Naltrexone

I never thought a single tablet could turn my weekends around. For years I flirted with overindulgence, telling myself I could stop after one drink, only to find myself pouring a second and third glass deep into the night. Then my doctor suggested naltrexone. Within a week of taking my morning pill, I noticed something surprising: my craving for another round simply evaporated. One Friday evening I poured myself a modest pour of red wine, and when the glass was empty, I felt no urge to refill it. The restless voice that used to nag me into pouring one more disappeared. I woke up Saturday morning without the familiar fog of regret, free to enjoy breakfast with my family without a throbbing headache or remorse. Adjusting to the medication meant tolerating a few days of mild tiredness and slight queasiness, but sipping water and taking it with oatmeal minimized both. Six months in, I still choose to have a glass when I want, but I’m never compelled to chase a buzz. Naltrexone didn’t rewrite my past mistakes, but it restored my sense of choice, and that has meant everything. My journey with naltrexone began after a painful surgery left me dependent on prescription opioids. I had intended to use the pills for a week, but the relief they provided turned into an unspoken need I couldn’t shake. My pain specialist recommended Vivitrol injections, one shot every four weeks, to block the effects of any opioids I might take. I’ll admit the thought of a monthly injection made me nervous, yet it felt like a lifeline compared to the endless pharmacy trips I’d been making. After the first injection, I tried taking a single tablet of oxycodone and felt nothing—no warmth, no euphoria—just a dull reminder that my body wouldn’t let me relapse. That moment changed everything. Over the following months I replaced time spent chasing pills with painting classes and weekend hikes. Each injection reinforced my newfound freedom, and I no longer calculated my days by how many pills I had left. Mild headaches and tenderness at the injection site were the only downsides, and they paled in comparison to the constant worry and guilt that used to shadow my days. Nearly a year later, I look back on that decision as the turning point of my recovery. Vivitrol didn’t do the work for me, but it gave me the confidence to reclaim my life.

I first heard about naltrexone when my cousin mentioned how it had helped her father curb his nightly drinking. I was skeptical—my own struggle with occasional weekend overindulgence felt more like habit than anything chemical. Still, after a long talk with my doctor, I agreed to try the 50 mg tablet each morning. The shift wasn’t dramatic at first. The first few days, I barely noticed a change beyond a slight tiredness in the afternoons. Then one evening when I poured a glass of whiskey after a stressful workday, I sat down with my book and sipped slowly. Normally I’d reach for the bottle again before I finished the first glass, but this time I simply closed my book, set the glass aside, and went to bed. Waking up the next morning without a throbbing headache felt… strange. In a good way. That kind of small victory repeated itself over the next weeks. I found myself looking forward to my evening yoga class rather than pre‑class drinks. A few friends commented that I seemed less tense and more present. I did experience mild nausea a couple of mornings, but taking the pill alongside yogurt helped settle my stomach. Six weeks in, I realized how little I actually missed the buzz. Around that time my doctor suggested I try skipping Sunday doses to see if the effect lingered. The difference was immediate: without naltrexone on board, the old craving tug returned. That experiment convinced me how much I’d come to rely on the medication’s gentle “off switch” for cravings. Now, several months later, I still enjoy a glass of wine at social gatherings, but I never feel the uncontrollable urge to continue past that point. Naltrexone didn’t suddenly make me a different person. Instead, it peeled back the chemical layers that once held me in a cycle of overindulgence. Today I wake up looking forward to my morning run and a calm evening, free of guilt or longing. If you’ve ever felt trapped by your own habits, I’d recommend a conversation with your doctor about naltrexone—you might just find the freedom you didn’t know was possible.