Contrave Forums (Page 2)

I've been taking contrave for 3 weeks now and certainly have a decreased appetite. I'm having issues with constipation and a stomach ache in the middle of the night tho. What time is the second dose recommended? Perhaps evening rather than close to bedtime? I also get very tired after lunch and am wondering if changing my diet would help? Any suggestions? Finally, I used to have a few glasses of wine on the weekends and have a cigarette or two (yes I'm one of those smokers). However, I've lost both a taste for wine and definitely smoking since the first week. That can only be a good thing. Please share your thoughts. ## The listed FDA directions only say it should be taken in the evening, so I think adjusting it should be fine, unless your doctor has told you not to do s...

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How long after taking Contrave can I have a coffee? I usually drink one as soon as I get up and one more in a day. It says avoid significant amounts of caffeine, but what does this mean exactly? ## It is always best to double check with your doctor, or pharmacist, but generally two cups of regular coffee would not be considered a significant amount of caffeine. Significant amounts would be akin to drinking quite a few cups, emptying the coffee pot, drinking energy drinks, and caffeinated sodas, in addition to your coffee. Contrave contains Bupropion, and Naltrexone, and the Bupropion tends to have a stimulating effect in some people that take it, so side effects may include nausea, dizziness, nervousness, mood changes, irritability, restlessness, and insomnia, which is the reason for th...

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I was taking only 2 contrave pills in the morning for a couple of months. My last dosage was yesterday which was Monday. I'm having cosmetic surgery in two days which is Thursday. Is it safe to have surgery? I wasn't aware of any dangers with Contrave & surgery. I wasn't on this medication when I initially had my consult. Please help.. I'm worried. ## Has your surgeon provided any instructions regarding medications you should not take, before your surgery? Due to the Naltrexone in Contrave, some pain medications may not work for you, it usually takes about 3 days, after stopping the medication, for them to work, again. The FDA warns that this medication may cause other side effects, such as nausea, dizziness, headache, mood changes, and anorexia. ## Hello! To be hone...

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I have never had Kratom before, but plan to go to the Kava bar for New Years. Will it hurt me since I’ve been taking Contrave for six days now? ## I wouldn't take any chances. ## Kratom is in the Coffee Familiy, and has been used for CENTURIES by indigenous Peoples. It tastes bad, but NO ONE has over overdosed, or died from it. The stuff sold in head shops is usually garbage. I tried a couple of different strains, and it litterally did nothing to me. My Brother-in-Law is an exercise freak, and He swears by Kratom. ## My friend has advised me to try Kava, so I'm currently looking for a good place for it. Any recs, guys? ## Hey there. It's cool that your friend put you onto Kava. It's a pretty chill way to unwind after a long day. I've tried it a few times myself...

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I had Dunkin donuts english muffin sandwich with burger king's small hashbrowns and a small sweet tea (dunkin donuts). Contrave says no high fat meals. So is it safe to take my one pill now? Or should I give it an hour, eat a Banana then take it? I definitely don't want to have a seizure! I'm freaking out. ## It's actually hard to say, but yes, there is a risk of them occurring. The higher the dose of Bupropion, the greater the risk of experiencing a seizure.. a high amount of fat may cause your body to retain higher amounts of Bupropion, which in turn, could potentially cause you to experience a seizure, as reported under the FDA provided potential side effects. While it most likely contains sugar, the sweet tea most likely did not contain any fat, unless they did somet...

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I ate a high fat meal (stuffed baked potato) tonight and am wondering when it is safe to take my evening dose of Contrave. All the warnings say is do not take with a high fat meal. Well, how long do you have to wait? There is no information on that! Has anyone heard? ## Hello, MrsMeck! How are you? Have you tried asking your doctor? Unfortunately, I'm only finding the same thing you are, not to take it with a high fat meal, but no specific time frame. Taking it with a high fat meal creates the risk of seizures. Other typical side effects, as listed by the FDA, may possibly include nausea, dizziness, headache, nervousness and anorexia. Does anyone know more? ## I spoke to a consultant at Takeda today and they recommended that I call my dr. But the problem would be that the doctor wou...

