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    #1

    Scared of Nalrexone

    I had an honest talk with my doc about wanting to drink less, and she prescribed Naltrexone. I researched it after and am scared to take it. It's an opioid, and apparently if you "drink in excess" on it or take opioids on it, you can DIE. I don't take opioids, but I keep thinking what if I get hit by a bus and they give me morphine? Dead! And with drinking, what is "in excess?" I've been reading on these forums that people drink on Nal. I'm a 1-2 bottle of wine a night drinker now, and have had no luck trying to moderate on my own. That logical part of my brain just shuts down - I'm sure many of you are familiar with that feeling. What if I drink on Nal and go overboard? I just don't want to take it, but it had started to feel like a new out so I'm kind of disappointed. Reading a Pema Chodron book now called "Getting Unstuck." Thinking maybe meditation and counseling are the way to go. Are there safer moderation drugs?
    :thanks:
    :new:
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    #2
    Scared of Nalrexone

    :welcome:

    Small clarification: naltrexone is an opioid blocker, not an opioid. In and of itself, naltrexone will have no effects - zero, zilch, none. It is when you drink or take heroin or whatever, that naltrexone will block some of the dopamine from going where it usually goes in your brain, and so it kind of breaks the reward mechanism involved in drinking.

    The only (remote) danger along the lines that you've described is if you're in a car accident or break your leg ice skating or whatever, and at the hospital they give you opioid based painkillers. And there the only danger is that the painkillers won't work as well and you'll still be in pain and it would suck. But it's not dangerous in the sense that you're worried about.

    I say take it before you drink and see what happens. Or take it and don't drink, some people swear it has anti-craving properties. I am not a doctor, this is not medical advice.

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      #3
      Scared of Nalrexone

      :welcome:

      Small clarification: naltrexone is an opioid blocker, not an opioid. In and of itself, naltrexone will have no effects - zero, zilch, none. It is when you drink or take heroin or whatever, that naltrexone will block some of the dopamine from going where it usually goes in your brain, and so it kind of breaks the reward mechanism involved in drinking.

      The only (remote) danger along the lines that you've described is if you're in a car accident or break your leg ice skating or whatever, and at the hospital they give you opioid based painkillers. And there the only danger is that the painkillers won't work as well and you'll still be in pain and it would suck. But it's not dangerous in the sense that you're worried about.

      I say take it before you drink and see what happens. Or take it and don't drink, some people swear it has anti-craving properties. I am not a doctor, this is not medical advice.

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        #4
        Scared of Nalrexone

        There's nothing to worry about what so never. Rule number one is keep a card or something similar on you in case your in an accident so they know to use a non opioid pain killer on you. Its an opiate blocker as stuck said. It was created to give to heroin users to stop them catching a buzz as when on it you feel nothing from opiods.

        Rule number 2 and this is a biggie is to make sure you have no opiates in your system before taking naltrexone as it will send you into withdrawal. Been there and it is NOT nice. A week should do it to be on the safe side.

        NAL is totally safe. Not sure what you've been reading tbh.

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          #5
          Scared of Nalrexone

          Well said, tee. Again just to clarify: only if you are ADDICTED TO HEROIN or other opiate based drugs will it send you into withdrawal.

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            #6
            Scared of Nalrexone

            I made the mistake once of taking Nal forgetting that I'd taken some Codeine a few days before. To say I had a hard night of things is an understatement.

            Its safe as houses though if you follow the above 2 rules. I'd say Anabuse is a much scarier drug regarding SEs if not used properly.

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              #7
              Scared of Nalrexone

              I can confirm Naltrexone is NOT an opoid, it is an opiod blocker which is how it works - it blocks the endorphins released by your body when you drink which means you don't feel the buzz.

              I had great success with Naltrexone, it enabled me to sort out my alcohol problem and eventually I quit completely.

              There are threads about Naltrexone on here, please do a search and have a read.
              I used the Sinclair Method to beat my alcoholic drinking.

              Drank within safe limits for almost 2 years

              AF date 22/07/13

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                #8
                Scared of Nalrexone

                StuckinLA;1682587 wrote: :welcome:

                Small clarification: naltrexone is an opioid blocker, not an opioid. In and of itself, naltrexone will have no effects - zero, zilch, none. It is when you drink or take heroin or whatever, that naltrexone will block some of the dopamine from going where it usually goes in your brain, and so it kind of breaks the reward mechanism involved in drinking.

