Contrave for Weight Loss (Obesity/Overweight) User Reviews (Page 2)

• OBdoc
• February 4, 2017

"First of all, I am an MD and very familiar with the meds in Contrave. I was actually prescribing it before I decided to try it myself. I have been 20-30lbs overweight for as long as I can now remember (at least 20 years). I had developed mild type 2 diabetes, elevated cholesterol and hypertension. I was taking a handful of pills everyday at age 45. So I started the medication 24 days ago. My weight was 184. On some of the early days I had some nausea but it always went away. I was irritable at times, and some days when I literally forgot to eat I would get jittery and feel bad (but not hungry) because I'm sure my blood sugar was low. So my results so far: today I am 165.8. I am down 18 lbs in 24 days. BMI down 3 points. this is no gimmick!"

• Anony...
• August 21, 2020

"5'1 female- starting weight 195, current weight 162, goal weight 125. -33 pounds so far in 6 months. Overall my experience with Contrave has been a positive one. At first I did experience odd side effects some included, dizziness, dry mouth, involuntary twitching, and very VERY odd dreams. However, after awhile these went away. For the last 6 months I have been able to loose 33 pounds by only taking 1 pill at night. My physician is moving my dose up to 2 pills now, one the AM and one in the PM. I started that regimen this week and I am back to experiencing a little dizziness and dry mouth, odd dreams (not as much as the beginning). But, I am sure this will disappear as well soon. I eat 1 meal a day now and exercise for 1 to 1.5 hours 5-6 days a week."

• T rex
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• February 8, 2015

"I been on this medicine for 2 1/2 months and have lost 26.5 pounds so far. I can't eat on this medicine. After a few bites I feel stuffed. It works great for me, and I have tried every thing out in the past 10 years. The only side effects are dry mouth and lower back pain. Well worth the trade-off."

• Lev
• January 9, 2020

"Had to beg my doctor into prescribing contrave. Had bad dry mouth at the beginning. It went away for a while, came back and then went away for good. I started at 170lbs and am down to 134lbs losing about 1 to 2 lbs a week. I have not craved carbs at all. My question for those taking this drug is has anyone experienced involuntary hand movement? I'm on my 3rd neurologist with no answers except stop the contrave. I've done research and haven't found this as a side effect. Can anyone share their experience and possible involuntary hand movement as a side effect of contrave."

• Endless
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• May 3, 2019

"Wow, I was not expecting Contrave to work so well! I've been on appetite suppressants like phentermine over the years and, though they helped drop some weight, hunger was always a struggle. Contrave has changed everything about how I think about food. I used to obsess about food when dieting, but now it's a pain (or at least an inconvenience) to eat. Even when I'm physically hungry, making food just feels like a bother! And because I wasn't expecting this to be so effective, I wasn't monitoring my weight. It wasn't until several coworkers commented on my weight loss that I decided to weigh myself and - down 15lbs in 2 months!! I also began incorporating 1 hr/week of cardio + 1hr/week of CrossFit, which has helped a little. I'm really excited to see what happens next!! Food has finally become something I eat to live, not something I live to eat!!"

• Kathryn
• October 2, 2021

"I am a food addict, at age 2 I would sneak spoonfuls of sugar, when I was 5 years old I started stealing food from the pantries of my friends. I simply have no control and tried everything. I started taking Contrave 4/17/21 and it's now 10/1/21 and I have lost 83 lbs..that's a little less than 6 months. This is the easiest thing I have ever done. From the first dose I thought differently about food. I .have had no desire for sugar since the very first day. I found myself chewing my food longer and wondering how foods would affect my body instead of how it tastes. I was diagnosed with diabetes with an a1c of 7.5 on 4/17/21 and on 8/25/21 my a1c was 4.8..this has been a miracle for me. I eat whatever I want - I just want all the right things. I sit down to a meal of grapefruit, bell peppers and a piece of grilled chicken and am satisfied and happy. Food like that used to leave me feeling empty and sad. Contrave gave me a life I didn't even know existed. I am free for the first time in my life!"

