Buy Lodonak (Naltrexone Hydrochloride) for Alcohol Dependence

Generic Lodonak (Naltrexone Hydrochloride 1.5 mg) Medication guide:

Generic Naltrexone is a competitive antagonist at μ and κ opioid receptors and a partial agonist at the δ receptor. It acts by antagonizing the effects of endogenous opioids, which have been observed to play a role in the alcohol rewarding effect in the brain, thus reducing the urge to drink alcohol and the amount of alcohol consumed. Opioids are important in the stress response, and Naltrexone has been observed to reduce alcohol consumption in response to stress or depression. The potent dopamine release caused by opioids plays a role in relapse to alcohol drinking, and Naltrexone may reduce that likelihood by decreasing alcohol-related dopamine levels. Naltrexone also has actions at non-opioid receptors such as the catecholamine and serotonin systems that may contribute to its effects on alcohol dependence, though these mechanisms are not well understood.

Naltrexone is a medication that has been licensed for use in the treatment of alcohol dependence. It is a treatment option that should be used as part of psychological or social therapies. Naltrexone is an alternative to disulfiram and acamprosate, or an option for patients who are unable or unwilling to be abstinent from alcohol on an unlicensed basis. Naltrexone should not be given to patients with acute hepatitis or liver failure, but has been used regularly in patients with non-alcoholic liver disease. Treatment is initiated in secondary care with Naltrexone being given at a dose of 25mg for the first 4-5 days, then 50mg per day for 12 weeks. Any longer treatment regimens should be closely supervised by a specialist. The duration of treatment is aimed to be 6 months and alcohol abstinence should be encouraged as an integral part of this. Any positive outcome from Naltrexone can be lost if the patient experiences an episode of heavy drinking.

What is Lodonak?

It is a medication that is delivered in a depot formulation and the brand name is Risperdal Consta. It is an injection and one injection lasts for 2 weeks. It is used to manage the symptoms of schizophrenia. This treatment is for patients who are stable on oral risperidone. Risperidone injection is not for the initial treatment of schizophrenia. The goal is to transition the patient from oral risperidone to risperidone injection to better manage the illness. Risperidone is an antipsychotic medication that has been used to successfully treat a variety of psychotic illnesses. This medication comes in an injection form and is supposed to be taken every 2 weeks. This injection helps control symptoms of schizophrenia and manic episodes associated with bipolar I disorder. This, of course, benefits the patient, the family, and friends. This benefit stems from the stabilization of mood and increased thought organization. This, therefore, will benefit the patient because it will help improve their overall quality of life. Lodonak has been shown to be effective in delaying relapse to the symptoms of schizophrenia. Relapse is a critical time in the course of the illness and can prevent the patient from achieving personal goals such as completing their educational program or succeeding in their chosen career. With successful treatment provided by the injection, the patient can achieve these goals. At the same time, the patient will not experience the harsh effects of the more traditional antipsychotic medications.

How does Generic Lodonak work?

Lodonak is prescribed for the purpose of assisting individuals who have difficulty in maintaining abstinence from alcohol, after they have undergone detoxification from this substance. It is believed that it acts on specific centers in the brain involved with drinking alcohol; it reduces the craving for alcohol and/or the pleasurable effects of drinking, and maintains drinking behavior. The exact way in which Lodonak works is unclear. Lodonak is an alternative treatment to the standard dose of naltrexone tablets. It has a much lower price than Lodonan and is still in the process of being reviewed for its benefits. Lodonan and naltrexone tablets are fully subsidized for those who are eligible to receive addiction treatment from the Drug and Alcohol Agency (DAS). Doses are able to be written at the prescriber's discretion.

Usage and Dosage

When Lodonak is taken at the recommended dose of 50 mg per day, it blocks the effects of 25 mg of intravenously administered heroin for at least 24 hours. Lodonak does not reduce the cravings for alcohol, nor does it interfere with the perceived effects from endogenous opioids.

