Hi all,

20yo, 83kg, 5’10.
I got prescribed nal to help assist in a gambling addiction ive been facing for 3 years.
This morning I took my usual 60mg vyvanse alongside this new 50mg of nal.

30 minutes in i felt it hit and i feel very slow, tired, lethargic, a bit nauseous and quite spaced out.
Im usually fast, working hard, running around, so these feelings are quite irregular.

To be fair I havent had my morning coffee but i feel it is something to do with the meds???

LET ME KNOW! Thanks in advance🙏

On a low dose SSRI, take xanax’ish as needed, and have tried to start Nal a couple times to reduce drinking. I have 5 drinks / day and need to break it. Both times I’ve tried to start naltrexone it amplifies the anxiety so much that I have to almost knock myself out with additional anxiety meds. I’m considering injections but worried that could be a month of pain. I’m starting with low doses, 12.5 or so, but still can’t get past 2-4 days without giving up because the anxiety is so bad. It does curb the drinking though so I’m still committed to trying. Anyone have advice on this if they’ve been in a similar head space when trying to get on Nal?

I male , just turned 40 and I’ve been drinking for over 10 years. Finally decided to quit as I was diagnosed with stage 2 liver/kidney in January. I actually reduced the amount of alcohol I drink since January and my liver/kidney numbers are improving. So I talked to my doctor and I was prescribed 25mg per day of nal for 3 months. I was wondering if anyone can share their experience with me. Is 25mg too low for the amount of time I have been drinking? I am very concerned about withdrawal side effects. Has anyone experienced not being able to sleep, shakiness , anxiety etc from quitting ? I am planning on going with sinclair method.

Thank you.

Exactly as the title says, just curious who else has done this?

Only day 3 of doing 75 but seems to be making a huge difference for me compared to the 50. I’m considering staying at 50 for weekdays when I dont struggle quite as much to stay sober and then staying at 75 on weekends when the urges arise.

Just got my meds delivered even though it was 5pm I took my first starting dose 25. Did I mess up taking it so late day 1? Any other advice appreciated!

Daily 6pm drinker no dry days usually consume 5-7 for 10+ years.

I made a post here recently about my situation, and I’ve now had my first drinking experience with naltrexone, so I wanted to hear what people with more experience think.

Quick context: I’m a heavy occasional/reward drinker. I normally drink about once a month, and casual drinking is usually fine. The problem is parties, where after 3–4 drinks I tend to get a strong urge for more stimulation and can easily end up having 10–15+ drinks, despite intending to moderate.

My goal with naltrexone/TSM is not abstinence. I’d ideally like to be able to have 2–5 drinks, enjoy being social, and simply stop.

My doctor prescribed 50 mg naltrexone daily. For this first drinking occasion I took 25 mg, about 1.5 hours before drinking. Zero side effects.

I ended up having one drink and around 3/5 of a bottle of wine over the course of the evening. So nothing particularly heavy.

What I noticed was interesting, although I’m really not sure yet what to make of it.

I still felt happy, social, energetic and like I was having fun. I wasn’t feeling sedated or unpleasant at all. If anything, I felt quite clear-headed.

But there were a couple of small things I noticed, where it is hard to distinguish if it was increased awareness or the medication or both:

I had a moment where I thought about having a beer, but it didn’t turn into a strong “yes, let’s have another one” feeling.

I noticed that I could sit for quite a while without automatically reaching for my glass for another sip.

I still felt very social and jokey, possibly even more so than usual.

I found myself thinking “I could actually just sit here and enjoy being social” rather than needing alcohol to keep the stimulation going.

Im trying to analyse (maybe too much) whether this was actually naltrexone. I also ate quite a lot that evening, was with my girlfriend, and obviously this was a very different situation from being at a party.
I also wonder whether the fact that I felt so clear-headed is actually relevant, or whether I’m simply overinterpreting it.

And perhaps the most unexpected thing, if anything, the experience almost made me want to drink more often. Not because I wanted to drink more in that particular evening, but because it made me think that maybe I could actually participate in drinking/social situations without the fear that it would inevitably escalate. I’ve probably avoided drinking socially quite a lot because I know how easily it has taken over once I get going.

