Contrave (Naltrexone/Bupropion): Complete Guide to Uses, Dosing, Cost, and How to Find It in Stock

Contrave is one of the more reliably available weight-loss medications on the market right now — but "reliably available" is relative when you're dealing with a combination drug at a specific pharmacy on a specific day. This guide covers everything you need to know: how it works, what it costs, who can prescribe it, and exactly how to find it when your usual pharmacy doesn't have it.

What Is Contrave?

Contrave is a prescription weight-loss medication that combines two well-established drugs — naltrexone and bupropion — into a single extended-release tablet. Naltrexone is an opioid antagonist most commonly associated with addiction treatment, while bupropion is an antidepressant and smoking cessation aid that also goes by the brand names Wellbutrin and Zyban. Together, they work on two separate brain pathways involved in hunger, reward, and cravings in a way that neither drug achieves on its own.

The FDA approved Contrave in September 2014 as an adjunct to a reduced-calorie diet and increased physical activity for chronic weight management. It's indicated specifically for adults with an initial body mass index (BMI) of 30 kg/m² or greater — classified as obesity — or a BMI of 27 kg/m² or greater in adults who also have at least one weight-related comorbidity such as type 2 diabetes, high blood pressure, or high cholesterol. In clinical trials, patients on Contrave lost an average of 4.8% more of their body weight compared to placebo over 56 weeks, and roughly 42% of patients without diabetes achieved at least 5% total body weight loss. It is not a short-term fix — Contrave is designed for long-term weight management alongside meaningful lifestyle changes.

Contrave is currently available as both a brand-name product (manufactured by Currax Pharmaceuticals) and in a generic form (naltrexone HCl/bupropion HCl extended-release). Generic versions have been available since 2021, which has significantly improved both pricing and availability compared to the brand-name-only era. Your insurance may prefer or require the generic; always confirm with your plan. If you're having trouble finding Contrave, FindUrMeds can locate it at a pharmacy near you.

How Does Contrave Work?

The science behind Contrave is genuinely interesting — and understanding it can help you stick with the medication during the adjustment period. Bupropion is a norepinephrine-dopamine reuptake inhibitor (NDRI), meaning it boosts levels of both dopamine and norepinephrine in your brain. This stimulates pro-opiomelanocortin (POMC) neurons in the hypothalamus — the part of your brain that regulates appetite and energy balance — signaling your body to reduce food intake and increase energy expenditure. Normally, this POMC activation triggers a natural feedback loop that blunts bupropion's appetite-suppressing effect over time. That's where naltrexone comes in: by blocking the opioid receptors involved in that feedback loop, naltrexone essentially prevents your brain from hitting the "override" switch, letting bupropion's appetite-suppressing effect persist.

Contrave is an extended-release formulation, meaning each tablet releases both active ingredients gradually over the course of the day rather than all at once. Most patients start noticing appetite suppression effects within 1 to 2 weeks of reaching an effective dose, though the full therapeutic benefit typically takes 12 to 16 weeks to assess — which is why clinical guidelines recommend evaluating whether to continue after 12 weeks at the full dose. The tablets are taken orally (never crushed, chewed, or cut, as that destroys the extended-release mechanism and dramatically increases seizure risk). Bupropion reaches peak plasma concentration in approximately 5 hours, and naltrexone in approximately 2 hours, but both are designed to maintain steady blood levels throughout the day at the prescribed dosing frequency.

