Does Depade get you high?

Depade is a non-addictive medication and does not produce euphoric effects. So, NO. You can’t get high on Depade. But, do you want to know more about this medication? Read more here.

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No, Depade does not get you high.

Depade is a prescription medication used to prevent cravings and relapse in patients who have developed opiate/opioid dependence or addiction these types of drugs. Depade is also used in the treatment of alcoholism and alcohol abuse. In fact, this medication can help people reach their recovery goals and maintain long-term sobriety.

Are you looking for more information on Depade? Do you want to learn what Depade is made of, how it works in the body, and how it helps opiate and alcohol addiction treatment? We invite you to read more in the following article. Then, we invite your questions and comments about Depade in the section at the end of the page.

Depade use and chemistry: What’s in Depade?

The main ingredient found in Depade is naltrexone, intended for oral use only. Naltrexone hydrochloride is a relatively pure and long-lasting opioid antagonist drug. It has been used in the treatment of opioid dependence and has also been found useful in treating alcohol use disorders.

Depade, or more specifically the naltrexone in Depade, reduces the cravings and rewarding effects that alcohol and opioid drugs produce. So, this medication acts as a deterrent from relapse and shifts the focus of recovering addicts from searching to get “high” towards building a new substance-free lifestyle.

How does Depade work in the brain?

1. In the brains of alcoholics.

Alcohol stimulates the release of certain neurotransmitters in the brain, such as dopamine, serotonin and opioid peptides, and thus produces feelings of pleasure and well-being in users. Drinking alcohol enhances endogenous opioid activity. Researchers found that administration of opioid antagonists, such as naltrexone, decreases alcohol consumption.  When Depade is prescribed, it blocks the brain’s chemical responses that make alcohol rewarding, and thus helps patients avoid drinking and stay sober.

2. In opioid-dependent brains.

Opiate and opioids, natural or synthetic, have the ability to produce intense feelings of well-being. Over time, people can develop addiction to opioid drugs. Does Depade treat opiate addiction? Depade is a opioid antagonist medication that reduces the rewarding effects of opiate drugs. Depade works by blocking opiate receptor occupancy, thus decreasing dopamine release from the nucleus accumbens (one part of the reward system). Depade may not play a significant role in relieving opioid cravings, but it helps by blocking the euphoric effects these drugs produce.

Depade effects on the central nervous system

Depade contains naltrexone, a pure opioid antagonist. It mainly binds at the µ-opioid receptor in the brain, but also binds at the k-opioid receptor and the d-opioid receptor. By binding to opioid receptor sites in the central nervous system (CNS), Depade reduces or completely blocks the pleasurable effects of opioid drugs, and simultaneously decreases the desire to take opiates.

Mixing Depade with other substances

Taking Depade can influence the way other opioid-containing medications work. Since Depade blocks the effects of all opiates, the use of some cough and cold medicines, antidiarrheal medicines, or opioid analgesics will have no result. Also, patients who take Depade can react to low doses of opioid drugs, while the administration of opioids in larger amounts can easily lead to serious injuries, coma or death.

This is why you should ALWAYS TELL YOUR PRESCRIBING DOCTOR about all medications and substances you are using while taking Depade. It is then the doctor’s responsibility to inform their patients about all possible drug interactions and side-effects.

In order to help you stay safe and avoid side-effects we compiled this list of medications that Depade can interact with. But, this is not the full list and you still need to seek the advice of a medical professional or a pharmacist:

  • blood thinners
  • cough medicines
  • diarrhea medications
  • narcotics or opioid analgesics (codeine, hydrocodone, tramadol, meptazinol, morphine, buprenorphine, dipipanone, diamorphine, methadone, oxycodone, pentazocine, pethidine)

Depade for alcohol and opioid dependence treatment

For best results in alcoholism treatment or opioid dependence treatment, Depade should be used as medical component to a treatment program that includes individual, family or group counseling, a good support system, different types of therapy, and lifestyle changes.

Doctors will make a decision to prescribe Depade to a patient after a careful assessment of the patients’ physical and mental health state. A patient should have not have used any opiates for at least 7 days, or drunk alcohol for at least 3 days before starting Depade. Doctors should order a urine test to check for recent opioid or alcohol use. Then, patients usually start taking 50mg of Depade once a day, or as directed by a doctor.

Pro’s and Con’s of Depade

Are you considering Depade as a medication to help your recovery process? We advise you to always consult a doctor or healthcare provider for medical advice about initiating Depade treatment. You should be aware that in addition to its benefits, Depade can cause some unwanted effects. If you feel any side effects while taking Depade you should inform your doctor and seek medical attention.

We compiled this list of BENEFITS and DISADVANTAGES of using Depade, to help you make a decision:

+PRO’s

  1. By blocking the pleasurable effects of alcohol and opioid drugs, Depade can efficiently reduce consumption of these substances.
  2. Depade decreases the intensity of cravings or completely stops alcohol or opioid cravings and gives you the time and opportunity to focus on recovery instead.
  3. By acting as a deterrent for abusing substances, Depade lowers the risk of relapse to alcohol or opioid drugs.
  4. Depade makes drugs and alcohol less desirable by blocking their pleasurable effects, thus provides patients with better chances for long-term sobriety.
  5. It reduces the intensity of cravings for opiate drugs, and can completely prevent alcoholics from experiencing alcohol cravings.

CON’s

  1. Depade can produce unexpected side effects that may need medical attention. More common side effects include: fatigue, stomach cramps or pain, anxiety, restlessness, nervousness, problems sleeping or insomnia, headaches, joint or muscle pain, nausea, and vomiting.
  2. If Depade is used along with other opiates (painkillers or illicit drugs) it can lead to serious internal organ injuries, unintentional and fatal opioid overdose.
  3. Not safe for people who have damaged liver or liver injury. Depade use can lead to hepatitis or elevated production of liver transaminases and bilirubin in these patients.
  4. Depade treatment is not recommended for pregnant or breastfeeding women. It has been assigned to pregnancy category C by the FDA. Naltrexone and it’s metabolites are excreted into breast milk.

Questions about Depade

Have more questions about Depade treatment for alcoholism or opioid dependence? Feel free to contact us through the comments section below and post any questions you might have. We appreciate your feedback and try to provide a personal and prompt response to all legitimate inquiries.

Reference Sources: NCBI: Incorporating Alcohol Pharmacotherapies Into Medical Practice: Oral Naltrexone
SAMHSA: The facts about NALTREXONE for Treatment of Opioid Addiction
NIAAA:Answers to Frequently Asked Medication Questions
SAMHSA: Naltrexone
MedlinePlus: Naltrexone
About the author
Lee Weber is a published author, medical writer, and woman in long-term recovery from addiction. Her latest book, The Definitive Guide to Addiction Interventions is set to reach university bookstores in early 2019.
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