Has Anyone Used Naltrexone (Depade, ReVia)?

[Noelle]

I was just wondering if anyone has used this drug for quitting drinking?

[gogators]

Has Anyone Used Naltrexone (Depade, ReVia)?

I have. I didn't quit on it, but I drank a hell of a lot less.

[Bill Gorton]

Has Anyone Used Naltrexone (Depade, ReVia)?

gogators;1078842 wrote: I have. I didn't quit on it, but I drank a hell of a lot less.

Ditto. I found that I could have a few and then stop if I wanted to, rather than keep drinking until I passed out. That must be what it's like for non-alkies all the time. Definitely worth a try.

[Noelle]

Has Anyone Used Naltrexone (Depade, ReVia)?

Long Post....sorry.

I have been a heavy, heavy drinker since my 20s. I'm 59 now. I have always had a problem with anxiety and at an early age found out drinking relieved the anxiety. It went on from there. Over the years I've been to countless psychiatrists and psychologists and have been to one inpatient and three outpatients. I tried AA. I tried everything. The longest I went without drinking was 2 1/2 years (which was after my inpatient treatment) and then thought I could have a couple of drinks. It escalated quickly back to the heavy drinking. Well, duh!

My husband was let go from his job of 30 years almost 4 years ago, but he got a really good retirement/compensation package. With that money he bought three Snap Fitness's (24-hour workout gyms) and is in the process of starting up a protective packaging company with a friend who owns the patents to the processes. (Husband was in protective packaging at his old job.) It freaked me out because starting up the Snap Fitness's was a two-year process and his anxiety rubbed off on me. That's when I started really drinking. I couldn't do anything. I lived on the sofa, watching TV and reading. I rarely left the house. Didn't shower or take care of myself or anyone else. My husband had to do the grocery shopping. I was just a shell of nothing.

My psychiatrist gave me Librium to help me stop. I would stop but when I triated down on the Librium, I would start drinking again. I didn't care about anything and wished I was dead. Not acting on it, but feeling that way. I felt totally useless. I just didn't care.

My daughter was disgusted with my drinking throughout her whole life. She is 21 now. She drinks and I've tried to tell her, "do you want to end up like me?" which of course fell on deaf ears. I told her that alcoholism runs on both sides of our family.

I didn't drink during the day but around 5pm or so (the witching hour as y'all know) and it got so that I was drinking straight bourbon from the bottle. This was okay for awhile but I didn't remember anything after 8pm. Then it got so that I felt terrible during the day and didn't even feel good when I drank during the evening.

My psychiatrist gave me Naltrexone on December 18th or so. I didn't start taking it right away because I had to go the inlaws for Christmas. Anyone who knows me knows that this is the MOST stressful thing for me as they are all alcoholics and are full of anxiety. So I wanted to be able to drink, which I did. (Excuses of course.) OMG, did I act like an idiot and a lot of it I don't remember.

So on December 27th, the day after my birthday, I took the half pill I was supposed to take for 3 days. I had drank my usual the day before. I didn't drink on the 27th and haven't had a drink since. I take 50 mg of Naltrexone every day. I feel like a different person. I think this is how normal (?) people feel. I have so much energy I can hardly sit down. I can be around people who drink and have absolutely no desire to drink myself. My husband drinks at night and unless he get's drunk it doesn't bother me. He just acts so stupid when he's drunk. But he's under a lot of stress what with all the jobs he has, how can I say no? He stuck by me when I was a total mess, so I won't deny him his drinking.

My psychiatrist is taken aback. She said it doesn't usually work this way with most people, but when you have the desire to really quit, it works. She has given it to anorexics and heroin addicts and it has worked. She now says she will start giving Naltrexone to more of her patients because of my reaction to it. It doesn't always work. But when it does....it really works!!!! I am living proof of that.

I wear a medical bracelet (which I don't mind at all because it really just looks like jewelry) because if I was in an accident, the doctors need to know I'm on this medication or they can kill me giving me too much painkillers. I'm sorry, I forget why this is, but I believe my doctor. The little handout they give you with the medicine says to tell all you doctors/dentists you are taking it. Naltrexone is a narcotic antagonist, which means it is a drug that counteracts, blocks, or abolishes the action of another drug.

