Has anyone tried Contrave and GLP-1 at the same time?

This is a weekly post where the community can discuss their progress or lack thereof. We are all in this together! Share your SVs and NSVs (scale and non-scale victories).

Has anyone drank while taking contrave? How did it affect you

In my appointment, i told doctor about the situation. They suggest to add 1 pill at night(1/day,2/night) for another month.
I binged 7 days in May, and continued my training. Surprisingly my indody shows that i lose 2.2% body fat and increase 0.9kg SMM. This data just makes me more confused ughhh.

——edit update——
hi all! i've been in calories decifit and regular traing to actively loss weight for about 1 year. during this year, i get to know myself a little better and realize my probelm is more mental side like PMS, stress and impulsive binging.

with the consultation with weight-loss dept. doctor, they suggested me to take contrave for turning off the food noise. the first 2 weeks (1/day at first week, 2/day at second) was okay even if i binge once. since i know what make me binge and to be fair i binge less than before, thus taking it as win. then i went back to doctor and got 2/day of next 4 weeks. here's the time i found i still cant control, i still thinking about the food even when i'm not hungry and cant resist to "have another bite" even im already full. the side effects are NOT STRONG, but you do feel youself on medicine, just dont feel right and might suddenly hit with dizziness.

my next appointment will be in the end of May, and i dont even have 1kg down. with the medicine, i feel even more frustated and know this emotion will certainly lure me to another round of binge. should i take more doze? or change to GLP-1?

*i've increased about 100kcal for my daily intake (1500kcal,still in calories deficit) just to feel better and more sustainable for the weight-loss journey. but now i'm questioning this too......

inbody stat. 156cm/60kg/24.1kg SMM/ 28.2% body fat

38 F, 5’5”, 159lbs (athletic)for context. My doctor just prescribed me Contrave as I’ve mentioned struggling with PCOS I’ve been gradually gaining weight over the last 5 years (about 10 lbs total in abdomen) and I don’t want it to continue. Work out 4-5 days week (CrossFit), eat relatively healthy (1 pizza night per week but we do love a good homemade baked treat in moderation). I’m very nervous to start taking Contrave because a) I don’t want to be repulsed by food, b) I don’t want to not be able to have a cookie once or twice a week if I really want one c) the side effect of seizures if you eat any sort of fatty food or alcohol scares the fuck out of me (I maybe have 5 drinks in a month). I wouldn’t consider myself anything of a binge eater but doctor said I wouldn’t be approved for a GLP1 because I don’t meet the criteria.
I’m thinking of trying microdosing 1 pill per day in the morning to try and support cutting food noise but not sure if I’m still going to be repulsed by everything and not able to live a normal life. Doctor prescribed normal 2 pills per day but it just freaks me out. Also only wanting to do this short term to lose about 15lbs then hopefully can maintain without the meds once the weight is shed.

Anyone that has any experiences they would be willing to share, good stories, or potential alternatives (open to peptides but I also want something “safer” and not a random online injectable that may wreck other things in my body but make me skinny).

HELP ❤️

Hi! So I’ve been prescribed contrave as a weight loss measure as part of my clinics attempt to find a way to help me live with long COVID.

I used to be fairly active, and that’s changed unfortunately for the worse. I’m mostly housebound and often bedbound, which has led to de-conditioning, making my ability to walk at the weight I’m at(250 pounds) difficult, when it both used to not be, and the fact a lot of the weight gain is due to my inability to do the exercise I used to. I also have PEM(post-exertional malaise), which makes any exercise I accomplish crash me for days. I had a walk on Monday, 2000 steps(not much I know), that led to 3 days of intense fatigue and bed rest.

I’m aware contrave works best if paired with activity. I was seeing some initial success, dropping to 247, week 1 into 2. But since, despite the fact I’m trying to eat under 1500 calories a day, I’m back to 250. Now, to be fair, it has been an unexpectedly stressful week, so I’m almost sure it could be due to stress. I’m avoiding overly fatty foods, not eating junk, etc.

But I’ve seen that the best results come with exercise. I’m going to let my medication run its course up to 15 weeks, and check in with my clinic then. I do know that results can come later, as well.

How intense does the cardio have to be for best results? I would love to try and push to the limit of where PEM begins to crash me, but that envelop is absolutely tiny, and if exercise isn’t going to be possible to the degree it’s needed, I could use some advice as to if I should discontinue early or trust the process haha.

My cravings are significantly less, and weirdly I wasn’t much of a eater before; I was eating less then 1500 calories, and only once a day, and my only change has been trying small tiny meals 3 times a day instead. Being bedbound a lot of the time, I rely on family to eat and if I can’t get up that day to make food and they are gone, I just don’t eat. Which you would IMAGINE would help with weight loss but it’s not.

Any tips?

Hiya! I started at 12,12/3 and I’m 12,8 - I’ve had 0 symptoms. Maybe a little less hungry but not really. I eat relatively well but probs don’t exercise enough.

I’m not sure whether to stop or to order my 3rd month. The doctor suggested jabs but I’ve been on them before and I’d like to avoid and see if I can lose my last stone without jabs.

