How it works:
Naltrexone (Vivitrol), acamprosate, and disulfiram are FDA approved to treat alcohol use disorder (AUD). Topiramate (Topamax) and gabapentin (Neurontin) are other medications that have been shown to help reduce drinking, but they're not FDA approved for this use.
Naltrexone (brand name: ReVia) is a medicine that reduces your desire for alcohol when you try to stop drinking. Naltrexone may help you stay sober for a long time. Although your doctor has prescribed naltrexone to help you stop drinking, this medicine is not a complete cure for your alcoholism.
Naltrexone blocks brain receptors that trigger euphoria or calm when you drink. By eliminating or reducing alcohol's buzz, the drug may lead you to fewer drinks.
Naltrexone does not reduce the cravings for alcohol, nor does it reduce the symptoms of alcohol withdrawal. Naltrexone is most effective when taken in concert with other forms of treatment, including other medications, therapy, counseling, and 12-step programs.
Anecdotally, some people say that drinking while on naltrexone don't feel a rush of pleasure or the other pleasurable effects of drinking the way they would without the medication, and this may be true to a certain extent. [2] However, this is not the primary way that Naltrexone works.
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.
This trial showed that in patients who received medical treatment but not behavioral therapy, naltrexone (at a dose of 100 mg daily), given for 16 weeks, was more efficacious than placebo in increasing the percentage of days of abstinence (80.6% vs. 75.1%) and in reducing the risk of a heavy-drinking day (66.2% vs.
Continued heavy drinking is much more likely to pose a greater risk to liver function than naltrexone.
Dose-related effects
Large doses of naltrexone may cause liver damage. Seek medical advice immediately if any of the following symptoms are experienced: excessive tiredness. unusual bruising or bleeding.
Patients must be opioid-free for at least seven to 10 days to avoid sudden withdrawal symptoms. Naltrexone is a relapse prevention measure for patients who have completely detoxed from opioids, and are participating in addiction counseling services and social support programs.
You and your doctor will decide how long you should take naltrexone. Most people take the medicine for 12 weeks or more. Researchers have found that taking it for longer than 3 months is the most effective treatment.
Does naltrexone require a prescription? Yes, naltrexone requires a prescription.
There appear to be no significant dangers associated with taking naltrexone and drinking alcohol.
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).
Heavy drinkers and alcoholics may progress from fatty liver to alcoholic hepatitis to cirrhosis, and it is estimated that 10 percent to 15 percent of alcoholics will develop cirrhosis.
There are several reasons for underutilization of naltrexone, O'Brien and other experts told Psychiatric News: for example, many physicians are unfamiliar with the medication, and alcohol rehabilitation centers are not typically staffed by medical professionals.
This medicine blocks the "high" feeling you get from narcotic (opioid) drugs, including heroin. Since naltrexone may make you more sensitive to lower doses of opioids than you have previously used, you should not use heroin or any other narcotic drugs to overcome what the medicine is doing.
Patients taking naltrexone should not use any other opioids or illicit drugs; drink alcohol; or take sedatives, tranquilizers, or other drugs. Patients should notify their practitioner about all medications they are currently taking as well as any changes in medications while being treated with naltrexone.
Naltrexone, a drug that blocks the good feelings alcohol causes, may prevent heavy drinking and reduce the urge to drink. Acamprosate may help you combat alcohol cravings once you stop drinking. Unlike disulfiram, naltrexone and acamprosate don't make you feel sick after taking a drink.
In alcohol use disorder, naltrexone works indirectly by blocking endorphins. There will be no euphoria.
Naltrexone (Vivitrol) can make you feel dizzy, so avoid activities that require your concentration until you know how your body reacts to it. If you're taking the injection form of naltrexone (Vivitrol), nausea is a common side effect after your first injection. It should go away after a few days.
The rebound effect is why low-dose naltrexone works for depression, PTSD, and anxiety symptoms but higher doses or timed-released doses don't. It's the limited time of the endorphin block that creates the increase in quantity and effectiveness of the body's own endorphins.