When you have found that—regardless of your commitment—your attempts with diet and exercise programs are just not working on their own, it might be time to talk with your doctor about adding prescription weight-loss medication CONTRAVE. Adding CONTRAVE to a diet and exercise plan has helped thousands of people lose weight and keep it off. And unlike other weight-loss medications, CONTRAVE is not a controlled substance, scheduled drug, or stimulant.
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at least 1 weight-related medical condition (such as high blood pressure, high cholesterol, type 2 diabetes)
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Body mass index (BMI) is a measure of body fat based on height and weight. BMI is a simple screening method to help doctors determine if a patient is underweight, healthy weight, overweight, or obese. This measurement can be a first indicator if a patient is at risk for any weight-related health problems.
Let’s see if your BMI is within the range to take CONTRAVE:
When thinking about losing weight, it helps to understand how people relate to food. In the past few decades, scientists have begun to identify how the body’s mechanisms can dictate how often we eat, and even what we love to eat, without us even realizing.
Hunger is when your brain tells you it needs nutrition, and any food will satisfy this need
Craving is when your brain wants specific foods, even when you may not feel hungry
Did you know?
Do any of these situations sound familiar? Talk to a doctor to see if CONTRAVE may help you lose weight and keep it off.
This is why weight loss can be complicated because there are signals between your brain and your body that could be working against you.
You are less likely to lose weight with diet and exercise alone if you struggle with cravings.
Managing your cravings and hunger can help you achieve your healthy weight goal.
It is worth figuring this out because even a modest weight loss of 5%-10% of your total body weight is likely to produce health benefits.
Your set point could be contributing to weight-loss struggles.
Another important point to know is that your body is thought to be programmed to defend against weight loss and maintain a certain range of body weight referred to as set point. This range of body weight may be determined by your heaviest past weight.
This could explain why the more you diet, the hungrier you may get and the more cravings you may have. When you start to lose weight, your brain causes hunger and cravings that seem uncontrollable. This is your body’s attempt to bring your body weight back to its pre-determined level or set point.
There is a real weight-loss struggle that happens to many of us—and it’s not due to lack of commitment or effort. Through science, we can better understand this challenge because it turns out your brain may be working against you by sending hunger signals or triggering cravings, even when you’re not hungry.
See how 2 areas in the brain can cause hunger and cravings*
The hunger center (hypothalamus) can reduce hunger, telling you to eat again or eat more
The mesolimbic circuit or reward system can create cravings that seem uncontrollable even when you’re not hungry
The Science Behind CONTRAVE
The hypothalamus (hunger center) to reduce hunger
The mesolimbic reward system to help control cravings
The exact neurochemical effects of CONTRAVE leading to weight loss are not fully understood.
CONTRAVE combines 2 medications that together reduce hunger and control cravings to help you lose weight and keep it off: bupropion HCl and naltrexone HCl.
Both medicines have well-established safety profiles and have been prescribed by doctors for other conditions for more than 30 years. However, the individual medicines in CONTRAVE are not approved for weight loss when used on their own, and CONTRAVE is not approved to treat depression or other mental illnesses, alcohol or opioid dependency, or to help people quit smoking.
The efficacy and safety of CONTRAVE were assessed in the 56-week CONTRAVE Obesity Research (COR) clinical studies.
Some participants received CONTRAVE, and others were randomly selected to receive a placebo.
Both groups participated in lifestyle modification programs that included a reduced-calorie diet and regular physical activity. COR-BMOD also included an intensive behavioral modification program consisting of 28 group counseling sessions over 56 weeks.
In each of the COR studies, the co-primary endpoints used to determine if CONTRAVE was effective at Week 56 were the percent change from baseline body weight and the percentage of patients achieving at least a 5% reduction in body weight.
Across 3 different clinical studies, patients struggling with obesity who took CONTRAVE, along with diet and exercise, lost 2-4 times more weight over 1 year than with diet and exercise alone.
Along with diet and exercise, patients taking CONTRAVE lost more weight after 56 weeks of treatment than patients taking placebo.
The CONTRAVE group lost an average of 5.4% of their baseline body weight (or 12 pounds) compared with the placebo group, which lost an average of 1.3 % of their body weight (or 3 pounds).
