4.5 years out! CONTRAVE??

Well its been a few years since Ive been on here. Life does get busy after surgery and you slowly stop logging on. However I am overall doing well I started off at 346 lbs and got to my maintenance weight of 163-165 at about 1.5 yrs. I had surgery on my left knee in October 2015 and couldn't continue my gym routine of 6 days a week 2/3 hours a day. So after not going for 6 months I kinda lost ALL motivation for the gym and gained 20 lbs. (I was still eating like I was going to the gym 6 days a week) Yep it happens. 

Fast forward.... Still haven't made it back to my gym routine and am still struggling with losing the gain of 20.  I started CONTRAVE today and will continue it to see how it will affect me. I have to say its suppose to help block the reciters in your brain for craving food and head hunger so far today I have ate Cheerios, small banana and almond milk for breakfast and 8 oz. pork shoulder for lunch. Haven't thought about anything else nor have I honestly been hungry. So we shall see.

My question is has anyone else tried this drug or has gained weight and is struggling at the moment?????

I tried Contrave and while it did help the physical hunger and joy of eating, it didn't fix my issue (which was in my head).  I could still eat everything I wanted, just to spite the Contrave (and myself).

There are several of us working on regain. I got back 90 pounds.  I have so far dropped 23 in 2 mos using my tool.  I just had to get all the whites out, go back to the straight lean proteins and eat like post surg again.  My tool still works.  I had 67g of beef 3 hours ago and can still feel it.  I feel pretty good about that.  I realized that the biggest part of the diet that I had forgotten or lost was the support on these boards.  So I'm here everyday, and that makes a big difference.

23 in two months is fantasti****ep up the great work! 

Hopefully the Contrave starts working well for you!

That said, it would be smart to drop the cheerios and banana, as well as anything else carb-heavy, in favor of dense protein.

I pay close attention to my carbs and get at least 90 g of protein a day.

Medication can help with biological impulses due to bad biochemistry.  However, counseling is typically better for long-term ha*****ange.

Contrave is two medications: wellbutrin, which suppresses appetite and acts like a stimulant (it is not a stimulant) and naltrexone which is an opiate blocker and blocks the pleasure centers of the brain.  I was on contrave briefly pre-op and felt it did squat.  It may be different for you.

The thing is, long-term ha*****ange is always what causes weight loss, regardless of procedure or patterns, and psychotherapy is the best way to accomplish that if you cannot do it on your own.  I went to counseling many years, myself.

No medication can force you to make good choices.  If you have a biochemical imbalance, like depression, it may help a lot though. :)

Yes thanks... I do know what it is and know a couple people that are on it and it has worked for them. I do know what needs to be done, just havent made the time to get back into the gym. It will always be a struggle I think no matter what you do. I have maintained the 20 but would much rather be -20 lol

I took Contrave for several months and did not feel it did anything for me.  My insurance did not pay for it so when I decided it really wasn't helping, I stopped taking it.  I hope you have a better experience!