Naltrexone And Alcohol

I have been taking naltrexone for a month now to help me quit getting drunk on white wine. My pharmacist said I shouldn't drink any alcohol while taking this drug but would like to know if I went out on a weekend, could I drink a glass of wine or two while taking naltrexone? Would there be any severe side effects?

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Wouldn't that be defeating the purpose of why you wanted to start taking it?

Not only is it risky to consume alcohol with any medication, but if you wanted to stop drinking, it really makes little sense to go right back to it.

Have you consulted your doctor? Have you undergone any counseling for this issue?

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Co: Your pharmacist does not understand the way naltrexone works or what its purpose is. Naltrexone works by the principal of "pharmacological extinction" It cannot work unless you are actively drinking. To prescribe naltrexone and then tell a patient not to drink is missing the entire point. In order to extinguish cravings the naltrexone must have something to block and it must have a series of events over several months to do this. The process is, perhaps, counter-intuitive and maybe ethically problematic in that a doctor might feel uneasy about prescribing a drug and then telling his patient to go about drinking as usual. Nevertheless, that is what the treatment demands in order to be successful. This is the Sinclair method which is described in detail in the book "The Cure for Alcoholism: The Medically Proven Way to Eliminate Alcohol Addiction" by Roy Eskapa, PhD. Previously published under the more appealing title: "Drink Your Way Sober." Read the book and follow the Sinclair Method faithfully. If you have been taking naltrexone and you have a couple of glasses of wine, the "side-effect" will be to start rolling back the layers of addiction that have developed over years of abuse. Don't be surprised if you experience a certain ambivalence about the wine at this point. You will eventually be able to take it or leave it. You can enjoy a glass of wine at dinner, if you like, instead of consuming the entire bottle. Or you might decide to just stop drinking altogether for various reasons, but the choice will be all yours. I first realized what was happening to me while I was enjoying 2 for 1 drinks at a bar and to my astonishment, the second drink just sat there. I left it. A sort time later I arrived early for a theater curtain. In the old days, I would have darted into the bar next door and consumed two scotches between 7:30 and 7:50. Freedom is a dream come true and being is believing.

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Unfortunately went on the drug and stopped drinking for a month but never renewed the drug for the 2nd month. As soon as i came off i went straight onto the white wine vicious circle.............i think i can say i`m an alcoholic. Never drank whilst on the drug. Can`t believe i actually didn`t have a drink for one month...........was feeling good.

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Almaviva : Many thanks for your concise reply you summed things up at length that my doctor didn`t do taking time to explain how the drug works. I never went back for the 2nd month of pills but after what you`ve explained, the effects won`t be noticeable straight away and it`s a continual process for a while. I think i`ll start all over again when i next go and see my doctor for my scripts. Thanks again for taking the time to answer me. Co

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Here is a simple formula to remember: Naltrexone + Alcohol = CURE. But please read the book. Most doctors don't understand the process. It is simple but counter-intuitive. Read the book and follow it faithfully.

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I don't know if you are still on this forum but please research this subject further. It is possible the Sinclair method works but I am also on Naltrexone and I don't drink per doctor's orders. It works as this way just as well the benefit being i am not putting alcohol in my system. I have almost zero cravings I don't have the alcohol in my body or in my brain so I am learming to live an alcohol free life. I am clear headed and I am sober which is the point.

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Vernon: No. You are not "defeating the purpose" of taking Naltrexone by continuing to drink. To the contrary. Alcohol is the catalyst that makes Naltrexone do its work. Without drinking alcohol the naltrexone has nothing to block and reversal of alcohol addiction cannot occur. The simplest explanation is this basic formulaL Naltrexone + alcohol = CURE. That is what I have been trying to explain earlier. Last of all, there is no danger in drinking alcohol while taking Naltrexone; that is the way it works.

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Almaviva is right on track with the multiple explanations. I am trying to get my doctor to prescribe this for me. Have done much research and read the book from Dr. Roy Eskapa. Recommendations are to follow the prescription directions precisely. Take a dose of Naltrexone one hour before drinking and yes go ahead and drink. That is how the process of extinction can happen. Yes, continuing to consume alcohol sounds counter productive which is why the "establishment" is having confusion and issues about The Sinclair Method (TSM). Dr. Sinclair's research clearly shows the drug will not do anything if you don't have some alcohol. If you are feeling any benefits without drinking, likely they are a placebo effect. In Finland, where Dr. Sinclair made this process popular, over 100,000 patients are taking Naltrexone and in excess of 75% are seeing benefits from it. I guess the hard part may be to educate American physicians and even pharmacists to the benefits and the precise process.

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My goal was to drink alcohol like a normal person, not to become a teetotaler. I achieved the results I wanted. I could easily go completely alcohol free if I wanted to or needed to, but I still enjoy going out for a drink with friends and now I can do so when I want, without fear of drinking too much or losing control.