In addition, 42% of CONTRAVE patients lost at least 5% of their total body weight (compared to 17% of placebo patients), and 21% of CONTRAVE patients lost at least 10% of their total body weight (compared with 7% of placebo patients).
Finally, the average waist reduction for patients taking CONTRAVE was 2.4 inches, compared to 1 inch for those in the placebo group.
The CONTRAVE group lost an average of 8.1% of their baseline body weight (or 18 pounds) compared with the placebo group, which lost an average of 4.9% of their body weight (or 11 pounds).
In addition, 57% of CONTRAVE patients lost at least 5% of their total body weight (compared with 43% of placebo patients), and 35% of CONTRAVE patients lost at least 10% of their total body weight (compared to 21% of those in the placebo group).
Finally, the average waist reduction for patients taking CONTRAVE was 3.9 inches, compared to 2.7 inches for those in the placebo group.
The CONTRAVE group lost an average of 3.7% of their baseline body weight (or 8.5 pounds) compared with the placebo group, which lost an average of 1.7% on average (or 4 pounds).
In addition, 36% of CONTRAVE patients lost at least 5% of their total body weight (compared with 18% of placebo patients), and 15% of CONTRAVE patients lost at least 10% of their total body weight (compared to 5% of those in the placebo group).
Finally, the average waist reduction for patients taking CONTRAVE was 2 inches, compared to 1.1 inches for those in the placebo group.
When added to diet and exercise, CONTRAVE is a long-term approach to help you achieve sustainable results. Your results may vary depending on your weight, body mass index (BMI), diet, activity level, and other factors.
We want to answer your questions and support you on your weight-loss journey. These FAQs provide you with safety and side effects information that is important to understand at the start of your journey with CONTRAVE. For more detailed information about CONTRAVE, visit our Prescribing Information and Medication Guide, or call one of our customer service representatives at 1-800-905-5576.
If you’re new to CONTRAVE, it’s important to follow your doctor’s direction and increase your dose slowly over the first month to help you adjust to the medication. Most patients begin with 1 morning pill during the first week and gradually work their way up to 2 pills twice a day by week 4. This dosing schedule was followed by the patients in the CONTRAVE clinical trials who achieved weight-loss success when CONTRAVE was added to their diet and exercise routine.
Your body needs time to become familiar with medications and increasing your dose over time allows you to adjust to the full dosage. In CONTRAVE clinical trials, most side effects occurred during the dose adjustment period and were mild to moderate in severity.
Remember to always take CONTRAVE exactly as prescribed by your doctor. Refer to the CONTRAVE Dosing Chart below to help you stay on track, and know that some people, like those with kidney or liver problems, or those taking other medications, may need to follow a different dosing schedule.
Dosing for Most Patients Taking CONTRAVE
In general, it is recommended you drink plenty of water when taking CONTRAVE. A good rule of thumb is to take CONTRAVE with 8 oz of water. And then throughout your day, drink additional glasses of water—as this can help with both weight loss and, for some people, with preventing constipation.
Pills are featured for illustrative purposes, not shown to actual size.
What is the most important information I should know about CONTRAVE?
CONTRAVE can cause serious side effects, including:
Stop taking CONTRAVE and call a doctor right away if you, or your family member, have any of the following symptoms, especially if they are new, worse, or worry you:
While taking CONTRAVE, you or your family members should:
CONTRAVE has not been studied in and is not approved for use in children under the age of 18.
Who should not take CONTRAVE?
Do not take CONTRAVE if you:
What should I tell my doctor about other medical conditions I may have?
Before taking CONTRAVE, tell your doctor about all of your medical conditions, including if you:
Tell your healthcare provider about all the medicines you take, including prescription and over-the-counter medicines, vitamins, and herbal supplements. CONTRAVE may affect the way other medicines work and other medicines may affect the way CONTRAVE works, causing side effects. Ask your doctor for a list of these medicines if you are not sure. Know the medicines you take. Keep a list of them to show your doctor or pharmacist when you get a new medicine.
What are the most serious side effects of CONTRAVE?
Seizures. There is a risk of having a seizure when you take CONTRAVE. The risk of seizure is higher in people who:
Do not take any other medicines while you are taking CONTRAVE unless your healthcare provider has said it is okay to take them.
If you have a seizure while taking CONTRAVE, stop taking CONTRAVE and call your healthcare provider right away. You should not take CONTRAVE again if you have a seizure.
