Contrave and Nausea: What Users Say (Page 5)

• Nel...
• June 9, 2016

For Weight Loss (Obesity/Overweight) "I started on Contrave about 6 weeks ago. Haven't really followed a diet as much as cutting down portions. I weighed 252 lbs when I started, now down to 234 lbs. The nausea was on and off for the first two weeks, but I pushed through it. Now the one thing I really notice is my cravings for sweets and fried food are virtually gone. The real drawback has been constipation for me. I ate a huge salad last night and it helped. I also am adding Colace to my diet along with more water. But, being able to wear a smaller size jean is amazing. And stress eating is all but a thing of the past. A little disruption in sleep but not terrible, and if I exercise, it's more restful. So far, I'm happy with the results. Also, my BP has been much lower!!"

• EMS...
• August 20, 2016

For Weight Loss (Obesity/Overweight) "I've been taking this medication for three weeks. I have had some nausea (when my body is telling me it's time to eat). I could go all day without eating, but my stomach will start to rumble, telling me to eat. Yesterday, I started the two in the morning and one at night, but I became very anxious and jittery later in the day, so today I went back to one in the morning and one at night because that is working well for me right now. I'm 5'4" and I started at 206 pounds. Today I'm 194 pounds. This medication will not take weight off, you have to eat healthy and exercise. I have totally made a lifestyle change, taking carbs and sugar out of my diet. My body does not even crave sweets anymore."

• san...
• Taken for 6 months to 1 year
• July 9, 2017

For Weight Loss (Obesity/Overweight) "I have been on Contrave since August 2016. To date, I have lost 45 pounds and have not experienced negative side effects. I am able to say no to second helpings and often decline completely foods that I would have readily consumed in excess a year ago. I follow my doctor's instructions to take this medication with a lean protein, and I have found this to be effective for tolerance of Contrave. The two times I took Contrave on an empty stomach, I felt nauseous, so I simply don't take it on an empty stomach. For me, this has helped me tremendously. I can walk and run farther and faster, and my blood pressure is stable for the first time in about 6 years."

• kek...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• April 24, 2017

For Weight Loss (Obesity/Overweight) "I started taking Contrave April 18, 2017. The only side effects I experience were nausea and a headache, nothing major. I am down 4 lbs, which I am very excited about. For the nausea, I take motion sickness medication. That helps out, I chew gum to offset it. I eat less. I work out three times a day. One thing I notice is this medicine changes the way things taste. As for drinking fluids, it makes drinks taste flat, which is fine with me. I start my 2 pills a day tomorrow. I will keep everybody updated on my progress. After reading all the reviews, I was very discouraged about starting Contrave. I am so glad I am giving it a try. I keep Jolly Ranchers in my purse, my mouth gets really dry. I pray this medicine works out for everybody."

• NCB...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• September 19, 2016

For Weight Loss (Obesity/Overweight) "I am 47, 5'11" male with a BMI of 40. I was considering bariatric surgery but decided to try Contrave first. My starting weight was 287. I'm now in week 3 of taking Contrave. The first two weeks were fine, no side effects, and I noticed that my appetite was diminished. I lost about 7 pounds. Now, at the start of week 3, I went up to 3 pills/day, and the nausea hit big time. I'll push through it and try to space out taking the pills during the day. So the jury is still out. Will check back in after the end of week 4."

• Mot...
• Taken for 6 months to 1 year
• October 23, 2018

For Weight Loss (Obesity/Overweight) "I started Contrave in January 2018. I am 5.1 and weighed 175. On August 1, 2018, I weighed 130 pounds. I had little side effects, just slightly nauseous when drinking coffee. The medication took about 3-4 weeks before I felt any changes. I was no longer hungry or desired certain foods. However, I was not good about staying on a healthy diet or exercising. I have been at my goal weight for 2 1/2 months and continue to take Contrave. The drug is not having the same effect of reducing hunger and cravings. Not sure if that wears off and need to stop and start again. Have had little follow-up or help with maintaining my weight. Good luck to all."