• JanaB...
• October 31, 2019

"Took Contrave and lost 30 pounds. Was nauseated at first but found that taking it with a non drowsy over the counter motion sick medication did the trick. I’m 5’9 and started at 180. Took 6 months to get down to 150. I would recommend it to anyone with sugar cravings."

• Skinn...
• July 27, 2019

"Contrave has worked wonders. I was doing cross fit 5 days a week and had always been very committed to exercise but really struggled to stay under 180 lbs. (I’m 5’4” and pretty muscular), even in Highschool. In March 2019 I went to my annual appointment I weighed in at 191lb. My doctor said I was healthy but obese. She referred my to a nutritionist who made me log food. I ate way too much carbs. At that rate she said I would gain 20 pounds a year and would be 300 lbs by 50. She suspected Contrave would work because of my issues with carb and sugar cravings. It allowed me to wean off of carbs and keep my calories at about 1800 a day. I developed an aversion to sugar and sweet things. Results: down 50 pounds in 5 months. I was ostensibly healthy and was very committed to fitness is why it worked so fast. If you don’t exercise your results will be minimal. It’s not a magic pill but can help you adapt to a healthier way of eating."

• Renee_J
• July 2, 2019

"I am in my mid-40s and am 5'5", 3.5 months ago I was 182 lbs (size 14). Today, I am 153 and still losing (size 10). That is a loss of 29 lbs in 3.5 months, thanks to Contrave. Long story short my Doc suggested I try it. Some annoying occasional symptoms came and passed (headaches, stomach aches, not getting into deep sleep) but the main ones are this weird stretching/shaking symptom and clenching my jaw while I sleep. Once I was on week 3 I think is when I really began to realize this was going to work. I had TOTALLY lost the desire to snack between meals. Now don't get me wrong, I'm still hungry for meals, I have not lost my appetite, BUT my craving for food outside my planned meals was GONE. And it still is. Fortunately I haven't had any emotional or psychological side effects like some have. I no longer snore or hide behind baggy clothes or run out of breath climbing stairs. Best of luck to you if you decide to try Contrave. I hope it works for you as well as it has for me!"

• Bear
• March 18, 2019

"I have been on Contrave since 10/16/18. I have lost 54 pounds. I was woman’s size 18. Now I’m a size 10. I have 45 more pounds to lose to get to my target BMI. Note: Contrave does NOT make you lose weight. It controls your appetite and cravings. I meet every 3 weeks with a licensed Dietician that my health insurance pays for. We meal plan together, and she has taught me the correct way to eat. I now go to the gym 4 days a week, focusing on cardio for 60 minutes. I never ever eat over 1200 calories a day. I’m losing 3 pounds each week. I had a BMI of 44 at 258 pounds. I currently weigh 198 pounds and my BMI is 33. It should be at or below 25 for a female age 42 that is 5’4 like me. There is no “magic pill” to lose weight. You must control your calories, and get exercise! I track every bite that goes in my mouth with the free app “My Fitness Pal.” I do not drink ANY soda of any kind, and use zero artificial sweeteners!!!!"

• shanta...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• January 25, 2015

"I previously wrote in about Contrave. Well I am pleased to report that I am now down 34 lbs. This is the first time I have been under 250lbs in 4 yrs. I think it is an awesome medicine along with diet and exercise."

• Sony
• Taken for less than 1 month
• March 9, 2020

"I started on Contrave about 2 weeks now. The first week on the one pill was fine and I was lucky because I had mild side effects like hot flashes. Now when I started on the 1:1 that night my heart felt like it wanted to come out of my chest. My heart was beating irregular and I started to panic. I have never suffered from High Blood Pressure and the one thing the online doctor mentioned to me before starting Contrave was to monitor my blood pressure. I immediately stopped taking the pills. The next day I went to CVS and my blood pressure was high, went back the following day and it was higher than the day before. So I am here about 4 days in and my blood pressure is still high. I pray that this medication is out of my system soon and I'll just have to work on my weight loss some other way."

