cravings will decrease and you’ll find it much easier to resist pouring yourself a drink.

The Importance of Neurotransmitters

Neurotransmitters are classed as either inhibitory or excitatory. Serotonin and GABA (gamma-aminobutyric acid) are inhibitory as they decrease the brain’s electrical activity, while glutamate, epinephrine and norepinephrine are excitatory and they increase the brain’s electrical activity. Dopamine can be either. Alcohol increases GABA which is why people that drink have slurred speech and sluggish movements. However, it also increases dopamine in the brain’s reward center that gives you the feeling of pleasure with every drink you take. Over time these pleasurable feelings do not work quite as well when you take a drink; but because you want that feeling, you continue to drink because it is now an addiction and a part of your lifestyle.

Before You Take Campral

As there is very little information regarding the safety or danger of taking Campral while you are pregnant or breast feeding, inform your doctor so it can be decided if the benefits outweigh the risks. If you become pregnant while taking Campral, tell your doctor right away or use effective contraception until your treatment with Campral is complete. Discuss other medical conditions and allergies you have with your doctor and list all over the counter and Rx medications you are taking, including herbal and homeopathic medicine and vitamin supplements. Combining Campral with other meds could cause unintended side effects or change its efficacy.

Important Information About Campral

Campral will not treat or prevent the symptoms of alcohol withdrawal and is less likely to work if you are still drinking and have not undergone detoxification. Your family and caregivers that are involved in your recovery process should be made aware of possible changes in your moods as Campral may cause you to feel like harming yourself. Until you know how Campral will affect you, avoid driving and taking part in any activities that could be considered unsafe.

Possible Side Effects of Campral

• Loss of appetite
• Problems sleeping
• Drowsiness
• Diarrhea or constipation
• Gas
• Muscle or joint pain

Drugs Similar to Campral

• Antabuse
• Revia