Contrave and Anxiety: What Users Say (Page 3)

• Tin...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• December 5, 2015

For Weight Loss (Obesity/Overweight) "I've taken Contrave and 0.25 mg of Topamax for 7 days. I've lost 6 lbs. Very happy. Side effect symptoms include: mental fog, short-term memory loss, anxiety, depression. The brain fog and anxiety/depression are awful. I'm hoping the symptoms go away soon. Haven't experienced the headaches (maybe because of the Topiramate) and no night sweats! Meds have eliminated cravings and emotional eating. Thought Wellbutrin was an anti-depressant, but I'm uncharacteristically depressed and anxious. So weird! Is this how everyone else is feeling? I plan to lose 30 lbs by February. I'll update."

• Bbc...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• August 22, 2018

For Weight Loss (Obesity/Overweight) "I really thought this medicine would help. And it did, at first. But the more I upped my dose, the worse my mental health became. It ended with me having a psychotic break and vowing to never touch it again. I don't care if I stay overweight my whole life if it means never going through those side effects again. I was aggressive, angry, tense, irritable, and yet somehow depressed and anxious too. I must add I was diagnosed with generalized anxiety disorder, depressive episodes, and panic disorder...so if you have any of those things, be very, VERY careful. If the side effects weren't so awful for me, though, I probably would have stayed on it. Lost 5 lbs the first month. But it's not worth your sanity."

• Bbc...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• August 22, 2018

For Weight Loss (Obesity/Overweight) "I really thought this medicine would help. And it did, at first. But the more I upped my dose, the worse my mental health became. It ended with me having a psychotic break and vowing to never touch it again. I don't care if I stay overweight my whole life if it means never going through those side effects again. I was aggressive, angry, tense, irritable, and yet somehow depressed and anxious too. I must add I was diagnosed with generalized anxiety disorder, depressive episodes, and panic disorder...so if you have any of those things, be very, VERY careful. If the side effects weren't so awful for me, though, I probably would have stayed on it. Lost 5 lbs the first month. But it's not worth your sanity."

• Anonymous
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• November 19, 2022

For Weight Loss (Obesity/Overweight) "I took it for 6 weeks while going to the gym and eating well. But I slowly developed severe depression and anxiety, and tingling and a burning sensation all over my body. Worst of all, I didn't lose even 1 kg. For some of us, it is a waste of money for the discomfort you may experience."

• Not...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• April 15, 2017

For Weight Loss (Obesity/Overweight) "I started Contrave on a Sunday. That Tuesday, I woke up with a weird sensation. I felt like I was going to pass out. I felt my heart beating really fast, and we pulled out our blood pressure machine. It was 200/160! So, off to the hospital I went. I went to the ER, and they did all the tests, and it came back clean. The doctor felt it was the Contrave, but told me to keep on it as my body was adjusting. When I started my second week, I noticed my anxiety attacks returning. One night, they were so bad that I had to utilize my backup medication to help me. After that issue, I decided to get off the medication. I'm not saying it's a bad drug. However, the effects I experienced greatly outweighed the potential benefit I might receive."

• Jul...
• April 15, 2017

For Weight Loss (Obesity/Overweight) "I am just on my second day. I took a Contrave ER yesterday and this morning. So far, the only side effects I have noticed are a little brain fogginess in the morning (I am drinking an extra cup of coffee to combat that) and a little more thirst, which I am sure is a good thing if you are trying to lose weight. I was a little put off by Contrave ER when I read some of the side effects that some people have had (nausea, sweating, gastric disturbances, feeling jittery), but as of yet, and I know it's early, I haven't experienced anything like that. I also noticed I felt fuller sooner when I ate my breakfast this morning. So all in all, I would give it a thumbs up."

• Dem...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• January 10, 2019

For Weight Loss (Obesity/Overweight) "I am in the emergency room right now from taking this medicine. I had a reaction to it. I am experiencing nausea, stomach ache, jitters, feeling of anxiousness. I regurgitated and my hands were shaking. Think twice before taking."

• Lal...
• July 7, 2015

For Weight Loss (Obesity/Overweight) "Made it up to the 4-a-day dose. Unfortunately, no reduced cravings yet and still very hungry. No pickup in my motivation to diet or exercise either. Hopeful, but beginning to think it's not going to work for me. Others report immediate weight loss. Not here! Also, feeling a little more anxious and agitated at this dose. :/ The odd thing is that it has helped tremendously with my chronic back pain. I would stay on it just for that reason. Had significantly lowered my pain level."

• Anonymous
• Taken for less than 1 month
• February 18, 2016

For Weight Loss (Obesity/Overweight) "I am a 36 yr. old mother of 4, and I started taking Contrave yesterday. Initially, I felt nothing. Until I started moving around, I became very jittery, then extremely clammy and hot. My mouth started to water, and I threw up all over the place. To say it made me nauseous is an understatement! I thought maybe it was because I ate a light breakfast before taking it. So I took it again this morning after a decent breakfast, and as I'm typing, I'm going through the exact same symptoms as yesterday. I'm going to discontinue using this as much as I was hoping I could continue to help with my weight loss, the symptoms are too harsh for me to continue."

