But, if you drink, naltrexone will not prevent the effects of alcohol that cause impairment. Naltrexone does not decrease blood alcohol levels in people, and it will not sober you up . People who benefit from naltrexone treatment are more likely to be highly motivated to stop drinking, are in the early stages of recovery, are in a treatment program that includes counselling, and take the medication daily as prescribed. The most common side effect is nausea. Many of these effects are mild and disappear with time.
Naltrexone can cause liver damage when taken in excessive doses.
There are no studies on the use of naltrexone in pregnant or nursing women. Naltrexone should be used only if the patient and physician decide that the potential benefit is worth the potential risk. If you take narcotics including heroin in small doses, you may not feel any effects because they will be blocked by naltrexone. However, if you take large doses of narcotics to overcome naltrexone, you may die or be seriously injured . Special precautions Naltrexone will block the effects of narcotics including codeine in cough or pain preparations.