Revia (Naltrexone)

Revia: Description and Usage

Revia Description

Revia or generic Naltrexone is prescribed in the treatment of drug and alcohol abuse. Naltrexone can be recommended to take along with counseling and support to help people who have stopped drinking alcohol and using drugs continue to avoid drinking or narcotics. Once you have completed your detoxification, your doctor can begin treating you with Revia. The generic alternative is not manufactured by the company that makes the brand product.

How Revia Works

When taken as instructed, Revia works by blocking endorphins from binding to opioid receptors in order to trigger the release of a neurotransmitter called dopamine. This brain chemical is responsible for the ‘feel good’ feeling you experience when you consume alcohol or certain drugs. The more liquor or medications you take, the more dopamine receptors you will have, and the more addicted you become. When you stop drinking or taking drugs, the number of dopamine receptors will decrease, and your cravings will reduce.

Conditions Treated by Revia

If you are dealing with alcoholism, your doctor may prescribe Naltrexone. Alcohol dependence is a condition marked by consumption of alcoholic beverages at a level that interferes with physical or mental health, and social, family, or work-related responsibilities. Revia can reduce the desire to drink and helps patients remain abstinent. It can also interfere with the tendency to want to drink more if a recovering patient slips and has a drink.

Drug addiction may occur with prolonged use of Rx painkillers causing nerve damage in your brain. Revia can actually help to reverse the effects opiate drugs have had on your brain and restore it to a pre-addictive state. Naltrexone is not addictive and should be taken under the guidance of an aftercare specialist. Along with counseling, your addiction can be better understood, and you’ll be given the means to live a drug-free existence as a productive individual.

Before Revia Will Be Prescribed

Revia or generic Naltrexone will not be prescribed to treat people who are still using drugs or consuming large amounts of alcohol. You must be opioid-free for at least 7-10 days or have undergone detox at a facility before your physician will start treatment with Revia. Tell your doctor if you are pregnant, may become pregnant, or are breast-feeding, as Revia may be harmful to an unborn or nursing baby.

What You Need to Know When Taking Revia

Revia will help you avoid drugs and alcohol only for as long as you are taking it, but it does not decrease or eliminate symptoms of withdrawal. You should not stop taking Revia without talking to your doctor. Always store medications out of children’s reach and never share them with others. Until you know how your body will react to taking Revia, avoid any activities that require you to be alert.

Possible Side Effects of Revia

• Headache
• Tiredness
• Loss of appetite
• Problems sleeping
• Joint or muscle pain
• Feeling anxious or irritable
• Stomach cramping or pain

Drugs Similar to Revia

• Campral
• Antabuse