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Naltrexone and alcoholism

Old 02-25-2015, 09:32 AM
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Question Naltrexone and alcoholism

I'm a newby & tried searching forums in regards to naltrexone being prescribed to recovering alcoholics, but kept getting error msgs. So I apologize if my thread should be elsewhere or is a repetitive topic.
My history: I am a little over 4 months sober from major alcohol abuse & my Dr put me on naltrexone. She said studies have been done but they (whoever they are) have not really figured out the correlation between not having cravings to drink and the usage of naltrexone. Over the last 3 years I have a couple of short periods of sobriety only to be followed by longer periods of relapse. So when talking to my Dr she suggested it & I thought why not? I've been on a 50mg daily dose now almost 2 months. The first 2 days I took it in the morning & had some bad effects like drowsiness & a little vertigo. I decided to start taking it at 5pm after I'm off work & now I can't even tell I'm taking anything.
So with that said I was curious about your's or someone you know experience being on it? I just don't want to take another daily med if it's not necessary, but then there's apart of me that says I'm still sober & it may be working. I actually don't have cravings for alcohol, but in my past experiences being sober the cravings subsided early on (thank God). I'm just very curious about others experiences, good or bad, and any opinions on the matter.
As a side note, naltrexone is primarily prescribed to patients with a history of opiate dependence. Naltrexone pretty much blocks the "good feeling" of opiates-and that is a loose definition because there's much more to it
Any replies would be great, thanks for listening.
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Old 02-25-2015, 09:55 AM
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Welcome to the Forum Andash!!

I've no experience with naltrexone, but wanted to say hello!!
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Old 02-25-2015, 10:04 AM
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Andash, my sons doctor gave him the choice of Naltrexone, Vivitrol , or antabuse. The naltrexone and the Vivitrol do the same thing, but the Vivitrol is given in monthly injections. He felt that the Vivitrol is the most effective. We chose antabuse becaus elf the fear of illness and did effects. Eventually I believe the doctor will move towards the naltrexone or Vivitrol once he feels my son has enough commitment to avoid alcohol on his own.
I was told that you will feel no effect from alcohol therefore reducing the urge to drink.
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Old 02-25-2015, 12:36 PM
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I tried it. Did not help with cravings. However, I then went on to do my own "field testing" by drinking on it. There's a thing called The Sinclair Method where you take Naltrexone, wait an hour, have a drink and then supposedly the desire eventually goes away and you will moderate.

"The miracle has arrived!" I thought to myself.

So I tried it. At first, I was shocked because it actually seemed to be working a little bit. In the end, it did not work. I can't stress this enough. I got NO pleasure out of drinking -- not even the least little bit. In fact, I often felt nauseous and sick while drinking on Naltrexone.

Before long I was finding all kinds of excuses to return to my old patterns. I would go to work, for example, and forget to bring my Naltrexone with me. Then work would finish and I would immediately want a drink -- and who doesn't deserve a drink after a hard day's work? So I would either a.) take the Naltrexone and start drinking before an hour was up or b.) not take the Naltrexone at all. Cue blackout, hangover, the whole nightmare.

Then I decided the problem was that I needed to make sure I always had the Naltrexone on me. So I did that for a while. Didn't work either. The obsession would not go away, and the Naltrexone was, on some level, making it worse.

I was thinking about drinking all day long, thinking about when I could take my Naltrexone, how long I had to wait, etc. It sounds really stupid, but that one hour wait after taking Naltrexone came to feel like a lifetime. So I was constantly taking the Naltrexone "just in case" I might want to take a drink. I wanted to make sure I had it in my system in plenty of time. However, the flip side of this was that if you take Naltrexone and then wait too long (say, four or five hours) then you've actually killed the effects. At that point, the dose will not work as well it would have if you'd started drinking immediately at that one hour mark.

Basically, it became this logistical nightmare of obsessing over when to take the pills, when to drink, and so on. Add in the fact that the Naltrexone made me not enjoy alcohol, and before long I was doing the same BS I've always done: making excuses to get around the truth. "Do I really need to take the Naltrexone today? Maybe I can just skip it this one time and drink and have fun. I'll take it next time I drink, for sure."

I would personally advise against this. I would strongly advise against it, to be honest.

I don't know if anyone reading this thread is thinking about Naltrexone for The Sinclair Method (a.k.a. in an attempt to moderate your drinking with Naltrexone) or if you are looking at it to stop drinking altogether.

But if it's the former, then just DON'T.

Let me put it this way: Let's say there was a pill you could take that would make sex not enjoyable. Like, not enjoyable at all. Sure, you might be able to force yourself to take that pill for a little while, but at some point you'd start getting mad and resentful that this pill was robbing you of the physical pleasure you KNOW exists -- the physical pleasure that your mind & body clearly knows should be there, but isn't experiencing because you've blocked it with a pill.