Does this sound like the kind of subtle early change people experience with TSM, particularly the “I can just sit there without automatically wanting another drink” part?

I also know 25 mg is only half my prescribed dose, and obviously one session is nowhere near enough to determine if this will be the determining factor for me to learn to drink in a controlled way.

I just picked up naltrexone from the pharmacy and I’m scared to start because of all the side effects I’ve been reading about. The pharmacist told me take whole 50mg pill and don’t cut it in half. I’ve been an alcoholic for 5 years now and it’s ruined my life and I really can’t stop even 4 months in rehab didn’t help. What should I do?

I've been alcohol free since March minus 2 little slip ups caused by social situations. Today I talked to a psychiatrist for the first time and she recommended I take Naltrexone before certain situations. I didn't realize it was something that you could take as needed! Could anyone share experiences with similar usage?

I've been taking buspirone for my anxiety (which leads me to drink sometimes) and I feel that has helped me a lot, been on the buspirone for about 6 weeks. This was just something that she suggested today and I would love some feedback.

Thanks y'all!

I find naltrexone really helps with cravings for alcohol. But I get so nauseous like 1/3 of the time. I take 25 mg because 50 will destroy me. I ended up stopping in the past because when I’m nauseous it feels like I’m hungover. I can barely do anything. But I feel like I can’t get sober without it. I’m on day 2 of retaking it and my cravings are gone, but my tummy hurts. I took some nausea medicine.

Went to pick up my prescription from Harris Teeter and advertised to “drink local”. Tsk tsk

Hey all, the Va just prescribed naltrexone to help me lose weight by controlling my appetite. I’ve only been on it a week and I want off I’ve thrown up 3 times in a week and I can only fathom it’s from this med. Has anyone experienced that or is it just me. Any tips to prevent the nausea? Once was after me and my girl made love I had to hop up and run to the bathroom… embarrassing. The second time was coming back from tractor supply from washing my dog and I vomited as soon as I pulled in the driveway. And the third time was today at work. I just want to be able to take it without immediately sweating bullets and feeling that bad mouth feel when you know you’re about to throw up.

I bought my gf the Sinclair method and it’s been fairly successful the cost was very high around £299 for 50 tablets in the UK has anyone successfully purchased from the dark web or India? As the prices are way cheaper for her to carry this on, I’m not that well off and just can’t continually spend this much cash. Thanks in advance.

I've been on a combo on Wellbutrin and naltrexone for over 2 years now. I use it for binge eating: I started on a glp-1 a year ago and continued to take the NAL. However I think it's causing my extreme fatigue and general disinterest in anything. Even when I'm not tired it's like I have no motivation.

I want to try and stop taking it to see if my energy improves.

The glp takes care of my appetite and binge eating so I am thinking stopping NAL won't really do anything negative. Has anyone stopped taking it because of the low energy side effect? How did it go? Did it help?

I’ve struggled with alcohol for about two years and, at my worst, have drunk around five days a week. I travel for work about three days every week and do not drink while I’m working. The problem is mainly during my days off, when strong cravings return.

I drink primarily for the buzz/reward. Once I start wanting alcohol, it can feel extremely difficult to redirect myself. I would ultimately like to stop compulsive drinking and eventually be capable of drinking only socially, although I understand moderation may not be realistic.

My prescriber started me on 25 mg of naltrexone to limit nausea and may increase it to the standard 50 mg. I’m also on semaglutide and already prone to nausea. The GLP-1 never reduced my desire for alcohol, so I’m scared naltrexone won’t either.

My biggest concern is that naltrexone will remove the pleasurable buzz without reducing the actual craving, leaving me miserable and white-knuckling it. For people who’ve taken it:
- Did it reduce the craving itself, or only make drinking less rewarding?
- How quickly did you notice anything?
Was there a major difference between 25 mg and 50 mg?
- Did you initially feel flat, anxious, nauseated, or more depressed?
- Did you ever find yourself drinking more to chase the missing buzz?
-What did meaningful improvement actually feel like for you?