I've read many posts on Balcofen and in my OPINION I don't think it will ever work as most people have continued drinking, perhaps a little less. I congratulate anyone who this drug has worked for. However, it sounds very scary to me and sounds like it has some scary side effects. MY OPINION!

I have NO side effects from Naltrexone, unless you want to call feeling really, really good a side effect. I wish everyone could try it to see if it works. I don't think you need a psychiatrist to get it, a family doctor could prescribe it too.

Thanks for reading all this. I'm a VERY lucky person the Naltrexone has worked for me. I've had blood work done and have no liver damage from all the drinking. As I said, I feel very lucky.

Good luck to everyone in whichever drug you use to be AF.

May the good St. Patrick bless you all today, the international day of drinking. LOL! I will be with my daughter wearing green and drinking my club soda and lemon at some bar she wants to go to. She left home after a fight with my husband 2 Monday's ago and if I give her a few drinks, I can get some truth out of her. Should I buy her drinks? No, but she's going to anyway and no, I don't feel bad.

Please feel free to ask me anything you want. I should get money for going on so much about this drug, don't you think?

[TracyA]

Has Anyone Used Naltrexone (Depade, ReVia)?

Noelle;1079256 wrote:
I've read many posts on Balcofen and in my OPINION I don't think it will ever work as most people have continued drinking, perhaps a little less. I congratulate anyone who this drug has worked for. However, it sounds very scary to me and sounds like it has some scary side effects. MY OPINION!

But, it has worked. My doc says it's close to 100% for people who want to quit drinking. We have people on the forum who have quit long term. Not everyone wants to do that though. Some folks prefer to moderate, and apparently the baclofen allows them to do that too. If they're getting what they want, that's success.

I had no idea that Naltexone had the positive benefits you talked about though! That's great to hear.

I like that there are lots of choices. Not everything is going to work for everyone.

Congrats on your success (getting what you wanted from the med)!!

[Noelle]

Has Anyone Used Naltrexone (Depade, ReVia)?

Thanks!

As you'll recall, I said in my opinion. Just me. I'm glad the balcofen works for people. Honest.

[tlrgs]

Has Anyone Used Naltrexone (Depade, ReVia)?

noelie baby cakes so glad to hear you are doing great .. i just want to hug you

[BilboBaggins]

Has Anyone Used Naltrexone (Depade, ReVia)?

Is This My Way Out?

After 22 years of drinking and now completely unable to control it once starting and having periods where I can finish two bottles of wine plus a little more if necessary, I decided to try the medicinal route to changing things. Therapy and counselling has helped me resolve childhood issues and made me happier in general but this habit of not being able to drink reasonable amounts and relapsing badly after periodic abstinence periods has made life almost unmanageable. Naltrexone has been licensed in the UK for just over a year now for alcohol treatment. Regular GPs (General Physicians) through the NHS (National Health Service) may not know much about it but should be able to point you to an addiction clinic within the NHS system where an addiction counsellor with the guidance of another GP should be able to prescribe it. I took my first pill yesterday evening. After waiting for an hour, I felt a little calm but wanted to try the Sinclair Method by opening a bottle of wine. I must tell you I haven't drank that slowly in ages and I couldn't get past a glass and a half. It seemed pointless after that. This hasn't happened to be any time recently. I have had no bad side effects. Just a little tired today. I am going to take this pill along with the Sinclair method and see if I can truly break my alcohol addiction. So far things look as good as other people are indicating.

[bleep]

Has Anyone Used Naltrexone (Depade, ReVia)?

Bilbo, welcome to MWO.

Some folks have found success with nal; I hope you will be amongst them. Most people who do bugger off to the Sinclair method forum, but I hope you will stay around here as you become sober. It's great to hear you are having results so early. I don't know much about TSM, but read around here, there is a lot of useful information.

Best of luck.

[ignominious]

Has Anyone Used Naltrexone (Depade, ReVia)?

Interesting read. Being a skeptic; I looked up Noelle's posts and it seems that it's still working.
Good luck Bilbo. Good chance that the combination will be the right mix for you.

[YouKayBee]

Has Anyone Used Naltrexone (Depade, ReVia)?

I used Naltrexone and the Sinclair Method changed my life - I was a severe binge drinker, spent most of the week fighting daily (if not hourly) cravings. I found great success right from the start and cravings vanished at the 6 month point. Two years down the line I can drink if I want to, but most of the time I don't want to. It's as simple as that.