Contrave® ER for Weight Management

What Contrave Is and How It Works

Contrave ER is a prescription extended-release weight management medicine for adults with obesity or overweight. We connect your order to licensed Canadian pricing with US delivery from Canada. This page explains how the treatment works, who it suits, and what to discuss with a clinician, including Contrave® ER price without insurance.

Border Free Health connects U.S. patients with licensed Canadian partner pharmacies; prescriptions are verified with prescribers before dispensing.

Contrave combines naltrexone and bupropion in a sustained-release tablet. It targets brain pathways involved in appetite and reward. By affecting these signals, the treatment can help reduce hunger and control cravings when used with a reduced-calorie diet and increased physical activity. Label guidance emphasizes ongoing lifestyle changes alongside therapy.

Who It’s For

This therapy is indicated for chronic weight management in adults with a body mass index meeting approved criteria, often alongside conditions such as type 2 diabetes, dyslipidemia, or hypertension. People with a history of seizure disorder, uncontrolled high blood pressure, chronic opioid use, or eating disorders should not use it. Those who recently stopped alcohol, benzodiazepines, barbiturates, or antiepileptics should avoid starting until medically cleared. Use during pregnancy is not recommended.

Many patients prefer once- or twice-daily schedules and a tablet format. For clarity about formulation, some prescribers refer to these as Contrave ER extended-release tablets. Decisions about initiation, continuation, or switching remain between you and your prescriber. For broader condition context, see our Obesity and Weight Management pages.

Dosage and Usage

Follow the official label and your prescriber’s instructions. Tablets are taken by mouth and swallowed whole. Do not cut, crush, or chew. Avoid high-fat meals, which may increase seizure risk. A typical schedule uses a gradual four-week titration to a maintenance dose. If intensities or timing are unclear, consult the prescribing information.

Some patients and clinicians refer to the formulation by a descriptive phrase such as Naltrexone Bupropion ER 12hr 8/90 mg tablets. Talk with a healthcare professional about how dosing fits your daily routine, and about any other medicines you take.

Strengths and Forms

Extended-release tablets are commonly available in a single strength containing naltrexone hydrochloride 8 mg and bupropion hydrochloride 90 mg. Availability can vary by partner pharmacy and current supply.

Missed Dose and Timing

If a dose is missed, skip it and take the next dose at the usual time. Do not double up. Try to take doses at consistent times to support adherence. If nausea occurs early in therapy, taking tablets with a light, non–high-fat meal may help. Speak with a healthcare professional if missed doses become frequent.

Storage and Travel Basics

Store tablets at standard room temperature in the original, child-resistant container. Keep the bottle tightly closed and away from moisture and direct light. Place out of reach of children and pets. For travel, carry your medication in your hand luggage with the pharmacy label intact. Bring a copy of your prescription. If you need help planning storage during trips or extended stays, you can contact us for guidance on your order’s handling. We use encrypted checkout, and temperature-controlled handling when required for other products.

Pen Handling and Sharps Disposal

This therapy is a tablet, not an injection. Pen priming and sharps disposal do not apply.

Benefits

As part of a comprehensive plan, this medicine can help reduce appetite and cravings. The extended-release design supports steady levels through the day. Using one oral regimen alongside nutrition and activity changes may simplify routines for some patients. Regular follow-up lets prescribers review progress and adjust the overall plan.

For additional reading on lifestyle-based care, see our article on safe approaches to weight management with other therapies: Saxenda Weight Loss. For comparisons among popular incretin options, explore Zepbound Vs Wegovy. General tips on side effect awareness are covered in our Side Effects Guide.

Side Effects and Safety

• Common: nausea, constipation, headache
• Other: vomiting, dizziness, insomnia
• Digestive: dry mouth, diarrhea, abdominal pain

Serious risks can include seizures, increases in blood pressure or heart rate, liver problems, angle-closure glaucoma, and allergic reactions. This product contains bupropion, which carries a boxed warning about suicidal thoughts and behaviors in young adults. People using insulin or sulfonylureas should discuss hypoglycemia risk. Seek urgent help for severe symptoms, confusion, vision changes, or signs of liver injury.

Drug Interactions and Cautions

Opioids may be blocked by naltrexone; patients usually need an opioid-free period before starting. Avoid MAO inhibitors within the required washout interval. Use caution with other bupropion-containing products, dopaminergic or serotonergic agents, and medicines that lower seizure threshold. Alcohol and abrupt sedative withdrawal can increase risks. Tell your prescriber about all prescription drugs, OTC medicines, and supplements you use.

What to Expect Over Time

During the first weeks, some patients notice changes in appetite and cravings. Nausea may occur early and often improves with time. Clinicians typically assess weight, blood pressure, pulse, and tolerability at follow-up visits. If weight loss is limited after an adequate trial at a maintenance dose, prescribers may reassess whether to continue. Keep nutrition, activity, and sleep plans consistent to support outcomes.

Compare With Alternatives

Other approved options include GLP-1–based injections and a lipase inhibitor. Weekly semaglutide is a glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonist used for chronic weight management; see Wegovy®. A non-systemic alternative reduces fat absorption from meals; see Xenical® Orlistat. Your prescriber can help decide which class best matches your history and preferences.

Pricing and Access

We list transparent Canadian pharmacy options with typical cash-pay savings and Ships from Canada to US. To compare the Contrave ER cash price and upload a prescription, use the pricing section on this page. If you are exploring savings without insurance, review available offers and discuss options with your prescriber. For occasional site promos, check our Promotions page.

Availability and Substitutions

Supply can vary. If this medicine is unavailable, a prescriber may recommend a clinically appropriate alternative from the same or a different class. We also support category browsing to find related options and guidance: see Canada and Weight Management.

Patient Suitability and Cost-Saving Tips

This treatment may suit adults seeking a non-injectable option who can avoid contraindications such as seizure history, chronic opioid therapy, or uncontrolled hypertension. Patients with psychiatric history or glaucoma should review risks carefully with a clinician. Multi-month dispensing may lower per-fill time and help maintain therapy. Consider setting refill reminders to avoid gaps. Discuss generics, therapeutic alternatives, and timing choices that fit your schedule. If you plan to Contrave ER self pay price, compare options and ask your prescriber about clinically acceptable substitutions when appropriate.

Questions to Ask Your Clinician

• Starting plan: how titration aligns with my routine
• Safety checks: blood pressure and seizure risk
• Interactions: opioids, antidepressants, supplements
• Side effect plan: nausea, sleep, and headache
• Targets: when to reassess ongoing therapy
• Lifestyle fit: diet, activity, and monitoring

Authoritative Sources

FDA Prescribing InformationDailyMed Drug LabelHealth Canada DPD

Ready when your prescription is? Place your order with BorderFreeHealth for US shipping from Canada and prompt, express shipping. This page does not replace medical advice; follow your prescriber’s instructions and the official label.