You can accidentally overdose in 2 ways:
It is important that you tell your family and the people closest to you of this increased sensitivity to opioids and the risk of overdose.
You or someone close to you should get emergency medical help right away if you:
Severe allergic reactions. Some people have had a severe allergic reaction to bupropion, one of the ingredients in CONTRAVE. Stop taking CONTRAVE and call your healthcare provider or go to the nearest hospital emergency room right away if you have any of the following signs and symptoms of an allergic reaction:
Liver damage or hepatitis. One of the ingredients in CONTRAVE, naltrexone can cause liver damage or hepatitis. Stop taking CONTRAVE and tell your healthcare provider if you have any of the following symptoms of liver problems:
Your healthcare provider may need to stop treating you with CONTRAVE if you get signs or symptoms of a serious liver problem.
Visual problems (angle-closure glaucoma). One of the ingredients in CONTRAVE, bupropion, can cause some people to have visual problems (angle-closure glaucoma). Signs and symptoms of angle-closure glaucoma may include:
Talk with your healthcare provider to find out if you are at risk for angle-closure glaucoma and to get treatment to prevent it if you are at risk.
What are the most common side effects when taking CONTRAVE?
The most common side effects of CONTRAVE include:
These are not all the possible side effects of CONTRAVE. Call your doctor for medical advice about side effects. You may report side effects to the FDA at 1-800-FDA-1088.
What can I do to manage the common side effects of CONTRAVE?
If you do experience some of the common side effects, there are things you can do to manage them. For instance:
Call your doctor if you do experience any side effects while taking CONTRAVE that bother you or don’t go away.
“I never understood why I wasn’t able to control my hunger, but now there’s more of a scientific explanation. It’s not just about willpower.”
“I’ve tried everything to lose weight, but nothing seemed to work for me. I am so grateful for CONTRAVE.”
“I’ve tried multiple diets and weight-loss programs with no success– from the beginning, I could feel a difference by adding CONTRAVE.”
“Before CONTRAVE, I felt my eating habits could get out of control. Now, I feel like I have a foundation and support.”
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“I never understood why I wasn’t able to control my hunger, but now there’s more of a scientific explanation. It’s not just about willpower.”
“I’ve tried everything to lose weight, but nothing seemed to work for me. I am so grateful for CONTRAVE.”
“I’ve tried multiple diets and weight-loss programs with no success– from the beginning, I could feel a difference by adding CONTRAVE.”
“Before CONTRAVE, I felt my eating habits could get out of control. Now, I feel like I have a foundation and support.”
Select the best way for you to talk to a doctor about CONTRAVE.
CONTRAVE can cause serious side effects including:
Suicidal thoughts or actions: One of the ingredients in CONTRAVE is bupropion. Bupropion has caused some people to have suicidal thoughts or actions or unusual changes in behavior, whether or not they are taking medicines used to treat depression. Bupropion may increase the risk of suicidal thoughts or actions in some children, teenagers, and young adults within the first few months of treatment. If you already have depression or other mental illnesses, taking bupropion may cause it to get worse, especially within the first few months of treatment.
CONTRAVE is a prescription weight-loss medicine that may help some adults with a body mass index (BMI) of 30 kg/m2 or greater (obese), or adults with a BMI of 27 kg/m2 or greater (overweight) with at least one weight-related medical problem such as high blood pressure, high cholesterol, or type 2 diabetes, lose weight and keep the weight off.
CONTRAVE can cause serious side effects including:
Suicidal thoughts or actions: One of the ingredients in CONTRAVE is bupropion. Bupropion has caused some people to have suicidal thoughts or actions or unusual changes in behavior, whether or not they are taking medicines used to treat depression. Bupropion may increase the risk of suicidal thoughts or actions in some children, teenagers, and young adults within the first few months of treatment. If you already have depression or other mental illnesses, taking bupropion may cause it to get worse, especially within the first few months of treatment.
CONTRAVE is a prescription weight-loss medicine that may help some adults with a body mass index (BMI) of 30 kg/m2 or greater (obese), or adults with a BMI of 27 kg/m2 or greater (overweight) with at least one weight-related medical problem such as high blood pressure, high cholesterol, or type 2 diabetes, lose weight and keep the weight off.
