Naltrexone Side Effects Anyone Else?

[mfreetofly]

I started Naltrexone last night for the first time. I only took 1/2 pill or 25mg. Felt a little nauseas after taking it with food at dinner, but not too bad. Drank my normal 3 glasses of wine. Developed severe back pain which I guess didn't surprise me because it lists muscle soreness as one of the side effects. Then went to bed around midnight. Woke up at 4am wildly nauseas and ended up vomiting. I don't think I can keep taking it if it's going to make me actually vomit. Anyone else had this happen?

How long did it take for the rest of you for the nausea and muscle soreness to subside? Any advice would be really appreciated! Thanks!

[PlainVanilla]

Naltrexone Side Effects Anyone Else?

I never experienced any muscle soreness. I did experience tiredness and especially nausea (although never to the point of vomiting) for about ten days. I took 25 mg for a little over a week before upping to 50 mg forever after. The nausea stopped after that ten days. Even when I had it, it was the next day and never in the evening while drinking.

Nowadays when I only take Nal once a week or so, I sometimes get a few minutes of very mild nausea the next day (again, never while taking it).

[eight days a week]

Naltrexone Side Effects Anyone Else?

My side effects were very different - feeling spacey, and disconnected from reality, uncomfortable around other people...but very strong side effects they were too!

The good news is that they go away after just a few days for almost everybody On the third day I really didn't want to take the tablet because they were so unpleasant, but I just made a leap of faith and took it. That time was a little better. The next day I thought 'well, how much worse can it be on 50mg?' and I took the whole dose. After a day or two, I never got the side effects again and never looked back!

That said, you could try taking 12.5mg and slowly work your way up. And, the very fact that you're getting side effects are a good thing imo, as it means Nal is having a strong effect for you!

[mfreetofly]

Naltrexone Side Effects Anyone Else?

I guess I'll try taking the 12.5 tonight. My psych who prescribed it actually thought I should start with 12.5 because I often have stomach issues in general. I just went straight to 1/2 pill .25mg because I didn't think I could successfully cut 1/2 pill into 1/4 without the pill crumbling. Maybe I'll have an AF night tonight and start with the 1/4 pill the next night if I feel like drinking. Thanks for your advice. I'm still having some pretty bad back pain that started with taking the Nal, so I hope that will clear up soon.

[eight days a week]

Naltrexone Side Effects Anyone Else?

I suppose it depends a little on what brand you have, but I've tried three, and all of them (even the tiniest one!) could be broken into quarters. If a half tablet crumbles, it crumbles - you can still take half the powder!

12.5mg sounds like a good bet if you have stomach issues already. The back pain could be coincidence - just a bad night's sleep perhaps?

Best of luck, please stick with it, and let us know how you get on

8

[GettingBetter]

Naltrexone Side Effects Anyone Else?

On Friday night I took Naltrexone and came home at a reasonable time on Saturday morning. That was a good result which I attribute partly to the drug. However I did have some pretty nasty stomach cramps and spent a couple of minutes dry retching and in pain in the loo. I also felt pretty bloated at the start of the night (which just made me drink slower).

Anyway, as far as I'm concerned the side effects are worth putting up with if it means I can reduce my drinking. Hopefully they won't last forever too.

[eight days a week]

Naltrexone Side Effects Anyone Else?

GettingBetter;805715 wrote: ...

Anyway, as far as I'm concerned the side effects are worth putting up with if it means I can reduce my drinking. Hopefully they won't last forever too.

They last about a week, if that, on average

[GettingBetter]

Naltrexone Side Effects Anyone Else?

eight days a week;805723 wrote: They last about a week, if that, on average

Well, I've been following the Sinclair Method for 3 weeks now...

[eight days a week]

Naltrexone Side Effects Anyone Else?

GettingBetter;805730 wrote: Well, I've been following the Sinclair Method for 3 weeks now...

Ah, I see. Hmmm, I've only heard of a couple of people whose side effects persisted for so long. If you PM me I can tell you how to get in touch with one of them, if you'd like to ask them about it. I think in that case the SEs did eventually go away.

Fingers crossed

[crown86]

Naltrexone Side Effects Anyone Else?

The only side effects I had was crazy insomnia and a dis-jointed spacey feeling like 8 described. I generally tolerate medicine well so I started on the 50mg and really didn't care about the side effects because to me they could not have been worse than booze and it's side effects.

A member on the TSM site made a good point, he said that possibly the side effets could be coming from a reduced alcohol intake that some experience intially taking naltrexone. I know for myself this is quite possible because Nal cut my intake by 2/3 thirds from day 1 so I tend to think some of the SE's were alcohol withdrawl.

[GettingBetter]

Naltrexone Side Effects Anyone Else?

eight days a week;805947 wrote: Ah, I see. Hmmm, I've only heard of a couple of people whose side effects persisted for so long.

Thanks eight. I usually only drink on Fridays and have taken Naltrexone and drank 5 times in the 3 weeks that I've been following the Sinclair Method. Maybe the people whose side effects last about a week are daily drinkers in which case I guess I have another couple of weeks until I've done as much Naltrexone as them in total.

Like I said though, while they're not pleasant, they're bearable and worth putting up with if it means I can reduce my alcohol consumption now and in the future.

[mfreetofly]

Naltrexone Side Effects Anyone Else?

I've decided I just can't take the side effects. Two nights in a row of vomiting at 4am was enough to convince me that this is not the drug for me. I'm trying the holistic options now although I also have prescription for Topomax I can try if I want to. So far I'm taking the L-Glutamine and have to say it works pretty well. I really have no desire to drink tonight and it's also taking care of my sugar cravings as well. Plus the best part, no side effects.

[eight days a week]

Naltrexone Side Effects Anyone Else?

GettingBetter;806101 wrote: Thanks eight. I usually only drink on Fridays and have taken Naltrexone and drank 5 times in the 3 weeks that I've been following the Sinclair Method. Maybe the people whose side effects last about a week are daily drinkers in which case I guess I have another couple of weeks until I've done as much Naltrexone as them in total.

Like I said though, while they're not pleasant, they're bearable and worth putting up with if it means I can reduce my alcohol consumption now and in the future.
Ah, that might very well explain it GB, glad to hear you're persevering

mfreetofly;806206 wrote: I've decided I just can't take the side effects. Two nights in a row of vomiting at 4am was enough to convince me that this is not the drug for me. I'm trying the holistic options now although I also have prescription for Topomax I can try if I want to. So far I'm taking the L-Glutamine and have to say it works pretty well. I really have no desire to drink tonight and it's also taking care of my sugar cravings as well. Plus the best part, no side effects.

I dread to think of all the time (years in total?) I've wasted in my life throwing up or being hungover due to booze, so a week or so for me getting used to the side effects (and most people seem to have them) was well worth it, but I'm glad you've found an alternative that gives you hope

[GettingBetter]

Naltrexone Side Effects Anyone Else?

mfreetofly;806206 wrote: I've decided I just can't take the side effects. Two nights in a row of vomiting at 4am was enough to convince me that this is not the drug for me.

mfreetofly, please try to persevere. Apparently the side effects normally last around a week, and those who get side effects often do better in the long run than those who do not.

[eight days a week]

Naltrexone Side Effects Anyone Else?

GettingBetter;806670 wrote: mfreetofly, please try to persevere. Apparently the side effects normally last around a week, and those who get side effects often do better in the long run than those who do not.

So true