Looking for people who are trying out Contrave? Thoughts? Is it working?

Update, I'm down 20 lbs since I started taking Contrave, mid June or so. My ticker shows 10 lbs but that's because I grossly underestimated my starting weight way back when I first started on myfitnesspal. I haven't had any ill side effects, I work out 5 days a week and started C25K last week because I finally feel like my knees won't pop when I jog. I know the key is eating in moderation and not eating a lot of processed food, I have found that Contrave helps with carb cravings. I didn't expect Contrave to work like it has. I didn't realize that I was eating out of habit not because I was hungry. My eating habits have dramatically changed and I feel for the first time I can do this. I also love the scaledown program that came with my prescription. In the past (as evidenced by underestimation of my starting weight) I refused to weigh myself. I told myself that I would just know as clothes fit looser. I now know that for me losing 20 lbs doesn't mean going down a dress size, that I was fooling myself with that criteria. I am still a size 12 but I look a lot better in those size 12s and I feel more confident. But weighing myself on the scaledown program has been incredibly beneficial in this journey. It's become a game and helped me make better choices at restaurants and at home because I see every day what I need to adjust. I know now that sodium actually affects my body so I limit it. I know now a lot of things that I didn't know about my body and how it responds to food. I feel better and think once I get to my end goal weight that I can maintain it by staying on the scaledown program even after I gradually go off Contrave.

You should sign up for the scale. It's free and it's a pretty nice scale.
I didn't like the weighing daily at first. But I don't mind it now. It's now just part of my daily morning routine.
Glad u aren't experiencing side effects! And congrats on staying within the calories!!
Feel free to send me a friend request of u want. I have been using contrave for 5 weeks now.

I just started taking Contrave today and so far feel a little off but nothing major.

I am on contrave too. I started two weeks ago but increased the dose to max (4pills) in about one week bc i had no side effects. I have lost 7 pounds thus far but I still don't know if it's bc of the pill or bc i am watching every single thing I eat. it gets so frustrating bc i am hungry all the time it seems, but I usually won't eat.

Ann022681 wrote: »

Has anyone had major sweating going on with this pill? I'm on week 4. Lost 20lbs. But I'm starting to have hot flashes and feeling so hot.

I am having some serious hot flashes too and said that maybe I was going through the change, initially. Several people have complained of the same issue and issues with their blood pressure spiking. I am down from 255 lbs to 213 lbs over the course of a year and sweating is the biggest complaint except when I drink a lot of water.

Speaking from personal experience of only 3 days on Contrave...NOT worth the side effects. It gave me the WORST nausea, HORRIBLE headaches and I just wanted to sleep. The nausea was so bad that I had to nibble on something constantly to keep it at bay. Kinda defeats the purpose in my eyes since I seemed to be eating more. Insurance paid some and with a coupon ended up costing me $70...total waste of money. They say that the side effects would get better the longer you are on it but I have been off for 2 days now and still feel like crap. Can't imagine eventually upping the dose...I would have been bed ridden. Definately not worth it.

I am on day two of the second week and I feel like crap. The first week of taking 1 pill a day, I had about 3 or 4 days of mild nausea, but it went away. Yesterday, when I started my second week where I take 1 pill in the morning and 1 at night, I have felt awful both days. Extreme fatigue, haziness, lightheaded, inability to focus because I feel so bad, and the worst is the nausea. After reading through all of these posts and reviews on other sites, I hear that the negative side effects have subsided for most. I am hoping that is the case because it is going to be difficult to get through 4 weeks of feeling like this. Oh, and forget working out! I usually work out 2-4 times a week and play RollerDerby 2 days a week, but I have ZERO energy to do anything right now. I feel so weak that it is hard to get out of bed. Luckily, I work from home so I can bring my laptop in bed with me. The hard part is staying awake to actually get my work done.

As far as positives go, I'm not nearly as hungry as I usually am and I can't eat nearly as much as I usually do. Some of that is because I feel so nauseas that nothing sounds appetizing. In fact, the thought of eating anything right now is extremely nauseating. Yuck! I have placed a call with my Dr. to find out if I should continue or if there is anything I can do to minimize the side effects. I will update once I hear back.

Started taking Contrave 14 days ago - currently down 5.4 pounds. 1st week was amazing on the 1 pill in the AM - no side effects but lots of energy! I tried taking the 1 pill in AM and 1 pill in PM but had to scale it back because I had pretty significant anxiety. I was on Cymbalta (anti-depressant) and Chantix (to quit smoking) so the fact that I get both effects in one pill versus having to take 2 was nice. I'm going to stick with the 1 per day until I can safely move up.

Tomorrow is 1 week on Contrave. I don't really get hungry and seem to have to make myself eat which is great because I am normally a constant snacker, and eat multiple helpings at meal time. I just LOVE food, if I'm bored, stressed, happy, whatever the occasion I find food to be my go to drug. Lol. So far since starting Contrave I have only been eating when I know I should. I will weigh in tomorrow and am excited to see how things are progressing.

