Does Naltrexone Help with Alcoholism and Its Withdrawal Symptoms?
Whether you engage in binge drinking or tend to drink too much when you go to events, it’s possible to develop alcoholism, which is an inability to control how often and how much you consume alcohol. Once you’ve entered a treatment program, you’ll likely go through the detoxification process before anything else.
The purpose of detox is to help individuals progress through the stages of withdrawal from alcohol. There are several different types of medications that can be administered while you’re going through medically assisted withdrawal, the primary of which is naltrexone.
What Is Naltrexone?
Naltrexone is a medication that’s been approved by the FDA for the treatment of alcohol and opioid use disorders. It’s prescribed by a medical professional and can be administered during treatment for alcoholism. Currently, there are two forms that naltrexone takes, a tablet form and an injectable form. A third type of naltrexone currently being developed is a naltrexone implant.
In many cases, the pill version of naltrexone can be taken on a daily basis when treating an alcohol use disorder. In comparison, the injectable version is usually administered every four weeks. While naltrexone is a primary component of comprehensive treatment plans, some other therapies and treatments that are available include behavioral health therapies and individual counseling.
How Naltrexone Works
Naltrexone works by directly blocking the sedative and euphoric effects that occur when taking drugs like codeine, heroin, and morphine. It also produces the same effects for people who consume too much alcohol. This medication is designed to block the cravings people might feel when they are suffering from alcoholism.
How to Use Naltrexone for Alcoholism
As mentioned previously, this medication is designed to be taken daily. While it can be used outside of alcoholism treatment, it’s also commonly administered during the medical detoxification process. While naltrexone is administered during detox, a medical professional will likely watch you take this medication. Even though naltrexone is regularly taken on a daily basis, doctors can prescribe a higher dose that’s meant to be taken every few days.
The dosage that a doctor prescribes or medical professional uses depends on the severity of your alcoholism and how you respond to treatment. It’s possible for doctors to begin at a lower dose and regularly monitor the situation to look out for any side effects.
Signs of Alcoholism
Alcohol use disorders may range from mild to severe in how difficult they are to manage. The symptoms that indicate you are suffering from alcoholism include not having the ability to stop drinking or reduce the amount you drink, regularly feeling strong cravings to consume more alcohol, spending a considerable amount of your free time drinking, and not meeting your home, work, or school obligations.
If you’re already having issues with friends, family members, or your significant other because of how much you drink alcohol, you might be suffering from alcoholism if you don’t stop drinking once these consequences occur. Experiencing any of the standard withdrawal symptoms also indicates that your body is dependent on alcohol.
What Dose of Naltrexone Should You Use for Alcoholism?
The dose that a treatment facility provides to their client differs depending on the client’s needs. However, everyone who takes naltrexone should adhere to the dosage recommendation displayed on the doctor’s prescription. In most cases, the dosage for naltrexone tablets is 50 milligrams per day for adults. For adolescents who need to take naltrexone for their alcohol use disorder, the exact dosage can differ and will likely be lower than the amount recommended by doctors.
How to Prepare for Using Naltrexone
Before you start taking naltrexone, you should inform your pharmacist and doctor about it. They will know if you’re allergic to any of the active or inactive ingredients contained in naltrexone. You should also talk about your medical history, which extends to any history of liver disease or heart disease. Mention how frequently you consume alcohol and when you most recently took a drink.
Keep in mind that this particular medication can make you feel dizzy, which is why it’s highly recommended that you don’t use any heavy machinery or drive your car soon after taking it. Once you’ve stopped taking naltrexone, you could be increasingly sensitive to alcohol, which could make the effects of drinking alcohol more potent.
Before you obtain any medical or surgical treatment, make sure that your dentist or doctor knows that you’re currently taking this medication. While pregnant, naltrexone should only be used when it’s 100% necessary. Your doctor should be able to go into more detail about the benefits and risks that you’ll need to contend with. This drug is also known to pass into breast milk.
Types of Naltrexone
There are two standard methods that can be used to take naltrexone, a tablet and an injection. An additional method is currently being developed.
1. Naltrexone Tablet
The most common method of taking naltrexone is a tablet. These tablets should always be taken at the dosage that your doctor recommends. Your doctor will likely tell you to take a tablet once each day. The amount of time this medication should be used depends on how long the effects of withdrawal last. There are also times when naltrexone continues to be prescribed even after the initial detoxification stage comes to an end.
