naltrexone/revia

[curiousgeorge31]

Would welcome all feedback on naltrexone/revia...how do you feel on it? does it give you energy? how long after yr last dose did u start and did u feel any withdrawl symptoms...i have heard 72 hours atleast until you can start but DRs like to wait atleast 5 days to be safe does that sound correct? How long have you stayed on it 6M, 1 yr 5 yrs?  I know its a   huge step but may be the only one that will work for me, pls all thoughts/color/advice very very grateful for words of wisdom!!

[uberadtx]

I was on Revia when I first got sober.  They started me no about 10 days post detox. I stayed on it close to a year. Its really an opiate blocker.  That is if you relapse, you won't get the high feeling from your drug of choice.  They usually give it to alcoholics and heroin abusers among others.  I don't remember feeling groggy or any particular side effect from it.  Eventually they took me off of it as my recovery progressed.  I knew people on Antabuse who relapsed, got sick but kept drinking anyway.  I don't think there is a drug in the world that will stop cravings.  Cravings are more psychological after detox.  I have learned that social and spiritual triggers make me crave my drug of choice more than the mere fact that I miss it.  
When I got sober I did anything they told me.  If they said it would help me stay away from the next drink or next pill, I did it.  I was absolutely petrified of relapse. I never wanted to be in the last place I was before I got help again. It took a lot of people and I hate to say a cocktail of medication to get me clear but dammit it helped me get sober.  Good Luck and keep me posted on your progress.

[curiousgeorge31]

Thanks but was looking for more word of mouth/personal experience type of feedback....but thank you

[lurker]

Here's a link to a page about this issue

http://www.well.com/user/woa/revia/reviafaq.htm

Try taking a look at it and see if it answers your questions.  It has been used for opiate addiction for a long time and has recently been approved for alcohol withdrawal.  

Good luck!

[IBKleen]

Good Morning!

Correct me if I am wrong, but isn't naltrexone used for alcohol withdrawal?

If I am correct, you are not going to find all that many people here who are dealing with alcohol withdrawal. Most are dealing with street drugs or pain medications.

MedHelp has recently set up a separate forum that deals specifically with alcoholism.  If you go the main page, you will see it listed under the forums.

Good Luck to you!!