Contrave and Nausea: What Users Say (Page 3)

• Anonymous
• February 3, 2020

For Weight Loss (Obesity/Overweight) "Contrave was prescribed specifically for weight loss, but I have also been a moderately heavy drinker for about 10 years (3-6 beers per night, more on weekends). I was already on Bupropion, so the doctor prescribed Naltrexone in addition. One month in, I've lost 5 lbs, stopped snacking at night, and have almost completely lost all interest in drinking. I was sleeping more than usual at first. Mild nausea here and there. Excited to see where I'm at after a few more months of this."

• Kit...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• January 31, 2020

For Weight Loss (Obesity/Overweight) "I have been taking Contrave for 2 weeks. Came off it as had horrible nausea, chills, excessive sweating. Feeling like overall horrible."

• Drp...
• January 15, 2020

For Weight Loss (Obesity/Overweight) "1st month of taking the full dose of Contrave. I had taken phentermine in the past and lost weight. I haven’t lost anything on Contrave. In fact, I’ve gained weight (7 lbs). I visited my endocrinologist today, and she wants me to take it for 3 months. Originally prescribed Saxenda, but insurance would not approve it. On day 1, I stopped taking all other vitamins and other medication (besides cabergoline for a pituitary tumor). Cooked all meals at home (mainly salads and protein), increased exercise, and drank more water, because I really wanted this to work. I have PCOS, so losing weight is incredibly difficult. Did anyone else have this issue? I am hoping it will start working in month 2 or 3. Also, as far as side effects from Contrave: I also had tremors in hands and arms, along with headache, nausea, bad taste in my mouth, fatigue, and brain fog. It did not help with cravings or appetite, probably because I didn’t have an issue with these before. In fact, I had to work on eating more calories and more often."

• JJa...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• December 26, 2019

For Weight Loss (Obesity/Overweight) "So, I wanted to wait until I placed a review anywhere about my experience with Contrave. I have been taking it for 3 months and am at full dose (2 tabs 2x a day - 5am and 2pm). The first 6 weeks were tough. Felt nauseous and shaky. And I am someone who relies on Wellbutrin for mental health, but I was 15 lbs overweight. I knocked off the first 20 lbs with diet and exercise, but menopause or age (53) just wouldn’t let me shed the last 15. So, I spoke to my GP and we decided to try this. This medicine worked for me! I now think of food as nutrition, not entertainment or a crutch when I am bored. Anyway, I have 6 more lbs to go and then will taper off and go back to Wellbutrin straight. If you are serious about taking back your health with diet and exercise and can’t drop the last bit, I would say give it a try."

• Mel...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• November 24, 2019

For Weight Loss (Obesity/Overweight) "It has not been a good experience on Contrave for one month. Yes, I have lost a minimal amount of weight, but the side effects are so bad I'm taking myself off it. Mild headaches, waves of nausea, constant hot flashes. Goodbye and good riddance, Contrave!"

• Jan...
• October 31, 2019

For Weight Loss (Obesity/Overweight) "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."

• LLa...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• October 29, 2019

For Weight Loss (Obesity/Overweight) "I purchased Contrave for weight loss and was so excited to try it after reading the reviews. After taking it for 1 week, I started having headaches and was nauseated. I continued taking the medication, hoping the side effects would go away, however, after 3 weeks, they were so bad I couldn't do it any longer. I stopped the medication for 1 week. After two weeks, I started feeling better, so I started back on the medication, but I took it at night hoping for better results. I woke up at 3 a.m. with a horrible headache, nauseated, and could not go to work the next day. I did not lose any weight while taking this medication, only lost time from employment."

• Mar...
• October 22, 2019

For Weight Loss (Obesity/Overweight) "I am a 34-year-old female, 183 lbs and a BMI of 28. I wonder if my doc should have even prescribed this to me... I used this drug for 3 days and had a horrible experience. My side effects were stomach cramping, severe headache, and violent vomiting. The brain fog many speak of turned into severe headaches and nausea turned into violent bouts of vomiting. To the point that I thought I would have to be admitted to the hospital. Also, I was unaware this contains an opiate blocker, naltrexone, and the ingredient bupropion, used to treat depression, the neurological effects were also quite concerning. I had spasms in my muscles and joints, like small surges of electric shock. I had a really scary experience and do not recommend this to anyone unless they have done thorough research on how the ingredients can affect them. I have been off of this drug for 2 days and still feel unwell."

