Do you need to have a few days off alcohol before starting naltrexone?

Hi, i was prescribed Naltrexone at the start of a detox from alcohol, so i started taking it the day after my last drink. This is how it was prescribed from the 'specialist drug & alcohol services'. I didn't suffer any ill effects taking it this way

As others have already posted, if you are going to use Naltrexone to support abstinence, then the recommendation is to start it after you have not been drinking for fourteen days.

If you are going to use Naltrexone as part of the so-called Sinclair Method which you can read more about on Wikipedia or Google or through the documentary film One Little Pill, then you would start taking the Naltrexone while continuing to drink.

Check with your doctor on how he/she intended you to use the Naltrexone. But if your doctor, like mine, just prescribed Naltrexone and didn't give you any specific instructions on how to use it beyond "take one a day" then it would seem to be up to you as to how you want to proceed.

I chose to follow the Sinclair Method so I continued to drink, just remembering to take the Naltrexone about an hour before starting my first drink of the day. And after having followed the Sinclair Method for some time, that first drink of the day usually ends up being the only drink of the day.

Hello readytoquit,
And congrats for realizing that it is time to put your life back together free from the cruches of alcohol, trust me been there done that and it aint fun!! I read that u should avoid alcohol for up to 14 days before you start the naltrexone, but you can call a center that offers this type help and ask them to ease your mind and be 100% accurate... good luck with your recovery

/carol

Pledge is right... you need to wait at least 14 days after your last drink before starting Naltrexone!!!

You can do it, readyto quit! one day at a time.I've had to quit alcohol 38 days ago
this time!! again..But my body and all my meds make it a necessity
Hang Tough! your friend, DD

Hello readytoquit. It is recommended that no alcohol be consumed 14 days prior to taking Naltrexone. Regards pledge