Contrave for weight loss

Contrave (naltrexone HCL/bupropion HCL) is a prescription weight loss pill. It was approved by the FDA in 2014 for adults with obesity or overweight with a related health condition.

Considering Contrave for weight loss? Want to get a Contrave prescription online? Find a weight loss specialist to see if Contrave is recommended for you.

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Providers on Klarity Health are independent practitioners with clinical autonomy; a diagnosis, treatment, or prescription is not guaranteed.

Providers on Klarity Health are independent practitioners with clinical autonomy; a diagnosis, treatment, or prescription is not guaranteed.

Medically reviewed by Dr. Paul Hetrick

What is Contrave?

Contrave (naltrexone HCL/bupropion HCL) is a U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA)-approved prescription medication for weight loss.

In clinical studies, participants taking Contrave lost at least 5%, and sometimes up to 10%, of their body weight in 56 weeks. If you weigh 300 pounds, that’s a loss of 15 to 30 pounds!

Contrave is meant to be used as part of a medical weight loss program that includes a reduced-calorie diet and increased physical activity. If you take Contrave as prescribed, it can help you lose weight and keep it off.

Learn about the best prescription weight loss pills available, including Contrave.

How does Contrave work for weight loss?

Contrave contains 2 active ingredients, bupropion and naltrexone. Bupropion is an FDA-approved antidepressant and the main ingredient in brand-name drug Wellbutrin. Naltrexone is an opioid antagonist FDA-approved to treat alcohol and opioid use disorders. Together, these active ingredients are thought to work in the brain to reduce your appetite and food intake while revving up your metabolism. The overall effect is weight loss.

In clinical trials, people with obesity or overweight who took Contrave for weight loss lost 5% to 10% of their starting body weight over 56 weeks.

Although Contrave contains active ingredients that are approved to treat depression and alcohol or opioid dependence, it isn’t approved or recommended for these conditions. Nor are Wellbutrin or naltrexone approved for weight loss. If you have these conditions, talk to a healthcare provider about a treatment plan specific to your symptoms.

Who’s eligible to take Contrave?

Contrave is FDA-approved for adults with a body mass index (BMI) of:

— 30 or greater (obesity)
— 27 or greater (overweight) with at least 1 weight-related health condition, such as type 2 diabetes, high blood pressure, or high cholesterol

When taking Contrave, it’s important to maintain a healthy diet and to exercise regularly. You shouldn’t take it if you have uncontrolled high blood pressure, seizure disorders, or are taking another medication containing bupropion or an opioid antagonist.

Learn more about whether Contrave and other weight loss pills are safe and who can take them.

**In-person lab tests may be required

How to get a Contrave prescription online

To get Contrave — whether in-person or online — you need a prescription from a licensed healthcare provider who assesses you and determines it’s the right option for your needs. Providers who can prescribe medication, like Contrave, include physicians (MDs), nurse practitioners (NPs), and physician assistants/associates (PAs). If you want to find a provider who specializes in weight loss and weight management, look for a bariatric practitioner.

To get a Contrave prescription online, find a telehealth provider licensed to practice in your state. You can find one on Klarity Health and schedule an appointment in minutes. And, you can do it all online, or in person, whichever you prefer in states that don’t require at least one in-person visit, which some do.**

Learn more about how to get an online weight loss prescription.

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**In-person lab tests may be required

How to use Contrave and Contrave dosages

Contrave is a pill you take by mouth twice a day — once in the morning and again in the evening. It’s only available in 1 strength and form — 8 milligrams/90 milligrams tablets. Tablets should be taken whole (not chewed or crushed) and with a meal. Avoid high-fat meals to prevent side effects.

When starting Contrave, you take:

— 1 tablet in the morning each day for 1 week

— A second dose in the evenings during week 2

— 2 tablets in the morning and 1 in the evening during week 3

— A maintenance dose of 2 tablets in the morning and 2 tablets in the evening starting at week 4

Your provider will evaluate how you’re doing on the Contrave maintenance dose at 12 weeks. They may recommend stopping Contrave if you haven’t lost a certain amount of weight by this point. Talk to your provider about how to take Contrave and what to do if it doesn’t work for you.

Contrave side effects and warnings

The most common side effects of Contrave include nausea, vomiting, constipation, headache, dizziness, trouble sleeping, dry mouth, and diarrhea. These tend to go away as your body adjusts. If symptoms persist or interfere with your daily life, talk to your healthcare provider about how to manage Contrave’s side effects.