And you'd want that pleasure back.
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Old 02-25-2015, 01:20 PM
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LOL, nice analogy there at the end, but I get what you're saying. For me personally, Im using it to not drink, never heard of the Sinclair method which I bet really entices us alcoholics BC Lord knows I hv tried darn near everything to not hv to gv up drinking all together. Heck the old me wld hv for sure given that a shot, but since I hv finally recvd my Phd in alcoholism & relapses, I finally learned the good ole Abstinence Method is my only route. No but seriously thx for ur reply about ur experience, I did read somewhere that it can lower ur tolerance. Im definitely using it as an extra tool in the hopes to stay sober, not like its a magic pill or everyone wld b on it. My Dr recommended staying on it for a year to get some sobriety under my belt then discontinue use. And I see how that psychologically cld mk sense for some. I just honestly can't tell if it is or isn't working & wanted yalls opinion so Ty to those who shared & welcomed me. I just didn't find any major success stories on Naltrexone nor any major complaints. But Im sticking w it for now BC Im not hving any troubles w it, just wondering if it actually aides in cravings & Im too new to sobriety to chance facing cravings BC my mind is so powerful & I gv in. If anyone has anything else on Naltrexone pls share!
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Old 02-25-2015, 01:36 PM
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I took it a few months ago, didn't seem to make any difference to me at all. I didn't get side effects though so no harm in trying?
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Old 10-15-2016, 02:51 PM
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Originally Posted by NightNDay View Post
I tried it. Did not help with cravings. However, I then went on to do my own "field testing" by drinking on it. There's a thing called The Sinclair Method where you take Naltrexone, wait an hour, have a drink and then supposedly the desire eventually goes away and you will moderate.

"The miracle has arrived!" I thought to myself.

So I tried it. At first, I was shocked because it actually seemed to be working a little bit. In the end, it did not work. I can't stress this enough. I got NO pleasure out of drinking -- not even the least little bit. In fact, I often felt nauseous and sick while drinking on Naltrexone.

Before long I was finding all kinds of excuses to return to my old patterns. I would go to work, for example, and forget to bring my Naltrexone with me. Then work would finish and I would immediately want a drink -- and who doesn't deserve a drink after a hard day's work? So I would either a.) take the Naltrexone and start drinking before an hour was up or b.) not take the Naltrexone at all. Cue blackout, hangover, the whole nightmare.

Then I decided the problem was that I needed to make sure I always had the Naltrexone on me. So I did that for a while. Didn't work either. The obsession would not go away, and the Naltrexone was, on some level, making it worse.

I was thinking about drinking all day long, thinking about when I could take my Naltrexone, how long I had to wait, etc. It sounds really stupid, but that one hour wait after taking Naltrexone came to feel like a lifetime. So I was constantly taking the Naltrexone "just in case" I might want to take a drink. I wanted to make sure I had it in my system in plenty of time. However, the flip side of this was that if you take Naltrexone and then wait too long (say, four or five hours) then you've actually killed the effects. At that point, the dose will not work as well it would have if you'd started drinking immediately at that one hour mark.

Basically, it became this logistical nightmare of obsessing over when to take the pills, when to drink, and so on. Add in the fact that the Naltrexone made me not enjoy alcohol, and before long I was doing the same BS I've always done: making excuses to get around the truth. "Do I really need to take the Naltrexone today? Maybe I can just skip it this one time and drink and have fun. I'll take it next time I drink, for sure."

I would personally advise against this. I would strongly advise against it, to be honest.

I don't know if anyone reading this thread is thinking about Naltrexone for The Sinclair Method (a.k.a. in an attempt to moderate your drinking with Naltrexone) or if you are looking at it to stop drinking altogether.

But if it's the former, then just DON'T.

Let me put it this way: Let's say there was a pill you could take that would make sex not enjoyable. Like, not enjoyable at all. Sure, you might be able to force yourself to take that pill for a little while, but at some point you'd start getting mad and resentful that this pill was robbing you of the physical pleasure you KNOW exists -- the physical pleasure that your mind & body clearly knows should be there, but isn't experiencing because you've blocked it with a pill.

And you'd want that pleasure back.
Would compliance be so problematic if you had the monthly extended release injection (VIvitrol) as opposed to the choice of a pill 1 hour before you drank?
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Old 10-15-2016, 09:09 PM
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I was wondering about the Sinclair method. I was watching a Ted talk on it. Some actress that claims it was the answer. I thought about asking here but knew the answers I'd get so opted out. I did a little googling then thought "why am I looking at this?". I'm 60 days, have a growing program......don't even go there.

But I was still intellectually curious. Thanks for your post.
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Old 10-15-2016, 09:20 PM
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I tried the Sinclair method awhile ago. At first the naltrexone helped but it didn't last long. I really wasn't ready to quit I guess. I would drink even if I didn't have cravings...it was so stupid. I didn't find drinking to be unpleasurable, though. I just didn't crave alcohol as much. I've heard the shot is much more effective. Can't hurt to try it for a month if your insurance covers it. It's expensive.
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Old 10-15-2016, 09:38 PM
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Guys the Sinclair Method is off topic here at SR.

