Naltrexone and Anxiety: What Users Say

• Bro...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• August 25, 2019

For Alcohol Use Disorder "I'm 44 and been drinking heavily since I was 20. I hated the way alcohol made me feel: fat, bloated, pains in my abdomen and unable to exercise. I also have complex PTSD arising from severe childhood abuse. My psychiatrist prescribed naltrexone and you have to take it slowly. Cut the 50mg tablet in half and only take half for the first 7 days. Yes, there are side effects: it takes away your hunger, you also can get very sleepy and sleep excessively at first, but this will fade. Naltrexone can also make you feel anxious. With my illnesses, it's always been hard saying 'no' to alcohol as I am surrounded by alcoholics who bring home alcohol almost every evening. That is, until I found naltrexone and started taking it properly. Now, on naltrexone, I am offered wine and I will refuse or only drink a glass or two. My mind is, for once, telling me this is not the person I want to be. I don't want to be the alcoholic. There is no willpower involved, it just happens, like magic."

• Akr...
• Taken for 1 to 2 years
• November 1, 2013

For Alcohol Use Disorder "Naltrexone is very effective and quick-acting: prior to commencing treatment, I would drink 2 bottles of wine each and every evening without fail. Naltrexone helped me break this habit very quickly - it starts working from the very first tablet you take. After 4 weeks of Naltrexone therapy, I could pass 6-7 days without touching a single drop of alcohol. This medication has helped me rebuild my life. The side effects from Naltrexone are minor: tiredness and anxiety and sometimes heart palpitations. For best results, take the Naltrexone around 4 or 5 pm - this is a few hours before the usual time I would start drinking alcohol."

• Ron...
• September 13, 2019

For Alcohol Use Disorder "This medication, naltrexone, has been nothing short of a godsend for me and my drinking problem. I tried to quit alcohol for 10 years with AA and other methods, including a stint inpatient. Nothing worked. This medication finally worked for me, and I have been sober for a year, not sure why it took so long for me to find this medication. I know some methods work for some and not for others. You must take it every day, even before you are going to take a drink, for it to be successful. Alcohol starts to feel and taste like soap water that fills you up, and you feel buzzed, but just not the same euphoria the alcoholic gets from that first drink. My anxiety went away about 6 months sober, so I do not need to drink anymore. Loving life and thankful to the inventors of naltrexone. Gratefulness, thankfulness, and less selfishness also learned in AA and through treatment eventually helped too, but it takes some time to get there. Use both treatment and this medication. Why limit yourself?"

• BPa...
• November 18, 2020

For Fibromyalgia "I've had fibromyalgia for about 7 years. I've tried everything and had all but given up. I happened to see info online about LDN (low-dose naltrexone). I asked my doctor about it, and she wrote a script but said it probably wouldn't do anything. But I insisted... desperate to try anything. However, it was for 1/2 of a 50mg tablet once per day. I felt like I had done a gram of cocaine. 2-3 hrs of sleep per night, major anxiety, heart racing, etc. Couldn't focus, hands shook, etc. I stuck with it for one week when I realized my pain had dropped significantly for the first time in about seven years. Thrilled at the results, I had to figure out how to continue the medication but get rid of the side effects and get some sleep. I called the doc to ask what I could do, as the online info said LDN should be 1.5 mg. She said it only came in 50 mg and I'd have to get the suggested low dose from a 'compounding' pharmacy. I have no idea how to do that. Can anyone help?"

• Wes...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• January 22, 2020

For Alcohol Use Disorder "I got prescribed 50 mg once a day. First day, I took 25 mg (I'm tiny and didn't want to try the full dose right away). I took it at 5 PM in case it made me sleepy. Well, it did the opposite: wide awake all night, cold sweats, anxiety, did not sleep a minute. Waited a day then tried again in the morning with 25 mg, and it was great. I fell asleep fine, no side effects, no cravings. I have only had one beer in a week. I normally binge drink two times a week to the point of passing out. I'm going to up my dose to 50 mg in a few days to see how I respond to it."