Recommended dosage for adults

Lodonak should be taken as directed by the physician or as indicated on the medicine bottle. The usual dose of Lodonak is 50 mg once daily. When used in conjunction with bupropion, it is started at 18 mg/8 mg once daily, then increased as follows: After 4 days, increase to 18 mg/16 mg once daily, then 18 mg/8 mg and 18 mg/16 mg on the 5th and 6th day. Then, on the 7th day, take one tablet of 18 mg/16 mg in the morning and one tablet of 18 mg/16 mg in the evening. After four days, this dose may be increased to one tablet of 18 mg/16 mg and one tablet of 36 mg/16 mg once daily. After 7 days, an alternative dosing regimen may be one tablet of 18 mg/8 mg in the morning and one tablet of 18 mg/16 mg in the evening. After four days, this may be increased to two tablets of 18 mg/8 mg once daily. The dose should be titrated over 7 days to the recommended daily dose of two tablets of 18 mg/16 mg once daily. Titration is essential to avoid hypertension, which is believed to be a class effect of opioid antagonists as a result of increased catecholamine release. Lodonak tablets should be swallowed whole. Do not crush, break, or chew. Lodonak should be taken with sufficient water to ensure the tablets reach the stomach. Patients should not take Lodonak in order to overcome an opioid blocker and increase the effects of exogenous opioids. Withholding Lodonak or skipping doses may not provide sufficient blockade and may result in loss of opiate tolerance. Lodonak should be discontinued if there is evidence of hepatotoxicity (i.e., elevated transaminase levels 3 times the upper limit of normal). Lodonak is available in flexible dose combinations, allowing the prescriber a range of options for their patients. It is important to instruct patients to take the dose as prescribed.

How to take Lodonak

Before starting treatment, your physician needs to have confirmed that you are free from all opioids. You must stop taking any morphine or heroin and put an end to using methadone for at least 7-10 days before starting naltrexone therapy. You must be off all synthetic opioids, any other narcotics, or alcohol for at least 7-10 days before starting naltrexone. If you attempt to take opioids or opioid-containing products, you must stop taking Lodonak and inform your physician. If you are not sure about whether or not a drug is an opioid, consult your physician, pharmacist, or other healthcare provider.

You should take Lodonak by mouth with or without food, usually 50mg once daily, or as directed by your physician. In order to decrease the risk of passing the drug to the opioid-dependent fetus, the suggested post-detoxification dosage schedule ought to be initiated with 25mg once daily and raised to 50mg once daily after. High-dose naltrexone (150 mg) must be given by a certified healthcare provider.

Important information about dosage

Your doctor will have decided what the most appropriate dosing regimen is for your individual situation. Always follow your doctor's instructions. If you are unsure about anything, ask your doctor or pharmacist. The usual dose is one tablet daily. Your doctor may give you different dosing instructions, and this should be followed. Follow the directions on the packaging if your doctor has not told you anything specific. No matter what your dosing instructions are, you should take Naltrexone Hydrochloride at the same time every day. This will help you to remember to take your dose. Naltrexone Hydrochloride can be taken with or without food. Swallow the tablets with some water or other non-alcoholic drink.

Your doctor will assess your progress on Naltrexone Hydrochloride regularly, and if necessary, he/she may adjust your dose. Always follow your doctor's instructions.

Precautions and Side Effects

If you are taking Naltrexone, you should be aware of the following side effects. It is likely you will experience feelings of nausea, headache, dizziness, fatigue, and insomnia. These side effects usually lessen or disappear over time. Naltrexone has been reported to cause minor muscular and joint pain. It is a truly unfortunate fact that the condition of certain symptoms such as feeling no pleasure and no longer being motivated to complete tasks closely resembles aspects of depression. Because of this, it may be difficult to determine whether these symptoms are related to mood changes or low-level opioid withdrawal. If this is the case, you should be aware that taking opioid medications will have no effect on these symptoms. Naltrexone has also been shown to reduce the pleasurable effects of alcohol in some individuals. This will not affect immediate recovery after intoxication, and there is no increased risk of liver damage in people with elevated liver enzymes. Despite this, it is recommended that those recovering from opioid or alcohol dependency be aware of the possibility of enhanced opioid and alcohol effects.

Common side effects

Up to a third of people who take naltrexone have some nausea or tiredness. These side effects usually do not last long. If you have nausea, try to eat low-fat food often. Naltrexone may be more harmful to the liver when combined with other hepatotoxic medications. It is not clear whether this is a true liver injury or a transient, self-limited elevation in chemical markers of liver damage. For this reason, people should alert their physicians if they are using other medications that are harmful to the liver. You need to inform your doctor of any other medication, including over-the-counter medications, and complementary or alternative treatments. If you do have significant liver impairment, it would be necessary to have some regular blood tests to monitor your liver function. Any form of hepatitis and jaundice rules out the treatment with naltrexone.

