Contrave 90mg/8mg Prolonged Release Tablets

Contrave 90mg/8mg combines bupropion 90mg and naltrexone 8mg to support chronic weight management in eligible adults. It works best when used alongside a reduced-calorie diet and regular physical activity.

What is Contrave?

Here are a few key points about Contrave weight loss medication:

• This medicine is a neurochemical agent that actively manages weight in people with obesity and overweight issues.
• It also controls type 2 diabetes, high blood pressure, and high cholesterol with weight loss effects.
• It manages neurotransmitters that influence hunger, and promote feeling of fullness. As a result, it assists in getting over the urge to binge eat.
• Moreover, with a low-calorie diet and regular exercise, this medicine can better work to bring forth healthy living for you.

Benefits of Contrave

• Know the Contrave benefits for weight management:
• The medicine curbs hunger, physical and psychological craving for food. The dual approach helps you fight unhealthy eating habits better.
• It also works for weight loss in the long-term when complemented with lifestyle changes.
• It reduces the urge to eat sweet and high-calorie food by lowering the rewarding sensations of consuming such eatables.
• The medication reduces cholesterol and triglyceride levels, and improves blood glucose level control.
• It causes steady loss of fat with visible weight reduction with consistent use.

How Does Contrave Work?

Learn about the action mechanism of Contrave for fat loss and weight reduction:

• The active ingredients in this medicine are Bupropion Hydrochloride (aminoketone antidepressant) and Naltrexone Hydrochloride (pure opioid antagonist).
• The medicine works on the central nervous system by controlling hunger by blocking hypothalamus signals related to the craving for food.
• Bupropion activates pro- opiomelanocortin (POMC) neurons to release beta-endorphin and alpha-melanocyte-stimulating hormones in the brain.
• The body uses energy storage faster and builds appetite control. It also stops the sudden dopamine surge that occurs after eating sugary and junk food – blocking the rewarding effect.
• Naltrexone allows Bupropion’s effect to be felt longer, reducing sudden food cravings, while regulating the emotional and psychological factors responsible for binge-eating habits.

Dosage of Contrave

Contrave is available as an extended-release oral tablet. The dosage strength combined bupropion HCl 90mg and naltrexone HCl 8mg in one tablet. Here is how the dose is titrated throughout the 4-week routine:

• In week 1, take one tablet once a day in the morning. Swallow the medicine with water.
• In week 2, take two tablets daily – the first dose in the morning, and the second dose in the evening.
• In week 3, take three tablets daily – the first dose containing 2 tablets taken in the morning, and the second dose containing 1 tablet in the evening.
• In week 4 and thereafter, the maintenance dose per day is 4 tablets – two tablets taken each in the morning and evening.
• The treatment stretches for long-term and effective results are visible by week 16.

How to Store Contrave?

Follow these storage guidelines for Contrave:

• Keep the medicine in its original pack at a temperature between 20°C to 25°C (68°F to 77°F). For a short period, the medication can be stored between 15°C to 30°C (59°F to 86°F).
• The tablets should be protected from direct exposure to moisture, heat, sunlight, and high humidity.
• Do not store in damp areas such as kitchen and bathroom cabinets.
• Keep the tablets out of the reach of children and pets.

Side Effects of Contrave

Here are possible consequences in some cases:

• The common side effects are mild and temporary, such as headaches, diarrhea, dizziness, nausea, constipation, vomiting, dry mouth, disturbed sleep, insomnia, or change in taste sensations.
• Seek medical assistance in case of severe but rare side effects such as Naltrexone-caused liver injury (signs are dark urine, jaundice, etc.), self-harm thoughts or depression, seizures, vision changes, severe eye redness, or acute eye pain.

Interactions of Contrave

Here are the things to avoid with Contrave:

• Do not take high-fat meals when using Contrave because it would dangerously increase the bupropion absorption rate, raising the risk of seizures.
• Avoid consumption of alcohol during the treatment, as it would worsen side effects.
• Do not use medicines containing opioids such as certain cough syrups, pain-relief agents, etc., as Naltrexone blocks the opioid effects.
• Avoid simultaneous use of Monoamine Oxidase Inhibitors (MAOIs) due to the risk of sudden high blood pressure. If you must use MAOIs anyway, maintain an interval of 14 days after Contrave.

Precautions of Contrave

Know the precautions to follow when under the Contrave medication:

• Keep an eye on blood sugar levels if you have type 2 diabetes. To prevent dangerously low blood glucose levels, the doctor may adjust the medicine dose.
• Do not use this medicine if you are using anti-seizure medicines, benzodiazepines, or have a history of seizure disorders, or eating disorders such as anorexia nervosa or bulimia.
• Monitor mental health to keep a check on worsening depression, panic attacks, anxiety, sudden mood changes – especially after dose adjustment.
• If pregnant, do not take this medication, or it may cause fetal harm.