Is it all right to take other medications with naltrexone?
Patients should carry a card explaining that they are taking naltrexone, and it should instruct medical staff on pain management. Naltrexone does not reduce the effectiveness of local and general anesthesia used with surgery. However, it does block pain relief from opiate medications. Many pain medications that are not opiates are available. Patients having elective surgery should stop taking naltrexone at least 72 hours beforehand. The major active effect of naltrexone is on opiate (narcotic) drugs, which is one class of drugs used primarily to treat pain but is also found in some prescription cough preparations. Naltrexone will block the effect of normal doses of this type of drug. There are many nonnarcotic pain relievers patients can use while on naltrexone. Otherwise, naltrexone is likely to have little impact on other medications patients commonly use such as antibiotics, nonopioid painkillers (e.g., aspirin, acetaminophen/Tylenol, ibuprofen/Motrin/Advil), and allergy medications
