Naltrexone tablets
Adepend
Granskad av Sid DajaniSenast uppdaterad av Michael Stewart, MRPharmSSenast uppdaterad 16 Jun 2024
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Naltrexone will help you to remain free from your dependence on opiate drugs.
It will be prescribed for you by a specialist clinic.
Keep your regular appointments with your doctor. This is so your progress can be checked.
Överblick
Naltrexone is a medicine used to help people prevent relapse from opioid or alcohol dependence.
It works by blocking opioid receptors, which helps you stay free from dependence.
Treatment is started and supervised by a specialist.
Tell your doctor if you have liver or kidney problems, or if you are pregnant or breastfeeding.
Common side-effects include headaches, muscle aches, nausea, and restlessness.
If you have an emergency, tell medical staff you are taking naltrexone so you can get proper pain relief.
Never give naltrexone to others, especially if they are opioid-dependent, as it can cause severe withdrawal.
About naltrexone
Typ av medicin | An opioid antagonist |
Används för | To help prevent relapse in people with previous opioid or alcohol dependence |
Även kallad | Adepend® |
Tillgänglig som | Tabletter |
You will have been prescribed naltrexone if you have been through an opiate or alcohol detoxification regime and you are committed to remaining drug/alcohol-free. Alongside other forms of treatment and abstinence support, taking naltrexone can help you to remain free from your dependence.
Naltrexone acts by blocking opioid receptors in your brain and nervous system. This means that you will no longer experience the euphoria-like effects that you previously experienced from substance use. Knowing this will help to support your decisions to stay drug/alcohol-free.
Your treatment with naltrexone will be started and supervised by an appropriate specialist.
Before taking naltrexone
Some medicines are not suitable for people with certain conditions, and sometimes a medicine may only be used if extra care is taken. For these reasons, before you start taking naltrexone it is important that your doctor knows:
If you have taken any opiate drug in the previous 10 days. This includes any cough medicines or painkillers that contain opiates.
Om du har några problem med hur din lever fungerar, eller om du har några problem med hur dina njurar fungerar.
Om du är gravid eller ammar.
Om du tar eller använder några andra läkemedel. Detta inkluderar alla läkemedel du tar som finns att köpa utan recept, samt växtbaserade och komplementära läkemedel.
Om du någonsin har haft en allergisk reaktion mot en medicin.
How to take naltrexone
Before you start the treatment, read the manufacturer's printed information leaflet from inside the pack. It will give you more information about naltrexone and will provide you with a full list of the side-effects which you may experience from taking it.
Take naltrexone exactly as your doctor tells you to. Your dose will be printed on the label of the pack to remind you about what was said to you.
When starting the treatment, your doctor will give you a small dose of 25 mg a day (half a tablet) and then will increase the dose to one 50 mg tablet a day. The usual maintenance dose is 50 mg (one tablet) each day, although your doctor may suggest that you take naltrexone on three days of the week only (such as two tablets on Mondays and Wednesdays and three tablets on Fridays).
Try to take your doses at the same time of day each day, as this will help you to remember to take the tablets regularly. Swallow the tablet with a drink of water. It can be taken either before or after a meal.
If you forget to take a dose at your usual time, take it when you remember. If you do not remember until the following day, leave out the forgotten dose but make sure that you remember to take that day's dose. Do not take two doses together to make up for a forgotten dose.
Få ut det mesta av din behandling
Keep your regular appointments with your doctor and programme supervisor. This is so that your progress can be checked. Before you are prescribed naltrexone, your doctor is likely to test you to make sure that you are free from opiates. Also, your doctor will want to take a blood sample from you both before and during your treatment with naltrexone to check that your liver is working well.
Keep taking the tablets until your doctor tells you otherwise. You may need to continue to take naltrexone for a number of months, although your doctor will review this regularly.
If you are having any medical treatment, you must tell the person carrying out the treatment that you are taking naltrexone. This is particularly important to ensure that you get proper pain treatment in case of an emergency.
If you buy any medicines 'over the counter', always check with a pharmacist that they are suitable for you to take with naltrexone. Some medicines for cold and flu symptoms contain weak opioids, as do some medicines for diarrhoea - you must not take these.
These tablets are for you - do not give them to anyone else, even if their condition appears to be the same as yours. If they are taken by anyone who is dependent on opioids, they could cause serious life-threatening withdrawal symptoms.
Can naltrexone cause problems?
