Itching From Contrave
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I have been taking Contrave for three weeks and have developed itching on the insides of my hands and the bottoms of my feet. Has anyone else experienced this?

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Re: Tori (# 65)

Did anyone restart contrave and take a lower dosage after they stopped itching from the 3-4week dosage?

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I am off it completely and as of last 7 days I am free of itching.My doctor gave me a cream for all of the welts on my lower back and arms.I hadn’t noticed that I caused all those welts and scars in my sleep. I am motivated to be good to myself and follow the Paleo diet.

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Re: Tori (# 62)

Also the days before the itching symptoms started, I was hot all the time and would suddenly sweat when everyone else was cool. I thought I was experiencing menopause, but I have a feeling it's also the Contrave.

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Re: Tori (# 62)

So glad I found this forum. I started contrave 3 weeks ago and now that I'm on 2 and 1, I suddenly felt itchy bumps on feet, scratched through the night and then hands had bumps were itchy. Hivy rash on my arms, neck, boobs, scalp, itchy all over. It's horrible. Sometimes the hive/rash is straight line on my arm. I'm going to stop taking it and try back to 1 and 1. See if I itchy again.

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Re: Tori (# 59)

My only relief was Benedryl, but who wants to be on different Medications?!

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Re: Plumlbs (# 53)

Yes, I thought I had bed bugs or an autoimmune disease. I stopped Contrave as the side effects were not worth the intense scratching.

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Re: Mandi (# 14)

Sooo miserable!

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Re: Jessica (# 8)

I stopped it over a week ago and am still itching. I've never experienced this before. I am afraid to start the medicine again.

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The itching is awful. I stopped taking and still itchy. Going to doctor today to get prednisone. How long will it take for this to go away. Scratching big marks in my sleep

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Re: Amy (# 56)

I took Contrave a few years ago. The insanely intense itching of my feet and palms of my hands was it for me. I gave it up. No rash just pure misery from the itch. My body said stop, so I did.

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Re: Chris (# 43)

Hi. I'm taking the two drugs separately & am having the same problem. I can say for certain the itching is due to the Naltrexone.

From the start, I was prescribed 1 wellbutrin SR a day. For Naltrexone, in weeks 1-2 I took a quarter of a tab per day. On week 3, I increased to half a tab per day & this is when the itchy hands & feet began. I'm also noticing some hives and hand/foot swelling as well in week 3.

Antihistamine & heavy creams helped with the itching but I'm going to drop back down to the lower dosage of Naltrexone. Hopefully the lower Naltrexone dose will still be effective for weight loss bc I didn't experience any side effects in the first 2 wks.

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Yes! I am on my third week and my feet are extremely itchy. I have looked to see if this is a side effect, but not found anything.

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Re: Plumlbs (# 53)

Just an update. It seems some people have itchiness with no severe allergic reaction so I guess it just becomes a situation where you decide if you can stand that side effect and it is worth it for the weight loss benefit. My severe allergic reaction resulting in significant hair loss did resolve. Hair loss stopped after three months and regrowth has started.

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Re: Alicat (# 17)

I am relieved to hear that the itchyness I am experiencing currently is most likely linked to Contrave. I just started the 2:2 phase and have been woken up in the middle of the night with uncontolable itchyness! The itchyness is the worst in the night, I cannot sleep. It is present in the day too. This is a brand new symptom.
Contrave has been working for me; I have lost 12 lbs. I hope the itchyness passes. It is unbearable. I thought I had bed bugs!! I have been losing my mind! Thank you all for sharing.

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Re: Yvonnie (# 51)

So sorry Yvonne. I also hated to stop the Contrave because it was helping with weight but just as an update, after the horrible hives at the end of May, I am having a good deal of hair loss which I noticed during May, along with scalp itch and sensitivity, but thought it might be normal shedding. Turns out my doctor thinks that the allergic reaction, which did involve my scalp, affected the follicles and all during June I am really losing hair. Fortunately, I have thick hair and the doctor thinks it will subside. Currently on vitamins to help,hair and skin with a special natural shampoo and condition to help the persistent scalp itch. I did read some posts about hair loss and Contrave, which is not a high level side effect but just be aware.

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I too have started itching. Started when I doubled my dose to two in morning and at night a couple days ago. I too was thinking that it was something else but doubling my dose was the only new thing in my rountine. Today I'm noticing that I'm starting to have slight headaches. The benadryl has been very helpful but I can't take it during the day because I would be too sleepy at work. All of the reviews have been very helpful. I've already had two tablets in the am and started itching shortly afterwards. I think I will skip tonight's dose and take a benadryl just to get some relief. I am going to taper it down some and see how that goes. Wish me luck. I've lost 5lbs so far and it really helps curve those urges.

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Re: Minnie (# 49)

I think you are done with Contrave Minnie as you are having an allergic reaction for sure. Benedryl really helped the itch.

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Re: cade71 (# 6)

Yes, it has been four days and I'm itchy all over, driving me nuts. Bought a whole bunch of creams and nothing is helping so I quit taking the pills a few days ago when this started. Wondering if I restarted and only took one pill morning and afternoon if it would help?

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I have been on Contrave for three weeks and broke out in huge hives today. I am quite sad about it because I was in much better control with my eating and beginning to drop weight. I was only taking one pill for the first week and then two pills daily for the next two weeks. Now on steroids. Benedryl did very little.

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Re: Arlie (# 7)

I was wondering about the itch it started at the end of week three -driving me nuts on bottom of feet and hands i stopped taking contrave will try zyrtec hopefully it works

Do you think if i do one in the morning and one in evening if it will stop the itching

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