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Naltrexone for Fibromyalgia User Reviews (Page 2)

Brand names: Vivitrol

Naltrexone has an average rating of 6.9 out of 10 from a total of 65 reviews for the off-label treatment of Fibromyalgia. 62% of reviewers reported a positive experience, while 26% reported a negative experience.

Reviews for Naltrexone

  • Di724
  • Taken for less than 1 month
  • November 12, 2020

"I just started low dose naltrexone 1.5 for Fibromyalgia (FM) I immediately saw a difference. No more body pain. At first I thought could I just be having a good week without much pain . But after two weeks I can't believe I good I feel. For 6 yrs I was in pain everyday. I took motrin everyday, until I had an AFib episode. Now I can't take any NSAID's. I'm so happy my doctor prescribed me this. I feel like I'm 40 again. I'm now 54 and I suffered for 6 yrs not know what was wrong with me."

10 / 10
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54 Report
  • gigan...
  • Taken for 1 to 2 years
  • May 21, 2012

"This medication reduced my fibromyalgia pain and some other symptoms significantly more than any of the other medications or combination of treatments usually prescribed for fibromyalgia. Initial side effects easily managed by starting at a very low dose."

7 / 10
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136 Report
  • Elderly
  • October 16, 2016

"I have been slowly increasing my LDN for fibromyalgia for the last several weeks. It has provided better relief than the Fentanyl 100 mcg that I had been on for years! Very hopeful that I will find my optimal dose and feel even better- I have had pain relief and an increase in energy. It caused insomnia though so I changed the dose to the a.m. with no drowsiness noted."

7 / 10
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94 Report

Frequently asked questions

  • Jillzie
  • Taken for less than 1 month
  • December 28, 2020

"I cannot believe how this med naltrexone has helped my fibro. I've tried many meds and always have side effects. The only side effect I have with this is a bit sleepiness but I take it at night. I'm still on a starting dose of 1.5 but AMAZING!!!!"

10 / 10
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48 Report
  • NicaG...
  • Taken for less than 1 month
  • September 13, 2019

"I was using 1.5mg naltrexone daily for Fibromyalgia and Neuropathy pain. It worked very well for the pain and also improved my mood and feelings of well-being. Side effects I experienced were foot cramps 1-4 hours after taking the pill then it subsided, as well as light insomnia. Unfortunately, I experienced a rare side effect that's not listed here but is listed in medical literature. About a week after taking Low-dose naltrexone (LDN) regularly, little blood spots showed up on my upper arms and a blood vessel in my ear lobe popped. This went away when I stopped taking LDN."

5 / 10
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61 Report

Are you taking this medicine?

  • Katie
  • Taken for 2 to 5 years
  • January 29, 2024

"This is a wonder drug. I was titrated in with drops. At two drops, one-tenth of a ml, I felt a wave of good feeling. It passed, but I knew then it was going to work. I take one gm now every day in the morning. Fibro pain lifts for the whole day, comes back around 8 pm or so. No idea why anyone would take it at night, you would sleep through its effects. The worst part is finding a doctor who will prescribe it. I have also noticed a definite improvement in gut issues, an unexpected bonus."

10 / 10
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  • Beanie
  • Taken for 1 to 2 years
  • August 15, 2018

"Low-dose naltrexone (LDN) has reduced both my pain and fatigue. It’s made a huge difference to me. I was at the point of giving up work but on LDN I’m able to keep working. Initially I had a few nights of disturbed sleep but now no side effects except the good ones!"

9 / 10
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64 Report

More FAQ

  • Leets
  • Taken for 1 to 6 months
  • November 8, 2016

"Have had fibromyalgia for 22 years. Tried all sorts of the recommended meds. Two months ago started 4.5 mg low dose naltrexone. Fall asleep easily but horrible and disturbing dreams and subsequent pain from disturbed sleep. Sometimes I'd sleep 10 to 12 hrs and just slightly refreshed. Have a hard time getting going after waking for up to two hours. Just stopped taking it because of the side effects. Having a headache while coming off of it."