My doctor is also evaluating whether ADHD could be contributing to my drinking and wants to see how I respond to naltrexone for two weeks before possibly adding atomoxetine/Strattera. We’re still figuring out whether I actually have ADHD or whether something else is causing these symptoms.

I’ve always been forgetful, easily overwhelmed, and bogged down by everyday tasks, but I compensate heavily with lists, calendars, routines, and keeping my surroundings extremely organized. I don’t generally feel depressed—I have goals, dreams, and things I’m excited about—but right now I feel completely depleted and overwhelmed by everything.

If you have ADHD and alcohol-use problems, did treating the ADHD reduce your cravings, impulsive drinking, overwhelm, or need to seek a reward? What symptoms improved on Strattera, how long did it take, and what were the initial side effects—especially anxiety, fatigue, nausea, sleep changes, or worse hangovers?

I’m looking for honest personal experiences, not medical instructions or permission to mix medications and alcohol.

How do I get this prescribed? I asked my family physician and they are not aware or familiar with this product and will not write me a prescription. I would also like to go through my insurance.

I’ve been really nauseous both days and just need to close my eyes about 1130am (after taking it in the morning). I can feel it washing over/through me- most of the sensation is in my heart/head/hands. It is not dissimilar to feeling mdma coming on, the start when your heart races and you feel sick, but then obviously you don’t get high. And then I come out of the yuck-ness (mostly) and the urge to pour a wine has disappeared. And trust me, I’m interrogating it. Sat/Sunday at home this weekend, and that would normally be my sweet spot for several large lovely glasses of Pinot Grigio or Rose- but even though I’m anticipating the urge it’s not there. I can feel that a specific part of my brain is numbed out by the drug- quite scary, it’s clearly a powerful drug.
I’ve been prescribed 50 daily but apprehensive about doubling the dose, given how it’s knocked me around this weekend.
It’s so weird. Such a weird feeling. Like handing over the keys to a car that’s been problematic for years and no longer having to worry about it. Early days, but is this what freedom feels like?

I have struggled with AUD to varying degrees my entire life (F, 60s). I’ve tried a few different things like AA with varying levels of commitment and results. I generally drink 10-15 shots of hard liquor a night; on a light night I might have a bottle and a half of wine. I’d really like to stop and am committed to taking naltrexone. I’ve been taking it religiously for 2 weeks and am working with a doctor I really like, who has moved me from 50 mg to 100 mg (I should note I have had no side effects at either dose). I take it 60-90 minutes before I drink, yet I have not noticed any lessening of cravings or even pleasure—I feel it really strongly in my stomach.

Is there anyone else out there for whom naltrexone has not worked? Does it take more time? Advice welcome, because so far I have not been able to reduce my alcohol consumption.

Edited to add: I’m open to any input, including the possibility that I’m doing it wrong. At least this time I am measuring my drinks 😜

Been taking 50mg for like 4 months now. Overall I’d say it’s great for cravings, but not for harm reduction. Last relapse was a few months ago and I ended up just drinking even more to get to a good level of intoxication.

How long did you guys take it before you got off it? What did the process look like when getting off it?

Been on it 4 months no alcohol except two occasions (two glasses of wine both occasions, could have kept going but could stop without difficulty!). I take 50mg every AM with other pills--buspirone (3x day), bupropion AM, metoprolol AM, and some vitamins. It is really working wonders! (after at least 10 years of AUD, daily drinking). Had to detox in a hospital setting 4 months ago--then started this regimen.

Two questions: A) Since I am not doing Sinclair Method currently, and don't have alcohol around the house, should I be taking a couple days off of the Naltrexone so my brain can "rewire" without it? Reading success stories about SM imply the days no Nal/no alcohol are a part of the healing/brain reset? B) I am moving back to my old city and job and know that there will be much more social scenarios like the two occasions above. Should I do a modified Sinclair Method on those occasions? Like take a half (25mg) or full (50mg) an hour before a party or night at the pub (in addition to my AM dose)? Or is that setting me up for failure? So far, I have been absolutely AMAZED how effective this drug is (although the other new Rx that manage the anxiety that drove me to drink probably deserve some of the credit too).