Ondansetron

[spacebebe01]

Has anyone used Ondansetron? I have ust been reading an article about it saying it is effetive for treating alcohol addiction.

[live23]

Ondansetron

My doctor prescribed it to me to help the physical sick feeling that you get when you try to stop drinking. When I took it, I was already too sick and alcohol dependent that I don't know if it did help. It is also really really expensive if your insurance does not cover it.

[galoot]

Ondansetron

Yes, I read about it whilst researching tonight as having mixed results with topamax as
Can't increase dose due to side effects. Apparently it works best with early onset alcoholics who have the LL genotype.

[Greg]

Ondansetron

The addiction doctor I have been seeing mentioned this drug about a year ago, and he wouldn't have said anything unless he thought it did help alcoholics. He's away on a month's holiday now but I'll try to remember to ask him about it again. He didn't mean it was just useful for nausea either, I'm sure he meant it could help alcoholics abstain or cut down. I don't know how successful or otherwise it is.

[LadyLush]

Ondansetron

Bebe,

I ordered and I have it. I have never needed anything after the Bac. It helps with my anxiety and depression that I could never imagine. No, I am not fighting for anyone but me..Baclofen works, and my life is good . So good!

[galoot]

Ondansetron

Started ondansetron 4 days ago after asking my doc to do so....fingers crossed!

[I-want-to-be-sober]

Ondansetron

Ondansetron has proven in several randomized controlled clinical trials to help alcoholics with an early onset (

[galoot]

Ondansetron

5 weeks in on the ondansetron and showing some promise. I have occassionally added naltrexone on days I am drinking as research shows they work well together.

Side effects so far (from ondansetron) have been mild - moderate constipation, lack of energy and noticed my BP has gone up! However worth the results so far....seen a 25% reduction so far. Mixing with the naltrexone has caused me to feel shakey and very hungover the next day but seems to work well together in regards to consumption. I was on Naltrexone (Sinclair method) for 8 months in 2010 and had a 40% reduction. I was drinking 120+ UK units prior to starting on TSM. I can now add another 25% off this amount but still early days.

[RevoltingRich]

Ondansetron

i didnt think u could drink on nalrexone? I thought it totally blocked it? or is that just smack?

[Doggygirl]

Ondansetron

Hi galoot and anyone else who happens along.

For my school work, I was reading an article today that provided a very brief overview of the various meds used in AL treatment. Ondansetron was mentioned, and I had not seen this thread before or heard of it before.

Galoot - if you are still out there and reading, I'd be interested in hearing if you are still using it and how it's working for you?

I know we have a lot of med researchers here, and I'm also interested in what anyone else has to say about this med - either from experience or from your research.

Thanks!

Beth

[Greg]

Ondansetron

There's something relevant I'll mention here. The antidepressant mirtazapine (Remeron/Avanza/Zispin) is a 5-HT-3 receptor antagonist at clinically used doses, in addition to its various other effects. Ondansetron itself works by being a 5-HT-3 receptor antagonist, so mirtazapine should (logically) share ondansetron's effects, including anti-nausea and alcoholism-treating effects. I have found that it definitely does reduce nausea and some irritable bowel syndrome symptoms, which ondansetron also does. I wasn't drinking or strongly craving while taking it, so can't personally say whether or not it would help me with my alcoholism.

I have seen mirtazapine unofficially recommended as a cheap alternative to ondansetron for nausea, which further suggests the similarity between the two. For anyone considering trying it, be aware that mirtazapine is strongly sedating, at first anyway, so mixing it with alcohol, baclofen, or other sedating substances could cause serious problems until tolerance has grown to the sedation. It could however be something worth following up with a doctor, especially one who treats addictions. Close supervision by a doctor and very careful, low initial dosing would seem very wise.

(Just thought...the older antidepressant mianserin/Tolvon is extremely similar to mirtazapine so it may have this effect too)

[Doggygirl]

Ondansetron

Thanks Greg. All these details about medications make my head spin!

I hope anyone else with experience or info will continue to post here.

DG

[LadyLush]

Ondansetron

DG,

I was reading my post from April. I had the drug Olmifon/Adrafanil that I took on occasion for brain fog from the Bac. How I got that mixed up with Odansetron is beyond me. I must have been drinking that night.
Very interesting stuff though.


LL

[galoot]

Ondansetron

Sorry, should keep up to date with posts. I came off ondansetron after about 10 weeks as didn't seem too helpful. My drinking went up. I had constipation but thrat was expected! I can't remember the other side effects - I'm very sensitive to medications. Short term memory is shot.I will look into it and post again.