• Rog...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• August 24, 2012

Naltrexone for Opioid Use Disorder "I took my first Vivitrol shot on 7/31/12. Three hours later, I was having the worst withdrawals one could ever imagine. The worst lasted about two days followed by seven days of symptoms like constant anxiety, sleeplessness, muscle spasms, and then three or four days of regular side effects. My doctor told me that I may not have been completely detoxed when I took the shot and that might have been the cause of my extreme reaction. I'm going to get my second shot on 8/31. I feel that without the shot, the possibility of relapse will be greater, so the benefit outweighs the negative side effects. I'll let you know how it turns out."

• Hol...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• June 20, 2023

For Fibromyalgia "I started at 1.5 mg per day, which gave me migraines every day within a few hours of taking it, plus nervous tension increasing every day until after 10 days I had to quit as my body was like a clenched fist. A week later, I tried again on 0.5 mg, which was just about tolerable. Still, side effects of nervous tension, anxiety, and crazy lucid dreams every night. I felt no benefit, so after 6 months, I quit. For the next ten days, I felt wiped out with fatigue, then after a month, suddenly felt very spaced out and haunted by feelings of doom and dread, agitated, afraid to be alone with my anxious thoughts, and scared of the slightest thing, unable to relax or focus on any given task. Three years later, I am still suffering these constant debilitating symptoms, which only started the day I took naltrexone, and now consulting a psychiatrist to hopefully reverse whatever this drug did to my brain. I wish I’d never touched this drug, which can make you feel so terrible, and in my case, I suspect permanently."

• Cha...
• February 18, 2014

Naltrexone for Opioid Use Disorder "I have had the shot several times in the past but that has been over three years ago and I did have some side effects. The worst was vomiting in the morning, but it lasted about an hour after I woke up. It lasted for 2 weeks every time I got the shot. It has been 3 years and I started the shot again. I got the shot 3 days ago and I have one swollen lymph node under my neck, and my stomach is messed up with cramps, but it cramps I have never felt. They hurt but only in the morning, and I don't get sick. They are not that bad. I know one thing that sucked is my anxiety has increased, which is a problem for me and kind of scary. The shot is a good idea even with the side effects, it's 1000 times better than being dope sick."

• Dba...
• July 19, 2016

Naltrexone for Opioid Use Disorder "I received my 2nd shot yesterday. I've been a heavy opiate, mostly heroin IV user for 13 years. I was put in jail for 14 days to clean out for my 1st shot. Immediately after the shot, I had no cravings. I was put on Xanax for anxiety because it's been super high. I have acne due to the shot. I get leg cramps. It saved my life."

• thi...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• March 27, 2023

Naltrexone for Alcohol Use Disorder "OMG. I feel like I'm dying of apathy at best, and a shaking, sweating, angry ball of anxiety at worst. I had gone through alcohol and benzo withdrawal a month ago, then got this horrible shot and immediately felt like I was going through it all over again, plus other weird side effects like ringing ears, insomnia but exhaustion, lack of motivation, and no interest in anything... at all. Today is only a week since I got the shot, and I can't stand to think that the next 3 weeks will be like this. Do your research, unlike me. If you have depression or anxiety, think this over. Yay, I'm not drinking or thinking about drinking, but I feel like I wouldn't get off the couch if the house was on fire, either. I would do benzo withdrawal twice over rather than deal with these awful side effects. Never again."

• Bob...
• Taken for 6 months to 1 year
• June 12, 2019

Naltrexone for Alcohol Use Disorder "Works good for cravings, but with the side effects I don't like. I feel terrible for a week after the injection. Panic attacks, anxiety, depressed mood, and gastric discomfort. I have been in treatment for over 12 years, several rehabs, and AA. I wish it didn't have the side effects. I am debating about continuing use."

• Gyp...
• December 1, 2016

Naltrexone for Opioid Use Disorder "Have been on the shot for 2 years now. It helped me recover from alcohol, but I also found it helps my major anxiety and sleep. I don't think they have done enough studies on it to see what else it can help with."