Serious side effects have been reported with Contrave use and may require immediate medical attention. These include increased blood pressure or heart rate, seizures, tremor, manic episodes, allergic reactions, visual problems, and liver damage. Contrave may also increase your risk for low blood sugar (if you have type 2 diabetes), suicidal thoughts or actions, and opioid overdose or sudden opioid withdrawal.

Learn more about Contrave side effects, warnings, and precautions. Also talk to your healthcare provider or pharmacist.

And if you take Contrave and have negative side effects, consider reporting them to the FDA by visiting MedWatch or calling 1-800-FDA-1088.

What does Contrave cost?

A 1-month supply of Contrave (120 tablets) costs around $668, according to drugs.com and with its discount card. There isn’t a cheaper generic version available.

You’ll likely pay less if you have insurance that covers it. Also, the manufacturer, Currax Pharmaceuticals, provides a few ways to save:

— With the Contrave Coupon Savings Card program, pay as little as $20 per month if you have insurance. Without insurance, you can use the savings card to cap your out-of-pocket cost at $199 per month.
— Currax’s CurXAccess program offers Contrave for $99 or less and free shipping if you’re eligible and use Ridgway Mail Order Pharmacy to fill your prescriptions.

Coupons from prescription discount sites can also help you save money, with or without insurance.

How does Contrave compare to other weight loss drugs

Contrave is about as effective as other popular weight loss pills, such as Qsymia (phentermine-topiramate) and Xenical (orlistat). In individual trials, participants taking either Contrave or Qsymia lost 5% to 10% of their starting body weight in 56 weeks. In trials for Xenical, people taking it lost at least 5% body weight in 1 year.

You’ll likely lose more weight if your provider recommends a weight loss injection. In trials for Wegovy (semaglutide), participants lost 14.9% body weight on average over 68 weeks. And in trials for Zepbound (tirzepatide), people lost more on it than Wegovy, Contrave, Saxenda (liraglutide), Qsymia, Adipex-P (phentermine), and Xenical.

When comparing costs, you’ll pay less for Contrave than for prescription weight loss injections, which typically cost more than $1,000 per month without insurance. Contrave’s cost is in the middle-of-the-road compared to other weight loss pills though. A 1-month supply of Qsymia costs about $211, while Xenical costs around $803 per month.

Saxenda, Qsymia, Adipex-P, Xenical, Zepbound, and Wegovy are all FDA-approved for weight loss or weight management in people with obesity and overweight when combined with a reduced-calorie diet and increased physical activity. All have side effects that may include, but aren’t limited to, nausea, vomiting, constipation, diarrhea, and headaches. Phentermine in Adipex-P is a controlled substance and can increase heart rate or blood pressure and cause dependency and misuse. Contrave is not a controlled substance even though it contains phentermine.

If you’re considering weight loss medication, consult your healthcare provider. They can help you determine which, if any, is right for you.

	Contrave	Qsymia	Xenical	Wegovy	Zepbound
% body weight loss	up to 10%	up to 10%	at least 5%	up to 14.9%	up to 20.9%

On Klarity Health, you’re in good company

Reviews from real patients who received treatment from healthcare providers on Klarity Health.

How it works

Choose the right provider for you
Providers on Klarity Health are licensed, board-certified, and offer a personalized approach to your unique weight-loss needs. See detailed profiles for each provider and find an approach that’s best for you. (Costs for treatment options may vary.)
Have your initial patient visit
Your journey to losing weight starts with an initial consultation Your provider will go over your goals and medical history to recommend a program that’s right for you and may or may not include prescription medication.
Work with your provider on your progress
Your initial consultation is just the beginning. You and your provider will follow up to make sure you’re doing okay and that you’re reaching your goals. You stay on track with easy medication refills and ongoing support from your provider.
Access 24×7 support from Klarity Health
If you have questions or need assistance, the Klarity Health Patient Support team is here to help. Along with your provider, they’re committed to making sure you have the best care and support throughout your weight loss journey.

Why choose a provider on Klarity Health?

Choose from a growing list of licensed, board-certified providers.

Have an appointment in as little as 24 hours.*

No insurance needed — get reimbursed from insurance or use your FSA or HSA.

