In an open label safety study with approximately 570 individuals with alcoholism receiving naltrexone hydrochloride, the following new-onset adverse reactions occurred in 2% or more of the patients: nausea (10%), headache (7%), dizziness (4%), nervousness (4%), fatigue (4%), insomnia (3%), vomiting (3%), anxiety (2%) …
How does naltrexone make you feel?
How does naltrexone work? Naltrexone blocks the parts of your brain that “feel” pleasure from alcohol and narcotics. When these areas of the brain are blocked, you feel less need to drink alcohol, and you can stop drinking more easily.
Do naltrexone side effects go away?
Naltrexone has few side effects, and these usually go away after the medication is taken for a few days.
Does naltrexone make you depressed?
Depression and dysphoria have been cited as adverse effects of naltrexone.
What are the effects of naltrexone?
Side Effects. Nausea, headache, dizziness, anxiety, tiredness, and trouble sleeping may occur. In a small number of people, mild opiate withdrawal symptoms may occur, including abdominal cramps, restlessness, bone/joint pain, muscle aches, and runny nose.
Does naltrexone make you gain weight?
Key Points. Weight gain is not a common side effect with oral naltrexone treatment. Naltrexone is approved to help promote weight loss when used in combination with bupropion (brand name: Contrave).
Is drinking still fun on naltrexone?
Most people who take naltrexone still experience a sense of intoxication when they drink—they just don’t experience the same “reward” from that intoxication. In other words, you can still get drunk on naltrexone, and experience impaired coordination or judgement—you just might not enjoy it as much.
Is naltrexone hard on the liver?
Naltrexone may cause liver damage when taken in large doses. It is not likely that naltrexone will cause liver damage when taken in recommended doses. Tell your doctor if you have or have ever had hepatitis or liver disease.
Does naltrexone make you feel weird?
This medicine may cause some people to become dizzy, drowsy, or less alert than they are normally. If any of these side effects occur, do not drive, use machines, or do anything else that could be dangerous if you are dizzy or are not alert while you are taking naltrexone.
Is naltrexone safe for long term use?
To date, there are no known problems associated with long term use of naltrexone. It is a safe and effective medication when used as directed.
Does naltrexone work right away?
Oral naltrexone is well-absorbed and will begin working within one hour after administration. After intramuscular injection, naltrexone reaches an initial peak at roughly 2 hours, followed by a second peak observed 2 to 3 days later.
Does naltrexone help with anxiety?
Eleven patients (50%) had an average of a 41% improvement in FIQR. “The patients reported decreases in anxiety, pain, and sleeping habits from baseline,” Dr. Metyas noted. Naltrexone is an opioid receptor antagonist used to treat alcohol and opioid dependence.
Does naltrexone cause weight loss?
Weight loss does not occur quickly with Naltrexone, but those who stick to the regimen may enjoy long-term benefits. However, if a patient does not experience weight loss within the first few months, LDN is unlikely to work for them at all.
What is the success rate of naltrexone?
Results: Fifty-four per cent of subjects completed the entire 12 weeks of treatment. During the study, 39% of patients abstained, while of the individuals reporting drinking at baseline, 86% were consuming less alcohol by their final visit.
Is naltrexone safe to take?
Naltrexone is considered a comparatively safe medication and treatment may be indefinite. Because Naltrexone may interact with certain opioids, patients should refrain from use of illegal opioids and make sure their physician is aware of any medications they are taking.
Does naltrexone help with sleep?
In patients with chronic sleep apnea, naltrexone induced significant decreases in total sleep time, slow-wave sleep, and rapid eye movement (REM) sleep while significantly increasing total wake time and the number of awakenings per hour compared to placebo.