Serious side effects

Serious side effects have occurred in less than 1% of people. High doses of naltrexone may cause liver damage. If you experience any of the following symptoms of liver damage, you should stop taking naltrexone and contact your doctor as soon as possible: persistent anorexia, nausea, vomiting, pain in the upper right abdomen, or jaundice. Other serious side effects include depression, skin rash, itching, swelling of the face, and trouble breathing. If any of these occur, you should stop taking naltrexone and contact your doctor. Published data on the effects of drug dependence during naltrexone treatment are conflicting, and the potential for a significant increase in the patient's signs and symptoms must be considered in deciding whether naltrexone is a suitable therapeutic agent. Withdrawal symptoms occurred in some dependent patients when the initial dose of naltrexone had been given too soon after the patient had used opioids. Age greater than 65 years may also predict an increase in naltrexone-associated adverse events.

As with most medicines, keep this medicine stored in a safe place to prevent misuse. Naltrexone has the potential for being abused, so it should be kept in a place inaccessible to others, including family members. Misuse can cause serious harm, especially in the case of children. This post may also pose a risk to people who have or used to have a naltrexone dependency. In this case, the post should be supervised by a responsible adult.

Precautions to consider

When discontinuing an opiate (e.g. heroin), it is common for people to consider using a narcotic substance to help curb the withdrawal symptoms. Please consider the following: Naltrexone will block the effects of any narcotic medicines you take (such as codeine, morphine, or methadone). You should be off all opiates for at least 7-10 days in order to take Naltrexone. This is because you need to be free from both moderate and high-strength opiates in order to avoid sudden and severe withdrawal symptoms. This can be difficult to determine and sometimes people are unsure if they are free from these medicines. A simple home test is to take a small amount of any opiate you have been taking and note the effect. If you experience no effects at all after several hours, then you are free to take Naltrexone. However, if you become sick, dizzy, faint, or have an opiate-type high, then you are still opiate dependent. In this case, you should continue to take a prescribed opiate. These concerns should be discussed with your GP, drug worker, or a specialist in narcotic addiction. If you do decide to still take Naltrexone, an opiate challenge should be performed in a medical setting or with the advice and support of a professional who can monitor the effects and administer any opiate antagonists if necessary. Step down a life-threatening situation where Naltrexone was mistakenly taken by an individual still opiate dependent, Naltrexone will cause a rapid detoxification. This means the full effects of the opiate will be blocked and the individual will very quickly go into severe opiate withdrawal. This state can be extremely uncomfortable and distressing, but the person will need to endure it until the opiates are completely removed from the body and the Naltrexone wears off up to 48 hours later. Opiate-dependent patients must be Naltrexone-free and free from opiates for 7-10 days in order to avoid this situation.

Interactions and Contraindications

Opioid blockade can cause or exacerbate hepatic impairment due to an increased bioavailability of morphine in this patient group. In the case of those with recent onset of their pain, it may be possible to stop opioid analgesia and with a period of abstinence from opioids, the patient may derive significant benefit from Lodonak when the pain syndrome is re-evaluated and opioid analgesia is reinstated. However, for those with chronic pain who have a stable and established pain syndrome, the risks of precipitating an acute pain state with the blockade of analgesia may outweigh any potential long-term benefits from administration of Lodonak. Data to support this clinical impression is not unequivocal, and it would be of benefit to have a specific study in this patient group. An individual viable option may be a trial of administration of low-dose Lodonak with the expectation that this may attenuate but not completely block opioid analgesia, hence avoiding exacerbation of the pain syndrome. In this eventuality, long-term administration of Lodonak for the indications above would not be recommended, and the patient who did not derive benefit would need to stop Lodonak and reassess the benefit-risk ratio of resuming higher-dose opioid analgesia.

Naltrexone is an opioid antagonist. Therefore, patients are not likely to derive any benefit from Lodonak treatment, and the experience of blockade to opioid agonist effects may provoke an acute opioid withdrawal syndrome. In the large majority of cases, this will not pose a medical risk. However, in two specific circumstances, the patient and the physician will need to make an individual assessment as to the relative risks and benefits of initiating Lodonak treatment. These are in patients with hepatic impairment and in those using a form of opioid analgesia for the management of chronic pain.