• wyl...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• April 7, 2015

For Weight Loss (Obesity/Overweight) "Lost ten pounds in eight days. I believe it was water weight as I was having to get up 5 to 6 times a night to pee. Starting my fifth week, I have lost less than two pounds as every day it goes back and forth one pound. I had all the side effects, right now being constipation. It has caused anxiety, which I had to be medicated for a few years back. I have noticed that when I get hot, I get sick, but if I stay cool, I am fine. I DO NOT EAT. Rarely hungry, then I will get sick from not eating, so I do not understand why the weight is dropping off."

• NoS...
• November 5, 2015

For Weight Loss (Obesity/Overweight) "In mid-June 2015, I started leaning up my diet. I have PCOS and have been very overweight since I was a young adult, over 100 lbs. So fast forward to June 2015, I'm now 38. I weighed 284 lbs. Holy God! I'm only 5 ft tall! I started the Ketogenic or Ketosis diet. High fat, low carb = zero results. Then in August, I saw the doc & started on Contrave 8/22/15. I lost 10 lbs the 1st month. Sept-Oct was only 5 lbs. It's gradual, but with PCOS, it's next to impossible. I use Scale Down. It can make you anxious weighing. My doc's big picture, even 5 lbs/month is still a loss. There are long plateaus & weight gain on some days, but then you lose a couple lbs & it does work. I haven't had pasta/bread/soda/rice/chips/cookies/candy since June, no more addiction."

• Flo...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• October 24, 2018

For Weight Loss (Obesity/Overweight) "I was hopeful this would help kickstart weight loss. I followed the directed usage by increasing one pill a week. I was nauseated, fuzzy/foggy, had frequent headaches, jittery, and insomnia from the start. By the time I got to two pills in the morning and two at night, I was holding a trash can all morning because I thought I was going to vomit. I wasn’t losing weight, and it didn’t seem to decrease my appetite. My symptoms just increased with the dosage. I hope it helps others, but I could not continue like this."

• Tia...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• March 24, 2022

For Weight Loss (Obesity/Overweight) "I am starting my fifth week on Contrave and have only lost 4 pounds. I only take 3 pills a day because I wanted to give myself time to get used to the dosage. I have some dizziness and feeling jittery, but the worst side effect is abdominal pain and low blood sugar. If I don’t eat small meals every few hours, I feel like I’m going to pass out. Have others had these side effects? I tried Ozempic and it worked better on curbing my appetite and cravings, but the side effects were so terrible that my doctor wouldn’t renew my prescription. Contrave will cost me about $340 Canadian, so if I don’t see results soon, I’ll have to quit."

• Pau...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• May 6, 2021

For Weight Loss (Obesity/Overweight) "I have had weight issues my entire life. But my addiction to craving carbs and sweets got worse when I quit smoking. I've tried most diets, not any with prepared meals. I've tried Contrave now for the second time and am discontinuing it again. The side effects make it intolerable. The second day I started feeling jittery and started with muscle tightness in my neck and shoulders. It got so bad I wasn't sleeping and was very uncomfortable laying down or sitting up. I have now been off of it for two days, and the side effects are starting to diminish. I did lose 11 pounds in the 4 weeks I took the drug, but it's not worth the interruption in my life. I am going to work very hard to stay focused on healthy eating."

• Der...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• November 20, 2015

For Weight Loss (Obesity/Overweight) "I started Contrave Monday, just five days into it now. It's Friday night, and I've lost somewhere about 7 lbs already. (Keep in mind though, I'm 6'5" and 290, so it comes off faster.) I'm on a low carb diet (Atkins) and am deep into ketosis, no carb cravings, and eating about 2,500 calories a day! LOL! Side effects have been a bit bothersome, jittery at times, and this sort of 'motion sickness' feeling. Appetite is GONE."

• wei...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• January 8, 2016

For Weight Loss (Obesity/Overweight) "Started 12/19/15, have lost 14 total pounds. Totally eliminated snacking cravings; I don't think about food like I used to. No side effects except I feel a little jittery some or on edge, but I have a lot more energy to get things done. Haven't started exercising yet but plan to start slowly. Starting weight 262, 36 yo female, 5'4", current weight 248. I am loving this medication, and the savings card provided by the drug company is awesome to keep it somewhat affordable. I am hoping to get to under 200 as my first goal and go from there."

• wei...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• January 8, 2016

For Weight Loss (Obesity/Overweight) "Started 12/19/15, have lost 14 total pounds. Totally eliminated snacking cravings; I don't think about food like I used to. No side effects except I feel a little jittery some or on edge, but I have a lot more energy to get things done. Haven't started exercising yet but plan to start slowly. Starting weight 262, 36 yo female, 5'4", current weight 248. I am loving this medication, and the savings card provided by the drug company is awesome to keep it somewhat affordable. I am hoping to get to under 200 as my first goal and go from there."