• ELM...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• January 16, 2020

Naltrexone for Opioid Use Disorder "I've been incarcerated for 47 months, and the treatment center I am going to for outpatient pushed the drug on me, said it would be a safety net for me. I got the shot today at 9 a.m., and I have been depressed, having horrible anxiety all day, no motivation. As one guy said, it felt like he was in a dream, and that is exactly how I feel. None of these side effects were explained to me at all. I'm so upset with myself for taking this. These rehabs get $ for pushing drugs like Vivitrol and Suboxone. I would not recommend this to anyone at all!! If this goes on for 28 days, I'm going to lose my mind, and no - these side effects are not me going through withdrawals or PAWS (Post-acute withdrawal syndrome). I'VE BEEN CLEAN 47 MONTHS!!!"

• Tip...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• November 13, 2017

For Alcohol Use Disorder "-50 mg pill Naltrexone - binge drinker consuming between 40-60 drinks a week - experienced nausea and ended up throwing up, it did not come back with my next dose. - attempted drinking on the 2nd day and found that I had lost interest/craving. Some unexpected positive side effects: - loss of desire to smoke cigarettes - extreme reduction in OCD smartphone use - reduced appetite, but with food tasting great, even water tastes great (weird) - fitful sleep and whackadoodle dreams - night sweats - jittery for the first 30-60 minutes after the dose - I am a better father, husband, and all-around dude"

• Ott...
• Taken for 6 months to 1 year
• March 6, 2016

Naltrexone for Opioid Use Disorder "I still don't know if cravings and anxiety are one and the same, but I've been on this for 6 months. I notice a lot of headaches, increased anxiety, depression, insomnia, and male sexual problems. I still need 0.5 mg Xanax 5 times a day for the anxiety, and Ambien CR for insomnia. The product coordination nurses deny that this causes male sexual side effects. I've had sex twice in 6 months on Vivitrol, and that includes my honeymoon. I think Vivitrol helped me the most by making it clear that if I tried any opiates, I could overdose immediately and die. So I've put up with the side effects, but I hope to be off this in 1 year. And, yes, I want my sex life back."

• Don...
• July 4, 2021

For Alcohol Use Disorder "I have been taking the pill for 30 days as of today, and I have not had 1 drink, not 1 craving, nothing! I was an alcoholic for at least the last 10 years. I thought for sure the reviews I read were a joke, but they aren't! I started with a full pill, but it was too much, made me very jittery. So I went to half a pill, and that works perfectly! It's amazing the time I've regained in my life now that I'm not sitting at a bar for hours a day! Try it, what have you got to lose?"

• Emi...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• January 3, 2019

For Alcohol Use Disorder "I have taken this drug with horrible side effects and can’t seem to find anyone with similar experiences. My whole body hurts, especially my jaw and upper back from clenching. My anxiety gets really bad as well. I have tried a few times and at very small doses. The thing is, it does work for not wanting alcohol, but it ruins everything else, and the side effects last a week! Even with only about 12 mg. Has anyone else had these? Is there any chance these would go away with continued use?"

• Cha...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• August 21, 2022

Naltrexone for Alcohol Use Disorder "Made me extremely ill. Not an opiate user. Got the 30-day shot. Feel anxious, problems with my digestive system, headaches, trouble sleeping, and overly tired somehow. Fatigued all day, and my body aches. It's awful. I feel like I have the flu, and simultaneously, all the joy has been sucked out of my life. I can't take pleasure in anything during the day."

• Bre...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• March 21, 2021

Naltrexone for Alcohol Use Disorder "First off, this is perfect if you are a hardcore addict for alcohol and heroin. I had a problem with alcohol because of anxiety, but I would only drink one time a month or longer. Naturally, my anxiety is kind of bad, but with Vivitrol, it's 100 times worse, it comes and goes and sometimes feels like a bad drug trip. I have been on it for three months, and ever since I got the injection, I have felt this way. The doctor said it's not known to increase anxiety, but that's completely rubbish. I am no longer going to continue using it, I am 9 out of 10 sure that's why I feel like rubbish. So I would advise you to proceed with caution because once it is in you, there's no turning back. Try naltrexone in pill form first and see how you feel with that. Otherwise, stay with counseling, meetings, and just plain old abstinence."