2. Injectable Naltrexone
Naltrexone can also be injected to help individuals affected by alcoholism progress through the stages of withdrawal. These injections aren’t meant to be used by people who are continuing to drink alcohol. They are available as a liquid solution that’s injected into the buttocks muscle around once per month.
Keep in mind that a naltrexone injection won’t prevent withdrawal symptoms from developing if you have suffered from alcoholism for a lengthy period of time. However, the medication may be able to reduce how strong these symptoms are, which could reduce the withdrawal timeline.
3. Naltrexone Implant
Naltrexone is designed to block your brain’s ability to respond to your consumption of alcohol. One method of taking naltrexone that’s being developed is an implant, which ensures that the people who need naltrexone are able to receive it even if they forget to go to an appointment with their doctor. The goal of the implant is to make sure that people who require naltrexone once treatment has been administered will continue to receive the drug at all times.
While naltrexone as a tablet and injection has already been approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), the company that’s developing the implanted version of this medication must prove to the FDA that the implant is completely safe and is able to release the medication consistently over an extended period of time. It’s expected that clinical trials will occur once comprehensive animal tests have taken place. In the event that these tests produce the intended results, FDA approval could be sought in 2024. If FDA approval occurs, the medication could be placed on the market for sale.
Possible Side Effects of Naltrexone
While naltrexone is designed to reduce the severity of alcohol withdrawal symptoms, it’s not always completely safe to take. Some of the side effects that might affect you include:
• Headaches
• Nausea
• Anxiety
• Tiredness
• Dizziness
• Difficulties with sleeping
• Muscle aches
• Runny nose
• Restlessness
Even though these effects are usually relatively mild, medical attention could be required if the side effects linger or worsen in severity. Since this medication is typically taken after it’s been prescribed by a doctor, the benefits usually outweigh the risks for people who choose to take the medication.
After you consume naltrexone or take an injectable form of the medication, withdrawal symptoms can develop almost immediately. The presence of abdominal cramps, a runny nose, excessive sleepiness, muscle aches, or diarrhea could point toward a more significant problem.
Although rare, it’s also possible for naltrexone to bring about liver disease. The risk becomes more likely when larger doses of the medication are taken. It’s highly recommended that you talk about the benefits and risks with your doctor before going forward with naltrexone. If you develop dark urine, abdominal pain, nausea, or vomiting that isn’t stopping, this could be a more severe underlying condition that would need to be treated immediately.
It’s also rare for this drug to cause a severe allergic reaction. In the event that an allergic reaction is likely to occur, your doctor should never prescribe the medication in the first place. If you notice signs of an allergic reaction, medical treatment is likely a requirement. The numerous signs of an allergic reaction include:
• Difficulties with breathing
• A rash
• Swelling or itching
• Severe dizziness
Seeking Treatment for Alcoholism and Withdrawal
There are several types of treatment that can be administered to people who are suffering from alcoholism and have admitted that they need help. The first type of treatment involves medically assisted detox, which allows clients to experience their withdrawal symptoms in a safe environment.
Along with providing clients with medications like naltrexone, the medical professionals who supervise the detox process can respond in the event of a more severe reaction that requires immediate medical attention.
When you’re experiencing withdrawal symptoms after you stop consuming alcohol, these symptoms will likely be at their most severe around 24-72 hours after your last drink. However, some of these effects could linger for a few weeks.
Once you’ve progressed through a detox program, you could continue with outpatient treatment, which allows clients to attend treatment a few days each week while still going to work and school. There are several different types of behavioral therapy that can be provided during outpatient treatment, which include everything from cognitive behavioral therapy to motivational interviewing. Individual and group counseling are also routinely available.
Anyone who wants to obtain additional treatment after detox can enter into an inpatient rehab facility, which offers 24/7 care. These treatment programs are meant for people with more severe alcohol use disorders as well as co-occurring disorders. The 24-hour care provided at these facilities is typically intensive and includes medical attention if necessary.
All of the treatments that are available in outpatient treatment are also administered during inpatient rehab. Along with group and individual therapy, family therapy is commonly available. Residential facilities are designed to provide clients with a place they can be during the treatment program that’s completely free of alcohol or drugs.
Alcoholism is a serious condition that oftentimes requires treatment to keep withdrawal symptoms at bay and to avoid relapsing. While many people are able to drink alcohol without becoming dependent on the substance, anyone who does develop alcoholism can enter into a treatment program to learn how to manage the cravings associated with this condition. During treatment, naltrexone is regularly provided to mitigate withdrawal symptoms.