FAQs about Contrave

How effective is Contrave for weight loss?: You can lose 5 to 10% of your starting body weight in 1 year with Contrave according to clinical trial data. That amount is based on the COR-1 study, which assessed Contrave’s safety and effectiveness for weight loss in healthy, nondiabetic patients with obesity. In the study, patients taking Contrave who made changes to their diet and exercise routines lost 5 to 10% of their initial body weight in 56 weeks.
What does Contrave do to your body?: In the body, Contrave primarily works in the brain to suppress your appetite, though researchers aren’t sure of the exact mechanism. Its 2 active ingredients, naltrexone and bupropion, are different medications — naltrexone an opioid antagonist, bupropion an antidepressant. Together, they work on areas of the brain that regulate when and how much you eat. The overall effect is fewer cravings and reduced appetite.
Is Contrave the same as Wellbutrin?: No, Contrave isn’t the same as Wellbutrin, though they share 1 active ingredient — bupropion, a norepinephrine-dopamine reuptake inhibitor (NDRI). Bupropion and brand-name Wellbutrin are FDA-approved to treat major depressive disorder (MDD). While some people report weight loss as an added benefit, Wellbutrin isn’t a weight loss medication and isn’t used as such.

Contrave, on the other hand, is FDA-approved for weight loss in people who are obese or overweight. It contains 2 active ingredients — antidepressant bupropion (Wellbutrin) and naltrexone, an opioid antagonist. Together, these medications lead to weight loss by regulating your appetite, so you eat less and have fewer cravings.
How fast will I lose weight on Contrave?: According to clinical data, you could start losing weight within 4 weeks of starting Contrave. Reddit users who took Contrave say they noticed fewer cravings and reduced appetite after the first dose. But, it can take up to 16 weeks to be fully effective.

In clinical trials, people taking Contrave for medically-supervised weight loss lost at least 5%, and sometimes up to 10%, of their body weight in just over a year (56 weeks). They also ate a reduced-calorie diet and exercised more.
How much is Contrave without insurance?: Without insurance or other savings methods, Contrave costs around $668 for a 1-month supply. That’s according to drugs.com and with its discount card applied. There isn’t a cheaper generic version available. If you don’t have insurance, you can save on Contrave with savings cards, patient assistance programs, and/or coupons from prescription discount sites. Print or download your proof of savings and present it to your pharmacy to get Contrave at a discount.
What’s the downside of Contrave?: According to Contrave reviews, its downside is side effects, such as nausea, insomnia, and headaches. These tend to be worse during the first few weeks of taking Contrave and go away over time. If you take it, and side effects persist or interfere with your daily life, talk to your healthcare provider about how to manage them. They may suggest stopping Contrave and trying an alternative prescription weight loss pill or injection.
How to get a Contrave prescription from an online provider?: To get a Contrave prescription from an online provider, you need to be evaluated by a board-certified healthcare professional licensed in your state. You can find one on healthcare platforms, like Klarity Health. Providers on Klarity Health can assess your health and weight loss needs to create a tailored medical weight loss program. If medication, like Contrave, is medically necessary for you, they’ll give you a prescription or send it to your preferred pharmacy.
Who shouldn’t take Contrave?: Contrave has several contraindications due to the nature of its active ingredients. You shouldn’t take it if you have uncontrolled high blood pressure, a seizure disorder, bulimia or anorexia nervosa, or an allergy to its active ingredients. You also shouldn’t take it alongside certain medications, including Wellbutrin or other bupropion-containing drugs, methadone or other opioid agonists, or monoamine oxidase inhibitors (MAOIs). Contrave is also contraindicated if you’re quitting alcohol, benzodiazepines, barbiturates, or antiepileptic drugs.

