Naltrexone

Common use

Naltrexone is a narcotic antagonist. It is used instead of methadone to treat people addicted to heroin and also in treatment of people addicted to alcohol.

Dosage and direction

Take with a full glass of water with or without a meal. Regular intake helps to achieve the desired effect. Treatment should not be started until a negative naloxone challenge test has been obtained. The initial dose is 20 mg, the patient should be monitored for one hour and if abstinence is absent the reset of daily dose is given. The average dose of 50 mg a day is enough to block 25 mg of heroin. Later the dose may be gradually increased by your doctor. Take exactly as prescribed by your doctor. Do not change the recommended scheme of treatment without his permission.

Precautions

Consult your doctor if you want also to take cold, cough, diarrhea, or pain medicines; have a kidney or liver disease, or a bleeding disorder such as hemophilia. This medication may affect ability to concentrate attention. Never try overcome effects of the medication by taking more of narcotics or alcohol as it can be fatal. It is preferably a family member to control the treatment. Do not take narcotic drugs or drink alcohol while you are on Naltrexone.

Contraindications

Naltrexone cannot be used in the patients allergic to it, individuals with an addiction to narcotics, if you used alcohol or narcotic drug within the past 7-10 days, or if you experience drug or alcohol withdrawal symptoms. Patients treated by analgesics, opiates, those with acute hepatitis, or liver failure cannot use this drug.

Possible side effect

Besides allergic reactions to Naltrexone other adverse reactions may appear such as blurred vision or eye problems, mood changes, hallucinations, mental confusion, suicidal thoughts, fast heartbeat, nausea, loss of appetite, stomach pain, low fever, dark urine, clay-colored stools, jaundice, ringing in the ears, ear pain, wheezing, difficulty breathing.

Drug interaction

Naltrexone reduces effects of drugs which contain opioids (cough suppressants, antitussives, analgesics). Inform your doctor about all prescribed and over-the-counter medications or herbal products you take and especially about buprenorphine (Buprenex, Subutex), codeine (Tylenol with codeine); butorphanol (Stadol), hydrocodone (Lortab, Vicodin), hydromorphone (Dilaudid); dezocine (Dalgan), levorphanol (Levo-Dromoran), methadone (Dolophine, Methadose), morphine (Kadian, MS Contin, Roxanol), meperidine (Demerol), nalbuphine (Nubain), oxycodone (OxyContin, Roxicodone, Percocet); nalmefene (Revex), naloxone (Narcan), oxymorphone (Numorphan), or propoxyphene (Darvon, Darvocet).

Missed dose

If you forgot to take your dose in time, please do it as soon as you remember. But do not take if it is too late or almost time for your next dose. Do not increase your recommended dose. Take your usually dose next day in the same regularly time.

Overdose

If you suspect overdose seek immediate medical attention. The following symptoms may witness about possible overdose: dizziness, seizures, nausea, stomach pain,.

Storage

Store in a dry tight container away from sunlight at room temperature between 15-30 C (59-86 F) away from children and pets.

Disclaimer

We provide only general information about medications which does not cover all directions, possible drug integrations, or precautions. Information at the site cannot be used for self-treatment and self-diagnosis. Any specific instructions for a particular patient should be agreed with your health care adviser or doctor in charge of the case. We disclaim reliability of this information and mistakes it could contain. We are not responsible for any direct, indirect, special or other indirect damage as a result of any use of the information on this site and also for consequences of self-treatment.