Thanks Jim.

My non-medical person understanding is that in a situation where an opiod medication would normally be used, the threshold for effectiveness is VERY HIGH due to the antagonist feature of Naltrexone. The Nal is busy blocking all the receptors it can, which is nearly if not literally 100%.

My understanding is that the issue that medical personnel need to be aware of is that in order for an opiod medication to be effective should they try it, they must use far more than they would for any non-naltrexone patient, and therefor the safety margin between the threshold where the medication becomes effective and the overdose threshold where breathing issues become a possibility is narrowed. Instructions for medical personnel appear to be to titrate the dose until effective, and then monitor very closely for respiratory distress.

So to help emergency personnel take appropriate care of us we carry a card - per instructions - and they either use something different, or Pay Super Extra Close Attention to what they are doing with pain meds.

Presumably the simplest, safest, and easiest approach for medical personnel is to choose non-opiod medication, when and where available.

Thank you, PV. That was quite clear and now I'm a little more worried. Was is the likelihood that the EMTs or doctors are going to find the card in an emergency situation? Just makes me think (alot more than I want to) about taking the Nal. I seem to be having some success and I don't want to give that up after all the years wasted.
Thanks again for clearing that up.
Lucy D

Eek. My intent was not to worry anyone more, but rather less. EMTs are going to look for identity. My card is visible in the same view as my drivers license.

I've also heard that emergency personnel will look on your phone to see if there is an ICE (In Case of Emergency) contact listed. To that end I have set my phone wallpaper to be a medic-alert symbol with a medication warning. That's probably overkill, but it's fun to play with phone wallpapers.

Edit to add: I also put one of these thin metal ID bands on my watchband:


I just got the one that says Medical Condition since they didn't have one specifically for medication. It says to check the wallet card.

What about dental freezing? I'm having an extraction of a wisdom tooth first week of Nov. Should I stop Nal for two days before? I'm not sure I'm ready for two AF days. Please someone answer this....I really need to know!! Thanks.

Go to Introduction and General Discussion
See: thread for Medical Info for your wallet

Hi BGH,

I know that the novacaine is fine - I'm getting dental work done tomorrow, and there's no way I could handle it without novacaine. The only good thing about my visit will be the gas - I just love that stuff. Makes me feel like I'm floating on a cloud and all is well. I wish I could take one of those tanks home with me!

thanks Krazy1 I have even been worried about Tylenol but last night took some and it worked fine. But having a tooth out (wisdom) is worse and I guess I needed reassurance.

I agree entirely with X: I exercise every day and naltrexone has had zero impact on my routine. I see no impact with sex issues either.

Opiate pain medications are rendered ineffective on naltrexone so in the highly unlikely event you are unconscious and cannot tell the medical staff you are on naltrexone and therefore require non-opiate pain medication, that's where the medical alert tag or the medication label you carry in your wallet comes into play.