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  • BPano
  • November 18, 2020

"I've had Fibromyalgia for about 7 years. I've tried everything and had all but given up. I happened to see info online about LDN (low dose naltrexone). I asked my doctor about it and she wrote a script but said it probably wouldn't do anything. But I insisted...desperate to try anything. However, it was for 1/2 of a 50mg tablet once per day. I felt like I had done a gram of cocaine. 2-3 hrs of sleep per night, major anxiety, heart racing etc. Couldn't focus, hands shook etc. I stuck with it for one week when I realized, my pain had dropped SIGNIFICANTLY for the FIRST time in about seven years. Thrilled at he results I had to figure out how to continue the medication but get rid of the side affects and get some sleep. I called the doc to ask what I could do as the online info said it said LDN should be 1.5 mg. She said it only came in 50 mg and I'd have to get the suggested low dose from a "compounding" pharmacy. I have no idea how to do that. Can anyone help?"

8 / 10
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  • sheil...
  • Taken for 1 to 6 months
  • January 1, 2018

"I'm NORMAL AGAIN!! I feel AMAZING! This medicine is truly a dream come true. I feel so thankful to be offered this THANKS to my pain clinic I went too because the NORMAL doctors would not prescribe it. It's Safe it's changed my life! I'm free of pain!"

10 / 10
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  • Sarah
  • June 18, 2020

"I'm a scientist, a Sociologist, and a psychologist. I went to school initially for Pharmd. I am in my 40s. I've been a lifelong athlete and I was never one to drink, smoke, or use drugs. I have Hashimoto's, which has destroyed most of my thyroid. I get hemiplegic atypical migraines which are increasing to the point there's no real treatment options left. I've also been recently diagnosed with ehlers-danlos, and fibro. Tonight was my first night taking titrated LDN. Never again! It's 3 AM. I've never done drugs but I imagine this is what someone feels like who does copious amounts of cocaine. I only took .5 mg. that's it. My muscles seized earlier. I've been sweating profusely. It's covid 19 time, and if not for that, I would have immediately gone to the ER as my SVT is not abating. This has been one nightmare evenings for me I refuse to repeat. I have never been an advocate for MJ, until now."

1 / 10
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  • Barbie...
  • July 11, 2016

"I've been put on Naltrexone for 4 weeks going on five. I started taking one 5mg tablet nightly. After two weeks take 2 tablets for two weeks. I stopped increasing the dose by one for five days and my pain returned. I upped the dose to three and the pain has started to diminish greatly within 24 hours. I suffer from autoimmune disease. To add insult to my pain I was put on Ciproflaxon for a bacteria infection the first day of February and suffered from tendon and muscle damage resulting in not being able to walk severe pain in my feet like knife stabbing. Naltrexone took all my pain away evey bit of it. When My pain started to come back five days ago I started increasing my dose by a third 5mg tablet. I see my Doctor in two days."

8 / 10
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73 Report
  • Butchi
  • October 19, 2015

"I started naltrexone Dec. of 2014. I started noticing improvement after about 4 weeks. I no longer had hot flashes. Then my pain started to get less and shorter periods of flare ups. Then longer periods of feeling much better and even days of feeling good and not constantly fatigued. This lasted until about 6 weeks ago. I started having hot flashes again and a really bad flare up that has gone on for a month. I'm so disappointed and am now backing off naltrexone so that I can once again take something for the pain."

9 / 10
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75 Report
  • Rara
  • Taken for 2 to 5 years
  • December 24, 2019

"I've been taking LDN (low dose naltrexone) 25mg twice daily, since 2016. for my fibro. It's made a big difference with taking meloxicam too 7.5 MG twice daily. However it's more effective in the mornings. My second daily dose sometimes doesn't work at all, or not as well. Stress, activity, sleep, weather, also are factors. However I'm not on nsaids or opioid. I take Tylenol for arthritis as well in between on bad flare days. I'm very very grateful for naltrexone."

