Naltrexone side effects

[Miffy_cat]

Hi all, I'm on my 3rd day of Naltrexone and am a bit concerned about the symptoms it's creating. I've read heaps of articles about Naltrexone but don't get the answers I'm looking for. Although the nausea & dizziness are considered normal, I want to know how many days of these symptoms is "normal" & is it likely to ease in the next few days or should I go to the doctor ($40 I can't afford). I took the day off work cause I don't feel safe to drive with these side effects. Has anyone else had this experience?

[Blue Sky]

Naltrexone side effects

:welcome:

Hi Miffy
Have you looked at the medication forum? You might find some answers there?

Also try doing a search on the word 'Nal'.

[bloggy]

Naltrexone side effects

Miffy_cat;711982 wrote: Hi all, I'm on my 3rd day of Naltrexone and am a bit concerned about the symptoms it's creating. I've read heaps of articles about Naltrexone but don't get the answers I'm looking for. Although the nausea & dizziness are considered normal, I want to know how many days of these symptoms is "normal" & is it likely to ease in the next few days or should I go to the doctor ($40 I can't afford). I took the day off work cause I don't feel safe to drive with these side effects. Has anyone else had this experience?

Hi Miffy

Yes most people experience those side effects.

In my case they were quite severe and lasted around 14 days- I think most people find they go around the one week mark, so don't give up!

You don't say what dose you are taking, but I found it helpful to reduce the dose and titrate up slowly until the side effects have gone.

[aust_boy]

Naltrexone side effects

Hey Miffy_cat - A little background on myself - 29/male/28 days AF/ Hit rock bottom on the 13th of August and went to rehab for two weeks - psych at rehab prescribed naltrexone.

The first time I ever took a naltrexone tab it was half (25mg). This was while I was in rehab. I told the psych before I started taking this tablet that I wasn't getting cravings which was true. There is absolutely no point in lying when you have hit rock bottom and are in rehab.

I didn't really like this psych - from the get go. His bedside manner was appalling but he was pretty thorough. I didn't really like the "his way or the highway" attitude he had. The other three psychs there were awesome. I landed the golden egg I guess :/

Anyway I take the tablet - about 20 minutes later I get a stoned feeling. Not like marijuana if you have ever had that but I could definitely feel a little stoned - affected - heavy in a different way from MJ. I continued on the 25mg for 3 days I think then went up to 50mg. I stayed on that for about another 3 days but the dreams were depriving me of any decent sleep. They were all bad dreams, not quite nightmares but very very unpleasant dreams, I guess actually bordering on nightmares. So I stuck out the 50mg while I was there at rehab (not much of a choice) and as soon as I came home tapered down to 25mg then got off the stuff all together. I guess the whole experience was a week and a halfish.

At the rehab place it was essential that I be focused (I had paid $5600 out of my own pocket to be there) full price $17000. Best one in the country apparently (Australia). This is for 2 weeks. Then again I had made up my mind not to drink and didn't really care what it cost. I have a credit card - I'll pay it back. If I allow myself to drift to my mindset of old I am thinking that is 2 weeks in a luxury suit at a hotel of my choice with all the alcohol I can drink. That's what I used to do a lot. Book myself into a hotel and go hell for leather by myself. My mindset has completely shifted though - as I keep saying the most important thing is your mindset. If you are completely focused on being a happy non drinker you will be. Until you make up your mind that you want to do that for yourself you wont be.
IMHO.

Back to the naltrexone. I took a tab last night. 50mg straight off the bat. Yesterday was the first day I had returned to work after rehab etc. I met with the state manager and explained rehab etc. He brought up some stuff of old that he really had no right to bring up because it had been well talked out a long time ago and to be honest I just felt like a piece of shit. I didn't feel like I had his support - its weird, some people applaud you for going to rehab, others see it as an opportunity to rip on you and make themselves feel better. It's upsetting but it shows their true identity doesn't it.

There was no way I was going back to alcohol, I can honestly say it didn't cross my mind. The only thought I have had about alcohol in the 28 days AF was one time when I was pouring lemonade I imagined pouring a nice cold cider instead. There was no way it was going to happen. I know where alcohol in any amount will lead for me and that is what changed my mindset. I had the thought and dismissed it. No biggie. It's just a thought - not an action.

So getting back to last night I had terrible dreams. I get this re-occuring dream. I am haunted by this girlfriend I started dating 9 years ago nearly to the day. We had a particularly bad break up - at that time I was not abusing alcohol but she was abusing drugs - badly. I wasn't. Long story short it concerns me that the dream is re-occurring and when I sleep with naltrexone it all seems so real. Not only that but it seems to bring up any insecurity I have and I dream about those all night too. (fantastic huh?) I don't get shakes or any of the physical side effects it's all about the dreams. I can't handle them if I am to get any reasonable sleep at all.

I feel soooo flat this morning, thank God I don't have to work. I really don't know if I have been a help to you or not but I figure any contribution is better than no contribution as long as it is true. I should also mention I am on 6mg Xanax daily and 100mg Luvox daily. This may or may not having an effect on the naltrexone. The psych didn't seem to think so.

I guess it's really a matter of just try it - I would gladly swap the horrendous dreams for physical side effects. The underlying factor of all this is I don't even know if I need the drug. To be honest I probably don't. My mind set is as solid as a 2 foot cast iron wall to neer drink again and I am slowly achieving that goal. If you told me I'd ever be 28 days AF I would have laughed. (once upon a time)

I know it was not wise just to take 50mg off the bat when I had been off it for about a weeke. I know i took it because of the encounter with my boss, scratch that. The person who is ranked above me and is employed by the same agency. I don't like the word boss. I think I am probably going to taper of with 25mg for the next week or so and leave it in the bottle. In australia at chemists the full price is $149.01 for 50 tabs. I can't believe that. I pay $5.80 though due to my pension card thank god. (Anxiety / Panick attack disorder) hence luvox hence xanax.

If you are getting cravings it is probably a good idea but honestly I really don't know too much about the drug. I have reaserached it on the internet and there is evidence that it can be helpful. It blocks so many other things though. I am an exersize junkie and the endorphin rush I used to get out of exersizing I don't get anymore when I am on it and yes I know why. That in itself is enough for me to stop. I just don't think it is the right drug for *me* it could quite possibly help you, there is plenty of literature on the net but I would stronly advise going to reliable sources like medical journals and information on placebo trials etc. Not a two liner in some forum from 'jack' saying that it sucked. In one trial there was no difference between the people taking the placebo and the people taking naltrexone. For alcohol useage anyway. Hence my thinking that my dreams could possibly be a side effect of taking naltrexone in combination with xanax and luvox.

Anyone else suffer these horrendous (to say the least) dreams?

I hope I have been of some help.

Keep on keeping on and beat this nasty, soul stealing affliction. Stick around here - I am new and it is the best forum I have stubled accross. That's what I did - literally stumble across it after trolling hundreds of them. Good luck and if you don't mind keep me posted! (if you don't mind)

Cheers.

[carlin7386]

Naltrexone side effects

excellent in formation thanx for posting
drug rehab