• JTE...
• February 16, 2017

Naltrexone for Opioid Use Disorder "I recently went through a medical detox from heroin, and after 6 days, when my vitals showed I was opiate-free, I was administered the Vivitrol shot, which is pretty deep and painful in itself. I experienced terrible symptoms like upset stomach, diarrhea, severe restlessness, muscle cramps and twitches, nausea, chills, fever, enlarged pupils, lazy eye, extreme irritability, high anxiety, rapid heart rate, shakiness, and sleeplessness, plus the site where the shot was administered ached like an epidural. I ended up in the emergency room with an adverse reaction. I feel like death and can barely focus on my actual detox and life. Next month, when this shot is hopefully out of my system, I will not get it again! At least I'm off heroin!"

• Jam...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• May 31, 2022

For Fibromyalgia "I have slowly eased up to 4.5 mg of naltrexone to treat fibromyalgia associated with Chronic Inflammatory Response Syndrome (CIRS) disease from chronic mold exposure. As my dosage increased, I developed more diarrhea and neck and back pain. During this time, I also stopped gluten and was diarrhea-free during the first week of stopping the gluten, but I would have terrible diarrhea beginning again several days later. CIRS is a chronic inflammatory disease, so this may be contributing to the problem, but the naltrexone side effects of rapid heartbeat, diarrhea, severe anxiety, fatigue, depression, and agitation are all very real and scary for me. Because this is not an addictive drug, I will stop immediately. I’m surprised my doctor didn’t suggest going off of this drug (vs. all my other drugs) when I began to feel this sick with the very common and noted side effects of naltrexone."

• Wri...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• January 3, 2021

For Alcohol Use Disorder "Have been a heavy daily drinker for about 30 years. Somehow managed to be a high-functioning alcoholic, but could tell my drinking was getting heavier and felt like it was starting to affect my health, memory, and overall mental acuity. So I decided to try naltrexone/TSM in early December, just before the holidays, to really put it to the test. It had a huge impact on my drinking behavior right away. Instead of thinking all day about drinking, starting as soon as possible after work, and passing out on the couch after 8-10 drinks, I have only had 1-2 beers per night for the past month. 3 max. Even during the holidays! I've poured out several drinks. This is a HUGE change in my relationship with alcohol. I can now see a life ahead in which thinking about drinking doesn't play a role in my decisions. One downside was really bad anxiety for the first couple of weeks, but it eased up. My primary doc didn't want to prescribe naltrexone, so I found an online provider who would. Very glad I did!"

• Bet...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• January 13, 2021

For Alcohol Use Disorder "This is the second time I’ve tried to take Naltrexone, and I just cannot tolerate it. I thought maybe it was because I started at 50 mg. So this time I started with 25 mg and still having weird “high” feelings all day, headaches, itching, nausea. Very similar to migraines, but with crazy anxiety, paranoia, and sleeplessness. Will NEVER take again. Back to good ole willpower."

• Dev...
• Taken for 6 months to 1 year
• September 7, 2019

For Alcohol Use Disorder "My partner took naltrexone through a private prescription. He has a long-term problem with alcohol and so detoxed before he took the naltrexone. Initially, the drug reduced his daily alcohol intake, but after a few weeks, he started to creep back up to his previous levels. His alcohol addiction was stronger than the naltrexone. He stayed taking one pill a day for 8 months, and it has made him very depressed and anxious - much worse than before he took the drug. He is now trying to come off naltrexone, which is proving extremely difficult. Overall, naltrexone has done him no good at all - in fact, it has harmed him and made an awful situation worse. We both wish he'd never started on it."

• Bia...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• April 1, 2023

For Alcohol Use Disorder "I've struggled with alcohol addiction for many years, resulting in several DUIs and losing jobs, friends, and family. Drinking until I blacked out or passed out was a regular occurrence, and I've tried to get sober on my own and through rehab, but AA wasn't a good fit for me. I also tried medications like Campral and Antabuse (although the latter has been discontinued due to safety concerns). However, 10 days ago, my doctor prescribed Naltrexone 50mg, and it's been a game-changer. I've now been sober for 9 days, which is the longest I've gone in a while. The first night I took it, I felt like a zombie the next day, so I recommend taking it at night instead of in the morning, like my doctor suggested. However, after the initial side effects, it got much easier. I was a bit jittery for the first few days, but I persisted, and after day 3, I felt great. I've had lots of energy and have never even considered drinking since. It's amazing!"