7 / 10
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  • Sangoma
  • Taken for 6 months to 1 year
  • May 19, 2017

"I have fibromyalgia, Sjögren's syndrome and central pain sensitisation. I started taking Low Dose Naltrexone slowly building up to 4mg but felt it too much as it made me feel agitated. Reduced to 3.5mg which is good for me. Initially straight away I felt more energy and my mood lifted. Helped sjogrens considerably - mouth not so dry. Somewhat reduced pain. Sleep better. I've been on it for 8 month and I get the feeling it's not working as well now. Maybe my body has got use to it and it's not as effective. And I have noticed hoarse voice, memory problems, cramping, waking more often in night, and irritability which I read can be side effects. Thinking I may either reduce or go off all together to see what happens. NZ dollars $59 a month."

5 / 10
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58 Report
  • Anony...
  • Taken for 1 to 6 months
  • March 7, 2023

"I was prescribed LDN at a low lose of 1 mg. It was one of the worst things I ever did to my body! I suffered extreme depression and suicidal thoughts on it. I couldn’t feel happy and didn’t know why. It never seemed to help my pain, but I became dizzy, extremely fatigued, and unable to live my life. I started having heart episodes while on it. Getting off it was one of the best things I ever did for my health."

2 / 10
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  • Cassa...
  • Taken for 1 to 6 months
  • September 27, 2019

"I tried LDN was (low dose Naltrexone) in 2018 and 2019 - worked up from .50 to 3.00 mg over 4 months (never got to 4.5) - still got the worsened sleep (bad as it is) and then worse depression, agitation, drier eyes (burning) and mouth, pain still the same and worse in other areas of the body. When I got spontaneous bruising this last week on arms, then thighs, I finally quit yesterday. Improved sleep in one night after quitting. Useless for my situation but enjoyed the weight loss (not worth it this way!)."

1 / 10
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  • Holden...
  • Taken for 1 to 6 months
  • June 20, 2023

"I started at 1.5 mg per day which gave me migraines every day within a few hours of taking it, plus nervous tension increasing every day until after 10 days I had to quit as my body was like a clenched fist. A week later I tried again on 0.5 mg which was just about tolerable. Still side effects of nervous tension, anxiety, and crazy lucid dreams every night. I felt no benefit so after 6 months quit. For the next ten days, I felt wiped out with fatigue, then after a month suddenly felt very spaced out and haunted by feelings of doom and dread, agitated, afraid to be alone with my anxious thoughts, and scared of the slightest thing, unable to relax or focus on any given task. Three years later I am still suffering these constant debilitating symptoms which only started the day I took naltrexone, and now consulting a psychiatrist to hopefully reverse whatever this drug did to my brain. I wish I’d never touched this drug which can make you feel so terrible, and in my case, I suspect permanently."

1 / 10
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  • trouble
  • Taken for 1 to 6 months
  • October 3, 2019

"up date: today is day 27 on low dose naltrexone and day 14 of the 4.5mg dose, so far things have not improved, getting more aggravated as the days go on, my doctor will not give me anything else for pain or muscle stiffness 30mg a day of flexeril for 10 days did nothing to relieve the muscle tightness and stiffness. His option is aquatics therapy and trigger point injections in the trapezius muscles, I don't want to do the injections, why do something invasive when they could try a different muscle relaxer.. anyway was ordered to stay on the naltrexone for 30 more days and have to talk with the doctor the end of the month. He also said it can take 3 to 8 weeks for it to work we shall see, not keeping my hopes up"

2 / 10
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  • Nutmeg
  • Taken for 1 to 6 months
  • November 25, 2020

"I tried naltrexone at a low dose of 4.5 mg dose years ago for fibromyalgia, and it had no effect on my pain levels. But at a higher dose (I started with 24.5 mg and now take 50 mg) it is extraordinarily effective. I'm thrilled with this result, but I worry about the long-term effects, so I do not plan to take it indefinitely. The side effects - energy, a spacey feeling - I find pleasant. But this also makes me worry that perhaps this is just another painkiller, and that I'll build up a tolerance and be worse off when I try to wean myself off it. It's promoted as safer and non-addictive, but not enough is known about it yet for those claims to be trusted. It perplexes me that naltrexone is an opioid antagonist, but it feels slightly like an opioid to me. So I'm trilled to have relief from the pain, but I proceed with caution."