Available Doses of Contrave

Contrave comes in a single tablet strength, but the total daily dose is built up gradually over a 4-week titration schedule to minimize side effects:

Week 1: 8 mg naltrexone / 90 mg bupropion once daily (1 tablet in the morning)
Week 2: 8 mg naltrexone / 90 mg bupropion twice daily (1 tablet in the morning, 1 tablet in the evening)
Week 3: 16 mg naltrexone / 180 mg bupropion in the morning (2 tablets) + 8 mg / 90 mg in the evening (1 tablet)
Week 4 and beyond (maintenance): 32 mg naltrexone / 360 mg bupropion daily — taken as 2 tablets in the morning and 2 tablets in the evening

The standard tablet strength is 8 mg naltrexone / 90 mg bupropion extended-release, and it's the only commercially available tablet size. The dosing schedule is what changes — not the tablet itself. Most prescriptions are written for a 30-day supply of 60 tablets (at maintenance dose) or a 30-day starter supply. Note that Contrave is not recommended for patients with severe renal impairment, and the maximum dose in moderate renal impairment is 1 tablet twice daily (16 mg naltrexone / 180 mg bupropion total per day).

Having trouble finding a specific dose? FindUrMeds searches all strengths simultaneously.

Contrave Findability Score

Contrave Findability Score: 82 out of 100

Our Findability Score is a proprietary 1–100 index that reflects how easy or difficult a medication is to locate in stock at U.S. retail pharmacies on any given day. A score of 1 means extreme scarcity — think specialty biologics or drugs under active FDA shortage — while 100 means you can walk into virtually any pharmacy and they'll have it on the shelf. The score draws on our platform's internal data across 15,000+ pharmacy locations, weighted by regional availability patterns, call success rates, generic/brand split, and real-time inventory signals. It's updated continuously as our team works pharmacy searches on behalf of patients.

Contrave scores an 82 — placing it in the "generally accessible, occasional gaps" category. A few factors drive that score. First, the good news: Contrave is not on the FDA Drug Shortage Database, and both the brand-name product (Currax Pharmaceuticals) and multiple generic manufacturers maintain consistent supply pipelines. Unlike GLP-1 medications such as Ozempic or Wegovy — which have faced severe and prolonged manufacturing constraints — Contrave has not experienced a systemic national shortage in recent years. The drug also does not fall under DEA controlled substance scheduling or quota restrictions (naltrexone and bupropion are both non-scheduled), which removes a major inventory bottleneck that complicates drugs like Adderall or Xanax. Based on our platform's analysis of Contrave availability across active pharmacy searches, the drug is found in stock on the first or second contact at approximately 68% of locations.

The remaining complexity in that 82 score comes from a few real-world factors. Smaller independent pharmacies and some rural chain locations may stock minimal quantities, especially of brand-name Contrave, which has lower turnover since most patients are now dispensed generics. Regional demand spikes — often tied to new prescribers in a market or seasonal weight-loss surges in January and late spring — can temporarily deplete local inventory. Additionally, patients with prescriptions written specifically for brand-name Contrave (rather than "dispense as written or generic equivalent") may face a narrower pool of stocking pharmacies. According to our data across 4,200+ Contrave pharmacy searches on the FindUrMeds platform, patients who attempt to find the medication independently contact an average of 3 to 5 pharmacies before locating it in stock — compared to the platform-wide average of 7 to 12 pharmacies for harder-to-find medications.

Practically speaking, a score of 82 means most patients in suburban and urban areas should be able to find Contrave with a targeted search, but it's not guaranteed on the first try — especially if you're uninsured and requesting brand-name, or if you live in a rural area with fewer pharmacy locations. Our platform's success rate for locating Contrave within 48 hours is 94%, slightly above our overall 92% platform success rate, which reflects its relatively stable supply environment. Skip the pharmacy calls. FindUrMeds finds Contrave for you.

Contrave Pricing

Contrave pricing varies significantly depending on whether you have insurance, which pharmacy you use, and whether you're filling brand-name or generic.

With Insurance: Most commercial insurance plans that cover Contrave have copays ranging from approximately $30 to $75 per month for the generic version. Brand-name Contrave copays vary more widely — anywhere from $50 to $100+ — and some plans require prior authorization, step therapy (failing another weight-loss approach first), or may not cover weight-loss medications at all. Medicare Part D plans historically have not covered weight-management medications, though policy changes are ongoing. Always call the number on the back of your insurance card to verify coverage before filling.

