Altered taste<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\nWeight loss may increase the risk of low blood sugar (hypoglycemia) in people with <\/span>Type 2 diabetes<\/span> who take insulin or certain diabetes medications such as glyburide or glimepiride. Increased blood sugar monitoring may be required.<\/span><\/p>\nContrave has a <\/span>boxed warning<\/span>, or black box warning, which is the most serious warning required by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA). Although Contrave contains bupropion, which is an antidepressant, Contrave should not be used for depression, other mental health conditions, or for smoking cessation. There is an increased risk of suicidal thoughts or behaviors in children, adolescents, and young adults who take antidepressant medication (even though this medication is not used for depression).\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\nThere is also a risk of other neuropsychiatric disorders in people who take Contrave, with symptoms including hallucinations, panic attacks, homicidal ideation (thinking about killing someone), aggression, extreme increase in talking, and others. People of any age who take Contrave should be closely monitored by family members and caregivers for any changes in mood, behavior, thoughts, and feelings. Any changes should be immediately reported to the healthcare provider. Contrave is not approved for use in children.<\/span><\/p>\nOther serious side effects may occur, which include:<\/span><\/p>\n\n- Severe allergic reaction (symptoms such as hives, difficulty breathing, chest pain, or swelling of the face, lips, tongue, or throat require emergency medical help)<\/span><\/li>\n
- Severe skin reactions (the following symptoms\u2014fever, sore throat, burning eyes, skin pain, red or purple rash, blistering or peeling skin\u2014require emergency medical attention)<\/span><\/li>\n
- Liver damage<\/span><\/li>\n
- Heart attack<\/span><\/li>\n
- Severely high blood pressure<\/span><\/li>\n
- Seizures<\/span><\/li>\n
- Angle-closure glaucoma<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
Who should not take Contrave<\/span><\/h2>\nContrave is not appropriate for everyone. Do not take Contrave if you:<\/span><\/p>\n\n- Have uncontrolled high blood pressure<\/span><\/li>\n
- Have seizures or a history of seizures<\/span><\/li>\n
- Have end-stage renal disease<\/span><\/li>\n
- Take other medications that contain bupropion<\/span><\/li>\n
- Have an eating disorder or history of eating disorders (such as anorexia or bulimia)<\/span><\/li>\n
- Take opioid-containing medicines or use medications to help you stop taking opioid pain medicines<\/span><\/li>\n
- Drink a lot of alcohol and then stop drinking\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n
- Take sleeping medicine, anxiety medicine, or anti-seizure medicine and stop taking it suddenly<\/span><\/li>\n
- Are taking a monoamine oxidase inhibitor (MAOI) medicine<\/span><\/li>\n
- Are allergic to naltrexone, bupropion, or any ingredient in Contrave<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
Before taking Contrave, tell your healthcare provider about any medical conditions you have, including heart disease, mental illnesses, head injury, kidney or liver problems, diabetes mellitus, or others.<\/span><\/p>\nWhat to avoid while taking Contrave\u00a0<\/span><\/h2>\nWhile taking Contrave, there are certain things that should be avoided.<\/span><\/p>\n\n- Do not use Contrave if you are pregnant. If you already take Contrave and find out you are pregnant, notify a doctor immediately.<\/span><\/li>\n
- Do not take any opioid medication (such as <\/span>oxycodone<\/span>) for at least 7 to 10 days before starting Contrave. While taking Contrave, do not take any opioid medication, <\/span>methadone<\/span>, heroin, or street drugs. The combination could cause a coma or death.\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n
- Do not take an MAO inhibitor medication (such as <\/span>tranylcypromine<\/span>, <\/span>selegiline<\/span>, or <\/span>rasagiline<\/span>) within 14 days before or after taking Contrave.\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n
- Do not take other forms of bupropion such as <\/span>Wellbutrin<\/span>.\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n
- Do not take Contrave with a high-fat meal. Taking Contrave with a meal that is high in fat can make you more likely to have a seizure.<\/span><\/li>\n
- Do not take more than two tablets at once. And, do not take more than a total of four tablets daily (two tablets twice daily).\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n
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