Naltexone And Alcohol

Updated

I have been prescribed this drug on the theory that it will block alcohol effects hence I will stop drinking because I will feel no highs..(drunkeness) from the alcohol. So far I have taken this drug for 10 days and as yet, I have not experienced this. I still feel drunk after drinking. Does anyone know how long it will take before the drug takes effect and stops the effect of alcohol?

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1

I'd like to know, too... I have been taking NAltrexone for two days and my urge to dring had reduced. I drink more slowly, and spaced my drinks with vegetable jucie in between... let's see how I go tis weekend... it will be the test

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2

I've now been on this for 8 weeks, I spoke to my alcohol worker about this and he explained that I will always feel drunk with alcohol however the aim of the drug is to reduce cravings and supposedly not enjoy the drunk feeling. This has happened but drink is still in my life, just more under control and less of it. Hope you succeed on your journey to being alcohol free...good luck!

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3

I was a chronic but functioning alcoholic for decades. I started a daily 50 mg dose about 17 months ago. My goal was not abstinence; it was control. I continued to drink as usual and gradually over the weeks and months my cravings vanished. When I discovered how easy it was to be satisfied with one drink, as opposed to the whole bottle (that still wasn't enough in the old days!) I was very pleased. But I was surprised to find that I got a nice pleasant buzz on one drink or two, it tasted the same and still gave me that great warm tingly feeling I have learned to love. The difference was that I could enjoy it like a normal person and not crave more. In the past couple of months I have really tapered off and been pleased with the extra cash that has appeared. I am thrilled that I can enjoy wine or a holiday toddy this season and feel completely satisfied without craving more. Currently I am only taking naltrexone on days I expect to drink. I got frustrated trying to explain to friends that it is not antabuse, does not work like antabuse and has nothing to do with antabuse. Has anyone else had the experience that alcohol stills tastes good and makes them high; they just don't want nearly as much of it?

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4

Almaviva. I have been on it for five months, using the same method you are using (Sinclair Method) and have had pretty much the same experience. There are whole forums devoted to the Sinclair Method.

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5

Just curious when you take it? I've read varied info - 1 hr before you might intend to drink? So confusing on that point..
TIA

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6

I have some follow up observations after taking Naltrexone for about two years now. My original goal was not abstinence, but control. I have succeeded and am thrilled with the results. I notice some have commented that they have only taken Naltrexone for briefer periods and perhaps not as prescribed (at least as prescribed by the Sinclair method) Any miracle drug or magic spell only works if you follow directions correctly. You must take Naltrexone at least an hour before alcohol and you MUST drink, otherwise pharmacological extinction cannot occur. It took time to become a dependent alcoholic and it takes at least several months to "unaddict" oneself. You will still get high and alcohol will still taste the same but you will no longer crave it. I no longer feel anxious if I don't have it in the house and find myself easily going for days without drinking or thinking about it. I feel quite sure that if I were in a situation where alcohol was not available for an extended period, I would be able to cope just fine. I don't know if Naltrexone will work for all types of alcoholic. For example, I have a friend who is a "binge drinker." I'm not sure he even likes alcohol, but every so often he will break a period of abstinence with a major binging episode, as if to punish himself for whatever bad thing he thinks he's done. I'm not sure Naltrexone would do any good for him. I've given up extolling the benefits of Naltrexone; no one seems to believe me anyway. 12 Step and AA adherents are especially hostile, as they feel it undermines everything they have been taught and have come to accept about alcohol and addiction. One of the good things that crafty, crooked old Richard Nixon did for the country, before his disgrace, was to establish the Special Action Office for Drug Abuse Prevention (SAODAP). The first director of SAODAP, Dr. Jerome Taffe, was committed to transferring drug abuse treatment from prisons and hospitals to community-based services. The development of Naltrexone was one of his priorities. It was then thought to be a good possible substitute for methadone and its use for alcoholism was no yet understood. In the meanwhile the Naltrexone patent has expired and there will be no commercially sponsored tests because, quite bluntly, no one can make any money from it. The hostility of 12-Steppers and AA, coupled with the uneasiness of doctors in prescribing a medication and directing their patients to continue drinking as usual is an obstacle to wider use and the understanding of how it works.

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7

Hi,
Last year I tried naltrexone for my excessive love for wine and it was working well, however, when the prescription ran out I didn't feel I could afford more...River Pharmacy is expensive. Anyway, my control eventually slipped away. A couple of months ago I got another prescription. This time though, it's been a month and a half, and I'm still drinking like a rock star. The first time I noticed a huge difference in my cravings in just a few weeks. Has anyone experienced this? Have I become immune to the effects...or is it possible that it's just taking longer to kick in?

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8

Hello! I just need a little encouragement. I've been on naltrexone for a little over a week. I missed one day. I'm still feeling cravings and feeling the side effects of drinking alcohol. It's not as bad as it used to be but it's still there. I just need to know if it's going to get better. People are leveling ultimatums at me. How long does it take before I can have a few days of not drinking alcohol? Should I try a few days of white knuckling it and not drinking alcohol?

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