9 / 10
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33 Report
  • Tlorene
  • Taken for less than 1 month
  • February 13, 2018

"So I took my first dose last night, was very excited to start this new med after reading so much good stuff about it. Took my tablet at 9 and went to bed. At 10 I was so ill I wanted to die, vomiting, heart pounding and sweats. Did not go to sleep until 5am. Very disappointed and afraid to try it again."

1 / 10
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  • Sputn...
  • November 23, 2019

"Had Fibro since birth. Took over my entire body and mind at the age of 32. Started with 1.5 mg and with a week was up to 4.5. The naltrexone was working like a charm for my fibromyalgia, NO more brain fog, pain diminished by about 60 percent. Started to be able to take care if myself again after being bed ridden for nearly 3 years. The past 5 months I have been experiencing waking after 5 hours of sleep with a burning sensation in the back of my neck and headaches in the sinus areas of my forehead along with a tight rubber band feeling in my head. My spine burns along with upper muscle spasms. Depression has worsened. The pharmacy sent me a different brand of LDN this past month. I question the quality?? Or am I just having a bad relapse from extreme stress and over doing? I've also experienced tingling down the back of my legs along with my rd.3,4and 5th fingers. I'm stumped!?? I'm seeing a Chiropractor Monday to see if this could be coming from my neck and spine.I also have several herniated discs. I should also try another brand of naltrexone and see if that helps."

10 / 10
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  • ajt
  • October 29, 2020

"It was fine for a few days taking naltrexone but then, ten hours after I'd take it, I had crippling nausea, anxiety, was sweaty, and shaking. I thought I might have eaten something bad so I rode it out. It happened the next night, at the exact same time as before. I began to suspect it. The same thing happened again at the same time. I told my doctor and we stopped it. It was just 1mg. This drug feels cult-ish. It's really hard to find someone to prescribe it. My rheumatologist wanted me to take it but she said she couldn't write it. Why? And look into the trials done with LDN. One of the books about it tries to convince patients that testimonials are just as good as double blind testing. That's not how science works. It supposedly treats a laundry list of things from cancer to MS. That's a red flag. Please research this. You'll find people without medical licenses prescribing it and people getting their ability to prescribe it taken away. It's a very suspicious situation."

1 / 10
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  • Bina
  • Taken for 1 to 2 years
  • November 29, 2020

"I have suffered from fibromyalgia and chronic fatigue syndrome for over 15 years. I tried so many different medications in that time, none helped. Then I was prescribed low dose Naltrexone by a specialist. It helped immensely, I felt better within two weeks. I was able to get up on the exam table without a thought. Before any exertion at all was difficult, painful, and would leave me sore and exhausted for up to a week. I feel almost normal now. My dose is on the high end for low dose at 5mg, and I have to get it at a compounding pharmacy (just Google and call). My doctor said it works for about 50% of patients. I suggest reading up on the mechanism of action before asking for a prescription. In short it stimulates natural endorphins and has a mild anti-autoimmune effect. It only stays in your system for four hours. Always check for drug interactions. Good luck!"

9 / 10
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  • Anonymous
  • November 5, 2019

"Hello friends of low dose naltrexone (LDN), I kinda happened upon the research of LDN by truly mere boredom & random web searching. I feel as though my doctor is not familiar with this choice of treatment for fibro and so I was surprised when she actually prescribed it. I did seek the advice of the compilation of research out there for LDN to see it there are better titration schedules. I started 1.5mg for 7 days and honestly only took the first 3 doses over 6 days, so every other day. Then I took dose 4,5,6,& 7 in consecutive nights. Tonight is my first time using to the 3mg dose. I feel it's too soon to truly asses the effectiveness of the drug but I am already noticing a harder time falling asleep on 3mg. It kinda gave me energy so I might try a morning dose. Question though, has anyone got this as an approved method of treatment under their primary health insurance for fibro? I had to pay out of pocket for mine, I'm on MAWD so I have primary ins through my employer & Medicaid as a backup but neither is covering it."

6 / 10
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27 Report

Reviews may be edited to correct grammar/spelling or to remove inappropriate language and content. Reviews that appear to be created by parties with a vested interest are not published. This information is not intended to endorse any particular medication. While these reviews may be helpful, they are not a substitute for the expertise, knowledge, and judgement of healthcare professionals.

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