This medicine also modifies how the hypothalamus, pituitary gland, and adrenal gland (hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis, HPA axis) interact to suppress the amount of alcohol consumed. Take our short alcohol quiz to learn where you fall on the drinking spectrum and if you might benefit from quitting or cutting back on alcohol. Without the “reward” that alcohol brings, some people lose their motivation to drink. Therefore it is important to speak to your physician to weigh the pros and cons of the medication for you.
What happens if you drink alcohol while taking naltrexone?
Acamprosate and naltrexone are two different medications that are used tom arnold fat in the treatment of alcohol use disorder. They work in different ways to help people who are dependent on alcohol to abstain from drinking it. Naltrexone is also used for the treatment of opioid use disorder. Drug interactions may change how your medications work or increase your risk for serious side effects. This document does not contain all possible drug interactions. Keep a list of all the products you use (including prescription/nonprescription drugs and herbal products) and share it with your doctor and pharmacist.
Most people who take naltrexone don’t experience significant side effects. A person’s mood, digestion, cognition, and eco sober house interest in other daily activities are usually unchanged. Some people experience nausea, headaches, or fatigue as they adjust to the medication, but this generally clears up after a week or so. Tell your doctor of any recent use of opioids or any history of opioid dependence before starting naltrexone.
- Naltrexone and other medications to treat AUD are greatly underutilized.
- Before taking naltrexone, tell your doctor or pharmacist if you are allergic to it; or if you have any other allergies.
- You should not be actively drinking at the time you start naltrexone treatment for alcohol use disorder.
- Keep a list of all the products you use (including prescription/nonprescription drugs and herbal products) and share it with your doctor and pharmacist.
Can You Overdose on Naltrexone?
Naltrexone binds and blocks opioid receptors and reduces and suppresses opioid cravings. There is no abuse and diversion potential with naltrexone. Naltrexone is a medication that helps you to remain free of your dependence on opiate drugs or alcohol. It works by blocking the euphoric feeling that these substances can give you. You should participate in counseling and support groups while taking this medication. Josh Lee is a clinician and researcher with a focus on medication-assisted treatment of alcohol and opioid use gallbladder and alcohol disorders.
Patients on naltrexone, who discontinue use or relapse after a period of abstinence, may have a reduced tolerance to opioids. Therefore, taking the same, or even lower doses of opioids used in the past can cause life-threatening consequences. Never share this medicine with anyone else, especially someone who is using opioids.
Your doctor can determine the correct dosage and how long you should take naltrexone. Typically, patients see the best results when they take the medication as needed for a few months or longer. Selected from data included with permission and copyrighted by First Databank, Inc. This copyrighted material has been downloaded from a licensed data provider and is not for distribution, except as may be authorized by the applicable terms of use.
Do not treat yourself for coughs, colds, pain, or diarrhea. Some of the ingredients may interact with this medicine and cause 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.
Also, you may be more sensitive to lower doses of narcotics after you stop taking this medicine. For alcohol use disorder, naltrexone helps people lessen their drinking behaviors and avoid relapses, and over time, cravings for alcohol will decrease. For opioid use disorder, naltrexone prevents euphoria and reduces physiological dependence on opioids such as heroin, morphine, and codeine to help people avoid relapses and remain opioid-free. Using opioid medicine while you are receiving this medicine could stimulate opioid withdrawal symptoms. Naltrexone is a prescription medication used to treat alcohol use disorder (AUD) and opioid use disorder (OUD) to reduce cravings and help control physiological dependence.
Other research has found naltrexone leads to fewer thoughts about alcohol, less interest in daily drinking and heavy drinking, and reduced appeal of alcohol. While there are other approaches to reducing alcohol cravings, naltrexone is one of the most effective. This medicine may cause some people to be agitated, irritable, or display other abnormal behaviors. It may also cause some people to have suicidal thoughts and tendencies or to become more depressed. Make sure your healthcare provider knows if you have trouble sleeping, get upset easily, have a big increase in energy, or start to act reckless.
Is naltrexone an opioid?
In addition to talking to a doctor, there are a number of alternatives to 12-step programs for alcohol addiction recovery. Talk to your physician for guidance, or for more information on the safe disposal of unused medications, visit FDA’s disposal of unused medicines or DEA’s drug disposal webpages. While the oral formulation will also block opioid receptors, only the long-acting injectable formulation is FDA approved as a medication for OUD. Naltrexone will not prevent you from becoming impaired when you drink alcohol. Do not take naltrexone in order to drive or perform other activities while under the influence of alcohol. It is very important that your healthcare provider check your progress at regular visits.
Many people using this medication do not have serious side effects. Whether your goal is to remain abstinent from alcohol or just manage your relationship with alcohol, it’s important to follow your doctor’s guidance for taking naltrexone. Naltrexone is an effective option both for people who want to stop drinking entirely and those who just want to drink less. Naltrexone does not react adversely with alcohol, so it is safe to drink alcohol in moderation while taking naltrexone. Several studies have found that naltrexone is effective as an anti-craving medication for alcohol.
What Is Alcohol Use Disorder (AUD)?
Visit your doctor or health care professional regularly. For this medicine to be most effective you should attend any counseling or support groups that your doctor or health care professional recommends. Do not try to overcome the effects of the medicine by taking large amounts of narcotics or by drinking large amounts of alcohol.
How you will receive a naltrexone injection
If any of these effects last or get worse, tell your doctor or pharmacist promptly. A urine test should be done to check for recent opiate drug use. Your doctor may give you another medication (naloxone challenge test) to check for opiate use. Do not use any opiates for at least 7 days before starting naltrexone. You may need to stop certain opiate drugs (such as methadone) 10 to 14 days before starting naltrexone.
They should call a doctor right away if you become depressed or experience symptoms of depression. If you are going to have surgery, tell your doctor or health care professional that you are taking this medicine. That said, some people may find taking 25 mg of naltrexone lowers the risk of side effects and still helps control or eliminate drinking.
You should stop drinking alcohol or using opioids before starting this medicine. To avoid precipitated opioid withdrawal, it is recommended you should have an opioid-free interval of a minimum of 7 to 10 days if previously dependent on short-acting opioids. Patients transitioning from buprenorphine or methadone may be vulnerable to precipitation of withdrawal symptoms for as long as two weeks. Naltrexone is a pure opiate antagonist and blocks opiate receptors in the body. It is approved to treat patients with opioid use disorder (OUD) or alcohol use disorder, along with a medically-supervised behavior modification program.