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

It's working for me!! I've been on it for 6 weeks and have lost 20lbs...

Hi, all! I just started on Contrave last Thursday (3/30/17); am on one a.m. pill until next Thursday when I add the p.m. pill. Only side effect is a slight headache very late at night. It will be interesting to see if I lose any weight. I went to my doctor because I had an unexplained weight gain (more about that in a minute) and was horribly frustrated. I've been using My Fitness Pal to track food intake and exercise, and have been doing so religiously since November 2016. I'm 5'1" and weighed in at 157. I was maintaining a 1200-calorie per day intake, exercised 5 days a week. Never lost a pound, so by January I dropped the calorie intake to 1000 calories, and added extra days for exercise bringing it up to 6 or 7 days a week. The exercise consists of Jazzercise 3x week, aquasize and laps 2 to 3 days a week, belly dancing 90 minutes on Sundays. By end of March had not dropped even one pound. I limit my complex carbs to once a week, so dinners are proteins and vegetables, with a salad every night. I buy organic, including chicken, and have game meat and local fish in the freezer. Had blood tests and other labs done because the doctor couldn't figure out what was going on. The jazzercise I do is the strength training with weights because I figure the swimming and dancing makes up the cardio. I'm 63 next month. I do have some pretty decent muscles on me. But still! I can't go less than 1000 calories a day; that's just ridiculous. So this is my test to see if the Contrave works. I never had big cravings to start with. Breakfasts have been blueberries and almonds or scrambled egg with kale, and sometimes I am not hungry at all in the morning, so I eat breakfast around noon.

Sorry for the long post, but that's just the background. I intend to keep up the exercise because I like it and never ate junk food anyway, so I'll continue eating the way I always have. Wish me luck, and I'll check back in next week to update with hopefully some results.

I've been on it for 6 weeks and I'm down 23 lbs. I had a new side effect every time I up'd the dose the first month, and they'd last about 5-6 days. Problem with that was it was always time to up it again when they finally passed. The worst was constipation, but the headaches were rough too. So far in this second month, everything seems to have adjusted and I feel fine. The pill itself has helped me curb my "obsession " with food. If I want a cookie, I have one, but now I can only have one without thinking maybe I should just eat them all so they're no longer here. I bought a pint of ice cream, it lasted almost 2 weeks in my freezer and at one point I forgot it was I there. Food has been my best friend and worst enemy most of my life; Contrave makes it feel like food broke up with me and took out a ppo to end our relationship. I still love to eat, but I no longer am obsessed with it, smaller portions are easy now because my brain isn't in food addict mode. I hope you find success with it and the side effects aren't too bad, and if you can tough them out, they could go away like mine did.

I am on week 3 and I'm wondering if anyone has experienced a reduction in appetite and cravings only to have them come back? I'm not sure if I want to continue if the cravings don't stay away. I have some nausea which I take Bonine for (thanks to the person who posted that). Sometimes it takes the nausea away completely and sometimes it just reduces it. I have a hard time working when I feel sick. I'm also worried about the next increase in dose. Will the nausea be worse? Thanks for reading.

raz94928 wrote: »

I am on week 3 and I'm wondering if anyone has experienced a reduction in appetite and cravings only to have them come back? I'm not sure if I want to continue if the cravings don't stay away. I have some nausea which I take Bonine for (thanks to the person who posted that). Sometimes it takes the nausea away completely and sometimes it just reduces it. I have a hard time working when I feel sick. I'm also worried about the next increase in dose. Will the nausea be worse? Thanks for reading.

I've been on for 8 weeks. Right before increasing dosage the first few weeks I would get hungry again but it hasn't came back at all since being at maintenance dose.

My doc said today that new regulations say that after 3 months you have to take a month off. Anyone heard of this before?

Can you folks who are using Contrave give me some input as to when you started to see results on the scale? I've been on it for five weeks now, stay at about 1000 calories, and exercise (but don't consume the burned calories back into my total for the day). This morning for the ScaleDown weigh-in, I was up a pound and a half, and the "coach" (don't know what else to call him/her) suggested I reduce my caloric intake by 100 calories. That's just crazy!

eli51354 wrote: »

Can you folks who are using Contrave give me some input as to when you started to see results on the scale? I've been on it for five weeks now, stay at about 1000 calories, and exercise (but don't consume the burned calories back into my total for the day). This morning for the ScaleDown weigh-in, I was up a pound and a half, and the "coach" (don't know what else to call him/her) suggested I reduce my caloric intake by 100 calories. That's just crazy!

That is nuts! I agree with the above poster, can you share your meals. That'll give a lot of insight as to what the issue could be.

I saw results the first week. I typically keep my calories between 1300-1450 a day, I am 219 though for what it's worth.

To the question above, I use MFP to calculate calories. I don't usually eat snacks, but I like dried figs or fresh blueberries with almonds and will have that as a snack, but it's rare that I snack. I keep complex carbs down to about 1 cup per week. Have salads with just about every dinner and make my own dressing using olive oil. I can count on one hand the amount of times I've been to a drive-thru over the last two years. I just never developed a taste for it. Same thing with sodas; never developed a taste for it, plus my parents didn't allow sodas except if it was someone's birthday.

Last night for dinner, I had Greek honey yogurt and three dried figs. Exciting, huh?

I agree about the Scale Down program. I'm going to stop it because it's dictating how I feel mentally throughout the day and, yes, it does set one up for failure. I'm just disappointed that there's been no significant weight loss for the month I've been on Contrave.

I have been taking it for 2 months. I have not uppe dmy pills from 1 a day and ive lost 20lbs. I just am in control now, and i am not eating junk.

My Dr. gave me a prescription yesterday, but since I'm sick, I won't be starting it until probably next week. How's everyone doing on it?

johnnieg93 wrote: »

Hello everyone!
So nice to read everyone's personal experience with Contrave. I started 3 wks ago and have lost 10 lbs. I have tried numerous diet methods in my past and nothing has worked quite like this. I don't have any desire to eat like I used to. Sweets were always my addiction and I have no desire to eat them! I have had some nausea but I take Bonine when I do and it quickly goes away. All in all very impressed with medication!! Good luck to everyone!

Glad to see you are having such promising results!

cchyenne wrote: »

Hey everyone!
I've been on Contrave for almost 3 weeks now and I was wondering what time do y'all take your pm pill?

Today is my first day on week 2. I took my am pill at 7 and will take my pm pill at 7. Feel free to add me if you like.

My doctor said the idea is to keep the dosage level in your system constant so as long as you take it 12 hours apart it's fine. I take mine at 7a and 7p as well.

johnnieg93....I've heard that ginger works for nausea. You can buy the root and cut a few small pieces and boil with water and drink or buy ginger candy (not sure the calories on the candy).