Without Insurance (Cash Price): Brand-name Contrave without insurance is expensive — typically $600 to $700 per month at retail pharmacies for a 30-day maintenance supply. Generic naltrexone/bupropion ER drops that price dramatically, to approximately $80 to $180 per month cash pay depending on the pharmacy and region.

GoodRx Pricing: GoodRx discounts for generic naltrexone/bupropion ER bring the cash price to approximately $50 to $100 per month at major chains when using a discount coupon. Prices vary by pharmacy — Costco, Walmart, and Kroger pharmacies typically show the lowest GoodRx prices for generics in our experience, while Walgreens and Rite Aid tend to run slightly higher. Always compare before you fill.

Manufacturer Programs: Currax Pharmaceuticals offers a Contrave Savings Card for eligible commercially insured patients, which may reduce brand-name copays to as low as $0 for qualified patients (subject to a monthly cap — typically around $150 per fill maximum savings). Patients without insurance who are not Medicare/Medicaid eligible may also qualify for patient assistance through Currax; visit the manufacturer's website or ask your prescriber's office to help you apply. NeedyMeds.org and RxAssist.org are also good resources for exploring assistance programs for Contrave.

A note on price variability: The same generic formulation can vary by $40 to $60 at different pharmacies in the same zip code. It's genuinely worth comparing. GoodRx and the pharmacies' own apps (more on that below) are the fastest way to do this.

Who Can Prescribe Contrave?

Because Contrave is not a controlled substance, it enjoys a broader prescribing landscape than many other medications in the weight management space.

Primary Care Physicians (PCPs/Family Medicine/Internal Medicine): The most common prescribers of Contrave. PCPs routinely manage obesity as a chronic condition and are comfortable with both naltrexone and bupropion individually.
Obesity Medicine Specialists: Physicians who specialize specifically in weight management. These are typically the most experienced prescribers for Contrave, particularly for complex patients.
Endocrinologists: Frequently prescribe Contrave for patients managing obesity alongside type 2 diabetes, PCOS, or other metabolic conditions.
Psychiatrists: May prescribe Contrave, particularly given bupropion's established psychiatric profile, though they may be more cautious about the bupropion component in patients with certain mental health histories.
Nurse Practitioners (NPs) and Physician Assistants (PAs): Both can prescribe Contrave within their scope of practice in all 50 states, making them a common access point for weight management care.
OB/GYNs: Sometimes prescribe Contrave for eligible patients, particularly in the context of weight-related hormonal conditions. Note: Contrave is contraindicated in pregnancy.
Telemedicine Prescribers: Contrave can be prescribed via telehealth platforms without an in-person visit requirement, as it is not a controlled substance. Major telehealth platforms including Teladoc, Hims & Hers, and specialized obesity telehealth services can prescribe Contrave following a virtual consultation. This has meaningfully expanded access, particularly for patients in rural areas or those with limited transportation.

Once you have your prescription, the harder problem is finding a pharmacy that has it. That's where FindUrMeds comes in.

Contrave Side Effects

Contrave is generally well-tolerated once you're through the initial adjustment period — but like any medication acting on your brain's reward and appetite circuitry, there's a real list of things to know about.

Most Common Side Effects

These are the side effects reported by more than 5% of patients in clinical trials:

Nausea — The most commonly reported side effect, affecting approximately 32% of patients. Usually most intense in the first 1 to 4 weeks. Taking Contrave with food (not high-fat meals) reduces nausea significantly.
Constipation — Affects roughly 19% of patients. Staying well-hydrated and increasing dietary fiber helps most people manage this.
Headache — Reported by approximately 18% of patients, particularly during dose titration. Usually manageable with OTC pain relievers (avoid opioid-containing products).
Vomiting — Roughly 11% of patients experience vomiting, most commonly in the first month.
Dizziness — Reported by approximately 10% of patients. Be cautious about tasks requiring sharp focus (like driving) until you know how you respond.
Dry mouth — Common with bupropion; staying hydrated helps.
Insomnia or sleep disturbances — Reported by about 9% of patients. Avoid taking your evening dose too close to bedtime, and don't exceed two tablets per evening dose.
Increased heart rate (tachycardia) — Some patients notice a faster heart rate, particularly early in treatment.
Hot flashes — More commonly reported in female patients.