Its best to take it with protein. Make sure youre drinking plenty of water too. Really avoid the fatty foods, fast fried foods. It will give you problems

I started taking Contrave 2 weeks ago. I am currently taking 1 pill in the morning and 1 at night. Since I have started the 2nd pill, I have been having severe headaches and very loud, constant ringing in my ears. I have also experienced some trouble sleeping, I wake up a lot and look at the clock. I am supposed to start my week 3 (2 in the morning, 1 at night) tomorrow but I'm afraid I won't be able to stand the headaches or the ringing. Has anyone experienced this and how did you handle it?

I just started contrave last Saturday (10/17). Tomorrow will be a week. I need to lose 30 lbs... A little background on my weight loss journey, not only have I started the medicine but I am also working out with a personal trainer 3x a week and cut out pastas, breads, rice, sweets etc. from my diet. The trainer and diet I've been doing since mid September but the results have been kind of slow so I asked the doctor.. I have an under active thyroid and my medication hasn't been regulated in quite some time and I'm also taking a low dose of an antidepressant which makes me crave food 24/7 on top of poor diet and stress, I had a lot of factors working against me. I asked the doctor if there is something to assist with losing weight and she mentioned contrave. I like it because it has Wellbutrin in it, an antidepressant so I've been subbing my other antidepressant with the contrave so I won't need the other medication anymore. My appetite is definitely curbed. I used to eat something every 2-3 hours, my personal trainer said that was normal but for me, I wasn't used to it. Now I'm back to three healthy meals a day and have absolutely no desire to snack. I had one day of nausea/dizziness but it passed the next day. The one side effect I am currently working through is I realize I'm a little more short circuited than usual.. Little nuisances that people would normally just blow off really grinds my gears lol there's been a lot of mumbling under my breath and horn honking this week lol. But the good news is in less than a week I've already lost nearly 3lbs! I can't wait to see my progress with it! My only concern, I'm just hoping there's not a plateau stage and I can still achieve my goals sooner than later!! Hope this helps!

I started contrave on October 1--32 days ago. I followed the directions, beginning with one pill for the first week, two pills the second, three pills the third and then didn't feel the need to go to the four pills. Luckily I have experienced no side effects. So far I have lost approximately 14 lbs and have about 50 more to go.

I find it very difficult to explain the way it has changed my attitude towards food other than to say, i'm just not hungry in the ways that I used to be.

I have been very careful in limiting my food intake but don't find it difficult at all unlike previous attempts without it. I was very skeptical going in and still can't quite believe that its working as well as it is.

Ive just started taking it a few days ago.
I know its not a magic pill, but something has to help with the emotional aspect of over eating. Some people think it's so easy to diet/excersize/eat right... all that.. but some don't realize how hard it is to stop bingeing. I'm hopeing the antidepressants along with the anti addiction drugs will help me until I learn portion control, eating healthy.. got to try something..

amyniceneasy wrote: »

Thank you for your response, however I'm only actually looking for people who can answer the question. You've not taken this prescription. I'm looking for people who have.

I think you are missing the point. I'm relatively sure no one WANTS to take a pill, but sometimes it becomes necessary. I started it yesterday. In my profile picture, I was at 254 and had just run my first triathlon. A surgery that kept me from doing anything for over 3 months spelled my doom. I have tried and tried to get back on track and failed. I am now at 319. Not the 350 I was before, but going in the wrong direction. Also lots of new health concerns so the doctor decided we needed to do something to help. I'll be the first to say I will be off of these and all the other SIX stupid meds I am having to take because of my weight as soon as possible, but for now I need help.

I'm never mean, so not worried about that.

As far as side effects...none yet and I am not even remotely interested in eating.

SLLRunner wrote: »

Reading these two stories is disconcerting.

Ratfancy wrote: »

mccordbeth wrote: »

I used Contrave for 4 weeks and lost 10lbs. I didn't really think it was helping much until I had been off it for 4 days. I realized today how much more I was eating and that I need to stop! It did give me a wicked headache each time the dosage increased. My husband said it made me mean - he just didn't realize he was ticking me off about other things - haha. I go back to the doctor on Monday. I'm hoping he refill it for me.

I'm in about 6 weeks - I feel "mean", too! But husband is hanging in there because I explain. And today I woke up with a headache, which is very abnormal for me. I've lost 7 lbs. in 5 weeks, and I'll keep going. I think I obsess less, but this is not a magic bullet. Still have to count my calories and get in some exercise.

Just curious as to why you are taking a pill that makes you feel this way? Trust me, that 7 pounds you lost is because you ate less calories than your burned, therefore you have created a calorie deficit. I bet you can do this just by cutting back on the calories yourself without a pill that makes you feel so horrible. Pills are 100% not necessary to weight loss and just take your money.

stephamurray96 wrote: »

I am on contrave too. I started two weeks ago but increased the dose to max (4pills) in about one week bc i had no side effects. I have lost 7 pounds thus far but I still don't know if it's bc of the pill or bc i am watching every single thing I eat. it gets so frustrating bc i am hungry all the time it seems, but I usually won't eat.

I can answer this for you. You lost weight because you ate less calories than you burned.

You guys, I have 100% faith in you that you can lose your weight without taking those pills. Can I talk you both into chucking the pills, setting your goals up in MFP, logging all your food so you become aware of your intake and learn what portions look like, and eating in a way that fuels your body while you lose your weight?

You can both do this. I know you can.