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I recently took contrave for a year and had wonderful success! I had all the horrible side effects in the beginning and wanted to quit. I talked to my Dr and he lowered my dose and the intolerable side effects went away! I originally lost 65lbs now after stopping it, I've gained back 30 lbs. After a while though I reached a plateau and it stopped working my appetite came back and I started to gain. I've been off contrave for two months and was wondering if I restarted taking it would it begin to work once more? I guess my question is how long do I have to be off of it for it to be out of my system so that I can start fresh again? ## Most people do report hitting a plateau point, after being on it for awhile, and it usually takes a few months for it to start working, again. I...

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I have had M.E. for the past 17 years. Although only 52 years old, the price of being bedridden (or the disease or meds) has caused me to gain 150 pounds. My hips are very painful from the weight and/or the disease. My doctor knows nothing about Contrave & isn't interested. I'm so afraid of the long term results of me not standing up, walking or sitting. I know losing that 150 lbs would ease the pain when attempting to sit, stand & walk. Is there a doctor I can discuss this with? ## What type of doctor are you seeing? It may be a good idea for you to consult a specialist, as they generally have a better idea of what medications you can take, and what might help with your weight issue. It's hard to say what caused the weight gain, most likely it was due to a combo of ...

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I have been on Contrave for 3 weeks. Since I have been on it from day one I have been extremely hungry. I want to eat everything. I am starting to have pain in the joints of my hand. I have gained weight being on this drug. I am writing this so that others will know if they are experiencing the same thing this drug is too expensive not to work. I paid 339.00 for this drug to help me lose weight and so far I have not seen any improvement. ## Unfortunately, no medication can be guaranteed to work, regardless of its price tag. Additionally, some medications have been known to cause the opposite of their desired effects in some people that try them. However, the increased appetite, and weight gain are not typical side effects, according to FDA reports. Typical side effects usually include n...

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I've been on Vicodin for years due to chronic pain. My Doc prescribed this for me and said it was ok to take together, but I'm not so sure - Any thoughts? ## Naltrexone can decrease the levels of Hydrocodone, since it blocks opiate receptors, while Bupropion increases the effect of it. But, it's likely that the Contrave will actually cancel out the Vicodin, making it ineffective for you. You may need to see your doctor and try something other than the Contrave, if you require opiate pain medications. The FDA has approved Contrave to aid in weight loss and its typical side effects may possibly include nausea, dizziness, anorexia, nervousness and insomnia. Vicodin is classifies as a narcotic analgesic, so it has the potential to be habit forming and may cause side effects, suc...

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Has any of you experienced this? I took my first and last pill of contrave last Thursday and shortly afterwards experienced extreme anxiety, dizziness and later diarrhea. The following day I got a very bad headache. I then thought it was over because the drug must definitely be out of my system. But no, I woke up today 5 days after taking the feeling dizzy and had another episode of diarrhea. I had barely eaten anything these past 5 days. I have no appetite whatsoever. Is it possible this is still the drug? I was feeling fine until I took it. ## Monica, I am sorry to hear that you have not been feeling well. Here is a list of reported side effects caused by Contrave - nausea, - headache, - vomiting, - constipation, - diarrhea, - dizziness, - trouble sleeping (insomnia), - dry mouth, - a...

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Once you get to 3 doses and then up to 4 doses a day, are you suppose to spread them apart throughout the day or are you suppose to take multiple doses at a time in the AM and PM? ## According to the manufacturers instruction and FDA details, you are supposed to take 2 tablets in the am and 2 in the pm, at the same time. The side effects are listed as possibly including nausea, dizziness, nervousness, and insomnia. Is there anything else I can help with? ## I started contrave and at 2/day developed metallic breath and worried it was affecting my liver function, toxins coming out of saliva. So I stop it when stinky liver breath occurs and resume it when normal breath returns. I also take the pill now after I hit my calorie limit for the day as it acts as anti-snack appetite suppressant w...

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I have been on Contrave for 3 months. I have battled nausea all along, hoping it would go away. I've lost 15 pounds. The pill seems to make everything taste bad. Coffee, spicy food, even just scrambled eggs taste bitter and gritty. I didn't have any other side effect. This past week, the nausea has moved on to vomiting. I've used Tumms and Dramamine as well as a prescription anti nausea med on and off for all three months. I truly feel poisoned. I feel ridiculous that I have used this knowingly for 3 months and endured feeling sick. I've spent a lot of money and feel terrible even a week after stopping the drug. Please don't take this. I feel that fairly soon enough folks will complain enough to take it off of the market. ## I dont feel that it should be taken off th...

