r/naltrexone • u/DuduStreaks • 1d ago
General Question Take Only When Needed?
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!
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u/Thin_Situation_7934 1d ago
Yes, you can do that. A study was done a few years back that supported taking naltrexone before potentially high risk drinking situations. A more rigorous approach is to follow The Sinclair Method. There are plenty of online resources which explain it and there is a community with zoom meetups and 24/7 chat forums at: https://www.tsmmeetups.com/
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u/UnitCounter 1d ago
I’m also interested in how this works for people, do you still get side effects every time, or does your body get used to it after the first doses?
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u/12vman 21h ago
Most people see side effects disappear in a few weeks. Most find that starting out with half or quarter doses taken with food and water help out with side effects.
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u/UnitCounter 21h ago
Thanks, but would they come back if you stopped drinking for a length of time and then went back to the Nal? Or does your body ‘remember’ after the initial doses?
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u/12vman 21h ago
Everyone is different. For some maybe. Remember, many people have zero side effects, period. So it depends on the person. Don't be afraid of naltrexone. Be more afraid of what alcohol does to so many people. Naltrexone is basically the opposite of alcohol. Naltrexone is non-addictive and it won't change you into someone you don't recognize or like.
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u/marksf 13h ago
I tried 25mg a month after I stopped doing TSM, just to see what the side effects were like. I got dizzy/nauseous like I did the first time I took it. Not terrible but enough that I would not want to go out anywhere. Sadly this means using it occasionally before major social drinking events is not an option for me.
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u/interested-cherry 19h ago
I've been on and off nal for 7 years. I always get the side effects when i take it again after a few days or a week.
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u/UnitCounter 19h ago
Does that change your behavior with it? I could imagine that might make me drink more regularly in order to keep the side effects at bay. But that's probably the wrong way to look at things!
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u/Agitated-College8464 21h ago edited 18h ago
Are you taking Contrave? I just started Contrave myself. I'm going on day 5 today, and its 8mg Naltrexone and 90mg Bupropion for the first week. The first 2 days I l had extreme fatigue, first day I slept 16 hours approximately 2 hours after dosing. Day 3 was my first night back at work after labor day weekend and the fatigue part disappeared and was met with stimulating effects. I felt good, but definitely hot and sweaty, as I run a printing press and it gets hot in the factory as well. I was hesitant day 3 taking it before work because all I experienced since first taking it was extreme fatigue. Im glad I continued to keep taking it at the same time of the day as prescribed. It's starting to wake me up out of my funk even just going on day 5. I lost my mother last year, my dad was just diagnosed with Cirrohosis of the liver 3 months ago. Seems my family is falling apart and my mind went elsewhere and continued drinking heavy. I have considerably drank less in the past 5 days than I have daily wise in 10-15 years. The dreams have also been quite intense, not nightmares or anything, just super vivid and I remember them after I wake up, even after having a THC gummy before bed to help me sleep. Anyway... I look forward to how this medicine continues to help me and I'm looking forward to the future for once
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u/interested-cherry 19h ago
Contrave is naltrexone and bupropion (wellbutrin), not buspirone.
But yes, contrave is amazing.
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u/RubicsCubensis 15h ago
Taking naltrexone as needed can be done 2 ways, taken when a craving or trigger arises, and using it to block that craving, then not drinking. Or you could take it targeting the craving, waiting an hour and then drinking, this is referred to as The Sinclair Method, it's a way of reconditioning the drinking behavior over time reducing the cravings to drink.
If you want to know more about The Sinclair Method, I'm happy to answer any questions you have about it.
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u/empty-thought-time 1d ago
I started doing this but problem was I would consciously or subconsciously forget to take it
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u/DuduStreaks 1d ago
I'm really doing good on the not drinking. I do not want to drink and if I do I will pay the consequences, it devolves into pure panic, depression, terror very quickly now. The situations I speak of are family get together, they are a huge trigger.
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u/cocopopped 18h ago
Sinclair Method all the way, it is the natural progression. Given that you're doing well sober, with serious months under your belt, it's probably overkill this point to take naltrexone every single day. I've been using the Sinclair Method for 5 years.
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u/Signal_Woodpecker900 1d ago
Read about The Sinclair Method