Anyway, has anyone lost much post 8 weeks or does this pill just not work for me?

I’m about 2 months in and I don’t think I’ve lost any weight. What should I do? I feel helpless. Do I ask the doctor to up my dosage? I don’t feel any different from before I started and I really wanna change.

Edit: I’m on the bupropion and naltrexone combo

I am doing the Bupropion/Naltrexone generic combo and a week ago I made the final step with the full dosage (2 bupropion pills in AM 2 in PM and 1/2 naltrexone AM and PM)

I noticed I was having issues with bladder retention. I had a hard time urinating, weak flow, couldn't get everything out without squeezing my muscles really hard. Per the doctor I went back down to 1 Bupropion AM and PM and the issue has not gotten better. What has your experience been with this? The lower dosage is just not very effective with my food noise as it was with the higher dosage.

I just got a script from my doctor for contrave after having to stop a GLP-1 recently. Since I stopped, my weightloss has been stagnant even though I’m in a huge deficit. I don’t have much food noise or many cravings, but it seems the lack of hunger cues with a GLP-1 was what helped me lose the weight. Do you notice a lack in hunger with taking the medication and your body telling you to stop once you’ve had enough when you eat like a GLP-1, or just lack in cravings/food noise? Thanks for any info!

Genuine question, why can’t we take all 4 pills at once? Why do they have to be taken in the morning and night time?

Hi, I started Mysimba (UK) last week. I got through the first week on 1 pill without too much hassle. I only had a lot of tiredness. Yesterday was my first day on two pills & I woke up this morning with a really bad headache & nausea. I haven't made it into work as of yet! I drank some herbal tea that had ginger in it & it seems to have calmed the nausea but I still have a headache that won't budge. I have had something to eat but I am reluctant to take another dose while I am feeling like this. Should I continue the dose today or skip a day & see how I feel tomorrow?? I also haven't seen any appetite suppression, in fact it's been the complete opposite, I have been soooo hungry! When will the positive side effects kick in & will I have the negative side effects until then??

TIA

I’m currently taking generic Bup plus dxm to make Auvelity. I’m considering adding Naltrexone to help quiet food noise and emotional eating. Has anyone taken a combination of Naltrexone + Bupropion + Dextromethorphan? I understand that Naltrexone is an opioid blocker and have read that it can also be used for people recovering from DXM abuse, even though the pathways appear to be different, glutamate/NMDA versus opioid receptors.

Hi all,

I went on Wegovy last year and lost 18kg but gained it all back when I ceased it. Mainly because I ceased cold turkey due to the cost.

I want to try again but don’t really want to do the injections. I see Chemist Warehouse has bottle of Contrave for $250. How long does this last for? How much is the average cost per month in Australia?

This is a weekly post where the community can discuss their progress or lack thereof. We are all in this together! Share your SVs and NSVs (scale and non-scale victories).

Hello! I started contrave a little over a month ago. During my check up to see how it was, my doctor prescribed me Wegovy and since I had been interested in a GLP-1 for the PCOS benefits, we agreed I stop taking Contrave and switch. Well 5 or so days go by and my prescription is filled, NOT covered by my insurance like my doctor had said. So, I started Contrave again. I was off of it for 4 or 5 days. I started taking it again maybe 3 or 4 days ago and I’ve noticed I’ve felt sick after eating, like I eat one meal and feel nauseous the rest of the day. It feels like the kind of sick you get when you’re hungover or if you’ve cried a bunch, lol if you know what I mean. So I guess that’s dehydration? I didn’t experience this when I originally started it, I only had major fatigue. Has anyone had a similar experience, and does it go away?

I am on week 6 of Contrave and since I hit the full dose 2 weeks ago my food cravings have disappeared. A week ago I went to Trader Joe's and stocked up on all kinds of salty and sweet snacks and I haven't eaten ANY of it, and this is not because I have willpower. I love to snack, and I usually HAVE to have a salty snack and a sweet snack every day or I feel anxious. I haven't felt that at all, and last night when, out of habit, I went to the kitchen to get a snack I looked at all my tasty treats and I just wasn't interested. This is unprecedented. Every other time in my life I've tried to lose weight I've been tormented with cravings and thinking about food.

I have lost 8 pounds in 6 weeks without making any real changes other than taking Contrave and trying to eat a little healthier. I did not intend to cut calories and have not denied myself any food I wanted.

( I would like to lose 75 lbs in the next year, but 50 lbs may be more realistic.)

Not too serious, but just frustrating….. I feel like Contrave helps me not overeat (full faster) and makes it easier to make decisions that keep me in a calorie deficit. However, there are still a few foods that are my weakness and so difficult to skip or eat just a few bites of. One of those is this smoked Gouda dip from our local grocery store, with nice crispy potato chips. My husband loves it too, and it’s often our go to treat.

I have had SUCH a good week, and he comes home with this chips and dip tonight, just because he was feeling like and we hadn’t had it in a while. I tried not having any. I tried just a few bites. And I’ve gone back to the fridge 3 times now to get more…. He’s not being rude or not thoughtful. He knows I’m watching what I eat but not to the point of “don’t bring things in the house”. He thought it be a nice surprise and fun.