Learn more about Contrave and weight loss medication

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Sources: Clinical Trials Arena, Contrave for the Treatment of Obesity, Oct. 2014, https://www.clinicaltrialsarena.com/projects/contraveforthetreatm/?cf-view

Currax Pharmaceuticals, How to save on Contrave, https://contrave.com/save/

DailyMed, Label: Contrave Extended Release- naltrexone hydrochloride and bupropion hydrochloride tablet, extended release, https://dailymed.nlm.nih.gov/dailymed/drugInfo.cfm?setid=485ff360-32c8-11df-928b-0002a5d5c51b

DailyMed, Label: Wellbutrin- bupropion hydrochloride tablet extended release, https://dailymed.nlm.nih.gov/dailymed/drugInfo.cfm?setid=a435da9d-f6e8-4ddc-897d-8cd2bf777b21

DailyMed, Label: Xenical- orlistat capsule, https://dailymed.nlm.nih.gov/dailymed/drugInfo.cfm?setid=6240792b-9224-2d10-e053-2a91aa0a2c3e

Diabetes, Metabolic Syndrome, and Obesity, Clinical utility of phentermine/topiramate (Qsymia) combination for the treatment of obesity, Jin Hee Shin and Kishore M. Gadde, Apr. 2013, https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3626409/

drugs.com, Contrave Price Guide, https://www.drugs.com/price-guide/contrave

drugs.com, Qsymia Price Guide, https://www.drugs.com/price-guide/qsymia

drugs.com, Xenical Price Guide, https://www.drugs.com/price-guide/xenical

eClinical Medicine (The Lancet), Pharmacotherapy of obesity: an update on the available medications and drugs under investigation, Marlene Chakhtoura et al., Mar. 2023, https://www.thelancet.com/journals/eclinm/article/PIIS2589-5370(23)00059-7/fulltext

JAMA Network, Continued Treatment with Tirzepatide for Maintenance of Weight Reduction in Adults with Obesity: The SURMOUNT-4 Randomized Clinical Trial, Louis J. Aronne, MD, et.al., Dec. 2023, https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jama/article-abstract/2812936

Mayo Clinic, Drugs & Supplements – Naltrexone and Bupropion (oral route), https://www.mayoclinic.org/drugs-supplements/naltrexone-and-bupropion-oral-route/side-effects/drg-20122495?p=1

Obesity — A Research Journal, Safety and Effectiveness of Longer-Term Phentermine Use: Clinical Outcomes from an Electronic Health Record Cohort, Kristina H. Lewis et. al., Mar. 2019, https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/oby.22430

Pharmacy & Therapeutics, Naltrexone/Bupropion ER (Contrave), Matthew M. Sherman, PharmD, et al., Mar. 2016, https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4771085/

Reddit, r/GetContrave, https://www.reddit.com/r/GetContrave/

The New England Journal of Medicine, A Randomized, Controlled Trial of 3.0 mg of Liraglutide in Weight Management, Xavier Pi-Sunyer, MD, et al., Jul. 2015, https://www.nejm.org/doi/full/10.1056/nejmoa1411892

The New England Journal of Medicine, Once-weekly Semaglutide in Adults with Overweight or Obesity, John P.H. Wilding, DM, et al., Feb. 2021, https://www.nejm.org/doi/full/10.1056/NEJMoa2032183

U.S. Food and Drug Administration, Drug Approval Package: Contrave, https://www.accessdata.fda.gov/drugsatfda_docs/nda/2014/200063Orig1s000TOC.cfm
How we review this article: This article went through rigorous fact-checking by a team of medical reviewers. Reviewers are trained medical professionals who ensure each article contains the most up-to-date information, and that medical details have been correctly interpreted by the author. Learn more about the editorial and medical review process and standards for the HelloKlarity site.

*Appointments are generally available within 24 hours. Free initial consultations are available only with select providers. Prescriptions, particularly for controlled substances, may require an in-person evaluation depending on the state of residence and current federal regulations.

The information provided in this article is for educational purposes only and should not be construed as medical advice. Controlled substances like phentermine may not be appropriate for all patients and any mention of these medications is for educational purposes only, not for marketing or encouraging self-diagnosis. Always seek the guidance of a qualified healthcare professional with any questions or concerns you have regarding your health. Providers on Klarity Health are independent practitioners with clinical autonomy. Nothing in this article is intended to diagnose or treat any condition, including guaranteeing prescription medication of any kind or dosage. Not all providers on Klarity Health prescribe all medications, particularly medications that are controlled substances.

If you’re having a mental health crisis or experiencing a psychiatric emergency, it’s crucial to seek immediate help from a mental healthcare professional, such as a psychiatrist, psychologist, or therapist. You can also call your local emergency services, visit your nearest emergency room, or contact a crisis hotline, such as the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline, by calling or texting 988 or dialing the Lifeline’s previous phone number, 1-800-273-TALK (1-800-273-8255) in the U.S.