• ABa...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• January 18, 2021

For Weight Loss (Obesity/Overweight) "Horrible anxiety on day 2 of Contrave. I can't sleep, face very flushed, heart palpitations, and actually increased appetite - I'd rather be overweight than feel like this!! Don't do it, read these comments and avoid this horrible product."

• Bam...
• September 1, 2017

For Weight Loss (Obesity/Overweight) "Today was day 1 on Contrave and will also be my last day. I have felt all out of sorts today. Shaky, nauseated, and now I feel like I'm having an anxiety attack at 9:00 pm. It's going to be a long night. I will stick to doing low carb. I can't wait to get this stuff out of my system. What an absolute waste of $99.00."

• Not...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• April 21, 2015

For Weight Loss (Obesity/Overweight) "People are talking about not feeling hungry, well I am starving! Especially in the early morning and night. I started the medication April 4th, and I have lost no weight. I ended up in the emergency room with a blood pressure of 162/108, and my pulse was over 100 resting! I've never had BP problems before. Also, my anxiety has gotten really bad. I feel like I'm always in a dream, I'm tired all of the time, and sometimes forget where I am and what I am doing. I am currently in week 3, I take 2 pills in the morning and 1 in the evening. The positive side is that it did help me quit smoking. I had no desire whatsoever to smoke! After reading other reviews and seeing other people having these same side effects, I won't be taking the medicine."

• Dav...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• April 20, 2017

For Weight Loss (Obesity/Overweight) "I've been on Contrave (1 pill) for 5 days, and I have lost 5 lb. The medication is definitely curbing my appetite and cravings, which is helping me make better food choices. I do sense slight anxiety when I wake up in the morning. Since one pill is working so well for me, I am hesitant to increase my dose."

• She...
• August 17, 2017

For Weight Loss (Obesity/Overweight) "I am 59 and about 40 pounds overweight. On Contrave 1 week. I hated the way I felt the first 3-4 days - lightheaded, couldn't sleep (interesting, others felt sleepy) and at times felt jittery. Also had a few hot flashes. I pushed through it and still not sleeping well and some nausea at day 7. I can tell it takes my mind off mindless eating and grazing but still pretty much able to eat a good meal. I did lose 2 pounds in the 1st week, so that is good! I am trying to decide whether to just stay on the 1-a-day pill vs. stepping up to a second pill a day. Not sure if side effects will increase and if it will be worth it."

• Hap...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• December 5, 2015

For Weight Loss (Obesity/Overweight) "I started Contrave 6 days ago. I also started 25 mg of Topamax. I'm taking them simultaneously. I've read the reviews that indicate Contrave causes headaches. Topamax is a prescription drug for migraines. I'm 5'0", 44 y, female. My beginning weight (at the doctor's office which always seems to be higher than my home scale) my weight was 153.9. Today my weight is 146.6 (on my digital scale). Weight loss of 7.9 lbs. I'll round down to a loss of 5 lbs in 6 days! I'm excited! I'm taking two Contrave pills, one in the morning and one around 4 p. Symptoms: high anxiety, depression, nervousness (I'm hoping these symptoms will go away soon). I thought I was just stressed out but then realized I was overstressed and attribute it to the medication."

• Hap...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• December 5, 2015

For Weight Loss (Obesity/Overweight) "I started Contrave 6 days ago. I also started 25 mg of Topamax. I'm taking them simultaneously. I've read the reviews that indicate Contrave causes headaches. Topamax is a prescription drug for migraines. I'm 5'0", 44 y, female. My beginning weight (at the doctor's office which always seems to be higher than my home scale) my weight was 153.9. Today my weight is 146.6 (on my digital scale). Weight loss of 7.9 lbs. I'll round down to a loss of 5 lbs in 6 days! I'm excited! I'm taking two Contrave pills, one in the morning and one around 4 p. Symptoms: high anxiety, depression, nervousness (I'm hoping these symptoms will go away soon). I thought I was just stressed out but then realized I was overstressed and attribute it to the medication."

• Mis...
• July 27, 2018

For Weight Loss (Obesity/Overweight) "I started out taking one pill a day. Appetite was suppressed, and mood was better. Week two, I started getting hot flashes and then cold sweats occasionally, a little jittery. Was able to make healthy food choices. Walked on the treadmill 30 minutes a day. The third week, when I went up to two in the morning and one at night, I thought I was going to die. I have never had such violent vomiting. (And I’ve had gallstones.) I was vomiting blood, dizzy, couldn’t keep anything down. Diarrhea. Horrible headache. I thought I had food poisoning. Tonight, even though I went back down to one pill twice a day, I am having severe depression, self-loathing. Smelled cigarette smoke all day and couldn’t figure out where it was coming from. It’s 3 am, and I can’t sleep. The only weight I have lost is the two pounds I lost from vomiting all day. This is crazy. I don’t really know where to go from here. I’m afraid to quit cold turkey."