Drug interactions

A stepwise approach to minimize radiation and optimize imaging quality is inherent in the practice of radiology. Intermediate steps requiring pre- and post-procedural pain management with opioid analgesics for specific diagnostic procedures may be temporarily stopped by naltrexone. It is a general rule to avoid naltrexone use for opioid-dependent patients in medical and surgical conditions who require an opiate for pain management, as it is known that naltrexone will block the effects of these medications. In rare cases, patients undergoing naltrexone treatment may require anesthesia with opioid medications.

Opioids have been known to be very effective in pain relief, but can also cause euphoria, and this has led to misuse of opioids. Data have shown that patients taking naltrexone have an attenuated response to opioids due to blockade of opiate receptors and thus might not achieve the desired pain relief from these medications. If you need to take an opioid analgesic (e.g., codeine, hydrocodone, others) for acute or chronic pain for any reason, you will need to stop taking naltrexone in order to avoid it blocking the effects of these medications. It is not known how long is required to reduce sensitivity to the point where naltrexone will no longer block the effects of opioid analgesics. This is the decision of a physician and his patient. Data are available to help predict which patients will respond to opioid analgesics, with the possible exception of codeine. Measures of pain severity and the specific types of pain best treated by opioids vary in each case, and these determinations should be made by the patient and the physician involved.

If you are planning to have any of these procedures, it is recommended that you stop taking naltrexone at least 3 days beforehand in order to minimize the effects of this general anesthetic on you. If you need emergency medical care for a problem not related to addiction or opiate overdose, it is still important to inform the emergency room physician that you are dependent on opiates and that you are in treatment with naltrexone.

Medications for opioid dependence, such as naltrexone, can impact individuals in a variety of ways. The full range of potential effects of naltrexone is not yet known, but it is hypothesized that this medication may produce general central nervous system depression, including drowsiness, lightheadedness, faintness, or, in some cases, loss of consciousness.

Contraindications

Contraindicated in:

1. Lodonak therapy is contraindicated in acute hepatitis or liver failure, and those patients with recent opioid use and/or those who are in active opioid withdrawal;
2. Patients who are being treated for acute hepatitis or liver failure may experience an exacerbation of their liver condition;
3. Lodonak may also cause an increase in liver enzymes. When patients with liver dysfunction and/or those currently on potentially hepatotoxic drugs are given Lodonak, there is the potential for hepatocellular injury;
4. It is not known whether Lodonak will exacerbate pre-existing liver damage. However, the potential risks should be weighed against the benefits of the treatment;
5. Patients have also experienced increased liver damage evidenced by an increase in transaminase levels. In most cases, the damage was no longer detectable upon cessation of therapy. However, there have been some cases of significant and symptomatic liver dysfunction, although the cause was not clearly identified;
6. Although Lodonak is a relatively safe drug and has not caused significant liver damage in clinical trials to date, it still may pose a risk to patients with liver disease. Therefore, it is recommended that the drug not be prescribed to alcoholics, those with acute or chronic liver disease, or those taking potentially hepatotoxic drugs;
7. Due to its blockade of opioid receptors, Lodonak interferes with other opioids. In a situation where a patient under Lodonak therapy has a need for pain management or has an emergency situation, high doses of an opioid antagonist may be required.

Where to buy Lodonak (Naltrexone Hydrochloride)

Looking to reclaim your life from alcohol or opioid dependence? Buy Lodonak (Naltrexone Hydrochloride) from our RXShop online pharmacy, your trusted source for effective addiction treatment medications. At RXShop, we understand the importance of accessible and reliable treatments, which is why we offer Lodonak, a proven medication that helps reduce cravings and prevent relapse in individuals recovering from alcohol and opioid addiction. Our easy-to-navigate online platform ensures a smooth and secure purchasing process, allowing you to order Lodonak from the comfort of your home with just a few clicks. Take the first step towards a healthier, sober life by ordering Lodonak today. Our dedicated support team is available to assist with any questions you may have about the medication or your order. Don't let addiction control your life any longer; trust RXShop to provide you with high-quality, effective medication. Buy Lodonak now and start your journey towards recovery and well-being.

Sources: Garza, K. et al. (2015) “Framing the community data system interface,” Proceedings of the 2015 British HCI Conference. British HCI 2015: 2015 British Human Computer Interaction Conference, ACM.