Contrave - Inquires about beginning and success stories

healthyme79
healthyme79 Posts: 21 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
Hello,

I just started using Contrave on Wednesday. So I've been on it for 5 days, 1 pill a day. I've had minimal side effects but strange ones. Last night I had horrible vivid dreams. I've had nausea and headaches, light though. It is curbing my appetite. I will probably stay with 1 or 2 pills max, I don't think I need 4. I'm debating if I should even stay on it because it does feel like a drug. Maybe that will change though. I have been also exercising while on it.

Questions for the group:
-How has Contrave been for you?
-What results have you had?
-What end results can you share? I am having a very hard time find this online. Did anyone keep off the weight?
-How have you maintained your weightloss after getting off of Contrave? I plan to use it until the beginning of next year if it works out. I am not a medicine person and want to learn how to eat properly without medication.

I'm looking forward to your input. Thanks!

Replies

  • Slowknitter1959
    Slowknitter1959 Posts: 2 Member
    I've been on Contrave for 8 days. I am currently taking one pill in the morning and one before dinner. I had a tiny bit of queeziness after the first pill and also when I moved up to the two pills per day this past Friday. The first day I was also sweaty at night. But not since the first day and no other side effects. In fact I have more energy and am more focused. I am tracking my foods at 1364 cal max per day. I injured my foot so I have not been exercising. Still I have lost 3 lbs. I am taking a stool softener once daily at night and Metamucil 2x/day to prevent constipation. One bonus effect - usually when I am dieting I try to avoid wine and it's not easy for me to do as I love my wine. But since starting the Contrave I have no desire for wine. In fact on the days that I worked a glass of wine into my food plan, I was surprised to find that I didn't even finish the glass. That's amazing because in the past when I allowed myself one, I would be wishing I could have two! I don't really feel that I have less of an appetite, but I DO feel that I have no urge to snack between meals. I can eat an appropriate portion at dinner without feeling too full, but I don't feel the urge to go back for seconds either. Overall I am very pleased so far and I think this is a great tool when used with a healthy eating plan. It doesn't do the work for me - it just makes it a little easier to do the work.

    As for your thought of staying on one or two pills max, why don't you consider titration up as directed, and see how you feel. Expect that on the days you first increase your dose, days 7, 14, 21, you might have a little bit of side effects. Give it the opportunity to show you its full potential, and only cut back if you really have to. That said, I don't plan to step up beyond 2 in the morning and I at night, because from all the research I have done, most people seem to get the full benefits at that dosage AND I tend to have sleep problems normally.

    I only plan to use Contrave for a maximum of 6 months or until I reach my goal, if that is sooner. I hope to lose 30 lbs. I don't plan to stay on it for maintenance. That work I need to do on my own, and I don't really believe in taking medications unless they are necessary. Right now I think it is necessary to break the habit of emotional eating/eating for comfort.
  • healthyme79
    healthyme79 Posts: 21 Member
    Hi There, thanks for your note. My doctor's nurse instructed me to stop taking Contrave. I was only taking 1 pill. I loved the good side effects: feeling calmer, eating less, less appetite. But I had a lot of bad side effects for 5 days: nausea one day, feeling very drugged, horrible headaches at the end of the night when the med was wearing off and in the morning before I took the med, horrible vivid nightmares, and shaking. Maybe they will have me take it again but for now I'm taking a break.

    My plan was only to take it for 6 months too.

    I really like that this a pill for people who have tried everything. I do think that the brain has a lot to do with how we eat but the side effects were bad for me. I would like to loose 60 lbs. I guess I will try to do this without Contrave for now. I don't like taking meds unless necessary too.
  • leslie_shoemaker
    leslie_shoemaker Posts: 22 Member
    healthyme79 wrote: »
    Hi There, thanks for your note. My doctor's nurse instructed me to stop taking Contrave. I was only taking 1 pill. I loved the good side effects: feeling calmer, eating less, less appetite. But I had a lot of bad side effects for 5 days: nausea one day, feeling very drugged, horrible headaches at the end of the night when the med was wearing off and in the morning before I took the med, horrible vivid nightmares, and shaking. Maybe they will have me take it again but for now I'm taking a break.

