Naltrexone... anyone have any experience with this med?

Nurses Recovery

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Specializes in Med-Surg, Intermed, Neuro, LTC, Psych.

Hi all! I'm an RN, 6 months sober, and feeling very positive about my recovery. My state's monitoring program recently suggested I seek treatment with naltrexone for my opiate dependence. From what I've researched, it's just an opiate blocker, and does not have the opiate receptor stimulating properties of suboxone, and therefore is not addictive. Has anyone had any experience with this medication?? Thanks in advance!

Specializes in OB/Gyn.

Congrats on your 6 months! I do not have any experience with Naltrexone myself. But I do know that you're correct in that it is not like Suboxone. Naltrexone is purely an opioid antagonist, whereas Suboxone (buprenorphine and naloxone) is a partial agonist/antagonist. The naloxone part of the drug is inactive when taken as directed sublingually, and was placed in the drug in large part to deter the illicit IV use of Suboxone. To my understanding, naltrexone will do nothing for the cravings which are so strongly associated with opioid addiction. The drug simply acts as a 'blocker' for full-agonist opiates. I also understand that there is an oral preparation of the drug as well as an implant, the implant being more 'fool proof' for the obvious reason that an oral dose could be skipped to allow opiates to 'work' for a time.

I'm curious as to why it has been recommended to you. I can see how it might be viewed as sort of an insurance policy against relapse, but beyond that I wonder.... Again, my knowledge of it is limited at best. I'd like to know more about it if anyone has further information.

Best to you as you go forward! It's a rough road but one we can navigate successfully with the right tools and support!

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