CONTRAVE can cause serious side effects including:
Suicidal thoughts or actions: One of the ingredients in CONTRAVE is bupropion. Bupropion has caused some people to have suicidal thoughts or actions or unusual changes in behavior, whether or not they are taking medicines used to treat depression. Bupropion may increase the risk of suicidal thoughts or actions in some children, teenagers, and young adults within the first few months of treatment. If you already have depression or other mental illnesses, taking bupropion may cause it to get worse, especially within the first few months of treatment.
While taking CONTRAVE, you or your family members should pay close attention to any changes, especially sudden changes, in mood, behaviors, thoughts, or feelings. This is very important when you start taking CONTRAVE or when your dose changes.
Stop taking CONTRAVE and call a healthcare provider right away if you or your family members notice any of the following symptoms, especially if they are new, worse, or worry you: thoughts about suicide or dying; attempts to commit suicide; depression; anxiety; feeling agitated or restless; panic attacks; irritability; aggression, anger, or violence; acting on dangerous impulses; an extreme increase in activity and talking; other unusual changes in behavior or mood; trouble sleeping.
CONTRAVE is not approved for use in children under the age of 18.
Do not take CONTRAVE if you have uncontrolled high blood pressure; have or have had seizures; use other medicines that contain bupropion such as WELLBUTRIN, WELLBUTRIN SR, WELLBUTRIN XL, APLENZIN and ZYBAN; have or have had an eating disorder called anorexia or bulimia; are dependent on opioid pain medicines or use medicines to help stop taking opioids, or are in opiate withdrawal; drink a lot of alcohol and abruptly stop drinking, or use medicines called sedatives (these make you sleepy), benzodiazepines, or anti‐seizure medicines and stop using them all of a sudden; are taking or have taken medicines called monoamine oxidase inhibitors (MAOIs) in the past 14 days; or are allergic to any of the ingredients in CONTRAVE.
Tell your healthcare provider about all of your medical conditions including if you have: depression or other mental illnesses; attempted suicide; seizures; head injury; tumor or infection of brain or spine; low blood sugar or low sodium; liver or kidney problems; high blood pressure; heart attack, heart problems, or stroke; eating disorder; drinking a lot of alcohol; prescription medicine or street drug abuse; are 65 or older; diabetes; pregnant or planning to become pregnant; or breastfeeding.
Tell your healthcare provider about all the medicines you take, including prescription and over-the-counter medicines, vitamins, and herbal supplements.
Get emergency medical help right away if you take opioids and you:
The most common side effects of CONTRAVE include nausea, constipation, headache, vomiting, dizziness, trouble sleeping, dry mouth, and diarrhea. These are not all of the possible side effects of CONTRAVE.
You are encouraged to report negative side effects of prescription drugs to the FDA. Visit www.fda.gov/medwatch or call 1-800-FDA-1088.
CONTRAVE is a prescription weight-loss medicine that may help some adults with a body mass index (BMI) of 30 kg/m2 or greater (obese), or adults with a BMI of 27 kg/m2 or greater (overweight) with at least one weight-related medical problem such as high blood pressure, high cholesterol, or type 2 diabetes, lose weight and keep the weight off.
CONTRAVE should be used with a reduced-calorie diet and increased physical activity.
It is not known if CONTRAVE changes your risk of heart problems or stroke or of death due to heart problems or stroke.
It is not known if CONTRAVE is safe and effective when taken with other prescription, over-the-counter, or herbal weight-loss products.
CONTRAVE is not approved to treat depression or other mental illnesses, or to help people quit smoking (smoking cessation).
Please see Full Prescribing Information, including Medication Guide, for CONTRAVE.
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Fill out a quick medical questionnaire
Speak one-on-one with a licensed healthcare professional*
*If prescribed CONTRAVE, a $45 doctor consult fee is applied.
Pay no more than $99 for CONTRAVE and have it delivered to your home
If you have more questions, please visit our FAQs page.
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If you click GET CONTRAVE NOW, you will leave CONTRAVE.COM and go to our partner site.
This online service is not available to Louisiana residents.
Fill out a quick medical questionnaire
Speak one-on-one with a doctor*
*If prescribed CONTRAVE, a $45 doctor consult fee is applied.
Pay no more than $99 for CONTRAVE and have it delivered to your home
If you have more questions, visit our FAQs page.
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