What happens if you drink alcohol while taking naltrexone?

It is part of common knowledge that continued use of opioids may lead to addiction. Fortunately, deaddiction treatment has gained momentum and helps arrest your craving for more opioids. In this realm, meds are widely available for treating substance abuse and dependencies. Naltrexone is a popular drug to stop your craving for opioids. But, what happens if you drink alcohol while taking naltrexone? Also, what to avoid while taking low dose naltrexone? It is an essential thing to know the answers to these.

Opiates are meds which trigger dependencies or addiction. On a consuming spree, this may turn into a daily habit. On making it a habit, it takes a lot of efforts to come off it. The deaddiction plan often includes changing your daily diet, your lifestyle or habits, availing support through counselling programs as well as have someone watch over your daily tasks continually. Your deaddiction plan may also involve intake of meds of a select genre.

In this light, what is naltrexone?

Drugs that form part of a genre known as opiate antagonists are commonly used for treating people addicted to opioids. Naltrexone is one of the commonly prescribed drugs in this realm. Key chemicals of this drug chiefly work on the central nervous system and your cerebral system. The drug numbs the intoxicating effects of opioid substances and lessens your cravings.

What happens if you drink alcohol while taking naltrexone?

Naltrexone inhibits the euphoric high that alcohol typically offers you. This is one of the prime reasons why this drug makes people addicted to alcohol to find little / no fun in having a drink. This med helps people with addiction to adhere to their treatment plans, avoid risks of likely relapse, and to take their medicines without skipping them.

People assume that intake of naltrexone helps you avoid the effects of alcohol. This is not true. You are advised not to mix naltrexone with alcohol to pursue activities that are unsafe to perform after taking a drink. For example, never engage in activities like driving, working with heavy machines or pursue sporting actions like running, jumping, cycling, etc.

What to avoid while taking low dose naltrexone?

Your treating doctor will tell you to avoid a few things while using low dose naltrexone. These are tranquilisers, sedatives alcohol, any form of depressants of your central nervous system (CNS), alcohol or drinks laced with alcohol, etc.

Also, if you are pursuing medication plans containing an opioid med, it is important to avoid taking such meds. For instance, keep away from drugs such as codeine, hydrocodone, oxycodone, tramadol, etc. Also, keep away from meds such as morphine, heroin or other illegal / banned forms of opioid drugs.

Habitual users may find it difficult to resist using some moderate doses of opioids even when they are consuming naltrexone. The drug may however prevent them from getting a feeling of “high” or euphoric sensations. Such outcomes are due to this opiate-antagonising drug’s ability to keep sedative effects at bay.

However, a sizable intake of opioids, while still on naltrexone, is likely to trigger a near-fatal or fatal outcome. In general, it is difficult to assess sensitivity levels of your body. Hence, even a small dose of opioids may – at times – lead to very adverse side effects.

Lastly, it is a safe thing to inform your physician about medications you are currently using. Presence of opioids, painkilling meds, other forms of narcotics-based drugs, etc. needs be to informed to your doctor. Moreover, those who have had prior allergies or episodes of hypersensitivity to polylactide co-glycolide (in short, PLG), share needful information about such spells with your caregiver. Above all, you are advised to use naltrexone under the supervision of a qualified medical practitioner.

Disclaimer

Information provided here are only of supplementary nature. Information shared here does not substitute a qualified doctor’s advice. This website is not suggesting intake of this drug as safe or appropriate. Hence it is advised to talk to your doctor before consuming this med or any other drug.