KEY POINTS ABOUT CONTRAVE®

CONTRAVE® logo and blue pill.

What is CONTRAVE® used for?

CONTRAVE® is a prescription medicine that is used to manage weight:

  • In adult patients who have obesity, or
  • In adult patients with overweight and at least one medical problem associated with their weight (such as high blood pressure that is controlled with medicine, type 2 diabetes, or high levels of lipids in the blood [e.g., cholesterol or other types of fat])

CONTRAVE® should be used together with a reduced-calorie diet and increased physical activity.

It is not known if it is safe to take CONTRAVE® with other weight loss products. Other products include prescription drugs, over-the-counter drugs, and natural health products. It is also not known if CONTRAVE® changes your risk of heart or blood vessel problems (e.g., stroke) or of death due to heart or blood vessel problems.

How does CONTRAVE® work?

Brain displaying cravings and appetite beside it.

CONTRAVE® contains two ingredients, naltrexone hydrochloride and bupropion hydrochloride. These medicines work on two separate areas of the brain to help control eating (appetite and cravings).

How to take CONTRAVE®

Chart displaying dose escalation schedule for Contrave over the first 4 weeks of treatment.

Your healthcare professional will determine the right dose for you based on your health, your condition, and how you react to CONTRAVE®. Your dose may be increased by your healthcare professional based on a weekly schedule. Never take more than you are prescribed per day.

This picture explains how the usual dose of CONTRAVE® will slowly increase over the first 4 weeks.

DO NOT:

  • Take more than 2 tablets at the same time.
  • Take more than 4 tablets in 1 day (e.g., 2 tablets in the morning and 2 tablets in the evening).

What to do if you miss a dose

If you miss a dose of CONTRAVE®, do not take the missed dose. Instead, take the next dose at the usual scheduled time. Do not double the dose to make up for the missed dose.

More information about taking CONTRAVE®

CONTRAVE® must be taken with a reduced-calorie diet and increased physical activity.

Take CONTRAVE® exactly as your doctor tells you. Do not change your CONTRAVE® dose without talking with your doctor. If a change to your dose is needed, you doctor will change it. Your risk of seizures may increase if you take more CONTRAVE® than what you have been told to take.

If you have not lost a certain amount of weight after 16 weeks of treatment, your doctor may tell you to stop taking CONTRAVE®.

CONTRAVE® must be taken orally. When taking CONTRAVE®:

  • Swallow CONTRAVE® tablets whole. Do not cut, chew, or crush the tablets. Tell your doctor if you cannot swallow CONTRAVE® tablets whole.
  • Take each dose of CONTRAVE® with food. Do not take CONTRAVE® with high-fat meals, as this may increase your risk of seizures.
  • Do not drink a lot of alcohol while taking CONTRAVE®. Talk with your doctor if you drink a lot of alcohol. If you suddenly stop drinking alcohol, you may increase your chance of having a seizure.

What to do if you suspect an overdose

If you think you have taken too much CONTRAVE®, contact your doctor, hospital emergency department or regional Poison Control Centre immediately, even if there are no symptoms.

If you take too many CONTRAVE® tablets, you may increase your risk of having serious and life-threatening effects, including:

  • Seizures.
  • Hallucinations (i.e., seeing or believing thing that are not there).
  • Loss of consciousness or coma.
  • Irregular heartbeat.
  • Fever.
  • Muscle rigidity or muscle breakdown.
  • Low blood pressure.
  • Stupor.
  • Difficulty breathing.
  • Heart problems.
  • Serotonin toxicity (also known as serotonin syndrome), which is a serious condition that can be life-threatening.

Now that you have reviewed key points about your CONTRAVE® treatment, get motivational and lifestyle tips specially created with your weight management journey in mind.

LEARN MORE HERE

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