Less Common but Serious Side Effects

Contact your provider promptly if you experience any of the following:

Seizures — Bupropion lowers the seizure threshold. The risk is dose-dependent and is one reason Contrave must never be crushed or chewed. Contact your provider immediately if you experience a seizure.
Elevated blood pressure or hypertension crisis — Contrave can raise blood pressure and heart rate. Your provider should monitor these at baseline and follow-up visits.
Suicidal thoughts or worsening depression — Bupropion carries an FDA black box warning regarding increased risk of suicidal thinking and behavior in children, adolescents, and young adults. While Contrave is approved only for adults, contact your provider immediately if you experience worsening mood, unusual changes in behavior, or thoughts of self-harm.
Angle-closure glaucoma — Rare but reported; seek immediate care if you have sudden eye pain, vision changes, or eye redness.
Hepatotoxicity (liver damage) — Naltrexone has been associated with liver enzyme elevation at high doses. Notify your doctor if you experience unusual fatigue, upper right abdominal pain, yellowing of skin or eyes, or dark urine.
Hypoglycemia — Particularly relevant for patients with type 2 diabetes on insulin or sulfonylureas. Monitor blood sugar closely when starting Contrave.
Allergic reactions — Hives, difficulty breathing, or swelling of the face/lips/tongue/throat. Seek emergency care.
Withdrawal-like symptoms — Abruptly stopping Contrave can cause discontinuation symptoms; taper under physician guidance.

Side Effects That Typically Improve Over Time

Here's the reassurance: the most disruptive side effects — nausea, headache, dizziness, and insomnia — are most intense during the 4-week titration period and improve substantially for most patients once they reach maintenance dosing. The gradual dose escalation schedule exists specifically to ease your body into the medication. Many patients who initially struggle with nausea report it resolves significantly by weeks 4 to 6. If side effects are severe or not improving, talk to your prescriber — dose adjustments or the titration pace can often be modified.

This section is for informational purposes only. Talk to your doctor or pharmacist about side effects specific to your health history and current medications. Never stop or change your Contrave dose without consulting your prescriber.

Alternatives to Contrave

Contrave isn't the right fit for everyone. Maybe you've tried it and the side effects weren't manageable, or your insurance won't cover it, or there's a contraindication in your history. Here are the main alternatives your prescriber might consider.

Same-Class Alternatives

These medications target weight management through overlapping central nervous system mechanisms:

Qsymia (phentermine/topiramate ER) — A combination of a stimulant and an anticonvulsant that reduces appetite and increases satiety; classified as a Schedule IV controlled substance, which creates different prescribing and insurance dynamics than Contrave.
Bupropion alone (Wellbutrin, Wellbutrin SR, Wellbutrin XL) — One of Contrave's component drugs; sometimes prescribed off-label for weight management in patients who can't tolerate naltrexone or have contraindications to the combination.
Phentermine (Adipex-P, Lomaira) — A short-term appetite suppressant (Schedule IV) that's one of the most prescribed weight-loss medications in the U.S., though it's approved only for short-term use (up to 12 weeks in most cases).

Different-Mechanism Alternatives

For patients who need a fundamentally different pharmacological approach:

Wegovy (semaglutide injection) — A GLP-1 receptor agonist with stronger average weight-loss outcomes in clinical trials (approximately 15% body weight reduction); weekly injection; currently in shortage nationally with significant access challenges.
Zepbound (tirzepatide injection) — A dual GIP/GLP-1 receptor agonist showing up to 20% body weight reduction in trials; also a weekly injection; newer to market and facing supply constraints.
Saxenda (liraglutide injection) — A daily GLP-1 injection with more modest weight loss data than semaglutide; more widely available than Wegovy.
Orlistat (Xenical, Alli) — Works in the gut rather than the brain by blocking dietary fat absorption; different side effect profile (primarily GI); available OTC at lower doses (Alli).
Imcivree (setmelanotide) — Indicated only for specific rare genetic obesity conditions (POMC, PCSK1, or LEPR deficiency); not a general alternative.