• lhi...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• October 5, 2015

For Weight Loss (Obesity/Overweight) "I have been on Contrave for 4 months. Over the 4-month period, I have lost 45 lb with the help of the medication. I didn't change my exercise at all, just my diet (low carb, high protein). Contrave really helped me with this. It really helps with the cravings and the binge eating. I will admit I was sick to my stomach off and on for about the first month, but it has gone away, and I do not have any side effects. I plan on staying on until I lose the last ten lbs until my goal. I also may stay on it after that to help keep my weight down. Not sure at this time. I'm hoping my insurance will start covering the medication."

• Hey...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• May 25, 2015

For Weight Loss (Obesity/Overweight) "I started Contrave on May 18th, and I am down 13 lbs! I am so excited about that. I have not been exercising but have significantly cut down my calories and fat intake. Today I start my second week and should be starting my second pill, 1 in the AM and 1 in the pm. However, I'm going to stick to one pill for another week or so. In the beginning, I would say the first 3 days I did have nausea and a headache. My head hurt for 3 days straight! I really thought my body wasn't going to tolerate the medication. The nausea was tolerable, but the headache seemed to start off light, and then by around 5 pm, I swear it felt like it had its own heartbeat! But the 4th day I woke up, and I felt normal again. I will be checking back in a week or so."

• 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!"

• Sho...
• September 14, 2017

For Weight Loss (Obesity/Overweight) "I am a black male, 50 years old, 5'5, beginning weight 226 pounds. I started taking Contrave 08/18/2017. Today is just about my 4th week taking it, and I have lost 9 pounds. At first, I thought it wasn't working, but now I have to make myself eat. The only side effect I had when I first started was a little nausea and a few headaches. After two days, the side effects were gone. I weighed 217 this morning, and my goal is to get down to about 190 pounds. So far, so good."

• Dea...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• January 9, 2017

For Weight Loss (Obesity/Overweight) "I'd rather weigh 1,000 lbs than take another one of these pills. Was prescribed this by a PA who thought it was better than Adipex. I didn't even take the full dose. Within 30 mins after taking just 1 pill, I was deathly sick. I couldn't even hold my head up. Dizzy, headache, nauseated, throwing up, can't breathe. Feeling like death, it was so bad. Nothing is worth feeling this bad. 1 is the lowest rating it would allow. But my rating is a NEGATIVE 1,000."

• Ilo...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• August 21, 2015

For Weight Loss (Obesity/Overweight) "I can't rave enough about this drug! Sure, people say they got nauseated when they started it. Of course, there are side effects! They go away! I had mild nausea for about a week. After that, it was gone! I started Contrave at the end of March 2015, and now, as I approach the end of August 2015, I am down 27 lbs! I've gone down 3-4 pants sizes! I'm sad to say (but also happy) that I haven't even worked out! I was on Effexor for depression before starting Contrave and then stopped it because of the Wellbutrin. I was worried about it, but it ends up... the Wellbutrin is 10 times better! I'm happier, have more energy, and my overall outlook on life is so much better! I tell all my friends about it, and I think it is worth it to try it!!"

• 40p...
• August 30, 2016

For Weight Loss (Obesity/Overweight) "I started Contrave in December 2015 and lost 42 pounds (200 - 158). The first 3-4 weeks, I experienced intense nausea and headaches, but they were gone after a while. I lost 14 pounds in the first month - I used the LoseIt app on my phone and tracked my calories, but it was pretty easy to not eat much because of the nausea. Apples - I ate a lot of them. It helped me when I had nausea. I've gone from a size 18 to a 12, and I look and feel so much better. I haven't started exercising, but I will do that while continuing to use the LoseIt app - hoping that my tummy will tone up some while I aim to lose 8 more pounds. For the past 3 months, I have kept my weight steady and am ready to come off the medicine and see what it does."