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I've only been on Contrave for 4 days and I've gained 6 pounds. My legs, feet and stomach are swollen, so I assume it's retention of water? Anyone else had this reaction? ## The FDA does list that as a possible side effect, along with nausea, dizziness, irritability, nervousness, and insomnia. Have you consulted your doctor? That is always the best thing to do to be sure. Such rapid weight gain can also be a sign of other potential risky health issues, such as congestive heart failure. Are you on any other medications? ## I have been drinking a ton of water since I started the meds last week. I would be sure you are drinking a lot. That will help with the fluid retention. ## Hello everyone, I am at the beginning of week 5 and have not really lost any weight. Maybe a pound or...

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Ok. I started contrave Sept 23rd 2017. So far I am happy with my weight loss. I'm losing about a pound a week and I'm ok with that. I've been on 4 pills a day since my 4th week. My side effects I've been a headaches, some nausea, but I'm having trouble with motion sickness. My headaches went away. Am I nausea never made me throw up. The nausea has gone away to except for the motion sickness . I was wondering if anyone else has had this to happen. I've always had some type of motion sickness when riding in the back seat of a car or amusement park rides. I now can't even be the passenger in the front seat. I have to be the driver. I even get sick strolling through the internet or the guide on my TV. I dont want to stop taking the contrave. Since it seems to be ...

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Does anyone know if you can quit cold turkey or do you have to wean off? ## When a patient is taken off Wellbutrin it is usually weaned. I would think Contrave would be the same. ## Hello Contrave Dislike, According to the National Institute of Health it is typically suggested that you wean off of Contrave, however, they will take into account how long and how much of the medication you have been taking. Please consult your doctor so that he can tell you if you need to be weaned off or if you can simply stop taking the medication. Here is a link to a similar discussion where people have talked about their experiences with quitting Contrave. [1] Wanting To Quit Taking Contrave I hope this information helps. ## I quit cold turkey 5 days prior to a major surgery. I only noticed my anxiety ...

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What pain medications are safe to take on Contrave? I have been taking Tylenol arthritis and glucosamine daily and am now starting the 2 and 2 this week. Also large hard to pass stools, so I'm taking laxatives as well, but don't want to harm my liver. I feel great on Contrave. I was on Adipex and all it did was make my mouth very dry and make me agitated. ## Hello, Lisa! How are you? Contrave contains Bupropion and Naltrexone, the latter of which neutralizes opiates, such as Oxycodone, and Hydrocodone. So, you can take Tylenol with it, unless your doctor instructs you not to do so. Glucosamine is considered to be a supplement, so any possible interactions between it, and most medications, have not been studied extensively. Is your doctor aware that you are taking it? Whether or ...

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I've taken Contrave for a week, Can I stop taking it with? Well there be any side effects from stopping with out gradually ? ## Hello, Maria! How are you? No, there shouldn't be any problems after such a short period of time, but you should check with your doctor to be certain. Why are you stopping it, already? The FDA lists the typical side effects of Contrave as possibly including nausea, dizziness, insomnia, dry mouth and diarrhea. ## After reading all these posts, I have nearly waisted $ 70.00 because I a seriously wondering if Contrave is really worth it for me. I know how to lose weight without pills but this Contrave just made me not wanting any sweets at all, which is my weakness. Regardless I will do the scale down program. I wish all of you success on your weight loss ...

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I would like to know how anyone is doing with long term weight loss using Contrave and a healthy lifestyle? ## It has been very helpful for many people that take it, but the key is exactly what you mentioned, you have to maintain a healthy diet, and lifestyle. Unfortunately, many people expect medications to do all the work, while they continue to eat whatever they want, and/or lead a sedentary lifestyle. The FDA lists its typical side effects as possibly including nausea, dizziness, headache, dry mouth, mood changes, and anorexia. Ref: Contrave Information Are you currently taking it?

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I am a truck driver and get random drug tests. Will Contrave make the test come back positive? ## It's possible depending on what is being checked, but the good news is that neither of the active ingredients in Contrave (bupropion/naltrexone) are considered a controlled substance. Here are some general guidelines: "A driver cannot take a controlled substance or prescription medication without a prescription from a licensed practitioner. If a driver uses a drug identified in 21 CFR 1308.11 (391.42(b)(12)) or any other substance such as amphetamine, a narcotic, or any other habit forming drug, The driver is medically unqualified. There is an exception: the prescribing doctor can write that the driver is safe to be a commercial driver while taking the medication. In this case, the ...

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