It's not exclusively an abstinence based method - and in the past that's caused a fair amount of ill feeling here.

Abstinence based approaches using naltrexone are on topic.

Thanks for your co-operation.

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Old 10-15-2016, 10:38 PM
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Your drug molecule is called revia in france.
I was on it. Done nothing for me.
But I think I just wasnt ready to stop.

Be careful taking meds and drink cause sooner or later fuses start blowing in your brain....
You should go back to see your Dr.
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Old 10-15-2016, 10:39 PM
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BTW 4 months is brilliant
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Old 10-15-2016, 10:47 PM
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I took Naltrexone and in the beginning it helped with cravings quite a bit. When I eventually did drink again, for me it didn't dull the effects of the alcohol.
Eventually it stopped helping with cravings and I stopped taking it.
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Old 10-16-2016, 02:58 AM
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Originally Posted by Dee74 View Post
Guys the Sinclair Method is off topic here at SR.

It's not exclusively an abstinence based method - and in the past that's caused a fair amount of ill feeling here.

Abstinence based approaches using naltrexone are on topic.

Thanks for your co-operation.

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Just out of curiosity, why would the Sinclair method not be allowed to be discussed? From what I understand it's basically a tapering program to slow down the run away alcohol train to abstinence.
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Old 10-16-2016, 03:20 AM
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I gave the reasons in the post you quoted:.

TSM promotes moderation rather than abstinence. As such that's against our rules.

Originally Posted by rule2
It is inappropriate to promote the use of alcohol or drugs on our addiction recovery forums.
Secondly, the TSM method has bred ill feeling on these forums in the past.

There are plenty of other sites where you can discuss TSM.

Abstinence based programmes using naltrexone are on topic here.

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Old 10-16-2016, 06:22 AM
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Its hard to find alot of information on most of the MAT's available other then methadone thats been around for a long time.

Naltrexone ( Vivitrol) I believe is mostly prescribed to minimize/eliminate cravings for alcohol. It seems to be having mixed reviews from users. I believe it will be quite a while before we will see clinical research and studies that either promote or negate the effectiveness of it since its relatively new ya know.
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Old 10-16-2016, 06:38 AM
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I took Naltrexone about 10 years ago for 6 months to try to control my drinking. It keep me from getting drunk/feeling the effects of alcohol. I wanted Antabuse, but the addiction specialist doctor would not prescribe it. As an condition of the naltrexone, I had to have drug councilling with an addiction councillor. She gave me the Big Book. I am a scientist, so I was disappointed there was no new, improved scientific method, just AA.

I continued to drink, I still had this stupid repetitive desire to drink bottle after bottle of beer. Even though I did not get drunk. Still got the hangovers. Still drank. The naltrexone really bothered my stomach the first weekend, then no side affects. I wore a neckace for EMS, as Naltrexone is an opiod antagonist. If I was in an accident, I wanted people to know I was on it.

I had better luck with Wellbutrin long-term, but really the answer was always sobriety. All of these other things were me trying to manage my drinking. To continue to drink. That was a Fail. Total abstenance is for me the answer.

That concilllor was correct to give me the Big Book, but I was not ready for that answer then.
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Old 11-29-2016, 10:58 PM
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I've just found this thread. I am on50mg daily Naltrexone currently. For me it helps with my cravings somewhat and I have only ever had success in quitting alcohol whilst taking it. The doctor prescribed it for me after years of failed attempts at sobriety.
I had a 4 month supply in January and relapsed at 5.5 months (I hadn't put any plans in place for when my meds had finsihed so this was my mistake)... And now I have been told I can have up to two more months worth. It's expensive in Australia $130 for a month, but still MUCH cheaper than drinking.
I know nothing about the Sinclair method and realise it's not an allowed topic on here, but the one time i did have ONE drink while taking the meds it tasted disgusting. Not even worth it.
I think anything that can help us achieve sobriety is a good thing, but we need to put in the hard work our selves. There is no magic formula unfortunately.. x
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Old 11-30-2016, 01:44 AM
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While temporary relief for specific issues may be found through medication, no permanent solution to alcoholism has yet been found that comes in a bottle.
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Old 11-30-2016, 02:31 PM
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Last week at the docs I was asking about Campral,she said that since I only feel like drinking sometimes that Naltrexone would be better, taken an hour before drinking, things I'm concerned about are side effects, trying to drink past the "no euphoric feeling" and drinking even more, also it feels like an excuse to drink, I haven't taken it,I have the pills but I just dunno, googling this med though I found a lot of benefits for low dose naltrexone,I'm talking 1 mg to 4 mg,supposed to help with fibromyalgia pain,boosting the immune system and other things, kinda interesting to read about
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