• Starr
• Taken for less than 1 month
• July 21, 2021

"Just started contrave today and holy moly I am very sick to my stomach. Like just laying here not wanting to move so I don't vomit. I'm tired like extremely tired. I'll take another one when I wake up in the morning, hopefully this subsides cause I'm 42 and have gained 30 pounds since November and I'm miserable, and have a terrible dislike for myself so I need this to work for me. I'm gonna power thru hopefully! I'll update again to let you know if it gets better"

• LDLMom
• January 6, 2017

"I am a 34 year old mother of 3, and I have struggled with my weight my entire life. I've been on Contrave for 4 months and lost 29lbs. I started at 194 (I'm 5'7) and down to 165. This is nothing short of a miracle for me. It works completely differently than typical diet pills. It does not make me jittery or give me a rapid heart rate. It *somehow* allows me to say no to, or greatly limit my intake of, the foods I love. In general, my appetite is decreased by at least 70% and sweets (my kryptonite) are not something I have a compulsive need for anymore. It gives me slight headaches and nausea if I drink alcohol. I've heard it makes some very sick, but I haven't experienced this. I am SO glad took a chance on it. Life changing for me."

• Smiling
• January 23, 2015

"I am a food addict. The first day I took Contrave, I lost desire to eat. Cravings no longer consume me. The feeling of fullness occurs now, and lingers for hours. I am only on day 3, but I hope this continues. Logging foods on fitness pal helps. No snacks, and 3 healthy meals a day. I don't feel Hungary at all. It is wonderful. I was considering gastric bypass, this was going to be my last attempt. If I continue to feel this way, I won't need surgery."

• Molly
• Taken for 6 months to 1 year
• February 12, 2024

"Contrave has been a huge success for me. I've always been an emotional eater and could not turn down cravings. It was significantly worse after pregnancy. I started at 193 in June 2023, and I am down to 140 as of February 2024. I'm full with small meals and do not experience intense cravings anymore. I still enjoy my favorite foods, but I'm satisfied with a much smaller portion. I did experience pretty intense nausea for about 2 weeks when I started. It went away by the time I was at a full dose."

• Stac
• Taken for less than 1 month
• August 22, 2020

"I am just shy of being on Contrave for 4 weeks. Taking 4 pills a day. I have been having horrible dreams!!! Every night. Camped with a friend and she said it was like I was fighting something in my sleep. Not an issue prior. Anyone else? I want to see this though."

• Lisa
• September 23, 2019

"I took this medication for several months last year, but wasn't really motivated to actually diet or TRY to lose weight. It did make it easier not to snack and it took away all urges to drink alcohol. But I started having stomach issues and stopped taking it. Bad pains. Usually after large meals and usually if they included fats or dairy. I stopped pills and pain went away. Fast forward to a couple months ago when I decided to try again. THIS time I am VERY MOTIVATED. I'm using watching my food and strictly 1200 calories a day. I'm working out at the gym and I've lost 21 pounds in about 6 weeks. I believe 100% that the Contrave is helping me stick to the diet by taking away cravings and helping me feel more content eating good food. I've not had any of those bouts of stomach pain this time around. I don't know if they were related or not but I'm never eating more than 400-500 calories at a time. Bottom line: this is a good tool if you are ready to get serious about your weight."

• Tiffany...
• Taken for 1 to 2 years
• June 23, 2016

"I'm a 32 yr old widowed single mom to 3 children ages 14, 8 & 6. 18 months ago I was 296 lbs. & was literally on my death bed it felt like. I had type 2 diabetes, high blood pressure, hypothyroidism, pcos with high insulin resistance, b12 deficiency, high cholesterol & my triglycerides were outta this world. I felt hopeless because dieting & going to the gym were an all time fail so my Dr wrote a prescription for Contrave. I didn't really notice any side effects other than a rapid heartbeat & this medication not only helped me lose weight it's helped me quit smoking! In 18 months I've lost 147 lbs & went from plus size 26/28 clothes to a 10 in juniors pants and L/XL shirts. I love this medication & would recommend it to anyone."

