What happens if you drink alcohol on naltrexone

Some people have side effects like nausea, headache, constipation, dizziness, nervousness, insomnia and drowsiness, or pain in their arms and legs or stomach. Most of these side effects don't happen very often. Up to 10 percent of people who take naltrexone have nausea. If you get any of these side effects, tell your doctor. He or she may change your treatment or suggest ways you can deal with the side effect. You and your doctor have to decide this.

Most people take the medicine for 12 weeks or more. Naltrexone only has to be taken once a day. Be sure to take naltrexone just the way your doctor tells you to. Don't take extra pills, don't skip pills and don't stop taking pills until you talk to your doctor.

Already a member or subscriber? Log in. Interested in AAFP membership? Learn more. This handout is provided to you by your family doctor and the American Academy of Family Physicians. This information provides a general overview and may not apply to everyone.

Talk to your family doctor to find out if this information applies to you and to get more information on this subject. This content is owned by the AAFP. A person viewing it online may make one printout of the material and may use that printout only for his or her personal, non-commercial reference. This material may not otherwise be downloaded, copied, printed, stored, transmitted or reproduced in any medium, whether now known or later invented, except as authorized in writing by the AAFP.

Once a patient stops drinking, taking naltrexone helps patients maintain their sobriety. Naltrexone MAT treatment lasts for three to four months. Practitioners should continue to monitor patients who are no longer taking naltrexone. Patients should talk to their practitioner before starting treatment with naltrexone about the following situations:. These are not all the side effects of naltrexone. For more information patients should talk to their practitioner or pharmacist.

Patients should tell their practitioner about any side effects that are bothersome, or do not go away. Learn about other MAT medications. Dispose of unused naltrexone safely. Talk to your MAT physician for guidance, or for more information on the safe disposal of unused medications, visit FDA's disposal of unused medicines or DEA's drug disposal webpages. SAMHSA offers tools, training, and technical assistance to practitioners in the fields of mental health and substance use disorders.

To sign up for updates or to access your subscriber preferences, please enter your contact information. Skip to main content. Mono Bar U.

Main menu. Territories for mental and substance use disorders. Ellos escuchan. They Hear You. Solr Mobile Search. Share Buttons. Page title Naltrexone. This medicine may increase thoughts of suicide. Tell your doctor right away if you start to feel more depressed. Also tell your doctor right away if you have thoughts about hurting yourself. Report any unusual thoughts or behaviors that trouble you, especially if they are new or get worse quickly. Make sure your caregiver knows if you feel tired all the time, sleep a lot more or a lot less than usual, feel hopeless or helpless, or if you have trouble sleeping, get upset easily, have a big increase in energy, or start to act reckless.

Also tell your doctor if you have sudden or strong feelings, such as feeling nervous, angry, restless, violent, or scared. Remember that use of naltrexone is only part of your treatment. Do not try to overcome the effects of naltrexone by taking narcotics. To do so may cause coma or death. You may be more sensitive to the effects of narcotics than you were before beginning naltrexone therapy.

Naltrexone also blocks the useful effects of narcotics. Always use a non-narcotic medicine to treat pain, diarrhea, or a cough. If you have any questions about the proper medicine to use, check with your doctor. Naltrexone will not prevent you from becoming impaired when you drink alcohol.

Do not take naltrexone in order to drive or perform other activities while under the influence of alcohol. This medicine may cause some people to become dizzy, drowsy, or less alert than they are normally.

If any of these side effects occur, do not drive, use machines, or do anything else that could be dangerous if you are dizzy or are not alert while you are taking naltrexone. Never share this medicine with anyone else, especially someone who is using narcotics.

Naltrexone causes withdrawal symptoms in people who are using narcotics. It is recommended that you carry identification stating that you are taking naltrexone. Identification cards may be available from your doctor. Along with its needed effects, a medicine may cause some unwanted effects.

Although not all of these side effects may occur, if they do occur they may need medical attention. Some side effects may occur that usually do not need medical attention. These side effects may go away during treatment as your body adjusts to the medicine. Also, your health care professional may be able to tell you about ways to prevent or reduce some of these side effects. Check with your health care professional if any of the following side effects continue or are bothersome or if you have any questions about them:.

Other side effects not listed may also occur in some patients. If you notice any other effects, check with your healthcare professional. Call your doctor for medical advice about side effects. All rights reserved. Information is for End User's use only and may not be sold, redistributed or otherwise used for commercial purposes. Any use of this site constitutes your agreement to the Terms and Conditions and Privacy Policy linked below.

Mayo Clinic is a nonprofit organization and proceeds from Web advertising help support our mission.