Does anyone have any experience with naltrexone? I have committed to abstaining from drinking but my husband is not feeling it. He has been to rehab and spent time in AA and decided it’s not for him. He tends to bing and oftentimes bad things happen. Fights, lost keys, wallets, phones, glasses; DUIs. I heard an interesting program on NPR this morning and it sounded like a viable option to help someone cut back on binging. I would love it if he would quit but I feel like this might be a good place to start. I love him very much and he is a wonderful man. But alcohol is making his life unmanageable.
I am currently taking it, really helps curb the urge to drink, I also was a binge drinker, went to detox, take 1 pill a night, haven’t had the urge yet. Only 9 days in, but feel great!
Won’t stop the drinking, but curbs the urge.
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Binge drinker of 15 years, not a daily drinker…I got on Naltrexone to stop my urges to drink everything in sight once I got going…took it for a few days and the first time I drank on it was terrible. I had “day terrors” which was essentially a panic attack with haullucinations and paranoia. Ended up having to take a Valium to calm down and sit in my bathtub with the lights off while on the phone with my psychiatrist. It felt like a bad bad acid trip.
It works really well for some- but not so well for others. My psych said the negative reaction has something to do with your opioid receptors already being “blocked” which the Naltrexone is supposed to do. I did A LOT of psychedelic drugs as a teen so this could possibly be why I had this reaction, or it could be simply a bad gene/drug response.
I’d say it’s worth trying though, just be prepared for the chance that things could get weird, i.e. don’t drink + Naltrexone at a party or anything. My reaction happened at work, where I’m the boss/owner but it was so intense I called my husband to come get me immediately.
I know @johnsee has had a similar stressful experience from Naltrexone.
Good luck though! It might work great for your hubby!
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I was on this med last year. My current doctor said it’s more for drug abusers, not for alcohol. It didn’t diminish my desire to drink, and left my brain hurting when I did. He switched me to Campral, and after 10 days of sobriety, I’m lovin it. I almost feel normal again😆 I am also taking Ativan for anxiety, for any withdrawls. GOOD LUCK!
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I am taking naltrexone and it definitely is working for me, it was originally for alcoholics yrs ago then for drug users. I am a binge drinker and naltrexone stopped the cravings. Take at night with melatonin and my mind and body shut down with great sleep.
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It’s true what @Dogboi said. I was having strange night and day terrors when on it. Obviously YMMV! It was interesting in the sense of “wow my mind is trippy!” but was too frightening, and I had to get off it.
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Sorry to hear that , hope it works outout for u