Wanting To Quit Taking Contrave (Page 7) (Top voted first)

I need to know how to stop taking contrave. Can I just quit cold turkey or do I wean off? If I wean off how do I do it?

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Re: Lauri (# 13)

I paid $99 with the discount card (at Walmart). With insurance it’s supposed to be $151.06.

The comment regarding bupropion is correct. Bupropion is classified as an antidepressant and Affects your brain chemistry. It should not be stopped without consulting your doctor. The best way to stop Wellbutrin/Buproion is by tapering off. If you’re not comfortable with consulting with your physician than simply do the step down process the way you started it that seems to be the safest route. So in other words, the way we tapered up but backwards.

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Re: Teresa (# 11)

Yes my cravings are still there sometimes. I am almost to the end of my 2nd week. I have averaged losing about 1 pound per week. I still eat what I want/like but just a little and I'm good. I am now debating whether or not to purchase my 3rd go around. I would like to find something a little more effective and more cost friendly. The pharmacist at Wal-Mart suggested that I go online for coupons. I did and got 2 pharmacy cards at no charge. So I took both cards to Wal-mart pharmacy and each time purchase a 30 day supply of contrave for $99. One of the cards did not have much of a discount. $99 per month is quite a stretch for me. But losing the weight is not only a slow process but a painful one in many ways. I know this something I can do something about. I know I will feel much better like I did when I quit cold after 53 years of smoking and was diagnosed with congestive heart failure. Not pleasant at all!

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Re: Heather (# 9)

Hi Heather,

I’ve been on Contrave for 6 months. Ive lost 36 lbs and gained 5 back. I feel that my cravings are coming back. I also think that what I thought was a vestibular migraine (occasional but very bad dizziness, vomiting, brain fog) is really the side effects. So frustrated!

Heather P.

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Re: Lori (# 120)

I was also diagnosed with congestive heart failure this year and quit smoking after 53 years. They also told me at Walmart about the $99 for a 1 month supply. I am now in my 3rd month taking contrave. I have been losing on average 1 pound a week. I had already lost 10 pounds when I started the contrave and another 20 since starting contrave. My symptoms are relatively mild. I've also been diagnosed by my cardiologist and primary care doctors that I have COPD. However, my I pulmonologist says I have sleep apnea but not the COPD. It has been very frustrating for me and none of the whole process has been pleasant not to mention very scary!

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I went off it cold turkey. I was instructed by the pharmacist to do so. I was having such horrible side effects and needed to stop it immediately. I can't believe this stuff is on the market. I was so sick I wanted to die. It was like having the flu times a thousand. I was like that for 3 days until I realized that I didn't actually have the flu I was having a severe reaction to Contrave. Note...I had just started my 3rd week when this happened. The first 2 weeks were bad too. I felt like crap!! I will never ever take this again and I will tell people not to take this. It's not worth it? Eat less and get moving and you will lose weight. I was just looking for an easy way out. So much for that...

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Re: Crystal (# 4)

I couldn’t take 4 pills a day because of that reason. I’ve been on almost 3 months and only lost 8 lbs. I’m going off because my insurance won’t cover them. Guess I’ll be going cold turkey

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Re: Heather (# 9)

I feel the same. I feel like for me it worked really well initially but the effect gradually wore off. I'm going to wean myself off because I don't feel like its doing anything and it's too expensive if it's not going to work. I lost about 12 pounds right away and then my weight loss stalled.

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Re: Heather (# 2)

I am taking also week1- 1 in morning
Week 2- 1 am and 1 pm
Week 3- 2am 1 pm
Week 4- 2am 2pm
To stop or get to a better level with less side effects use this process.

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Re: Sally (# 7)

I’ve been on a year. I lost 45 pounds in the first 6 months and then have been basically maintaining since. I’m considering stopping since I haven’t lost more weight but I’m really scared I’ll gain again. I also have about 20 more pounds to lose

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Rebeccaaguirre57 (# 111) --

Hi, 44 yo male prescribed 8mg Naltrexone 2x daily for carbohydrate / sugar cravings. It's the end of my first week. Took only 1 dose, around 3 or 4pm during 1st week as suggested (about 8 hours before bedtime). Going to keep with 1 dose / day as of now. Not going to add the additional morning dose at this time because it seems unnecessary. Not having carb cravings in the morning / midday.

