This may not be a complete list of medicines that can interact with naltrexone. It is possible that people with an alcohol use disorder may begin to use other substances of misuse such as narcotics Sinclair method or opioids. Should you begin to use other substances of misuse, call your healthcare provider. Make sure that you and your caregiver have the medicine naloxone, which is used to reverse the effects of opioids. Talk with your healthcare provider about how to get and administer naloxone.
What side effects may I notice from receiving this medication?
Naltrexone is a medication used to treat opioid use and alcohol use disorders in adults, as part of a comprehensive management program. Give your health care provider a list of all the medicines, herbs, non-prescription drugs, or dietary supplements you use. Also tell them if you smoke, drink alcohol, or use illegal drugs. Researchers do not fully understand how naltrexone reduces alcohol cravings. It blocks certain opioid receptors in the brain and influences dopamine, what is alcoholism a neurotransmitter, which is believed to help block alcohol’s reinforcing effects.
Interactions
The dosage is based on your medical condition and response to treatment. Your doctor may start you at a lower dose and monitor you for any side effects or withdrawal symptoms before increasing your dose. Do not increase your dose, take it more often, or stop taking it without your doctor’s approval. Ask your doctor or pharmacist if you should have medication available to treat opioid overdose (such as naloxone, nalmefene). Teach your family or household members about the signs of an opioid overdose and how to treat it.
- The best choice depends on your drinking habits, personal goals, and medical history.
- Naltrexone will cause withdrawal symptoms in people who are no longer taking opioids for a period of time.
- Nalmefene (6-desoxy-6-methylenenaltrexone) is similar to naltrexone and is used for the same purposes as naltrexone.
- The largest trials of the Sinclair Method were conducted between 2008 and 2011, using a close relative of naltrexone called nalmefene.
- Naltrexone will help you avoid drugs and alcohol only as long as you are taking it.
Refilling medications
Your pharmacist can tell you all of the ingredients in the specific naltrexone products they stock. People who are allergic to any of the following should not take naltrexone. Like any approach, the Sinclair Method has both potential benefits and points of debate. If you take it and don’t like the effect on your alcohol buzz, there are many other ways to reduce alcohol-related harm. These potential influences on efficacy are not always confirmed by other studies, however. Research priorities in the US have sometimes reflected how abstinence is culturally prized here much more than in Europe.
Ultra Rapid Opioid Withdrawal
This side effect wasn’t reported in clinical trials of this drug but can still occur. Below is a partial list of mild side effects of naltrexone. To learn about other mild side effects, talk with your doctor or pharmacist, or view the drug’s prescribing information.
A variant in the gene which codes the development of mu-opioid receptors appears significant. People who have the Asn40Asp variant of the gene respond better to naltrexone treatment for alcohol use disorder than those who don’t. This variant both increases mu-opioid receptor binding affinity and decreases the number of these receptors. Naltrexone is a well-established pharmacological intervention for addiction management. Initially approved by the FDA https://cloud.aurealab.net/mercedes/2024/10/04/champion-sober-house-mens-sober-living-in-brockton/ in 1984 for opioid dependence and later in 1994 for alcohol use disorder, it has demonstrated significant efficacy in reducing compulsive alcohol consumption. A urine test should be done to check for recent opiate drug use.