What Is Contrave 8/90 Used For?

Contrave 8/90 is a prescription medication that combines two active ingredients to help with weight management in adults who are obese or overweight.

Primary Uses

Contrave is used in obese or overweight adults to manage weight together with a reduced calorie diet and physical exercise. Your doctor will review your treatment after 16 weeks, and you should only continue using Contrave if you have lost at least 5% of your initial body weight.

How It Works

Contrave works on areas of the brain involved in the control of food intake and energy use. It will only assist in reducing body weight if it is used in conjunction with a reduction in calorie intake and/or an increase in physical activity.

How to Take Contrave 8/90

Contrave should be taken with food and the dose is gradually increased over a four-week period to help your body adjust to the medication.

Dosage Instructions

Week 1: One tablet once a day in the morning. Week 2: One tablet twice a day, one in the morning and one in the evening. Week 3: Three tablets every day, two in the morning and one in the evening. Week 4 and onward: Two tablets twice a day, two in the morning and two in the evening. The maximum recommended daily dose is two tablets taken twice a day. Swallow the tablet whole with a glass of water. Do not cut, chew or crush the tablets.

What If You Miss a Dose?

If it is almost time for your next dose, skip the dose you missed and take your next dose when you are meant to. Do not take a double dose to make up for the dose you missed.

Available Tablet Strengths

Side Effects

Like all medications, this medicine can cause side effects. Most are mild and temporary, but some require medical attention.

Common Side Effects

These side effects occur relatively frequently and usually don’t require emergency care:

• Nausea or vomiting
• Dizziness
• Dry mouth
• Constipation
• Headache
• Mood swings
• Difficulty sleeping or abnormal dreams
• Feeling spacey or jittery
• Forgetfulness or difficulty concentrating
• Weakness or lack of energy
• Tremor
• Sexual function problems
• Diarrhea
• Loss of appetite
• Stomach pain or cramps
• Taste disorders
• Ringing in ears
• Excessive sweating
• Hot flushes
• Tingling or numbness in hands or feet
• Joint or muscle pain
• Fast or irregular heartbeat

Important Warnings

There are several important conditions and situations where Contrave should not be used, and others where special caution is needed.

Who Should Not Take Contrave 8/90

Do not use if you: are allergic to naltrexone hydrochloride, bupropion hydrochloride, or any ingredients; have uncontrolled high blood pressure; have ever had a seizure; have a brain tumour; are a heavy drinker who has suddenly stopped or plans to stop drinking; have recently stopped sedatives or plan to stop them; are taking other medicines containing naltrexone or bupropion; have an eating disorder like bulimia or anorexia; are using opioids or going through withdrawal; have bipolar disorder; are taking MAOIs or have taken them in the last 14 days; have severe liver disease; have end-stage kidney disease.

Medical Conditions to Discuss

Check with your doctor if you: feel depressed, have suicidal thoughts, or other mental health problems; are 65 years or older; have high blood pressure, heart disease, liver or kidney problems; have mood disorders including depression or mania; have galactose intolerance or related conditions; have Brugada syndrome or family history of cardiac arrest; are at risk of seizures due to head injury, alcohol use, sedative use, stimulant addiction, diabetes with insulin, brain/spinal tumours, low blood sugar/salt, or hypoxia.

Pregnancy and Breastfeeding

Do not use Contrave if you are pregnant or intend to become pregnant. Weight loss offers no potential benefit to a pregnant woman and may result in harming your baby. Talk to your doctor if you are breastfeeding or intend to breastfeed. Contrave passes into human milk and is not recommended during breastfeeding.

Drug Interactions

Some medicines may interfere with Contrave and affect how it works, or increase your risk of side effects like seizures.

• Antidepressants
• Antipsychotics
• Asthma medicines (theophylline, systemic corticosteroids)
• Antimalarials
• Tramadol
• Sedating antihistamines
• Quinolone antibiotics
• Insulin or oral diabetic medicines
• Sedatives (benzodiazepines)
• MAOIs (monoamine oxidase inhibitors)
• Opioid painkillers (codeine, morphine, methadone)
• Cough and cold medicines (dextromethorphan, codeine)
• Blood pressure medicines (metoprolol)
• Heart rhythm medicines (propafenone, flecainide)
• Parkinson’s medicines (levodopa, amantadine)
• Blood thinners (ticlopidine, clopidogrel)
• HIV medicines (efavirenz, ritonavir)
• Mental health medicines affecting serotonin
• Digoxin

Alcohol & Driving

Contrave can affect your alertness and coordination, so special precautions are needed with alcohol and when driving or operating machinery.

Alcohol

Avoid or minimize drinking alcohol when taking Contrave. Tell your doctor if you drink alcohol. Excessive use of alcohol may increase your chance of having a seizure.

Driving and Operating Machinery

Be careful before you drive or use any machines or tools until you know how Contrave affects you. Contrave may cause dizziness in some people and therefore may affect alertness.

Storage

Store Contrave below 25°C in a cool dry place away from moisture, heat or sunlight. Do not store in the bathroom, near a sink, in the car, or on window sills. Do not freeze. Keep it where young children cannot reach it.

Overdose Information

If you think you have taken too much Contrave, seek urgent medical attention immediately. Phone the Poisons Information Centre (13 11 26 in Australia or 0800 764 766 in New Zealand), contact your doctor, or go to the Emergency Department at your nearest hospital. Overdose symptoms may include seizure, hallucinations, loss of consciousness, increased heart rate or irregular heartbeat, fever, muscle stiffness and/or pain, low blood pressure and breathing difficulties.

Frequently Asked Questions