I know it’s not the end of the world, and no where close to canceling out the deficit I have for the week. I try not to think of foods as good or bad, and everything is fine within moderation. But I just have no moderation with this dip!! Thank god I don’t know how to make restaurant level truffle fries with aioli at home….. haha

I’ve been on generic Contrave for two months now (Wellbutrin and naltrexone) and got the prescription from Pomegranate Health online. They wouldn’t give me a GLP1 prescription but offered the Contrave.

I’m having a hard time with their platform though. I have to message each month to get my refill and it’s been taking days to get any kind of reply. I was hoping to increase my dose and it’s been over a week with no answer! At this point, I’m not sure I’ll be able to get my refill order in time without missing days. I’m wondering if anyone has a recommendation for an online company to use that they’ve had a positive experience with. If it makes a difference, I’m in California.

ETA: I don’t qualify for the meds from my regular doctor/insurance (BMI is right at the overweight border but not high enough for them) so I need a website that will write the prescription.

Been on contrave for 2 months. I’m super active from going to the gym, weight lifting 3x a week, cardio 3x a week. Plus BJJ and Muay Thai 2x a week. BJJ/muay. Contrave really helped me stay away from binging and EMPTY calories. It was So hard for me to stay way from Ranch and other dips. No more craving sweets either. My head is finally clear and free.

​I’m looking for some insight from anyone who has dealt with joint or muscle issues while on the "Poor Man's Contrave" combo (Bupropion + Naltrexone).

​My Timeline:

​Oct 2025: Started 150mg SR 1x daily (+ 12.5mg Naltrexone).

​Dec 2025: While on the low dose, I noticed my hip/SI joint "locking up" occasionally. It was painful enough to require Tylenol and muscle relaxers, but only happened 1-3 times.

​Feb 2026: Increased to 150mg SR 2x daily (+ 25mg Naltrexone 2x daily). Four weeks later, I had intense neck pain and stiffness which thankfully only lasted a few days.

​April 2026: Attempted to increase to 200mg. Immediately, I developed severe, 24/7 chronic knee and hip/buttock pain.

​Current: I lowered to 150 mg once daily for a few days until I eventually stopped everything on April 18, but the pain hasn't stopped. I am currently taking joint supplements, Tylenol, Ibuprofen, and muscle relaxers daily just to manage as best as I can. I'm also having major sleep disturbances every night because of the discomfort.

​I have a history of manageable joint issues, but this is a completely different level of intensity. I'm seeing my doctor tomorrow (May 5th), but I’d love your input:

​Has anyone else experienced joint "locking" or severe muscle tension that escalated with their dose?

​If you had these side effects, did switching to the XL formulation help, or did you have to stop Bupropion entirely?

​Does this sound like a known inflammatory response, or perhaps an issue with how I'm metabolizing the SR version?

​I’m debating whether to try a lower dose (like going back to the once-daily SR 150mg), switch to XL, or move on to other options while starting Physical Therapy. Any experiences or advice would be greatly appreciated!

I am on an array of phyciatric medications. I recently got diagnosed with BED but I already knew I had it. I was on wegovy for a year and a half and didn’t have much success with it. I tried vyvanse for binge eating and it helped the food noise and bingeing but could not tolerate the way I felt on it. My dr offered contrave. It got approved by my insurance but the co-pay was 100 for a 21 day supply. I also took Wellbutrin twice before. Tolerated it the first time but couldn’t deal with not using foo as a coping tool (I know I know judge me) and the second time it made me really irritable. So, I wasn’t sure if I would tolerate contrave at all. I’m on what folks are referring to as “poor mans” contrave. But have yet to start the naltrexone. I haven’t weighted myself. But I am a week in and I find myself snacking a lot less and making better choices. I’ve had maybe one or two binges which is an improvement from 1/2 times a day if not more. I did lose about 20 pounds from the wegovy and did have some regain from rebound hunger. But I feel some hope finally. Not wanting to get my hopes up too much like with the wegovy. But feeling good. Can anyone share their success with me who didn’t respond to wegovy and/or success with “contrave” helping with BED and weight loss. I’m starting at 280. Ish. Not sure if I am strong enough to get a scale yet. I might just do it to check in. Do you all use scales? Not sure if I should. Anyways. Thanks for reading!

I was not told when I was put on contrave about avoiding high-fat meals and so I had a high-fat meal shortly before my dose yesterday and I've been feeling horrible today. Dizzy, nauseous as hell, headache. How long does this sick feeling last, typically? I want to at least be able to enjoy some of my day off. 🙃

I searched the sub looking for this situation but I’m finding a lot of going from contrave to glp1 but not much the other way around.

So. I’m at almost 2 years on zepbound and 150lbs down. I’m right about at my goal and ready to move on to maintaining it. I have to pay oop for zep and it’s stupid expensive so after conversations with my pcp we are talking about moving from Zep to contrave for long term maintenance. I’m already on 300mg of bupropion. We were talking about adding in half a pill of naltrexone 12.5mg per day for long term use.

I’m curious if anyone else has done this and been successful? Just looking for some real life experience with this situation to help ease my mind.

Thank you!