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The Difference Between Taking a Naltrexone Dose For Alcohol Daily vs As-Needed

The Difference Between Taking a Naltrexone Dose For Alcohol Daily vs As-Needed

Should you take naltrexone daily or as-needed? You have the freedom to do either, but here’s what to consider for the optimal naltrexone dose for alcohol.

Alcohol Treatment

Should you take a dose of naltrexone for alcohol daily or just before drinking? We’re answering that question by dissecting a few key consideration points for dialing in naltrexone dosage.

What You’ll Learn:

  • Why some people consider taking naltrexone for alcohol on an as-needed basis.
  • Why the recommendation is often a daily dose of naltrexone.
  • How the naltrexone dosage level affects how often it’s taken.
  • Long-term considerations when deciding whether to take naltrexone daily or as-needed.

In many ways, naltrexone is a wonder drug. Researchers are finding more and more uses for naltrexone, it’s safe with minimal side effects for the vast majority of people and it allows you to have more control over your alcohol consumption rather than having to cut it out altogether or going cold turkey.

Because of the way naltrexone works in the system, it also allows people to decide how often they take the medication. With naltrexone you have the flexibility to take the medication daily for continuous support no matter what happens in the day or when you know you need it just before drinking.

With that choice comes a question: should you take naltrexone daily or only as-needed? 

Continuous Support Versus Fewer Doses

For some medications, such as birth control, skipping even one daily pill can have adverse effects on effectiveness. With naltrexone, timing of doses is what’s most important. For naltrexone to be effective at curbing alcohol cravings it has to be taken an hour or more prior to drinking. 

The idea of taking a medication every day whether or not it’s needed is less than ideal to some people. That’s why some patients consider taking naltrexone only as-needed. They’d rather not take a medication and have it in their system when there isn’t a true need for it. 

We totally understand that logic, and in some situations the less you take of a medication the better it is overall. That’s certainly the case with opioid pain medications, which should only be taken as-needed following the protocols that have been prescribed. 

There’s also the argument to be made that taking naltrexone as-needed can lower the long-term cost. Again, it’s an understandable line of reasoning.

However, for many people who are prescribed naltrexone, daily doses are the recommendation. The primary reason behind the recommendation is that taking naltrexone daily keeps you continuously covered. It’s the only way to ensure that the medication is active in your system at any time when you may need it. After all, the primary objective for taking naltrexone is to cut alcohol cravings that keep you drinking, and if it isn’t timed right you won’t get that benefit. 

Naltrexone Dosage and the Need For Daily Dosing

Naltrexone isn’t a one-size-fits-all solution. There are different dose levels for naltrexone, and that can come into play when you’re deciding whether to take it daily or as-needed. 

The standard naltrexone alcohol dosage is 50mg tablets. Naltrexone 50mg tablets will remain effective in your system for approximately 24 hours, which is why they are prescribed for daily use.

The longevity of naltrexone directly correlates with the dosage level. Taking a dose of naltrexone at 100 mg for alcoholism will provide effects for about 48 hours, and a 150 mg dose typically remains effective for around three days.  

Here’s a scenario as an example. Let’s imagine that you are going on a weekend cruise with some friends. There’s sure to be alcohol consumption that could happen at any time of day from hair of the dog drinks in the morning to late night cocktails just before bed. Because you never know quite when the group may start drinking you may want to take a naltrexone 100mg dose or even a 150mg dose to be covered for the whole trip. 

It’s a viable solution in this case if your clinician has already determined that a naltrexone 100 mg dose is safe for you. If that’s the case you won’t have to worry about timing your doses right while traveling or accidentally forgetting to take your medication when everyone starts drinking.

Taking Naltrexone For Alcohol Daily vs As-Needed For Long-Term Use

Another factor that some people weigh is how long they intend to take naltrexone for alcohol use. Taking a dose of naltrexone for alcoholism isn’t a silver bullet. Typically, naltrexone should be taken for at least three months to become fully effective in curbing cravings and establishing healthier drinking habits. 

It’s not a change that happens overnight because it’s neurological. The brain essentially has to become rewired and create a different association with alcohol to break dependency and reduce the risk of relapse. 

But three months is just the start of the improvements, which is why it’s the minimum recommended duration to break dependency. The longer you take naltrexone the stronger the effect will be. Often people report more significant results after six months of use. To fully reach stable remission, taking naltrexone for an entire year or more may be the recommendation. 

Naltrexone is safe for long-term use whether it’s taken daily or as-needed. It’s been found to be safe and effective even after years of daily use. It’s welcome news for anyone who is struggling with alcohol use disorder and wants to do what they can to avoid relapse. 

Bottomline: Daily Naltrexone Dosage May Be the Better Option

Since it’s safe to take every day for a long-term period, the better option for many people is taking naltrexone daily. Life can be unpredictable, and there may come a time when alcoholic beverages are offered when you don’t anticipate it. All it takes is drinking once without naltrexone in your system for the extinction period to be broken and the cravings to come back. 

For anyone who is overcoming an alcohol use disorder or in remission, the support they get from naltrexone is vital for reducing the risk of relapse. Even just the act of taking naltrexone each day helps to support healthier habits and puts you in the mindset to abstain. 

If you’re sensitive to side effects and using naltrexone to simply cut back on binge drinking, taking naltrexone as-needed can still be highly beneficial. However, that requires planning ahead and keeping the medication readily accessible to ensure you aren’t without it when you need it. 

If you want professional guidance deciding whether to take a naltrexone dose for alcohol daily or only as-needed Choose Your Horizon can help. Take the Alcohol Use Assessment to give our clinicians a clear picture of your situation so that they can make personalized recommendations based on your current health, drinking habits and goals.

About the author

Rob Lee
Co-founder

Passionate about helping people. Passionate about mental health. Hearing the positive feedback that my customers and clients provide from the products and services that I work on or develop is what gets me out of bed every day.

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