Getting Contrave dosing right supports safety and steady progress. This guide explains how the medicine is titrated, when to take doses, and how food affects absorption. We also cover ingredient amounts, common substitutions, and practical monitoring. You will see where Contrave dosage fits into a broader plan and when to revisit your regimen with your prescriber.
Contrave combines naltrexone and bupropion in an extended-release tablet. Its stepwise schedule helps the body adjust and may limit early side effects. Use this information to prepare for discussions with your healthcare professional and to set realistic expectations.
Key Takeaways
- Stepwise titration: increase tablets weekly over four weeks.
- Morning and evening doses: space doses and avoid bedtime timing.
- Food guidance: avoid high-fat meals; swallow tablets whole.
- Safety first: review seizure risk, blood pressure, and interactions.
- Reassess progress at maintenance; align with your care plan.
Understanding Contrave dosage and Titration
Contrave contains naltrexone (an opioid receptor antagonist) and bupropion (a norepinephrine-dopamine reuptake inhibitor). The extended-release design aims to smooth plasma levels across the day. A structured titration helps tolerance. Prescribers typically adjust weekly toward a maintenance schedule if tolerated. The goal is to balance adherence, side effects, and response while staying within label limits.
Never crush, split, or chew the tablets. Swallow them whole with water. Do not exceed the recommended daily maximum. The FDA-approved schedule is designed to limit seizure risk and support gradual dose exposure. For label specifics on dosing, titration, and contraindications, review the FDA prescribing information, which outlines stepwise increases and maximum daily dose limits (FDA prescribing information).
Titration Week by Week
The regimen increases gradually across four weeks to help your body adapt. During week 1, you start low to assess tolerance. Week 2 adds an evening tablet to introduce twice-daily dosing. Week 3 increases the morning dose while holding the evening dose, and week 4 reaches the maintenance schedule if tolerated. If side effects emerge, your prescriber may pause escalation or reconsider the plan. Do not change your regimen without medical guidance, especially if you have seizure risk factors or uncontrolled hypertension. The following chart shows the typical weekly structure used in clinical practice.
| Week | Morning | Evening | Approx. Daily Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 1 tablet | 0 tablets | 8 mg naltrexone + 90 mg bupropion |
| 2 | 1 tablet | 1 tablet | 16 mg naltrexone + 180 mg bupropion |
| 3 | 2 tablets | 1 tablet | 24 mg naltrexone + 270 mg bupropion |
| 4 | 2 tablets | 2 tablets | 32 mg naltrexone + 360 mg bupropion |
Tip: Keep a simple diary of timing, meals, and symptoms. This record helps your clinician fine-tune the schedule and manage tolerability.
Timing Your Doses: Morning vs Evening
Plan a steady routine to reduce missed doses and minimize insomnia. Many people pair the morning dose with breakfast and the evening dose with an early dinner. Because bupropion can disrupt sleep, avoid taking the second dose near bedtime. Consistency matters more than perfection, and a predictable routine supports adherence.
People often ask about the best time to take evening dose of contrave. An early evening dose with a modest meal is a practical choice for many. Consider work shifts, activity windows, and sleep patterns when choosing dose timing. For a mechanism overview and expected effects, see Contrave For Weight Loss, which explains how the combination targets appetite and cravings.
With Food or Without? Avoiding High-Fat Meals
Contrave can be taken with food, but not with high-fat meals. High-fat meals raise drug exposure and may increase adverse effects. A modest or low-fat meal is a better pairing. This approach helps maintain steady absorption while reducing nausea risk. Swallow tablets whole with water, and avoid grapefruit juice if advised by your prescriber due to potential interactions.
People also ask: should i take contrave on an empty stomach. Taking it with a small meal is often easier on the stomach. If morning nausea is an issue, shift the first dose slightly later with food after discussing adjustments with your clinician. To anticipate and manage common symptoms like nausea or headache, see Common And Rare Contrave Side Effects for practical mitigation steps and red flags.
Evidence from the product label notes that high-fat meals increase systemic exposure, which can influence tolerability. Align your meal composition with the dosing plan wherever possible (FDA prescribing information).
