Contrave Review
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By CANDICE GREY ConsumersCompare.org Update: Jul 09, 2024 |
- Some insurances will cover the cost
Contrave markets itself as the #1 branded weight loss pill on the market, so it caught my attention right away. How does a diet pill market itself as the number one weight loss pill anyway? To be clear, it is a prescription weight loss pill. It is only meant for adults with a BMI of 30 or higher. On their main website they market free online delivery with a doctors prescription is available. [ 1] As with any prescription pill, it is going to come with side effects. There are also going to be studies done on the effectiveness of the pill. Take a look below at the findings, to see if this pill is worth it for you.
How Does Contrave Work?
It is rather simple to take once you are prescribed it, as it is a simple diet pill. This simple diet pill comes with side effects (see below). It is an extended release tablet that contains the antidepressant bupropion, and the drug that it meant to treat addictions naltrexone. When taking the pill, dieters are encouraged to reduce their daily calories and exercise.
There was a study done on a large group of people over 56 weeks, and the total weight loss from Contrave was a measly 12 pounds. They calculated only 9 of those pounds really came from the drug itself and the other three were from diet and exercise. [ 2]
Is Contrave Safe?
Right on the website it states,
One of the ingredients in CONTRAVE, bupropion, may increase the risk of suicidal thinking in children, adolescents, and young adults. CONTRAVE patients should be monitored for suicidal thoughts and behaviors. In patients taking bupropion for smoking cessation, serious neuropsychiatric adverse events have been reported. CONTRAVE is not approved for use in children under the age of 18.
As you can tell, this weight loss pill comes with major side effects and needs to be safely prescribed by a doctor before you can even take it. Other side effects noted were seizures, opioid withdrawal, liver damage, hepatitis, visual problems, low blood sugar, increased blood pressure and heart rate. Nausea and headaches are almost an 100% guarantee. It is not safe to take without medical supervision. The ingredients of Contrave are: naltrexone hydrochloride and bupropion hydrochloride. [ 3]
Pros and Cons of Contrave
Looking at this diet pill from a 10,000 foot view it is supposed to help work the area in your brain that controls hunger. It is also the part of your brain that is the reward system. Risky to mess with the chemicals in the brain, which is why you will experience a plethora of side effects while taking Contrave. This is a con. A pro is that some insurances will cover the cost for you to take Contrave, so for those who are eligible it will be free of cost almost. Another pro is the fact that it has to be doctor prescribed. This keeps it out of the hands of those people not really qualified to take it. You must have a BMI of 30 or greater, so this eliminates some of the population. Aside from the major side effects there are less than impressive results while taking Contrave, which in my opinion is the largest con of them all. Why put yourself through all of the uncomfortable side effects for less than impressive results?
Conclusion
Contrave is supposed to be the #1 weight loss pill on the market. If so how is it not even available to the masses. It comes with bad side effects that can alter your quality of life indefinitely, as well as some minor side effects that will most certainly effect your day to day like nausea and headaches. Weight loss was actually minor, and it was hardly better than the placebo pill half of the people in the study were taking. Why put your health at risk with very minimal results? Not worth the look at all when it is all said and done.
I WAS LOOKING FOR SOMETHING TO HELP CONTROL MY CRAVINGS AND GIVE ME MORE FOCUS AND ENERGY. I HAVE BEEN TAKING THIS PILL FOR OVER 2 WEEKS AND WITH A DIET AND EXERCISE PLAN AND I HAVE NOT LOST EVEN A POUND. IT DOES NOT CONTROL MY CRAVINGS AND I SEEM TO BE EVEN MORE HUNRGY NOW. I PAID 144 DOLLARS FOR ONE MONTH SUPPLY WHICH IS ALOT OF MONEY FOR HAVING NO RESULTS. I DO NOT RECOMMEND SPENDING THAT MUCH MONEY ON A PILL THAT REALLY DOESN’T WORK. I WILL GO BACK AND SEE MY DOCTOR AND GET BACK ON HIS WEIGHT LOSS PROGRAM BECAUSE WITH IT I HAD GREAT SUCCESS LOSING WEIGHT. IF IT SOUNDS TO GOOD TO BE TRUE IT IS.
Contravention has worked for me. My cravings have ceased. I rarely snack. And when I’m busy, I actually forget to eat, because I’m not hungry all the time. In 6 months, I’ve lost 30 lbs. My only side affect has been dry mouth, which helps me drink more water.
I can only speak for my experience. For those of us who have food issues that appear to be emotion driven like myself, Contrave works great. I have no negative side effects. I do have a very positive side effect as the low dosage Naltrexone reduces my inflammation considerably- to the point that my ortho and myself have cancelled a knee replacement. I had thought this was coincidental until I talked with my MD.
Contrave has given me the edge to pay attention to and change my stress related eating patterns. I have lost 28 pounds in 11 months and feel great. Between the weight lose and reduced pain from osteoarthritis and degenerate spine disease, I am able to be active and enjoy activities such as bike riding, walking, gardening and I am even back to playing tennis after being away from it for 20 years. My only down side is that Medicare does not pay for it, but buying directly from the company helps. I do use my own Doc for the script and monitoring.
I started taking contrave a month ago and for three weeks I had almost no results. Maybe two pounds. As I researched I realized I was expecting it to be a miracle drug without any real effort from me.
I have added a program to my routine where I track points and because contravene has removed my cravings I am now able to be successful on this program. I have lost 4 pounds this week alone.
Contrave helped me loose 20 lbs, but I really had to “help” it. I was not able to loose more than the 20 lbs, but I continued to take it for over a year. I finally got tired of the hefty price of the drug, and weened my self off of it per the directions provided by my doctor. The withdraw symptoms were terrible, muscle aches, headache, brain fog, teary eyes. This is a dangerous drug, the risks, and the price far outweigh the measly weight loss. I would not recommend this drug.
having been obese all my life, I started Contrave at a weight of 295 and 5-10 height. After one year, I weighed 180 pounds. I walked 3 miles three times a week. I was an ADD kid as well and it lasted into adulthood. Another dopamine issue. Stuff saved my life at age 73. Never felt better, no side effects other than constipation which I attribute to not eating enough fiber. Evened out my mood swings as well
having been obese all my life, I started Contrave at a weight of 295 and 5-10 height. After one year, I weighed 180 pounds. I walked 3 miles three times a week. I was an ADD kid as well and it lasted into adulthood. Another dopamine issue. Stuff saved my life at age 73. Never felt better, no side effects other than constipation which I attribute to not eating enough fiber. Evened out my mood swings as well. If you don’t have a dopamine problem, it won’t work. If you can’t stop overeating while you experience no hunger, you are using food to regulate your mood. Read addiction. If that’s not your issue, it won’t work.