Precautions

Drug information provided by: Merative, Micromedex®

It is very important that your doctor check your progress at regular visits. Your doctor may want to do certain blood tests to see if the medicine is causing unwanted effects.

This medicine blocks the "high" feeling you get from narcotic (opioid) drugs, including heroin. Since naltrexone may make you more sensitive to lower doses of opioids than you have previously used, you should not use heroin or any other narcotic drugs to overcome what the medicine is doing. You could overdose and develop serious problems.

This medicine may cause serious problems with your liver. Call your doctor right away if you start having dark urine, pain in the upper stomach, or yellowing of the eyes or skin while you are using this medicine.

This medicine may increase thoughts of suicide. Tell your doctor right away if you start to feel more depressed. Also tell your doctor right away if you have thoughts about hurting yourself. Report any unusual thoughts or behaviors that trouble you, especially if they are new or get worse quickly. Make sure your caregiver knows if you feel tired all the time, sleep a lot more or a lot less than usual, feel hopeless or helpless, or if you have trouble sleeping, get upset easily, have a big increase in energy, or start to act reckless. Also tell your doctor if you have sudden or strong feelings, such as feeling nervous, angry, restless, violent, or scared.

Remember that use of naltrexone is only part of your treatment. Be sure that you follow all of your doctor's orders, including seeing your therapist and/or attending support group meetings on a regular basis.

Do not try to overcome the effects of naltrexone by taking narcotics. To do so may cause coma or death. You may be more sensitive to the effects of narcotics than you were before beginning naltrexone therapy.

Naltrexone also blocks the useful effects of narcotics. Always use a non-narcotic medicine to treat pain, diarrhea, or a cough. If you have any questions about the proper medicine to use, check with your doctor.

Naltrexone will not prevent you from becoming impaired when you drink alcohol. Do not take naltrexone in order to drive or perform other activities while under the influence of alcohol.

This medicine may cause some people to become dizzy, drowsy, or less alert than they are normally. If any of these side effects occur, do not drive, use machines, or do anything else that could be dangerous if you are dizzy or are not alert while you are taking naltrexone.

Never share this medicine with anyone else, especially someone who is using narcotics. Naltrexone causes withdrawal symptoms in people who are using narcotics.

Tell all medical doctors, dentists, and pharmacists you go to that you are taking naltrexone.

It is recommended that you carry identification stating that you are taking naltrexone. Identification cards may be available from your doctor.

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Portions of this document last updated: Feb. 01, 2024

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