Naltrexone....anyone use this?
 

I was prescribed this drug, but to date cannot use it, I have a doc apt to discuss Wednesday.

But would be interested to hear of anyone using it?

I took in morning, as told to, n it was horrific, supposed to reduce cravings... made me ill, id rather have cravings!

But I got 50mg is that to much? is it just first time? but I assure you id struggle to swallow another knowing whats ahead..

Am I poss allergic to this drug?

Interested to hear from others using it or its other namesakes

I hope your Dr can help you with your questions :)

D

Those are all good questions for your dr.

Yep for sure. Didn't work for me because of the side effects, but it has worked successfully for others- so just like any other medication review with your doctor!

Hi. I was prescribed this but it turned out to be way too expensive for me. My pharmacist also said it causes withdrawal when you quit- personally I declined because of the cost and the fact that I am already tapering from benzoes so didn't want to eventually deal with 2 types withdrawals! The pharmacist did mention that it is effective though.

I've been using this for several months and it has worked well for me as an additional treatment for specific reasons. Side effects the first few days but better after that. I agree that it's best to check with your Dr.

I have been on Naltrexone and I think it is a huge help. It was covered by insurance, so the cost was not substantial for me, but that surely varies based on your coverage. It helps with the cravings, but also makes it impossible to get drunk once you take it.

50 mg a day for me

It was incredibly effective for me. Some fairly minor side effects - a very slight nausea - but hardly noticeable. It knocked out the crazing for me, and made finishing even a single drink very difficult.

The only catch? You have to actually take it for it to work. And for many alcoholics/addicts (myself included) they quickly realize that one can skip the pill and get drunk. Again. Uggghh

I used it also antibuse .it seemed to help stopped because of a rash on my face.Havent used it for a month,my doc said like everything you put in your body there will be side effects....The first time I took it I was drunk wouldn't do that again horrible outcome...check with your md

Definitely talk to your doctor about the issues you are experiencing. I had two friends that experienced very bad side effects but I never did. It did reduce my cravings but I soon realized when I did drink I didn't have the drive to drink as much. So my mind twisted it into I could take it and drink socially and like other people. Eventually I'd quit using it and be too messed up to make the appointment to get more and use it correctly -.- I wasn't committed to sobriety then really looking for something to make me able to drink normal. Used with abstinence I've heard it be successful.

I just wanted to add this: I did SR, AA, intensive outpatient program, and psychotherapy. They all helped to varying degrees. I guess I'm a "hard case"! After IOP I stayed completely sober for almost 9 months. I relapsed when my PTSD kicked in badly. My doc at that time suggested naltrexone. It helped though I had to experiment with different brands to maximize the effect. With my doc's ok, I took it for a week and then switched to taking it on a PRN basis - meaning one hour before I had a glass of wine. Unorthodox and I definitely don't recommend doing this without your doc's ok and monitoring. What that did for me (once I switched to an uncoated version in blister packs) was to block the action on the opioid receptors. This was only a very short term solution for me. As mentioned above, a determined alcoholic can simply stop taking it!

So I went for several weeks with one glass of wine per week. Sounds good? Well, yes and no. It still took some effort to completely stop. IMHO, it didn't eliminate the need for any of the other things I have done. As a matter of fact, I don't think it would have worked alone to get me where I am today. What it did do was to make me realize deep down that the buzz we think get from alcohol is an illusion.

I needed the peace of mind of knowing that when my PTSD kicks in that I have an relatively easy way to boost my ability to stay sober. For me this was definitely not a way to aim to drink moderately or to use to stay sober without the work. All of the work I have done was still necessary for me. I think of the naltrexone as a bit of a boost for uncommon situations.

Also as noted above, IMHO every drug has unintended side effects. Naltrexone has its share. It is critical to either have a medic-alert bracelet or pendant or at the very least a wallet card stating that you are taking naltrexone.

Please see your doctor if you are considering this, be aware of all of the issues and use all of the non-drug resources available. IMHO it takes changing attitudes and behaviors to stay sober and have a better life.

I was on it for a month and I really didn't care for it. I had low-grade nausea for a long time, and it made me feel a bit fuzzy in the head.
It is also metabolized in the liver and my enzymes are already a bit too high, so that's ultimately why I quit using it.
As for eliminating cravings, I guess it sort of did, but I still craved.
My doc then put me on campral and gabapentin and these are working much better for me. I still have the occasional craving, but nothing like I had before.
Good luck!

I started taking Naltrexone last Wednesday. For me, it doesn't really stop the cravings, but when I drink I don't feel any certain satisfaction from it. I guess that's kind of the point of the drug; to cut off the receptors in the brain that associate drinking as a pleasurable experience.

I wouldn't say that the side effects I experienced were horrible... It seems to be effecting my sleep a bit, and I wake up much earlier each day and can't seem to go back to bed. So I'm a bit tired every day, but I think I'm starting to get use to it. I wouldn't want to feel this way every day for months, I can say that for sure, but it does seem to be working; the first night, I drank half as much as I typically would have, then the second night I drank a little less than half as much, the following days have been at about half. One thing I noticed last night when I drank was that I really seemed to be losing the desire for it, after I started to feel the alcohol in my system I remember thinking to myself "this doesn't feel that good, I want to have a clear mind again". That's something I definitely wouldn't have thought in the past while drinking.

Anyway, definitely good for you to talk with your Dr. about it. Hopefully all these side effects are temporary because I'd really like this to work for me, for anyone/everyone that needs help.

Please keep us updated on what happens with you, and what your Dr says. Though this drug is not new, it's the first time that so many people have been taking it for alcohol dependency, and though a lot of people are saying they're having success with it, I think the jury is still out.

After many relapses I finally decided to give this a try.

I was using it aside with Wellbutrin as well as Ambien after I withdrew.. I maintained abstinence for a few weeks and was so happy and productive.... So i thought "oh hey let's try drinking and see what happens." Drinking progressed and eventually I ended up on a binge. It didn't seem to deter my craving for another as many claim. Maybe because I was taking it in the morning?

I would like to continue taking it though as I've heard it helps with cravings. With this last binge I have truly lost it all, so perhaps with a higher dosage and of course taking other measures to stay sober, it will work.

Welcome to SR slowracer :)

D