• Anonymous
• October 16, 2019

For Weight Loss (Obesity/Overweight) "So one year ago today I started taking Contrave. I am a 65-year-old male, and when I started, I was 349 lbs. After many diets and weight loss fads with little to no success, I went to see my doctor to discuss bariatric surgery, which I wasn’t looking forward to but felt I didn’t have much choice. At first, I experienced a bit of nausea and lightheadedness, but it was very minor. Right away, I felt my appetite decreasing. I did watch what I ate but didn’t restrict any specific foods, just a whole lot less of it. It began to work immediately, and the weight started coming off pretty quickly. I am very excited to announce that after 1 year, I have dropped 75 lbs (my goal was 60 lbs) and feel wonderful. For me, Contrave was a 'wonder drug' and gave me the boost I needed. I am remaining on the pills for a bit longer, but I really feel I can monitor the quantity of food I consume. The only real side effect has been the money I have spent on new clothes - actually very happily."

• Bea...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• September 27, 2019

For Weight Loss (Obesity/Overweight) "Taking Contrave for about 6 weeks. Lost about 8 pounds. A lot of nausea as I upped the dosage. I now know what works for me, so I’m inspired to eat even healthier now. One important thing I noticed is I don’t want the evening glass of wine, and when I do have the wine, it tastes awful. And the next day, I feel like I have a hangover! My doctor says that’s the naltrexone kicking in."

• Buc...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• September 19, 2019

For Weight Loss (Obesity/Overweight) "I have now been using it for almost 6 months and it definitely works! I lost 15 lbs in the first couple of months without dieting or exercising. I haven't felt motivated to go into diet mode, so I can lose more, but Contrave has helped tremendously with overeating. I am pretty much eating whatever I want, but I feel full very quickly. I have not put any weight back on, and it's likely because I finally have portion control. Here is my advice to any newbies beginning this med based on my experience: The first few days I felt incredibly nauseous. Don't try to eat your normal diet and typical portion sizes. Doing that will probably make you feel very sick! Eat very light meals and very small portions. Although you're supposed to increase the dose until eventually you're taking 4 pills a day, I never took that many. I've found that if I take my first dose with a morning snack and a second dose late in the afternoon, that pretty much keeps my appetite at bay all day."

• Chr...
• Taken for 6 months to 1 year
• September 17, 2019

For Weight Loss (Obesity/Overweight) "I've been using Contrave with modest fasting and have been losing a pound a week. It seems to help with cravings. I had mild nausea in the beginning and took Bonine to counteract it. The nausea went away after a very long time, maybe 6+ weeks. I'm up to 2 pills a day and will continue working my way up to 4, but at a slower pace than recommended."

• Ano...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• September 9, 2019

For Weight Loss (Obesity/Overweight) "I've been a heavy drinker and an overeater for 20 years. I've started at 102 kg, 187 cm, Type 2 diabetes and am on my 1st week of pills. One per day. A little bit anxious, and some weird dreams, but nothing bad. A small amount of nausea. Will post every couple of weeks and let you know what's happening. Cost in Australia is $340 prescription, which should last a month. A high cost, but if I eat and drink less, probably worth it."

• Pol...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• August 25, 2019

For Weight Loss (Obesity/Overweight) "OMG. Please read the side effects and think long and hard about starting this drug. It cost me $240, and after 8 days, I have stopped taking them. The nausea was debilitating, and then the vomiting started. Not worth it. I could not go another day feeling like garbage while trying to function in my family unit. Has made me rethink my whole approach to my weight loss journey."

• Puk...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• August 20, 2019

For Weight Loss (Obesity/Overweight) "Paid a lot for this medication, $365 month supply (you need to get month + at a time because the pharmacist's directives not to open the packaging for weekly or bi-weekly scripts). I was hopeful. I was extremely nauseous weeks 1 and 2, it was unbearable. I bought Gravol, and it didn’t work. By week 3 (9/80 mg 3x day), I was vomiting randomly. Been on 30 different types of meds and never experienced anything like it. Actually gained 2 lbs the first two weeks, and the 3rd/4th I changed my diet drastically, so I lost 12 lbs. Still had intense food cravings. Needed to discontinue due to the side effects. Now left with $150 of medication!"

