Naltrexone is a medicine used to treat alcoholism (addiction to alcohol). It reduces your desire for alcohol. It comes under the brand names ReVia or Vivitrol. After you quit drinking, naltrexone may help you stay sober for a long time. This medicine is not a complete cure for alcoholism. But it can help you stop drinking while you get any other treatments that your doctor recommends.
Alcoholism is a chronic disease. That means that it lasts for a long time, or it causes problems again and again. The main treatment for alcoholism is to stop drinking alcohol. This can be difficult. Most people who are alcoholics still feel a strong desire for alcohol even after they stop drinking. Naltrexone can help.
Path to improved health
How does naltrexone work?
When you use alcohol and narcotics, parts of your brain make you feel pleasure and intoxication. Naltrexone blocks these parts of the brain. When these areas are blocked, you feel less need to drink alcohol. You don’t feel the “high” pleasure sensation that makes you want to drink. This helps you stop drinking more easily. Disulfiram (brand name Antabuse) is another medicine that is sometimes used to treat alcoholism. Disulfiram works by making you feel sick if you drink alcohol. Naltrexone does not make you feel sick if you drink alcohol while taking it.
How long will I take naltrexone?
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. Be sure to take naltrexone as your doctor prescribes it. Don’t take extra pills, don’t skip pills, and don’t stop taking the pills until you talk to your doctor.
For those who don’t want to take a pill every day, naltrexone is also available in a shot. You get the shot once a month. It has the same effect as the pill form.
Will I need other treatments for alcoholism?
Like many other diseases, alcoholism affects you physically and mentally. Both your body and your mind have to be treated. In addition to medicine, your doctor may recommend psychosocial treatments. These treatments can help you change your behavior and cope with your problems without using alcohol. Examples of psychosocial treatments include:
- Alcoholics Anonymous or other support group meetings
- Counseling
- Family therapy
- Group therapy
- Addiction treatment program
- Hospital treatment
There may be special centers in your area that offer this kind of treatment. Your doctor can refer you to the psychosocial treatment that is right for you.
Things to consider
Like any medicine, naltrexone can cause side effects. Nausea is the most common one. Other side effects include:
- Headache
- Diarrhea
- Constipation
- Dizziness
- Nervousness
- Insomnia
- Drowsiness
- Anxiety
If you get any of these side effects, tell your doctor. They may change your treatment or suggest ways you can deal with the side effects.
Call your doctor immediately if you experience any of the following symptoms:
- Blurry vision
- Confusion
- Hallucinations (hearing or seeing things that aren’t there)
- Severe vomiting or diarrhea
- Vomiting up blood
- Excessive fatigue
- Bleeding or bruising
- Loss of appetite
- Pain in the upper right part of your stomach that lasts more than a few days
- Light-colored bowel movements
- Dark urine
- Yellowing of the skin or eyes
Talk to your doctor if you have a history of depression. Naltrexone may cause liver damage when taken in large doses. Tell your doctor if you have had hepatitis or liver disease.
What should I know before starting treatment with naltrexone?
Naltrexone blocks the brain areas where narcotics and alcohol work. So, you should be careful not to take any narcotics while you are taking naltrexone. These include codeine, morphine, or heroin. Do not take any cough medicine with codeine in it while you are taking naltrexone. Naltrexone can cause or worsen withdrawal symptoms in people who take narcotics. You must stop taking all narcotics 7 to 10 days before you start taking naltrexone.
You shouldn’t take naltrexone if you’re pregnant. Talk about birth control options with your doctor. It’s not known if naltrexone goes into breast milk. Do not breastfeed while you’re taking it.
Questions to ask your doctor
- I want to stop drinking. Is naltrexone a good option for me?
- What side effects can I expect?
- Can I still drink alcohol when I’m taking it?
- Will I still get drunk if I drink alcohol while I’m taking it?
- What happens if I take street drugs while I’m taking it?
Resources
National Institutes of Health, MedlinePlus: Naltrexone
Copyright © American Academy of Family Physicians
This information provides a general overview and may not apply to everyone. Talk to your family doctor to find out if this information applies to you and to get more information on this subject.