• Cra...
• August 22, 2015

For Weight Loss (Obesity/Overweight) "I love this stuff. I have been on it for 6 days and have lost 4 pounds easily. My night cravings are entirely gone, and my stomach gets full with about 1/4 amount I usually consume at one sitting. The only drawback is in the morning I get queasy, if I eat about a half cup of dry Cheerios slowly with a cup of tea, it settles. I know it is early in my journey, but so far so good! Awesome to finally have me be in control, not food controlling me after 40 years. Feel like I am out of prison, pretty powerful experience."

• Nur...
• February 19, 2017

For Weight Loss (Obesity/Overweight) "Started on 2/13/17. I work night shift, so I started my dosing in the afternoon when I wake up because I was fearful of having difficulty sleeping. The first two days, I took it with food and had no problems. But the third day, I took it on an empty stomach and experienced nausea and dizziness and just did not feel good. Once I ate, which was a few hours later, I was fine. So I won't take it without food again. So far, I can tell my hunger has greatly subsided. The cravings are also down. So I'm hopeful this med will work as promised. Will update."

• rel...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• February 10, 2018

For Weight Loss (Obesity/Overweight) "I started taking Contrave Jan. 16th, 2018. I had gone to the doctor for my yearly physical, and my blood pressure was sky-high. I'm a 28-year-old female, 5'2", and my starting weight was 277 lbs. The first couple of days taking it, I was nauseous and had a headache, but that went away. I'm at the full dose now, 4 and 4. I'm down to 260 lbs, so I've lost 17 lbs in 3 weeks. I have to remind myself to eat. The problem is, at this full dose, I am so anxious, I'm having hot flashes, I'm dizzy, and my head is fogged. I really hope this passes because, although the weight loss is great, the side effects really, really suck."

• Kat...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• May 9, 2023

For Weight Loss (Obesity/Overweight) "After one hour of taking Contrave, I felt nauseated and then vomited a few times; no gravel, ginger, or Pepto-Bismol helped. I had to take Zofran (the strongest antinausea meds) to stop vomiting. I had dizziness, lightheadedness, feeling drunk (very drunk), and sleepy, so I went to bed at about 7 pm instead of 11 pm like usual. The same happened for the rest of the week. When I increased the dose to twice a day, morning and evening, I started having hallucinations at night; (shoot, it scared me out). I also started having headaches and intense cravings for alcohol (I drink two times a year, at Christmas and my birthday, which is in summer), carbs, sweets, and other junk food. So I gained 6 pounds in two weeks. I stopped taking these pills about 4 days ago and still have side effects. I am now dealing with weird side effects: I have to overeat to stop nausea without a pill after I stopped taking Contrave. OMG, not even sure how long it takes to get Contrave out of my system to feel better."

• del...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• April 19, 2017

For Weight Loss (Obesity/Overweight) "I started Contrave last Tuesday. I weighed 211 lbs. I weighed in again yesterday, and I have lost 6 lbs in 7 days. The first day, I felt a little strange, like I was on a pain medication or something. I felt nauseous for the first couple of days, but that soon went away. The side effects that I have noticed now are excessive sweating and major mood swings. Today I start taking two, one this morning and one this evening. We shall see how I do. I will check back next week. Good luck, everyone!"

• Mot...
• July 6, 2015

For Weight Loss (Obesity/Overweight) "I just started week two on Contrave and feel great! No nausea, headaches, or anything (except no appetite) and sleep great! I admit I was totally nervous to start after reading all the reviews but am on one in the morning and one at night with no issues. I have cut soda, drink a lot of water, and am trying to eat fewer calories (using MyNetDiary app to monitor - helps so much to make me accountable). I have already lost 6 pounds and feel less bloated! One comment stated that they feel like a normal person, not obsessing over food...I second that! Also, make sure you use the prescription card if your insurance doesn't cover!"