• Bec...
• August 7, 2019

For Weight Loss (Obesity/Overweight) "Do your research, please. Side effects are not precautionary, they are severe. If you read other reviews, it’s clear that 70% have debilitating side effects. You won’t find a lot of journeys on YouTube or blogs because people discontinue use - that’s the first clue. Despite this, I gave it a go. Day 1 was all I could tolerate. I felt drunk, dizzy, and nauseated. Walking down the hall, I fell into the wall suddenly from a huge bout of dizziness. That was it for me. I don’t doubt you will lose weight, but I do doubt it’s good for you. People have reported constant nausea, hair loss, rapid heartbeats, ear ringing, dizziness, BP increases, headaches, side effects after months of use, and sudden bouts of anger/depression. Heart studies have not been fully done as well, which should be noted. It depends on how desperate you are to lose weight. All I have to say is research and calculate your own statistics. This medication is clearly harsh and messes with your body/mind. Good luck!"

• Bec...
• August 7, 2019

For Weight Loss (Obesity/Overweight) "Do your research, please. Side effects are not precautionary, they are severe. If you read other reviews, it’s clear that 70% have debilitating side effects. You won’t find a lot of journeys on YouTube or blogs because people discontinue use - that’s the first clue. Despite this, I gave it a go. Day 1 was all I could tolerate. I felt drunk, dizzy, and nauseated. Walking down the hall, I fell into the wall suddenly from a huge bout of dizziness. That was it for me. I don’t doubt you will lose weight, but I do doubt it’s good for you. People have reported constant nausea, hair loss, rapid heartbeats, ear ringing, dizziness, BP increases, headaches, side effects after months of use, and sudden bouts of anger/depression. Heart studies have not been fully done as well, which should be noted. It depends on how desperate you are to lose weight. All I have to say is research and calculate your own statistics. This medication is clearly harsh and messes with your body/mind. Good luck!"

• Kka...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• July 31, 2019

For Weight Loss (Obesity/Overweight) "It made me nauseated and felt like a weight was in my head. Just a very unwell feeling. I took it for 30 days and didn't lose a pound."

• Rub...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• July 20, 2019

For Weight Loss (Obesity/Overweight) "I started Contrave last Wednesday. I was 77 kg and today, Saturday, I am 75.5 kg, so I’ve lost 1.5 kg in 4 days. Wow, I have to lose some weight because I have a fatty liver. I do eat reasonably well, but menopause has not been too kind to me, putting on 10 kg in 6 months. I have a little nausea only taking the one tablet and a few headaches, but hopefully that will pass. I am walking on my treadmill about half an hour most days, which adds up to about a 2.5 km walk. My appetite is suppressed, and when I do eat, I can only eat very little. I am making myself eat to avoid dizziness and feeling sick. I am having a lot of fruit during the day and a small healthy main meal at night. I’m very happy but scared when I up the dose of the sick feeling I get. I’ve decided only to go as far as one tablet in the morning and one at night."

• LWa...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• July 15, 2019

For Weight Loss (Obesity/Overweight) "I am a 63 y/o female, 5'4", weight 185. I started on Contrave 4 weeks ago and have had increasing side effects with nausea, dizziness, ear ringing, insomnia, constipation, and hot flashes. I thought I could tough it out and it would get better, but as I went to 4 pills a day, I couldn't stand it anymore and stopped. It's not worth feeling like this (and paying so much to feel terrible too)! There is no way to exercise either with the side effects. It did decrease my appetite substantially and did away with cravings. I lost 3-5 pounds in that time, but I would rather stay heavy than feel like this."