Along with their useful effects, most medicines can cause unwanted side-effects although not everyone experiences them. The table below contains some of the most common ones associated with naltrexone. You will find a full list in the manufacturer's information leaflet supplied with your tablets. The unwanted effects often improve as your body adjusts to the new medicine, but speak with your doctor or pharmacist if any of the following continue or become troublesome.
Very common naltrexone side-effects (these affect more than 1 in 10 people) | Vad kan jag göra om jag upplever detta? |
Headaches, muscle aches and pains | Ask your clinic to recommend a suitable painkiller |
Feeling nervous or restless, lack of energy, difficulties sleeping | If any of these become troublesome, speak with your doctor for advice |
Känner dig sjuk (illamående), magont (bukbesvär) | Stick to simple meals - avoid rich and spicy food |
Common naltrexone side-effects (these affect fewer than 1 in 10 people) |
|
Diarré | Drick mycket vatten för att ersätta de förlorade vätskorna |
Förstoppning | Try to eat a well-balanced diet and drink plenty of water each day |
Känner dig yr | If this happens, do not drive and do not use tools or machines |
Feeling thirsty, feeling shivery, lack of appetite, watery eyes, skin rash, erectile difficulties, difficulties passing urine, and mood changes | If any of these become troublesome, speak with your doctor for advice |
If you experience any other symptoms which you think may be due to the tablets, please speak with your doctor or pharmacist for further advice.
How to store naltrexone
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Viktig information om alla läkemedel
Viktig information om alla läkemedel
Ta aldrig mer än den föreskrivna dosen. Om du misstänker att du eller någon annan kan ha tagit en överdos av denna medicin, gå till akutmottagningen på ditt lokala sjukhus. Ta med behållaren, även om den är tom.
Denna medicin är för dig. Ge den aldrig till andra människor även om deras tillstånd verkar vara detsamma som ditt.
Behåll inte föråldrade eller oönskade mediciner. Ta dem till ditt lokala apotek som kommer att ta hand om dem åt dig.
Om du har några frågor om denna medicin, fråga din apotekare.
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Vanliga frågor
What is naltrexone?
Naltrexone is a medicine called an opioid antagonist, prescribed to help people who have gone through an opioid or alcohol detoxification stay drug/alcohol-free. It works by blocking opioid receptors in the brain and nervous system, which stops the euphoric effects of substance use.
How long will I need to take naltrexone?
You should continue taking the tablets until your doctor advises you to stop. Treatment can last for several months, and your doctor will regularly review your progress and the need for ongoing treatment.
What should I do if I'm prescribed other medicines while taking naltrexone?
Always inform any healthcare professional treating you that you are taking naltrexone, especially in emergencies where pain relief might be needed. If you buy over-the-counter medicines, check with a pharmacist to ensure they are safe to take with naltrexone, as some products for cold, flu, or diarrhoea may contain weak opioids which you must avoid.
What tests will I have before and during naltrexone treatment?
Before starting naltrexone, your doctor will likely test you to ensure you are free from opiates. Both before and during your treatment, blood samples will be taken to monitor your liver function, as liver problems can affect suitability for this medication.
Can naltrexone be taken if you are pregnant or breastfeeding?
It is important to inform your doctor if you are pregnant or breastfeeding, as this information needs to be considered before you start taking naltrexone.
Vidare läsning och referenser
- Manufacturer's PIL, Adepend® 50 mg film-coated tablets; AOP Orphan Pharmaceuticals AG, The electronic Medicines Compendium. Dated December 2021.
- Mediciner Komplett BNF 89:e Utgåvan; Brittiska Läkarföreningen och Kungliga Farmaceutiska Sällskapet i Storbritannien, London.
Om författarenVisa fullständig biografi
Michael Stewart, MRPharmS
Ansvarig för granskning av medicinbroschyrer – Konsult, Apotekare
BPharm (Hons), MRPharmS
Michael är en apotekare som arbetar i Midlands och South Yorkshire med mer än 20 års erfarenhet av att ge råd om läkemedel och medicinska tillstånd. Han har en stark bakgrund inom vårdutbildning och har producerat och levererat utbildningskurser för apoteksteam och personal inom vårdboenden, inklusive sjuksköterskor. Han har också bidragit till apoteksrådgivande styrelser för hantering av mindre allvarliga tillstånd i samhället.
Om recensenten
Sid Dajani
Sultan Dajani tog examen vid London School of Pharmacy 1994 och blev den yngsta valda medlemmen i Royal Pharmaceutical Society-rådet sedan dess grundande 1842.
Artikelhistorik
Informationen på denna sida är skriven och granskad av kvalificerade kliniker.
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Next review due: 23 Jun 2027
16 Jun 2024 | Senaste versionen
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