• Ran...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• November 16, 2018

For Weight Loss (Obesity/Overweight) "I don't usually post on forums, but I needed to share my great experience with Contrave. I am male and started taking Contrave on Oct 16, weighing in at 349 lbs. Today (Nov 16), one month later, I am 323 lb. I have had very little side effects, a bit of nausea and a bit lightheaded at times, but nothing that couldn't be managed. I tell people I am not on a diet but instead a weight management program. I certainly watch what I eat but never feel deprived of food and have been eating at restaurants 8 times in the month, just eating a lot less. Now I do a lot more walking and time on a treadmill-feeling great. Would recommend it for sure."

• Fat...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• January 30, 2017

For Weight Loss (Obesity/Overweight) "I am young and considered obese. I am a healthy individual, though, and just wanted to shed a few pounds. This pill is what my doctor prescribed. I read through all of the side effects and decided to give it a go. I lost 8 lbs in two weeks, but I don't think that was from the pills. I stopped taking them after the first two days. I was so nauseous that I couldn't stand without falling and vomiting, and my headaches are so bad that it affects my vision. It is unbearable. I may be fat, but now I am happily so if it means never taking these pills again. They literally steal all of your energy and make you miserable."

• Anonymous
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• December 24, 2015

For Weight Loss (Obesity/Overweight) "I'm a 39-year-old, 5'5" female, and I've been taking Contrave since August 2015. My starting weight was 267, and I'm currently at 216, a 51 lbs loss. I've never felt better. I did have a little nausea in the beginning, but it passed after I began taking 4 pills a day. I would take a non-drowsy Dramamine to help. I follow a 1200 calorie diet. I have done little to no exercise to this point. I do have constipation, but I take Miralax to offset that. I highly recommend Contrave. It does have a few side effects, but nothing that can't be tolerated to reach your weight goal!! Good luck :)"

• luc...
• November 1, 2018

For Weight Loss (Obesity/Overweight) "I have been taking Contrave for 4 weeks now. It wasn't very effective in the beginning, but I have noticed that my nicotine addiction is now virtually nonexistent. I maintained at 228 at first, but then I started dropping some weight. I have only lost 4.5 pounds, but I find that it is much easier to control when and how much I eat. I started exercising 1.5 weeks ago, 20+ minutes on the elliptical, which is when the weight started dropping. The most impressive fact is I actually started exercising. I haven't done that in YEARS. I get a little pressure in my head between my ears, but other than that, as long as I drink a lot of water, that is it. Nausea only happens for me when I don't drink the water. I am only giving Contrave a score of 8 because, let's face it, it is no miracle drug. But it does help with food addiction and that constant 'what can I eat now' thought. For me, I lacked motivation and willpower, and I think the Contrave is what is helping me finally after all these years."

• hel...
• April 18, 2015

For Weight Loss (Obesity/Overweight) "So I have been on this medication for almost 2 months. While I'm not losing as quickly as I anticipated, I am losing nonetheless. The only complaint I have is the side effects: extreme dry mouth at times and horrible nausea. I am at 4 pills a day now, that's when the nausea kicked in. Though it is a deterrent from eating. Overall, this medication is effective, just be prepared for the side effects."

• Mik...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• July 18, 2016

For Weight Loss (Obesity/Overweight) "Started 7/9/16, it's morning of 7/18. So far, I have lost 11 lbs. Just recently started week 2, and I'm feeling the sleepiness and nausea. It's not horrific, concerned I might have to go to 1 pill again, but for 11 lbs in 9 days, I'll try to stick it out. I'm not sure if it's all in my head, but my cravings have pretty much gone, and my portions are incredibly small, and I'm really not hungry at all anymore. I've also been more interested in walking, which beforehand, if someone even mentioned they were going for a walk, I would want to throw up. I've even started to add 5-10 push-ups after my daily walk. Super thirsty all the time, but I haven't retained any of the water, and I try to mix it up-put some lemons or cucumbers in the water for added boost."