Since beginning Naltrexone, I'm not experiencing strong cravings in the evening so it definitely is working for me. I had weaned a good deal of the extra sugar from my evenings but was still craving carbs before bedtime
abd had a few short / weak craving moments but much more manageable and certainly didn't result in a mad dash to the store for Gelato.

The noticeable side effect is very vivid, emotional dreams... grief/loss of a loved one, anxiety from missing a plane, and some scary ones (driving backwards in a car really fast / dangerously). These may be disturbing for some people. I'm taking into consideration that these are subconscious feelings that can be resolved with awareness / meditation... thank you Naltrexone for shedding light on them. Last night I also had a 3 donut dream.. they were delicious but the guilt was not. Didn't waken with cravings though so that's good.

Have not had insomnia as some report. After day 4, I've had a lingering headache that's worse at night. Nor sure if it is from the Naltrexone as the headaches onset occurred with a blood pressure spike. Blood pressure is back down now but headache lingers. Hope this may be helpful, if not timely.

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Re: Sally (# 6)

Hi there. I’ve been on Contrave over a year. Lost 20lbs within 4 months but nothing since then. Actually I gained 6lbs recently. Trying to decide if there is a way to restart my system. My side effects were minimal.

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Re: Sally (# 6)

Hi Sally. I have been taking Contrave since October 1, 2017, so a little over 4 months. I have lost 50 pounds. However it doesn’t seem to have any great effect on me anymore and was thinking about weaning off. I struggle so bad with constipation. Even taking a laxative every day I am lucky to go 1 time a week. And the taste in my mouth is awful! Did you decide to go off of the medication?

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Re: Heather (# 9)

Yes! I am feeling the same way...I have been on for 5 months now. I have lost 50 pounds and seem to be stuck. I have started getting cravings again whereas before I could resist with no problems. I am thinking about stopping but don't know if I can just stop or need to wean off. I'm also afraid that if I do stop taking it, will the cravings get worse? I don't want to gain any weight back. I am really struggling with constipation and dry mouth, almost unbearable.

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Re: Heather (# 2)

I also have not lost weight after being on Contrave for a month. It’s so expensive not to have more results

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I HAVE been on Contrave for a month and have had no side effects. However, I HAVE NOT LOST ONE POUND, ONE OUNCE. Don't feel I can afford to pay abt $100 a month and get no results.

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I was on Contrave. I wanted to get off of it but when I read if you get off of it
"cold turkey" you could have seizures. So I went to my doctor and she wrote out a step down plan to get off the medication. I really suggest you to see a doctor.

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I just started on Friday(it's now Sunday) with 2 in the morning and 2 in the afternoon. I've lost 14 pounds in almost a month. I have more energy and joy than I've had in a long time. I always take the a.m. pills after breakfast bc it helps me to have no (light) hunger pains,so I can last from around 10:30 a.m. until around 4:30 p.m. without any hunger pains or cravings(for snacks inbetween)! I am,however,unconcerned about the length of time (amount of months or years) I should be taking Contrave. Is it a bad thing to be on it for a long period of time? I too,am afraid that I will gain the weight back when I stop taking it??.

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Re: Sally (# 6)

I have been on Contrave for 10 months and have lost 90 lbs. However I completely changed my eating habits and exercise at least an hour a day. I have the same side effect with the constipation. A couple of months ago I was experiencing a lag in losing weight. I read up on what to do and most of what I read said I needed to boost my metabolism by eating more and one day and low carbs the next. I did this about 2 weeks and got back on track of losing weight. Hope this helps you!

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Re: Crystal (# 4)

Go on the internet and search for contrave savings card. You have to register but it's free. Print the savings card and your will never pay over $99. I use it

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Re: Sally (# 6)

I’ve been taking contrave since May 2017. It’s March 23, 2018. I had all the nausea in the beginning but that only lasted a month. I’ve lost 30-33 lbs and love it. I am also stuck at 30-33 lbs and can’t seem to lose anymore. I think I’m going to take myself off. Maybe take a break for several months and try it again, see if that helps kick-start the losing again.

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