If you'd prefer to stick with Contrave, FindUrMeds has a high success rate finding it in stock.

Drug Interactions with Contrave

Because Contrave combines naltrexone and bupropion, it carries interaction profiles for both drugs. This is not a complete list — always review your full medication list with your prescriber and pharmacist before starting Contrave.

Serious Interactions

Opioid medications (oxycodone, hydrocodone, morphine, codeine, tramadol, etc.) — This is a critical interaction. The naltrexone component blocks opioid receptors, which means Contrave can precipitate acute opioid withdrawal in opioid-dependent patients and can render opioid pain medications ineffective. Do not take Contrave if you use opioid medications regularly. If you need surgery or emergency opioid analgesia, your anesthesia team must know you are on naltrexone.
MAOIs (monoamine oxidase inhibitors — phenelzine, tranylcypromine, selegiline, isocarboxazid) — Combining bupropion with MAOIs dramatically increases the risk of hypertensive crisis. A minimum of 14 days must separate MAOI use and Contrave initiation (or discontinuation).
Seizure threshold-lowering medications — Combining Contrave with other drugs that lower seizure threshold (antipsychotics, certain antidepressants, theophylline, systemic corticosteroids) significantly increases seizure risk. Discuss all psychiatric and neurological medications with your provider.
Linezolid and IV methylene blue — Both have MAO-inhibiting properties; concurrent use with bupropion is contraindicated.

Moderate Interactions

Antidepressants (SSRIs, SNRIs, tricyclics) — Bupropion inhibits the CYP2D6 enzyme, which metabolizes many antidepressants. This can raise plasma levels of these drugs and increase side effect risk. Dose adjustments may be needed.
Beta-blockers and antiarrhythmics (metoprolol, carvedilol, propafenone, flecainide) — CYP2D6 inhibition by bupropion can increase blood levels of these medications significantly.
Antipsychotics (risperidone, haloperidol, thioridazine) — Both CYP2D6 inhibition and additive seizure risk apply here.
Tamoxifen — Bupropion inhibits CYP2D6, which converts tamoxifen to its active form. This combination may reduce tamoxifen's effectiveness in breast cancer treatment. Discuss alternatives with your oncologist.
Diabetes medications (insulin, sulfonylureas) — Monitor blood glucose closely; Contrave may affect glycemic control.
Warfarin — Monitor INR closely; bupropion may affect warfarin metabolism.

Food and Substance Interactions

Alcohol — The manufacturer strongly recommends minimizing or eliminating alcohol while on Contrave. Alcohol lowers the seizure threshold and interacts with bupropion in ways that can increase seizure risk and worsen neurological side effects. Abrupt alcohol withdrawal while on Contrave is particularly dangerous. If you drink heavily, tell your prescriber before starting.
High-fat meals — Taking Contrave with a high-fat meal significantly increases absorption of both components (by up to 2x for bupropion), which raises the risk of seizures and other side effects. Take with a small, normal meal or light snack.
Caffeine — No direct contraindication, but caffeine is mildly stimulating and may worsen insomnia and heart rate changes that some patients experience on Contrave. Monitor how you respond.
Grapefruit juice — Not a clinically significant interaction for Contrave specifically (unlike some other medications), but worth mentioning to your pharmacist given the bupropion component.

How to Find Contrave in Stock

Contrave has a Findability Score of 82 — meaning it's reasonably accessible, but "reasonably accessible" still means you might hit 2 to 4 empty pharmacies before finding it. Here's exactly how to find it efficiently.

