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Would you like to lose a few pounds? Who wouldn’t? According to the CDC over 70% of Americans are overweight or obese. But shedding pounds and keeping them off is really hard. Sometimes a chemical crutch seems so tempting. Why not try a pill that could tame the appetite? Some headlines suggest that Contrave for weight loss might be the drug people have been waiting for. How good is it?
Why Don’t Drugs Work More Predictably?
Medications are different from most other consumer items. If you are in the market for a dishwasher, for example, Consumer Reports will tell you which one does the best job cleaning dishes and how much noise it will make. You can ask friends or neighbors about the cars they drive and assume that those vehicles will perform pretty much the same for you.
You can’t do that with medicines. Although drugs are promoted as though we will all get the same benefits of cholesterol control, lower blood pressure or weight loss, for example, in reality people react differently. What works well for one person might be totally ineffective for another.
The Adverse Reaction Roulette Game:
In addition, side effects may vary. Doctors know that ACE inhibitors like lisinopril or ramipril can cause an uncontrollable cough, dizziness, diarrhea, headache and changes in kidney function. But not everyone experiences these problems. In fact, most people taking an ACE inhibitor to reduce their blood pressure do just fine.
How Does Contrave for Weight Loss Work?
Reactions to the weight loss drug Contrave offer a prime example of variability. This pill contains two active ingredients: an antidepressant called bupropion and an opioid blocker called naltrexone.
Bupropion (Zyban) is also prescribed to help people quit smoking and naltrexone (Vivitrol) is used to treat alcohol dependence. The idea is that the combination of ingredients in Contrave will reduce hunger and control cravings.
Highly Variable Responses to Contrave for Weight Loss:
Readers have reported a wide range of experience with this medication. One person was thrilled:
“I have been using Contrave for six months and have lost 50 pounds, which is 13 percent of my starting weight. Taking this diet pill has curbed my appetite enough to help me stay on a 1200-calorie diet. I’m doing water aerobics twice a week for exercise.
“Because of Contrave, for $60 a month I have avoided paying $13,000 for weight loss surgery, which makes me very happy.”
Another reader was extremely disappointed:
“I have been on Contrave for three months. In that time, I have gained 20 pounds. I didn’t experience any severe side effects, but it did make my hands tremble. For me, it was a waste of time and money.”
For other people, the experience may be mixed:
“This medication was prescribed by my endocrinologist more than three weeks ago. I’ve noticed reduced cravings and a better mood. On the other hand, I have many side effects like vertigo, dizziness, drowsiness, vivid dreams, upset stomach, nausea and increased hair loss. I am stopping this medicine due to the side effects.”
A different reader had quite a distinct reaction:
“I am surprised that anyone has had negative results. I have been on Contrave for about a year. I exercise and eat well, and I have lost about 60 pounds. For me, it wasn’t so much for weight loss as for cravings. I had found my craving for wine was a little too much. I can’t stand the taste of any alcohol now. I think this drug is wonderful to curb cravings.”
Contrave Side Effects:
Some people find Contrave side effects unbearable. Common reactions include nausea, constipation, headache, vomiting, dizziness, insomnia, dry mouth, diarrhea, anxiety, hot flashes, fatigue, tremor, ringing in the ears and stomachache.
Readers Share Contrave Side Effect Stories:
Darrell in Kansas explains why he lost weight:
“I am 55 and have been on Contrave only five days. During that time I lost four pounds. I think it’s because of the terrible nausea and diarrhea. I am not sure I can continue taking this drug. The side effects are terrible. I am a realtor and this is my busy time of year. I cannot sell houses if I am running to the bathroom all the time!”
Denise in Virginia had some worrisome Contrave side effects:
“I started taking Contrave seberal weeks ago. I experienced a lot of side effects including dry mouth, nausea, vomiting and hot flashes. I lost about 9 pounds. Then I started having some lower back pain. I wondered if it could be a urinary tracvt infection. I had my urine checked. The lab discovered that there was bilirubin in my urine. That could mean I was developing liver problems.”
“I have stopped taking Contrave. I haven’t taken it for very long so I am hoping that there isn’t any permanent damage and the Contrave side effects will reverse.”
Tracy in Forth Worth, Texas had ringing in the ears:
“I am a 52-year-old woman. I am tall but at 236 pounds needed to lose a lot of weight. I started taking Contrave last November. I lost 11 pounds in two weeks. I also was able to stop smoking and drinking. The drug took away my urge for either.’
“In February I experienced constant ringing in my ears. There was also nausea, vomiting, insomnia, headaches and dizziness. I also became constipated and dehydrated. I’m done!
“I have not lost any more weight and in fact have gained back 3 pounds. I only take two Contrave in the morning. Two days ago I bumped that up to 4 to see how it would work. I got the worst headache and dizziness yet. I can’t function like this! I am going to stop. I just filled another prescription at $99.00 a pop. I can honestly say I have never paid so much to feel so bad. Something is wrong with this picture.”
People’s Pharmacy Perspective:
Doctors can’t predict who will get great benefit from Contrave and who will suffer intolerable Contrave side effects. As with most medicines, patients can learn their unique reactions only by trial and error. If you experience side effects, contact the prescriber promptly.
Learn more about Contrave Side Effects: Benefits and Complications of Weight Loss Pill at this link.