    My plan was only to take it for 6 months too.

    I really like that this a pill for people who have tried everything. I do think that the brain has a lot to do with how we eat but the side effects were bad for me. I would like to loose 60 lbs. I guess I will try to do this without Contrave for now. I don't like taking meds unless necessary too.

    Did your dr discuss any other prescription options for you or do you have self control to go old fashioned? My dr is a personal friend and I told him how I feel, crave desire sugar. I also suffer depression/anxiety and he felt this would be a good fit. I'm on Day 2 and I feel ok. Main complaint is my head feels big. Weird, lol.
  • whitpauly
    whitpauly Posts: 1,483 Member
    Slowknitter1959 wrote: »
    I've been on Contrave for 8 days. I am currently taking one pill in the morning and one before dinner. I had a tiny bit of queeziness after the first pill and also when I moved up to the two pills per day this past Friday. The first day I was also sweaty at night. But not since the first day and no other side effects. In fact I have more energy and am more focused. I am tracking my foods at 1364 cal max per day. I injured my foot so I have not been exercising. Still I have lost 3 lbs. I am taking a stool softener once daily at night and Metamucil 2x/day to prevent constipation. One bonus effect - usually when I am dieting I try to avoid wine and it's not easy for me to do as I love my wine. But since starting the Contrave I have no desire for wine. In fact on the days that I worked a glass of wine into my food plan, I was surprised to find that I didn't even finish the glass. That's amazing because in the past when I allowed myself one, I would be wishing I could have two! I don't really feel that I have less of an appetite, but I DO feel that I have no urge to snack between meals. I can eat an appropriate portion at dinner without feeling too full, but I don't feel the urge to go back for seconds either. Overall I am very pleased so far and I think this is a great tool when used with a healthy eating plan. It doesn't do the work for me - it just makes it a little easier to do the work.

    As for your thought of staying on one or two pills max, why don't you consider titration up as directed, and see how you feel. Expect that on the days you first increase your dose, days 7, 14, 21, you might have a little bit of side effects. Give it the opportunity to show you its full potential, and only cut back if you really have to. That said, I don't plan to step up beyond 2 in the morning and I at night, because from all the research I have done, most people seem to get the full benefits at that dosage AND I tend to have sleep problems normally.

    I only plan to use Contrave for a maximum of 6 months or until I reach my goal, if that is sooner. I hope to lose 30 lbs. I don't plan to stay on it for maintenance. That work I need to do on my own, and I don't really believe in taking medications unless they are necessary. Right now I think it is necessary to break the habit of emotional eating/eating for comfort.

    Contrave is half Naltrexone which they give to alcoholics to control cravings,probably why you didn't want the wine as bad
  • Valerie077
    Valerie077 Posts: 6 Member
    edited June 2017
    I have been on Contrave for a month, prior to the Contrave I was on Phentermine. With the Contrave I manage to lose 2-3 lbs a week along with a strict caloric intake which isn't hard because I get full fast and I don't think about food like I used to. I do exercise but not like I should, however, I have a lot of energy after work to continue working at home. I'm very thankful that I've experienced minimal side effects, I've been getting slight headaches at times but I don't know if it's the Contrave or from the heat, I also get some constipation but as long as I eat a lot of veggies I do well otherwise I'll drink a bottle of magnesium. I always take my pills with a little food (for breakfast I'll eat a yogurt or applesauce) so I haven't experienced any nausea. So far I love Contrave. I have a lot of weight to lose so I'll be on this for a while. I started out at 285 lbs (January 2017) and with taking Phentermine (took for 4 months) and Contrave I'm now at 223 lbs.
  • jen995329
    jen995329 Posts: 1 Member
    My first month on Phentermine was pretty amazing. I lost a little over 20 lbs and felt great. I'm in the 2nd month of Phentermine and things have slowed down a bit even though I've lowered my cal intake and am exercising more. I've lost about 12 lb in the last 21 days and am going on vacation next week. I will for sure be over my calorie limit then. Oh well, I'll get back to it later. I started at 250 and am at 218 now.
  • deedra107
    deedra107 Posts: 1 Member
    I did so well on phentermine but it turns me in to the wicked *itch of the house according to my husband and family

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