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hi....ive had a naltrexone implant for opiate dependence....been in for approx 2 months now....i daily drink 2 pints of stella no reaction.....try not to drink as that is why you're on them in the first place......but as to the question ...no there is no side effect or reaction...best of luck

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Vewon: You are not paying attention. Follow the discussion carefully. Read the book. Here is the formula again: Naltrexone + alcohol = cure. Get it?

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i started taking naltrexone last summer to limit my regular drinking patterns, and be able to maintain when i went out. it worked great until november, when i started getting violently sick the day after consuming more than a few drinks. all-day vomiting--bile and dry-heaves if no food. is this normal? i guess i should say that i was taking it daily, whether i drank or not.

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This is exactly what I wanted to hear! I'm 28, female and have been drinking since I was 16. Most people think I'm so healthy as I do yoga every day and nobody ever sees the truth, if I open a bottle at home I'll drink until I pass out :( it's not every night and I can go without drinking but what I want is to control it once I start and not lose control. I'm on Day one of the drug today, did it work for you?

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It is sad that it's so difficult to get a prescription. I personally have found the drug to be a life saver. But it would be easier to get a prescription of OxyContin here in the states.

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Naltrexone does in fact HELP people who want to stop drinking. If one is unable to stop drinking without this drug or any other, then they are drinking alcohlicly. There is no medical CURE for alcoholism and no drug that will stop someone from picking up. Naltrexone is to reduce cravings and often produces vomitting as a DETERANT to further drinking. - An Alcoholic in Recovery (aka a cancer patient in remission).

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Will naltrexone show a false reading on a drug panel?

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I have taken Naltrexone for over 15yrs. I also have not had a drink in over 15yrs. This has been a wonderful drug for me, along with other support. I would not recommend drinking while taking this medication. This is a medication that also requires liver function evaluations. Not good to mix with alcohol, for that point alone.

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Hi All,
I am on my 4th day taking Naltrexone 50mg an hour before drinking as prescribed by my physician (who is amazing and supports the Sinclair method). I found her through the website that said she is is an approved physician in San Diego! So far so good! No nausea or side effects for me and I have kept my drinking under control !! I went to two parties this weekend and only had 2 drinks (which is pretty unheard of for me these days)! I asked my doctor about the concern for liver function and she said that the studies showed that a 300mg level would lead to concern, but 50 mg should be okay. But please always consult your doctor, as all of our livers are different! I am very hopeful that this method will finally allow me to gain control back in my life!!! I will keep everyone updated!!!

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If you don't drink while taking naltrexone, it serves no purpose whatsoever. As already mentioned, the Sinclair Method requires that you combine the two. If you are having trouble finding a provider to prescribe the naltrexone for the sinclair method, the country's largest provider of the sinclair method is at:

sinclairmethod.org

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Hello, I just started on naltrexone 50 mg because over the last 9/10 years my wine consumption had increased significantly. I've tried AA and therapy but still went back to drinking. I went to my doctor after hearing about the Sinclair method and decided I want this medication. My doctor wrote me a prescription for a month supply and said take one 50 mg naltrexone pill every night before bedtime. I did what she instructed that night. I felt terrible, mind you I didn't have an alcoholic drink for two days prior taking the medication but I felt so hung over. It was the worst feeling ever. I have yet to take the medication or even a drink since then. It's been a week now. And I do feel an urge to drink but I'm so scared to take that medication. Any suggestions?

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I am taking Naltrexone to drink less, not to quit. I have been taking 50mg a day for almost a week and I can see the benefits. I am drinking a lot less, however, I have this constant feeling of nausea and lethargy that won’t go away, ironically similar to what I feel when hung over. Moreover, the only remedy that I have found, so far, to take away the queasy stomach feeling is alcohol! A “hair of the dog” syndrome without drinking or hardly drinking beforehand. I’ve read that nausea is a common side effect but my case has not improved very much in the 6 days since I started. I can honestly say, the times I have had a drink during these past 6 days have not been because of cravings, but rather to relieve this nauseous hangover feeling. Can anyone relate? Will this get better with time?

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Re: Wolf (# 13)

It worked for me. I have not had a drink in 3 weeks and no desire.
However, I am starting to get joint pain. Stiff legs. I am not sure if it is this Medford not. But I have definitely broken the habit of nightly drinking.

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Re: Vange (# 20)

You should try Naltrexone Subcutaneous Pellets. The pills give too high a dose and then it wears off too quickly.....leaving you with unwanted side effects. Same thing with vivitrol. The implant Naltrexone give the right amount of medication 24/7 for 16 weeks straight. New Resources Medical Arts in San Antonio will get you a 16 week implant for $1400.

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