                The only (remote) danger along the lines that you've described is if you're in a car accident or break your leg ice skating or whatever, and at the hospital they give you opioid based painkillers. And there the only danger is that the painkillers won't work as well and you'll still be in pain and it would suck. But it's not dangerous in the sense that you're worried about.

                I say take it before you drink and see what happens. Or take it and don't drink, some people swear it has anti-craving properties. I am not a doctor, this is not medical advice.
                How I understood it was the in an accident they'd administer an opoid painkiller, when they noticed it wasn't reducing your pain(because Naltrexone was blocking it), the danger is they'd then give more morphine(or whatever), which in excess does surpress breathing
                and thus cause death - the card to carry is in the box and it provides instructions for medical staff in the case of emergency.
                I used the Sinclair Method to beat my alcoholic drinking.

                Drank within safe limits for almost 2 years

                AF date 22/07/13

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                  #9
                  Scared of Nalrexone

                  Happy it sounds like your gp from what is sounds like wants to script you it the old fashion way.... As an anti craving med. Most studies confirm this isn't very effective. Used under the TSM protocol is is proven to work but you really need to read up on it. I had a fair amount of success using TSM like many others on here have. There's a wealth on here regarding info and also on the sinclairmethod forum.

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                    #10
                    Scared of Nalrexone

                    hi happy and welcome to the forum. i was on naltrexone once upon a time. it's an opiate antagonist, which is the same as the others have said, an opiod blocker. it stops the rewarrd endorphins being released so you just don't get the (ahem) benefit of what ever you're taking, be it alcohol or heroin etc.

                    if you're a 1-2 bottle of wine drinker then be prepared for that amount to drop rapidly. i was doing 6 cans of 500ml 5.2% stella when i started on it and my intake immediately dropped to about 2 cans a night and even that was a struggle. i was explaining it to a councillor at addaction earlier and told them that if your regular drinking pace is 100mph then naltrexone (or the new version, nalfimene i think it is which is a cleaner purer form) will slow that down to about 20-30mph.

                    you really have nothing to worry about but you MUST carry the card with you at all times for the above mentioned reasons.

                    Comment

                      #11
                      Scared of Nalrexone

                      It's a good way to help reduce your drinking to the point where you can decide what you really want to do, stop drinking completely, or just drink very little. I'm not sure people think clearly when they're still actively drinking heavily, because the brain just doesn't work right in that condition.

                      Suddenly stopping with pure abstinence is very difficult. This approach doesn't involve that, and some people find that preferable.

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                        #12
                        Scared of Nalrexone

                        Hi - I have nalmafene from Dr Chick. Be prepared for nausea! But when I tried it it cut my drinking by half. Good luck and let us know how it goes. Dave.

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                          #13
                          Scared of Nalrexone

                          Thank you guys. I was trepidatious. Took my Nal for the second time tonight. Dizzy and on the edge of nausea but not too bad. That alone may keep me from drinking much more. You think it's ok to take Melatonin with this stuff? I would think not but just curious. I use it when I'm sober and can't sleep sometimes. Want to moderate but willing to quit I think if it comes to that. Sick and getting sicker. AF life does sound amazing. Mod life would be too if I could pull it off. Happy to find you all

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                            #14
                            Scared of Nalrexone

                            happy2014;1692689 wrote: Thank you guys. I was trepidatious. Took my Nal for the second time tonight. Dizzy and on the edge of nausea but not too bad. That alone may keep me from drinking much more. You think it's ok to take Melatonin with this stuff? I would think not but just curious. I use it when I'm sober and can't sleep sometimes. Want to moderate but willing to quit I think if it comes to that. Sick and getting sicker. AF life does sound amazing. Mod life would be too if I could pull it off. Happy to find you all
                            Glad it's not too bad, sometimes the side effects do help you not want to drink, but they generally do get a lot less with time.

                            I haven't a clue whether Melatonin reacts with Naltrexone. How is your sleeping when using Naltrexone and drinking?Because TSM reduces your drinking slowly you may find you sleep just fine without it.
                            I used the Sinclair Method to beat my alcoholic drinking.

                            Drank within safe limits for almost 2 years

                            AF date 22/07/13

                            Comment

                              #15
                              Scared of Nalrexone

                              Well after my post I went ahead and drank two bottles of wine anyway :/ I wondered the next day if I was being obstinate, daring it not to work, but I think I just didn't really try. Haven't taken it again because I've had company, had to drive, etc and didn't want to be loopy. Not driving drunk, to be clear. I actually had two nights where I went to parties and stayed well under the limit until I drove home, which was nice. It's good to know the side effects lessen over time. I'm assuming it's also more effective over time? I need to take it regularly, I know.

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