Thatdeliveryguy

Not looking for medical advice just personal experience and anecdotes. Has any one had any experience with this drug to reduce cravings. I've had it suggested to me 3 times in the last 72 hours. Once person even said it reduced their craving to just about nothing. I thinking about approaching a doctor about these medication, but curious if anyone else tried it? There thoughts experiences?

InMyBlood

It didn't work for me but was mixed with Wellbutrin to form a drug called contrave, which also was ineffective for me. But I think it's always worth a try, whatever works to get things right!

simplex

I used Naltrexone. Naltrexone did significantly reduce my desire to drink. But as with anything its no magic bullet and should combined with other tools. I failed to do anything else and eventually stopped taking the pills. Vivitrol lasts a month through injection and seems to be more effective since its there for a month. But it is very expensive, 1k per shot, with insurance it was $120. Thats just my experience.

Talk to your doctor but be warned few doctors have experience with it. I had to drive an hour and a half for an addiction specialist MD.

ScottFromWI

Since you are already on several other meds TDG, you really need to talk with your doctor about adding yet another one.

newman23

I ended up doing both. I first ended up taking Naltrexone being prescribed by my doctor. I took it, and I did drink on it, and it was if I couldn't get drunk. It was weird. I was at a stage in my life though where I don't think I really wanted to stop. I was more at a stage of, "yeah, maybe I should stop". Naltrexone didn't last too long during that stage. The problem for me was, I just stopped taking the pills.

Later on in my life, when I found myself in inpatient rehab for the second time, I heard about Vivitrol. I swore this would be the cure. I remember talking about it to other people in rehab how I was going to take it when I got out and never drink again. There was going to be no issue of taking a med everyday with this one. I ended up getting the shot at my outpatient. I can't recall the effect it had on my cravings off hand, compared to not taking the shot, but I did end up drinking again not too long after. The AV in my head hated the fact I couldn't get drunk, so the solution was to drink fast and hard. "Lets bypass the shot". I did that for a while, just drinking faster and harder trying to feel something, and I, at least, convinced myself, that I did. So I continued with that style of drinking. I tried the shot for a couple of months(I lied to the outpatient about my drinking) but eventually left the outpatient place and never took it again.

Once again, I think I wasn't truly ready to give up drinking. I have read stories of others who seemed to have success with. It didn't seem to work for me, as I saw it as a cure all, and I wasn't willing to do anything else for my own recovery.

The longest sobriety I had was 6 months, and that was with no shot or drug, but with a recovery program(used AA, but there are others out there as well you can find on the forum), but eventually I stopped that, and no surprise, I drank again. That's been my experience.

immri

I tried it for about 7-8 months and made no difference to me personally, actually I think my drinking/craving increased during that time but I think that was just circumstance not the meds...they certainly didn't stop things for me though
, but everyone's different and why not give it a go (with dr of course!!!) I didn't have side effects so no harm in trying imo

INgal

My sons doctor say Vivitrol is the gold standard and he's had great success with it. My son is on Antabuse and it works like a charm. The fear of a reaction is always with him.

Thatdeliveryguy

Thank you all for your input. I am going to keep investigating this medication further, ever tool I have at my disposal I intend on trying to utilize.

agnesmildred

Wonder if this would work for opiates as well?

Aellyce

Jeremy, it may be worth discussing it with your doctor(s), but when you do, be 100% honest about everything you take, your drinking pattern, etc.

No personal experience, but what I know about Naltrexone is that it seems to work for some people (in some cases really well), and does not do much to others. I have colleagues who are investigating the "why" behind this variability, and it seems like individual genetic factors play a role, but these are very preliminary results at the moment. There is no way to predict the outcome in advance at the moment, as far as I am aware.

agnesmildred - the drug in Naltrexone is an opioid receptor antagonist and is also being used to help manage opiate dependence. Again, discuss it with a doctor.

PurpleKnight

Best checking in with a Dr Jeremy, especially if other meds are involved, be safe!!

deadlydame

Not sure if this can help: I am on different types of meds: campral and antabuse. Both work great for me. Crampal works on my cravings and antabuse: the idea that I could be in horrific pain if I drink is enough a motivation for me not to. Of course, antabuse is not a forever solution. I asked for it as I recently transferred from inpatient back to home and am glad I decided to take it for a while. Campral works great for my cravings. I have been using it for quite a while.

Shays Mum

Campral never worked for me ( but everyone's different I guess ) I was told Naltrexone would be hard on my liver and I'm petrified of Antabuse. I'm on Baclofen and it works a treat as an anti craver for me.

Dee74

That's something only a Dr can decide on a case by case basis I think.

D