Naltrexone Interactions You Need To Watch Out For
As per the statistics from 2020, more than 2.7 million US citizens suffered from opioid use disorder.
Opioid use disorder is a substance use disorder and people with this disorder will be mentally,
emotionally and physically dependent on the substance. Also, they will experience problems in their
daily life because of the dependence.
People suffering from substance use disorder may require treatment and Naltrexone is a medication
used to treat opioid use disorder. It is a part of a group of medications called opioid antagonists and is
available in the form of intramuscular injections or as an oral tablet. It is a prescription medication and is
usually taken once daily. If you are having the injection, it should be administered by a healthcare
professional once a month.
Naltrexone Interactions
Naltrexone can interact with many other medications and this is especially true in the case of opioid
medications. As a compounding pharmacy in Los Angeles, we share the details of some of the
Naltrexone interactions that you need to watch out for.
Prescription Opioid Medications
Opioid medications are mainly used to treat pain. They are called controlled medications and are more
likely to cause addiction and dependence than non-controlled medications. Opioids work by changing
the way our brain responds to pain signals. They block the pain signals in the body so that the user won’t
feel much pain. Naltrexone works by blocking the reward effects of alcohol and opioid. If you are taking
opioid medications when starting Naltrexone, you may experience opioid withdrawal symptoms like
irritability, sweating vomiting and nausea. Some people may also experience muscle pains, runny nose
and anxiety.
Some Cough Medications
Some prescription-only cough medications contain opioids. If you start Naltrexone while taking such
cough medications, you may experience withdrawal symptoms, as Naltrexone can block the effects of
these opioids resulting in withdrawal symptoms that can be uncomfortable. Therefore, you need to stop
any opioid product at least a week before starting Naltrexone to avoid withdrawal symptoms. If you take
Naltrexone and experience an uncomfortable cough, you can talk to your doctor. There are other
prescription medications for cough that can be useful for you.
Alcohol
It is best to avoid alcohol while taking any medications. Though having alcohol and Naltrexone together
may not lead to significant harm, alcohol itself can cause much harm. Having Naltrexone can decrease
cravings by blocking the rewarding effects of alcohol. However, it does not reduce the effects of alcohol
on the body. Therefore, if you continue to drink alcohol while taking Naltrexone, short-term effects of
alcohol like dehydration, accidental injuries and slow brain functioning are possible.