Please help,

Some of you know that my boyfriend started on TSM on Monday. So it's been 6 doses of 25mg naltrexone so far (one dose per day), and he is still having side effects so bad that he's basically not functional at all. The extreme nausea has dwindled quite a bit, but he is seriously tripping balls and has not been able to go to work all last week. I'm afraid he'll lose his job if this continues much longer. Right now he's so messed up it's as if he's been on a huge bender, but he's hardly had anything to drink today. He's just way way out of it, and for some reason it seems so much worse today than it has been the last few days. Please tell me this will clear up soon? What should I do? I can't contact his doctor until Monday.

Thanks so much everyone.

All of us here seem to have had worse side effects than were reported in the book. They all went away for all of us, usually quickly. Mine lasted 2-3 days. I don't recall anyone having them for more than a week. But I've heard a more experienced member say "not more than a week or two". They will go away, completely.

Hi nmarie, I'm sorry to hear your bf's having such a rough time.

It took me about a week to get over the worst of the side effects (3 days on 25mg then the move up to 50) but Nal still hits me really hard now (over two weeks after starting). The main problems in the first week were nausea, feeling spacey and 'disconnected' from reality, and very uncomfortable around other people and interacting with them. The nausea's gone now, but the disconnect and discomfort remain to an extent. This is quite a strong medicine as far as I'm concerned. I also feel more inebriated from whatever I've drunk while on Nal.

Has your bf been able to eat despite the nausea?

I'd definitely stop the medication.

OK thanks everyone. Someone from the dr.'s office is going to call me shortly. I just don't know what we are going to do if he can't tolerate this drug. I don't see a lot of hope for anything else that can help him.

nmarie33,

I am so sorry to hear about this. Any chance he has extremely cut back on his drinking
(as you stated he hardly drank yesterday) and is experiencing withdrawal symptoms?
These can be very severe and dangerous. Just a thought.

Best of luck to you and your BF.

bamabeachin

Yes , if he's cut down he probably is in withdrawal so it is a very good thing that you have contacted the doctor and not wait til monday . In any case NAl does
aid withdrawal . But you've done right to contact doctor it'll reassure you both .
Keep posting , but don't worry for the best solution at this point there ARE solutions and fortunately more than a few years ago . Courage Nmarie ! Keep posting please .

He has cut back, but not that much. Maybe down 3 drinks/day from the start of the week. I'm hoping the doc tells us it would be ok to split his dose in half or something similar so that he doesn't have to quit the treatment.

He has been eating much more this week than usual. Before, a lot of times he would just eat something very small for breakfast like an english muffin, and then drink all day without anything else in his stomach. But he has had a very good appetite this week and has barely gotten buzzed. I don't know what to think. I just wish he could get better so we can live our lives.

I've split my doses over the last few days so that I've taken half a couple of hours apart. That's well enough to keep me covered at all times, the way I've timed it, but lessens the side effects I've found.

Nmarie, you do understand that Nal is not a quick fix? Forgive me if I'm wrong but it sounds like you expect results in the short term.

Wishing you and your bf all the very best,

8

I do understand that this treatment will work over time, not right away. But after 6 days I did not expect him to be totally out of it and not able to function at all.