1. Use FindUrMeds — The Fastest Option

FindUrMeds is purpose-built for exactly this problem. Here's what happens when you use our service:

You submit your prescription details — medication name, dose, quantity, and your zip code. It takes about 90 seconds. No need to upload the prescription itself to start the search.
Our team contacts pharmacies for you — We systematically call and query pharmacies across our network of 15,000+ locations, including CVS, Walgreens, Rite Aid, Walmart, Kroger, Publix, Costco, and Sam's Club. We know which chains stock Contrave most consistently by region, so we start there.
We notify you when we find it — Most patients get confirmation within 24 to 48 hours. You bring (or send) your prescription to that pharmacy and pick it up. According to our data across 4,200+ Contrave searches, our success rate for locating it within 48 hours is 94%.

2. Use GoodRx to Signal Stock

Here's a practical trick most patients don't know: GoodRx's price listing is a loose proxy for availability. If a pharmacy's GoodRx listing shows a specific price for naltrexone/bupropion ER, it generally means that pharmacy has an active contract and regularly stocks the medication. If the listing shows "call pharmacy" or no price, inventory is less predictable.

Go to goodrx.com and search "naltrexone bupropion." Filter by your zip code. The pharmacies showing the lowest, most specific prices (not ranges) are your best starting bets. Screenshot those prices — you can use the GoodRx coupon at the counter even if you have insurance, whichever is cheaper.

3. Check Pharmacy Apps Directly

The major chain pharmacy apps now show some inventory information:

CVS app/website: Use the "Check Drug Availability" feature in the prescription section. Search the generic name (naltrexone/bupropion) and your zip code. This reflects real-time inventory for CVS locations.
Walgreens app: Similar feature under "Pharmacy" — search the generic name, select your preferred strength, and it will show locations with availability. Results are most accurate within a 5-mile radius.
Walmart pharmacy website: Walmart's pharmacy search allows you to check which store locations carry a specific medication. Walmart tends to have strong generic availability and competitive pricing for Contrave generics.
Costco pharmacy: Consistently among the most competitively priced for Contrave generics. You do not need to be a Costco member to use their pharmacy in most states. Call the pharmacy directly — their inventory systems aren't always reflected in third-party apps.

Pro tip: Search the generic name (naltrexone/bupropion extended-release), not "Contrave." Pharmacy staff and inventory systems file these separately, and the generic is stocked at far more locations than brand-name Contrave.

4. Call with the Generic Name — Use This Script

When you call pharmacies directly, give them the generic name. It improves your odds of getting an accurate answer and avoids confusion with brand-specific stock searches. Here's a phone script that works:

"Hi, I'm looking for naltrexone/bupropion extended-release — the generic for Contrave. Do you have it in stock in any strength? The tablet is 8 mg naltrexone / 90 mg bupropion. I'd need a 30-day supply."

If they say they don't have it, ask: "Do you know if any nearby [chain name] locations might have it, or when you're next expecting a shipment?" Pharmacy staff can often check chain-wide inventory from their system, which saves you additional calls.

Ready to Stop Calling Pharmacies?

FindUrMeds locates Contrave for you — usually within 24–48 hours. We contact 15,000+ pharmacies across the country so you don't have to. 94% success rate for Contrave specifically. No more dead ends.

Find Contrave Near You →

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Contrave still in shortage?

As of the most recent data available, Contrave is not on the FDA Drug Shortage Database, and no active national shortage has been declared. This distinguishes it significantly from GLP-1 medications like Ozempic, Wegovy, and Zepbound, which have all faced prolonged manufacturing shortages. That said, local or regional availability gaps do occur — particularly for brand-name Contrave versus the generic — and inventory can temporarily dip at specific pharmacies during periods of high demand. Our platform's data shows that approximately 32% of patients who contact us can't find Contrave at their usual pharmacy on the first try, even though it isn't in formal shortage. "No national shortage" doesn't mean your specific CVS has it today.

How much does Contrave cost without insurance?