• Bcd
• Taken for less than 1 month
• June 15, 2019

"My cravings are now eliminated. It’s scary. Contrave gave me the self awareness that my over calorie eating is an addiction to carbs. I live to eat. On Contrave I eat to live. I wish I knew about this addiction long ago. I need to learn more about how to eliminate this life sucking addiction. How can a pill, in such a short time, completely eliminate carb addiction? I am now easily dropping 3 pounds a week. I do high cardio and walk. I like physical activities. I eat healthy. I know how to eat healthy. I just don’t have enough will power to over come the addiction. Please Lord, hear my prayer. Please give me control over eating when I go off of Contrave. I have no idea how to overcome this addiction which lives inside my brain. I had no idea I have a problem. I realize now I do not have the power to overcome it without your help. Amen"

• Anonymous
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• April 20, 2019

"Well I started taking Contrave on October 16th 2018 with a goal of loosing 60 pounds in one year. I am very pleased to announce I have lost the 60 lbs in 26 weeks. A few minor side effects early in the process (a bit light headed, some nausea) but nothing now. I have been heavy most of my adult life (started this at 348 lbs ) and have tried every diet out there with no success. I was considering bariatric surgery but my Doctor suggested I try Contrave first. Best decision I ever made . I feel great now, much more energy and physical capabilities to move more. In my opinion this is a wonder drug and would suggest you at least give it a try"

• Kate
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• August 18, 2023

"I have been on Contrave for a little over 4 months. I have lost 42 pounds. The first 15 pounds came off in the first 3 weeks. I did experience some nausea an hour or two after my morning pills the first month, which may account for more weight loss, but that has eased off. I occasionally still get a little nauseated mid-afternoon, but it goes away right away if I eat a small snack (a premier protein shake takes it away in minutes). No other side effects ever. I have been diligent about what I eat because I want to lose weight and don't want Contrave to do all the work. If you are a boredom/stress eater like I am, you have to not eat when you are not hungry. Contrave suppresses your appetite but it doesn't stop boredom eating. I have had great success with Contrave and plan to stay on it until I reach my weight loss goal."

• Esqui...
• July 26, 2015

"I am a 35 year old woman who has been fighting with my eating issues since I was a child. Thanks to this medicine for the first time in my life I am not compelled to finish my plate and am perfectly happy sticking to a 1200-1500 calorie diet. I finally know when I'm full from eating. I have had zero side effects from contrave. No nausea, no constipation, and thankfully no seizures. I had decided along with my doctor that the possible side effects were far outweighed by the results. I started the pills April 21st and am down 50 pounds as of June 22nd. This is a life changer!"

• One...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• April 20, 2023

"I’m 45 and either just don’t have the metabolism anymore or my hormonal changes are hindering weight loss. I exercise, diet, fast and still my weight steadily creeps up or remains at a standstill each month. I’ve been on Contrave for just over a month now. I took it exactly as prescribed and I’m now on two pills morning and night. The first couple weeks I didn’t really have many side effects, initially the dry mouth was a nuisance but tolerable. Once I reached the full dose, I would say the nausea is worse. Initially it was random but now it’s almost all day. I’m not vomiting and can eat but I just feel sick throughout the day. Keeping busy and working helps deter the awareness of it but it’s there. Happily, I have lost nearly 15 pounds. It does reduce cravings and generally feeling hungry but right now the nausea is enough to make me not eat! I’ll stick with it for now…"

• 1more...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• November 9, 2014

"Am mid-way into my 2nd week and wanted to report preliminary results. I am a comfort/stress eater who gained 70 pounds in 2 years. No side effects, other than being tired at the end of the day (which is not a reported side effect, so maybe from change in diet). I am still hungry, but it is easier to turn away from night-time snacks. I was able to turn away from my children's Halloween candy, which was a first. I didn't want a cafe con leche this morning (sweet/milk) - which is my constant craving. I've had modest weight loss, which I started about 2 weeks prior to the Contrave, for a total of 15 pounds in just under 4 weeks. Starting weight 201, 5'5" female, mid 40's. Time will tell, so far so good."