Re:On why I gave up drinking in my early twenties
by holler on Thursday December 22, 2022 @09:30PM
(#34101709)
I was surprised to read about Naltrexone in relation to alcoholism as it's not commonly prescribed by doctors.
One thing to note for anyone trying this: it requires your active participation and only works if you take the medication before you drink, or if you think you'll have a craving in the near future.
Additionally there are other side-effects which can be unpleasant ranging from mild to moderate, and it induces a sense of dullness that some people don't react well to. It is an opiate antagonist and blocks out all opiate responses including e.g. desire to eat (some people use it off-label for weight loss).
I do think it should be offered by health practitioners, studied, and talked about much more than it is.
Lastly for anyone looking, there's a new health company specifically aimed at Naltrexone for alcohol use:
https://www.oarhealth.com/
One thing to note for anyone trying this: it requires your active participation and only works if you take the medication before you drink, or if you think you'll have a craving in the near future.
Additionally there are other side-effects which can be unpleasant ranging from mild to moderate, and it induces a sense of dullness that some people don't react well to. It is an opiate antagonist and blocks out all opiate responses including e.g. desire to eat (some people use it off-label for weight loss).
I do think it should be offered by health practitioners, studied, and talked about much more than it is.
Lastly for anyone looking, there's a new health company specifically aimed at Naltrexone for alcohol use: https://www.oarhealth.com/