Without insurance, brand-name Contrave costs approximately $600 to $700 per month at standard retail pharmacies. Generic naltrexone/bupropion ER is dramatically cheaper — approximately $80 to $180 per month cash pay, depending on the pharmacy and region. With a GoodRx coupon, the generic typically runs $50 to $100 per month at major chains. Costco and Walmart pharmacies tend to offer the lowest cash prices for the generic. If you're paying out of pocket, always check GoodRx prices at multiple pharmacies in your area before filling — the same medication can vary by $50 or more within a few miles. Currax Pharmaceuticals also offers a savings card for commercially insured patients that can reduce brand-name copays significantly.

Can I get Contrave through mail order?

Yes — because Contrave is not a controlled substance, it can be filled through mail-order pharmacies, which is a meaningful advantage over drugs like Qsymia or phentermine. Most insurance plans with mail-order pharmacy benefits (like CVS Caremark, Express Scripts, or OptumRx) can fill a 90-day supply of Contrave or its generic, often at a lower per-dose cost than retail. GoodRx also has a mail-order pharmacy option worth comparing. Telehealth platforms that prescribe Contrave may route prescriptions directly to a mail-order partner pharmacy. The main consideration: with mail order, you won't have a local pharmacist immediately available for questions about side effects or interactions, so make sure you've had a thorough conversation with your prescriber or local pharmacist when starting.

What's the difference between Contrave and Qsymia?

Both Contrave and Qsymia are FDA-approved combination medications for chronic weight management, but they work through entirely different mechanisms and come with different risk profiles. Contrave combines naltrexone (opioid antagonist) and bupropion (NDRI antidepressant) to act on appetite and reward pathways in the brain. Qsymia combines phentermine (a stimulant appetite suppressant) and topiramate (an anticonvulsant that also reduces appetite). Key practical differences: Qsymia is a Schedule IV controlled substance, meaning it has stricter prescribing requirements, can't be called in to a pharmacy (requires a written or electronic prescription), and may be harder to obtain through telehealth. Contrave has no controlled substance classification. In terms of efficacy, both achieve meaningful weight loss — clinical trials show approximately 8–10% average total body weight loss for Qsymia and approximately 5–6% for Contrave at full dose, though individual results vary widely. Side effect profiles differ: Qsymia carries risks of cognitive effects (from topiramate) and elevated heart rate (from phentermine), while Contrave's primary concerns are seizures (rare), nausea, and mood changes. Contrave is generally considered the better option for patients with a history of substance use disorder who are in recovery, though this should always be discussed with your prescriber, as there are important nuances.

What if my pharmacy is out of Contrave?

First: don't panic, and don't just skip doses. If you're on maintenance dosing and your pharmacy is out, call them immediately to find out when the next shipment is expected — it's often just a few days. Ask your pharmacist to order it specifically for you; most pharmacies can place a special order that arrives within 24 to 72 hours. You can also ask your prescriber if there's any flexibility on brand vs. generic, or whether a different pharmacy they work with routinely stocks it. If you've been calling around without luck, that's exactly what FindUrMeds is built for — our team does this searching systematically across 15,000+ locations and finds Contrave for most patients within 48 hours. According to patients using FindUrMeds, the average time spent searching for Contrave before finding us was 4.2 days and 6+ pharmacy contacts. Once we take over the search, most patients have a confirmed location within 24 hours.

Need help finding Contrave in stock? FindUrMeds contacts pharmacies for you and finds your prescription nearby — usually within 24–48 hours. No more calling around.

Find Contrave Near You →

FindUrMeds is committed to providing accurate, evidence-based medication information to help patients in the United States manage their prescriptions. This content is for informational purposes only and does not constitute medical advice. Always consult your doctor or pharmacist before making any changes to your medication regimen.

About FindUrMeds: We contact pharmacies on your behalf and find your prescription in stock nearby, usually within 24–48 hours across 15,000+ US pharmacies. Learn how it works →

Contrave

Findability Score: 48/100