FAQs
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.
What is the main goal of the medication naltrexone is to reduce drinking by? ›
How does naltrexone reduce alcohol consumption? When folks drink, they often feel “buzzed,” or a sense of pleasure. Naltrexone blocks that feeling and makes drinking less fun. For some people, this can help manage the volume of drinks they consume.
Is naltrexone a controversial therapy for alcohol dependence? ›
Naltrexone HCL (ReVia) may be an effective adjunct in the treatment of alcohol dependence in motivated individuals. 2. Naltrexone therapy is controversial because its use conflicts with the view of abstinence held by Alcoholics Anonymous and most medical treatment programs.
Can my dr prescribe naltrexone? ›
It can be prescribed by any healthcare provider who is licensed to prescribe medications, special training is not required. It is important that medical managed withdrawal (detoxification) from opioids be completed at least 7 to 10 days before extended-release injectable naltrexone is initiated or resumed.
What is bad about naltrexone? ›
This medicine may cause serious problems with your liver. Call your doctor right away if you start having dark urine, pain in the upper stomach, or yellowing of the eyes or skin while you are using this medicine. This medicine may increase thoughts of suicide.
Is naltrexone worse for your liver than alcohol? ›
In my clinical practice, varying degrees of chronic liver disease are commonly encountered when treating an alcohol-dependent population. Continued heavy drinking is much more likely to pose a greater risk to liver function than naltrexone.
What is better than naltrexone? ›
For example, some research shows that naltrexone is better at treating AUD. But other studies have shown that acamprosate is better at helping people stop drinking. Since the research is mixed, your personal preferences and medical history should be considered when deciding which medication to take.
Does naltrexone block happiness? ›
While naltrexone does impact the brain's reward system, its effects on emotions and overall happiness can vary among individuals. Naltrexone is not known to directly cause a persistent decrease in mood or prevent feelings of happiness.
How long do patients stay on naltrexone? ›
You and your provider will decide on your treatment plan. Most take naltrexone for at least 6 months and often longer.
What Cannot be taken with naltrexone? ›
Some products that may interact with this drug include: dextromethorphan, diarrhea medication (such as diphenoxylate), disulfiram, opioid pain or cough relievers (such as codeine, hydrocodone), thioridazine. This medication may interfere with certain lab tests (such as drug tests), possibly causing false test results.
If a person with an opioid use disorder takes naltrexone too soon, before 5-7 days has passed, that person will experience precipitated withdrawal. Precipitated withdrawal happens because of how strongly naltrexone attaches to opioid receptors in the brain.
Does insurance pay for naltrexone? ›
With Insurance
The naltrexone cost will typically be lower if you have insurance, because many insurance providers cover a large portion of the cost of naltrexone. In fact, the makers of Vivitrol report that 99% of insurance plans offer coverage for Vivitrol.
What is the relapse rate for naltrexone? ›
A relapse event was detected in 66 participants assigned to extended-release naltrexone (43%) as compared with 99 assigned to usual treatment (64%) (P<0.001; odds ratio, 0.43; 95% CI, 0.28 to 0.65); this finding is consistent with the higher rate of opioid-negative urine samples, the lower percentage of days with self- ...
Does naltrexone work on everyone? ›
Although naltrexone may help treat problem drinking or dependence on opioids, it isn't a cure and it doesn't work for everyone. It may work best for people who really want to quit drinking or using drugs and use it along with other forms of therapy like counselling or self-help groups.
How much weight did you lose on naltrexone? ›
One analysis of various studies evaluating the use of naltrexone and bupropion for weight management showed positive results. Overweight or obese patients who took Contrave (naltrexone and bupropion) over 52 to 56 weeks lost over 5% to 10% of their baseline body weight or more.
Is naltrexone well tolerated? ›
Low dose naltrexone is usually well tolerated with few side effects. Some people need a more gradual increase in their dosage to help them tolerate the drug.
