Contrave - bad side effects?

My doctor prescribed a combination of Naltrexone and Bupropion. I'm on day 10 and besides being EXTREMELY tired, I am getting this rapid/pounding heartbeat during the night. Pounding so hard and fast that it wakes me up. Does this go away and can I have a heart attack? I'm considering going off it, but not sure how to ween of it.

I’ve been on this medication for a week only taking a half dose at night to try and sleep off the dizziness and such. During the first 2 days only I had diarrhea. For the rest of my first week I was very zombie like and just wanted to sleep and nothing else. Now during the day it’s still hard to wake up and shake the fog during week 2. Yes I’m still half pill at night and my doc said I can take the other half in the morning but I’m scared to because I hate this tired and run down feeling this pill gives me. Last night I woke up with my leg muscles cramping so bad that I couldn’t even put my feet on the floor to walk it off. I dehydrated at night. I felt cramping in my legs and feet in places I never felt cramped before. Then I Wolfe up to a massive headache. Anyone else? Please tell me I’m not alone? I’m asking for a new medication if this is going to be a normal thing in my life!

I have been taking Contrave for 5 months and lost 22 pounds. Dry mouth is the most prevalent side affect. Most recently, last 4 weeks have been constipation. One week extremely severe, but take stool softeners daily which help a bit. Drinking lots of fluids now also helps. I have to remind myself to eat and food is not appealing to me at all. Seems like the lack of desire to eat causes unwittingly intermittent fasting. I try to make sure when I do eat I eat vegetables and fruit. I also get small urges for sweets from time to time. All in all I am pleased with results.

I've been on Contrave for 16 days, have lost 9 lbs and feel great. I feel mentally fuzzy at times, but functioning fine. I notice I have more energy, cotton mouth and less appetite. I think it helps with my "resolve" so to speak. I am able to pass on things like alcohol and sweets which is a big step. Drinking lots of water as well.

I have been on Contrave for almost 2 months and have had no significant issues. The first coupe of days I had pretty rough headaches but they stopped after that. And it made me really sleepy. By the time I was on the 3rd week of 2/1 all of the symptoms were gone. I've been really pleased with everything so far. It really helps control my appetite. I have to remind myself to eat sometimes. I've lost 14 pounds so far. The medication along with exercing (I try 2-3 times a week) and portion control has made it pretty easy. I hope that you talk with your doctor and give it another try as it really does work. Good luck!

Up to full dose (4 pills per day) last week and had a sudden dramatic increase in my BP from normally 110/60 to 168/108. Also had feeling I could not get a full breath... scary as I was diagnosed with a mild aortic aneurysm that requires me to keep my BP as low as possible. Doc told me to cut back to 2 pills per day. BP back to normal. But, the med does not help much. Lost 4 lbs in 6 weeks. FDA has not confirmed what risks there are to the heart. So, I'm coming off the drug. Not worth risk!

Yes, read the side effects. You have to slowly build up and some of those adverse side effects are not as strong, but usually still there off and on.

I took my first and only pill yesterday. Within 15 minutes the most horrible side effects started. First I was wobbly then my legs began to tingle from the knee down. Them my thighs. Then my stomach and chest. Then my arms from just above the elbow to the fingertips. Then the back of my neck.
Next the sense of my skin crawling began. I can't begin to describe how terrible this felt. I've never had a reaction like this. About an hour later my leg muscles began to spasm. I had an unimaginable headache. The leg jerking and spasms went on until 5 am the following morning. It was horrifying and scary. I was afraid my throat would close. It was the worst experience of my life. Labor with my child was preferable to this experience. I was really hopeful but it quickly turned into a horrifying nightmare.
I hope you have better luck but please be careful.

I’ve been in Contrave for about 8 weeks. I had some symptoms on the days I uped the dose but once on the maintenance dose of 2 and 2 I was fine at week 5 until last week... no symptoms at 2 and 2 for 3 weeks on the maintenance dose. 8 days ago I started getting headaches, extreme nausea, dazed and confused, difficulty concentrating, hot flashes, memory problems and serious brain fog. I felt like a zombie with a headache and nausea. I called my NP and she told me to drop down to 1 and 1 and see if that will help. Today is the first day I’ve felt normal in a little over a week. I’m seriously concerned about continuing to take it. The nervous system changes it caused has me worried. When my headache was sooo bad (before I realized it might be the contrave) I honestly thought I might have had a brain aenerism. Can taking this drug cause permanent damage? I’ve lost 10 pounds since taking it and was really happy/excited up until last week. I feel so defeated!

My doctor gave me the prescription for contrave. I was on Cymbalta anhe he had me go from 60 to 30 mg for 12 days and then stop
He said I could take the Contrave while I was weaning off the Cymbalta. So I started in C on a Monday am. An hour latter after I got to work, I started with the symptoms, I told the people where I was working and they called my md. He told them the symptoms would go away but not to take it again. Husband had to pick me up I couldn’t have driven, had to stop to vomit breakfast. Stayed in bed the rest of the day, cold sweat chills nausea heavy feeling in head. Felt better the next day 90%
Then I decided to wean off Cymbalta, 30 mg per day for 12 days then none. That was hellish. Crying, nausea, diarrhea severe irritability husband said back on CYmbalta
i stuck it out on day two of Contrave
Not too bad heavy head and lethargic
Hope it goes away

I've been on Conrave for 2 months. I didn't realize how bad I felt until I started having mini seizure spells this past week and had to go to the hospital. My doctor took me off Contrave and left me on the Wellbutrin. Within 24 hours the spells were gone. I also have Vertigo now. I had dizzy spells, nausea, got moody, forgetful, spacey, and had constipation, and lost 12 pounds. Anyone can lose 12 pounds when they are too sick to their stomach to eat. I've missed 2 weeks of work. Never knew this medicine caused more than it said it would. Get off it and don't go back. Very dangerous!!!

i'm on week 2, taking only one around 8 am and one around 3 pm. i'm quite surprised that after reading all the posts, that I have no side effects except for some afternoon sleepiness. my cravings are gone too. but i am afraid to take the third one. if the two a day continues to help with my appetite, i will stay on that,

I been on it for 6 weeks at first it was ok for a month after that I'm on 2 am and 2 pm. During start of 5th week I started feeling these symptoms. 6th week now the symptoms got worst I feel pain in my lower abdomen with squirts of blood in my stool. I feel dizzy, heavy headed head spinning when I get up from the floor. I'm also seeing things that are not there, can't concentrate. I contacted my doctor I'm still waiting for his response but I will stop taking this. I'm surprised FDA approved it. But I'm sure pretty soon there will lawsuits if someone gets hurt or something.

Same here

I just started Contrave 4 days ago... i have had nausea off and on throughout the day. I wonder though if it is caused b/c i ate sugar for first time in 4 days... i am amazed at how much it is helping me make better eating choices and i am actually exercising again. I have rheumatoid arthritis and have a lot of pain. I have gained 30-40 lbs. though in 3 years since my diagnosis b/c of the pain and meds. I refuse to give up on this if it will help me get my life back.