Visit
Naloxone for information on medicine used to treat opioid poisoning (overdose).
About naltrexone
Naltrexone (ReVia) is a medicine that helps people who:
- want to stop drinking alcohol
- have an addiction to opioids like codeine, oxycodone, or morphine
Your doctor might also suggest it for other reasons.
You can’t get addicted to naltrexone. It won’t make you feel high, and you won’t have withdrawal symptoms when you stop using it.
Naltrexone can help people manage their drinking or opioid use. But it isn’t a cure, and it doesn’t work for everyone.
Naltrexone may work best for people who really want to quit and who use it along with other therapies, like counselling or support groups.
Dose
Your doctor will decide how much naltrexone you should take and how long you should take it.
Usually, you will take it every day for about 3 months, and then you and your doctor decide if you should keep taking it.
Naltrexone and alcohol
Naltrexone can lower your urge to drink alcohol. And if you do drink alcohol, you might not enjoy it as much, which can help you drink less.
Naltrexone doesn’t make you feel sick or throw up if you drink alcohol while taking it.
Naltrexone
doesn’t make you sober. You will still feel the effects of alcohol, like poor judgment or being clumsy.
Naltrexone and opioids
Naltrexone blocks the effects of opioids, so you won’t feel high or get pain relief from them. This can help someone who used to use opioids but wants to stop and stay off them.
You need to stop using opioids for 7 to 10 days before starting naltrexone.
Because naltrexone can affect the liver, your doctor will do a blood test to check your liver before you start.
Even though naltrexone blocks the effects of opioids, taking opioids while on it can still cause poisoning (overdose).
Don’t try to take more opioids to overcome the effects of naltrexone.
Never share your naltrexone with people who are using opioids. It could cause them to have severe withdrawal symptoms, like feeling sick, throwing up, sweating, and feeling anxious.
Side effects
Side effects are usually mild. They last only a short time while your body gets used to the medicine.
Side effects can be different depending on if you’re using naltrexone for alcohol or opioid use.
Alcohol
For alcohol use, common side effects are nausea and headaches.
Less common side effects are feeling dizzy, feeling nervous or anxious, and feeling tired or drowsy.
Opioids
When you take naltrexone for opioid use, the most common side effects are upset stomach, headaches, trouble sleeping, and feeling nervous.
Less common side effects are feeling dizzy, having no appetite, being constipated, being irritable, and feeling down.
Who should not take naltrexone
Naltrexone is
not recommended for people who:
- have liver or kidney problems
- are going through withdrawal
- are not ready to drink or quit alcohol
- are using opioids
- are pregnant (unless the benefit is worth the risk)
Check with your pharmacist before taking other medicine with naltrexone.
You can take most medicine while you're on naltrexone, including many non-prescriptions medicines without codeine, like acetaminophen (Tylenol), allergy medicine, and ibuprofen (Advil, Motrin).
If you're starting naltrexone, tell your doctor what other medicines you take.
If you're going to have surgery, stop taking naltrexone at least 72 hours before.
For more information and to find an addiction services office near you, call the
24-hour Help Line.