What’s in Each Tablet: Ingredient Amounts
Each tablet contains 8 mg of naltrexone and 90 mg of bupropion in an extended-release matrix. Put simply, the medicine delivers small amounts over several hours. This slow-release design is different from immediate-release versions of the same ingredients. Avoid making tablet-to-tablet substitutions with other formulations because the release profile matters.
Patients frequently ask, how much naltrexone is in contrave. The daily maintenance target of two tablets twice daily delivers a total of 32 mg naltrexone and 360 mg bupropion. Your prescriber may pause the escalation or maintain a lower dose if tolerability limits further increases. To verify tablet strength and packaging details, see Contrave 8mg 90mg 120 Tablets, which lists the combined naltrexone/bupropion content per tablet.
Using Bupropion and Naltrexone Separately
Some people consider taking bupropion and naltrexone instead of contrave. That approach may seem convenient, but it is not equivalent to the branded extended-release combination. Matching milligrams does not reproduce the same absorption curve. Immediate-release or standard sustained-release tablets will behave differently and can change both efficacy and risk.
Clinicians sometimes discuss naltrexone 50 mg plus bupropion SR 150 mg as a theoretical alternative. This is off-label and requires careful supervision. It is not a simple swap, and release timing can affect side effects such as nausea or insomnia. Professional guidelines emphasize using approved regimens when possible and monitoring closely when alternatives are considered (clinical practice guideline). If you are comparing options, see Contrave vs Wegovy for differences in dosing, tolerability, and clinical use.
Tracking Progress and Setting Expectations
Track weight, waist circumference, and non-scale measures like hunger, cravings, and energy. A weekly log helps reveal patterns and supports shared decisions with your prescriber. At the maintenance dose, many clinicians reassess response after several weeks. If benefits are modest or side effects accumulate, your plan may change.
People sometimes look for bupropion/naltrexone weight loss reviews to benchmark progress. Real-world stories vary widely and can be misleading without clinical context. A common label-based decision point is whether sufficient weight reduction has occurred after a defined period on the maintenance regimen. The FDA Medication Guide describes when to reconsider therapy based on response and tolerance (Medication Guide overview). You can also browse the Weight Management category for strategy articles that put results into context.
Managing Side Effects, Spacing, and Safety Checks
Safety checks matter because bupropion lowers the seizure threshold. Screen for seizure history, eating disorders, severe head injury, and alcohol or benzodiazepine withdrawal. Review blood pressure regularly, especially during dose increases. Avoid use with chronic opioid therapy because naltrexone blocks opioid receptors and can precipitate withdrawal or reduce analgesia.
Another common question is how many hours between contrave doses. Many prescribers space morning and evening tablets by at least eight hours to reduce insomnia and avoid dose stacking. If you miss a dose, skip and resume at the next scheduled time; do not double. For interaction details involving ethanol, see Contrave And Alcohol, which outlines practical precautions. Regulatory sources provide full contraindications and warnings, including seizure risk and blood pressure effects (FDA prescribing information).
Comparing Options Within a Broader Plan
Contrave is one part of a structured, long-term weight plan. Nutrition, physical activity, sleep, and stress management all support outcomes. Some patients consider GLP-1–based therapies for appetite control and metabolic effects. These medicines differ in administration, titration, and monitoring needs. Decision-making should account for comorbidities, preferences, and access.
If you are evaluating alternatives, see Contrave vs Wegovy for a head-to-head overview. For GLP-1 details and expected effects, compare Wegovy and Saxenda 6 mg/ml to understand dosing cadence and format. For weekly and oral semaglutide options, review Ozempic Semaglutide Pens and Rybelsus Semaglutide Pills as you discuss preferences with your clinician. For long-term maintenance planning, the article Ozempic Rebound explains strategies to reduce regain risks after weight loss.
Recap
Success with Contrave starts with a careful titration and consistent timing. Pair doses with modest meals, avoid high-fat choices, and space morning and evening tablets. Track response and tolerability, then revisit goals with your prescriber. Safety checks and realistic expectations keep the plan grounded and sustainable over time.
Note: Keep a written schedule and pillbox at home and work. Simple tools reduce missed doses and keep your plan on track.
This content is for informational purposes only and is not a substitute for professional medical advice.