• GM6...
• July 8, 2019

For Weight Loss (Obesity/Overweight) "The first two weeks went smoothly. Week three at 3 pills I started to feel nauseated, depressed, extremely irritable. My appetite returned, and in some instances, I was ravenous. I pushed through it and increased the dosage to 4 pills. I also now felt extremely anxious. Called the doc, and she suggested dropping down to 3 pills. Appetite increased again, therefore, I went back up to 4 pills in an effort to give it one more shot before quitting since it was clear 3 pills was insufficient for losing weight. All symptoms returned. I would think about wanting to eat something but was too out of it and spacey to get up and do anything about it. When I was eating, I would stop short of eating as much as I normally would, but I did so because I just felt so blah and uninterested about everything, not just food. I have taken Wellbutrin before, and I never had any of these issues, which leads me to believe my bad reaction is attributed to the naltrexone."

• CBa...
• July 5, 2019

For Weight Loss (Obesity/Overweight) "On day three, I experienced debilitating dizziness, extreme nausea, and violent vomiting. I had to call a family member to pick me up from work and drive me home. I switched the schedule and took 1 pill at night for two weeks. This helped decrease the side effects very little, and I still missed 3 days of work in two weeks due to the side effects. I continued taking the medication because I wanted to be successful. By week four, I had additional side effects of dry mouth, constipation, and I felt very foggy. By week six, I had lost 3 pounds and decided to stop taking Contrave due to the side effects. I didn’t even taper off, I just got so sick and tired of the side effects I just stopped taking the medication abruptly. It took about 2 weeks before feeling normal again. I was supposed to only have a three-month supply, but the medication was “conveniently” automatically reordered. Now I have a 2 1/2 month supply (that cost a lot of money) going to waste!! Not recommended."

• Rdr...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• July 4, 2019

For Weight Loss (Obesity/Overweight) "I took one pill of Contrave in the evening, hoping to mitigate any side effects while at work, but that didn't happen. All was well until 7:00 AM the next morning when I broke out in a hot sweat and became so dizzy and nauseated that I thought I would pass out. My hands and face went numb, and my head began to hurt, and I got diarrhea, so I went home, took Dramamine for the nausea, and clonidine for the extremely high blood pressure it had given me. My normal BP on my meds is 107/69... 2 hrs after the clonidine, it was still 155/97. I have had a migraine for 3 days now... after just one pill. If you are prone to med sensitivities, high BP, or migraines, you may want to wait for a day off to try this med for the first time! And I hope you have a back-up emergency pill just in case. In case it matters. I can't take Trokendi either because of it causing high BP and numbness to extremities. Many of the same side effects."

• Sam...
• Taken for 1 to 2 years
• June 16, 2019

For Weight Loss (Obesity/Overweight) "Contrave is not a magic weight loss pill. It is a tool to help you lose weight, but you have to commit to a different lifestyle, which includes some kind of exercise and dietary changes. When I first went on Contrave, I was a little nauseous and my appetite was greatly diminished. I lost a few pounds at first, but it wasn't until I started moving that the weight came off. I started by just walking a few blocks and over 4 months built up to full workouts at the gym. I also ate better and less. I have now been on Contrave 1 1/2 years and I have lost a little more than 50 pounds. I went from 211 lbs to 158 lbs, and I have kept it off. I worry that I might gain weight if I stop taking it, but with all of the changes I have made to live a healthy lifestyle, I shouldn't gain much. Nonetheless, I will stay on the medication as long as it is safe to do so. Contrave didn't make me lose weight. It gave me the jumpstart I needed to begin a weight loss regime."

• Gra...
• June 1, 2019

For Weight Loss (Obesity/Overweight) "Summary: this medication does work, but the side effects are absolutely brutal. There is nothing I want to do less than eat. Five hours after taking the medicine for the first time, I'm feeling extremely ill. I've gone from a healthy and productive individual to experiencing the worst lightheadedness of my life, along with nausea, headaches, dizziness, and stomach aches. This is the first and last day I'll be taking this medication. I can barely stand for more than a minute before everything gets fuzzy and I feel lightheaded. I am confident that if I were at work, where I have to stand, I would have passed out within the first 10 minutes of my shift. Right now, I feel fully incapacitated and confined to bed until I can get this medication out of my system. I'll update here how long it takes to get the medication out of my system for anyone in the same boat. I'm 5'5 and 180 lbs for reference."