Every weight loss journey is unique. It’s often a matter of finding what works best for your one-of-a-kind body. Here, one woman shares her Contrave for weight loss success story of how she shed nearly 100 pounds in a year. While GLP-1 drugs like Ozempic and Wegovy are getting all the buzz lately, they can be pricey without insurance coverage and sometimes come with unwanted side effects like GI upset. Contrave, an affordable prescription pill, is often seen as an easy alternative to GLP-1 shots. Here, Brittney’s inspiring story…
When the cost of Wegovy is just too steep
Brittney Leach-Campbell remembers standing in line at the pharmacy to fill the brand-new prescription her doctor had just written for Wegovy weight-loss medication. “That will be $1,200,” the pharmacist said. And Brittney felt a jolt of panic. She knew, I’m not ready for this type of commitment. I don’t want to have to pay that every month. There has to be another way…
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One last weight-loss attempt
Brittney had struggled with her weight all her life. “I was tortured as a child. Kids named a pool game after me. Instead of Free Willy, it was Free Brittney.” Brittney always hoped she would be in the best shape of her life by the time she turned 40. But as that milestone birthday approached, she was at an all-time high pushing 250 pounds.
Upon reflection, she recognized she had a list of weight-loss hurdles blocking her from success. She struggled with sweet cravings. She didn’t like to exercise. She felt counting calories was too much work. And she noticed her body held on to weight as long as it could so that her efforts were met with little reward and loads of discouragement.
She admits, “I feel like that’s why I never have been able to stick with a diet. I’d get a month in, and barely lose anything, and give up.” So after that sticker-shock of a pharmacy trip, Brittney asked her doctor, “Is there anything else you can prescribe me?”
“People think the only options available are the new injectable medications. This is absolutely not true.” —Daniela Hurtado Andrade, MD, PhD
Brittney was told about Contrave for weight loss
That’s when Brittney learned about prescription Contrave, with the active ingredients Naltrexone (an opioid antagonist) and bupropion (an antidepressant). Rather than an injectable shot, Contrave is an oral medicine for weight loss. It is designed to curb cravings to help give people a sense of control and a mood boost.
Contrave is often more affordable than many popular weight loss drugs. It costs about $625 per month (50 percent less than Ozempic) without insurance. But there are insurance factors, coupons and even some programs, like the CurAccess patient program Brittany used, that allow patients to get Contrave for as little as $99 a month.
Daniela Hurtado Andrade, MD, PhD, a Mayo-Clinic-affiliated endocrinologist, has recommended Contrave to patients as a medical alternative to Ozempic. She has said, “People are focused on the fact that the only options available for the treatment of overweight and obesity are the new injectable medications. This is absolutely not true.”
While Contrave isn’t for everyone, women’s health and weight-loss expert Melina Jampolis, MD, says she would consider prescribing it in some cases like “issues with food addiction symptoms and possibly mood/depression issues, as one of the components is an antidepressant.”
Contrave controls cravings
As soon as Brittney started taking the medicine, she was able to stay on track. Suddenly, she had the patience to make healthy meals rather than feel controlled by wild cravings. And slowly, she decreased her portion sizes. She adds, “I cut sweets out completely. I was shocked. It had to do with the medicine I was taking. I was able to say, ‘Nope, I’m done.’ I didn’t even touch the candy dish in my office. It didn’t phase me at all.”
As for common side effects of the meds, such as blurry vision or headaches, Brittney didn’t have any. With her doctor’s guidance, she slowly increased her dosage over time from one pill to two and then finally four pills daily. “I never had any issues.”
Brittney felt inspired to make other healthy changes
Focused on her goal to lose weight and improve her health, Brittney also followed the 30-30-30 wellness method where you consume 30 grams of protein within 30 minutes of waking, followed by 30 minutes of movement. She shares, “Every morning, I took my medicine, drank my protein shake and headed out for a walk.”
From walking 30 minutes each morning, Brittney began to aim for 10,000 steps, then 20,000 steps per day. At lunchtime, she did laps at the industrial park where she worked. At night, she’d walk her dogs. “I got kind of addicted to walking. If I had 15 free minutes I was like, ‘Hey, I’m going to do a quick walk.’” She also walked hills and jogged intervals.
Brittney finally found success with Contrave
Within two months, Brittney could see her body changing and her face looking thinner. In the first six months, she was down nearly 50 pounds. And in a year it was almost 100 pounds. She is thrilled with her progress, noting “Besides the medicine, I’ve been doing this on my own!”
Now, Brittney is enjoying the perks of her amazing weight-loss success with Contrave. She says, “I’ve never been this small in my whole life. I have twin daughters who will be 13, and we’re the same size now.” She says, “I feel like a whole new person!”
Brittney’s top weight loss success tips
Ready to follow in Brittney’s healthy footsteps? For the best results, weight-loss medication should be paired with diet and lifestyle changes. Here, Brittney shares her keys to slimming success:
Curb cravings. She used prescription Contrave pills to knock out cravings so she could make better meal choices. You can also check out our tips for curbing cravings naturally here.
Stay active. “I didn’t realize how healthy walking was,” she says. “I learned my body needs exercise. I wish I would have known that adding a few extra miles a day would help. I probably would have started this a lot sooner had I known what it would do for me.”
Lean on your support system. Brittney’s husband was her weight-loss cheerleader and walking partner. “Having a support system made a difference. Even one person, whether it be your spouse, a best friend, even a trainer, somebody that will just keep reminding you every day why you’re doing this.”
Fill up on protein. Brittney made sure to eat plenty of protein. She started each day with a protein shake and often had a protein bar in the afternoon.
Practice strength training. Brittney got a trainer and began working her muscles at Planet Fitness. Going to the gym became a whole family affair. And now, Brittney is training for a body-building competition!
This content is not a substitute for professional medical advice or diagnosis. Always consult your physician before pursuing any treatment plan.