Contrave Side Effects: Benefits and Complications of Weight Loss Pill
Share your own Contrave experience (positive or negative) in the comment section below.
Maria
Mississippi
I lost 16 pounds in about 9 months after my baby was born. That sounds good, but I gained 60 pounds while pregnant. I didn’t lose anything after 9 months despite exercise (spin class, dance class, yoga) and making healthy conscious food choices. I started Contrave about 6 months after my plateau. It has made a huge difference. I am now down 17 more pounds in about 6 weeks. I just started the second bottle. It seems like Contrave flipped the switch and told my body its OK to get rid of the extra fat.
Anna
Virginia, USA
I had been on contrave for about 3 weeks. I will say it did indeed stop all food cravings. I was not hungry the entire time. BUT… After the first week I developed diarrhea. Initially it was mild at first, but then it was with every drop of food I consumed. In the 3 weeks I lost 20 pounds, obviously way too much for that short of a time frame. I would take an anti-diarrheal with every meal, and in less than 2.5 hours I was on the toilet. I called it floating salad. For someone who never gets up in the night to use the toilet I was even awaken at night with severe diarrhea after taking meds to prevent it. Even 3 full days after stopping the medication I am still in the bathroom after consuming any food and still taking the anti-diarrheal meds. I’m literally trying to prevent dehydration at this point.
For me this medication is not worth the side effects to lose the weight.
Lynn
Campbell, CA
I think there are to many variables to even try it.
Jim
The body is an amazing biological being and it gives you signs or symtoms to alert you to change. Overweight is one symptom to think about where lifestyle changes are for better long term health. These changes may take longer to see results, but the body changes slowly, over months, unlike a pill which can cause changes more rapidly.
Changing what you eat, how much, how often and exercise are starting points. The body must move to allow many functions of the body to work efficiently, including eliminating waste. Today our work environments and home environments have changed to the lack of movement over the decades by mostly sitting behind a computer of some sort.
A diet pill will can provide short term wait loss but usually not for the long term. Because if you go off the pill the weight comes back,
if you make no other lifestyle changes. This is simply because the pill does not get to the “cause” of the overweight issue. Your overweight issue is not from the lack of taking a diet pill.
Po
Tacoma WA
By most of us in the psychiatric arena, bupropion, Wellbutrin, is not considered an antidepressant. It has no serotonergic activity and acts immediately on dopamine receptors, therefore being more of a stimulant akin to methylphenidate or amphetamine.
Naltrexone is an endorphin agonist, and while helpful for “cravings”, has a frequently reported side effect of depression. Good balanced article.
Theodoros
Planet Earth
We have allowed ourselves to be mislead by the Pseudo Food Industry,into a Nation of gluttons!Gorging ourselves on everything and anything the market claims to be “FOOD”! The vast majority of which has absolutely NOTHING to do with nourishing a Human Body! In fact:the complete reverse!
It is filling the Pseudo Health-Care Industry facilities with very VERY sick people,by the MILLIONS!Good for business? As well as the Mortuary and Cemetery industrys with MILLIONS of premature/Needless cadavores.
Allison
South Carolina
I was prescribed Contrave because depression and anxiety had me eating uncontrollably. At first all went well. My appetite was reduced, and I lost a lot of weight. The side effects were manageable
with a vague dreamy feeling and increased sweating. As time went on, the side effects grew worse, with mood swings, sleeplessness, drenching sweats. I finally weaned myself off of the drug. I’m working on my weight with diet and exercise now. It’s slow going but the only side effects are weight loss, better moods and better sleep. I think I can live with those.
John
One gains weight by eating more than the body needs. One loses weight by eating less than the body needs. If one loses weight by exercising more than normal, it will come back when the exercise slows down or ceases, unless eating habits change. If you can budget your dollars, in other words, quit spending when you reach your limit of funds, you can also budget your calories. Stop eating when you reach your goal limit. A balanced and nutritious diet is assumed.
Susn
MA
The only thing that finally helped me lose weight (and get much healthier)—with no pills!–a is a “nutritarian” diet–eating mostly plant foods which are very high in nutrients (hence the name nutritarian), with fats coming mostly from high-nutrient nuts and seeds, and some avocado. (Nuts when blended with plant milks or water–soak them first for a bit if you don’t have high-powered blender–make a cream-like liquid you can use like cream or oil–in soups, salad dressings, etc. I saute greens etc in water (olive oil isn’t very filled with nutrients but adds way too many calories). I eat a big salad for lunch with sauteed greens and other veggies that are good cooked as a warm dish on the side, and have desserty-smoothie for dessert–frozen bananas and berries with some plant milk and no-sugar-added (no fake sugar either) pomegranate juice and/or water. This is the eating plan Dr. Joel Fuhrman recommends in his books and on his site, it saved my life, and if you keep mostly to it (95%) the weight falls off. You fall in love with plants and your body benefits so much from all their micronutrients. I’m vegan due to my love of animals but also after learning that most animal food isn’t near as healthy as plant food. You do need some supplementation–B12, D, and algae or fish oil. But it’s so good to feel your immune system is being built up by all the good things in all those plants, and so much safer than adding iffy pills that might harm you. Good Luck! PS I even make a high-nutrient low sugar mini chocolate cake, but find as time goes on I don’t crave it as much as my smoothie which you can eat like ice cream or a milkshake.