Contrave Weight Loss Medication Helped Her Lose 61 Pounds for a Fraction of the Cost of Ozempic
A $99-a-month pill stopped her cravings and helped Jen Jodrey, 53, transform her health with ease
Key Takeaways
- Combining Contrave with intermittent fasting helped Jen lose four dress sizes.
- Studies show 30 percent of Contrave users lose 15 percent or more of their body weight.
- Contrave targets both physical hunger and “brain hunger” that drive overeating.
Want relief from constant cravings without the high cost of GLP-1 drugs like Ozempic and Zepbound? Montana grandmother Jen Jodrey, 53, says a surprise alternative—Contrave weight loss medication—worked wonders for her. Keep reading to learn about the lower-cost medication that helped get rid of her “food noise,” depression, high blood pressure, high cholesterol and arthritis as she dropped four sizes. “I feel like I got my life back,” she shares. The good news: Experts say millions more of us also stand to benefit.
Why Jen chose Contrave over Ozempic for weight loss
Jen’s story may sound familiar to those of us over 50: Hormonal changes hit, and she started packing on pounds. “I tried to eat less and move more, but I craved all the wrong things from the moment I woke up until the moment I went to bed,” she recalls. She kept gaining. Her energy drained away; everything hurt. Depression set in. Finally, her doctor offered a GLP-1 (a type of drug that spikes the hormone GLP-1 to kill hunger and improve blood sugar). Jen hesitated, even though she’d seen Ozempic work for others. Was it right for her? Could she pay for it long term?
To learn more, she hit the internet. And that’s where she read about Contrave, a different type of oral weight-loss medication with solid science behind it. A pharmacist told Jen how to get it for $99 monthly (through the CurAccess program; learn more at Contrave.com.) “I knew I could pay for it by skipping McDonald’s and Domino’s,” she laughs. Jen’s doctor agreed she was a great candidate. Within two weeks, before she was even taking a full dose, something shifted. “I wasn’t thinking about food all the time,” she says.
Woman's World Answers
How does Contrave weight loss medication work?
It’s a prescription pill that combines a hunger-reducing antidepressant (bupropion) with a medication (naltrexone) that softens the high we feel from things like alcohol and food. “It works on key centers of the brain to help reduce emotional eating and cravings,” explains Brynna Connor, MD, an Austin-based integrative health expert and ambassador for NorthWestPharmacy.com. It’s been FDA-approved since 2014.
Since starting Contrave, Jen has lost 61 pounds, or about 31 percent of her starting weight. Average loss on Contrave is closer to eight percent, yet Jen isn’t the only super-loser: A study in the journal Obesity found 30 percent of people lost 15 percent body weight or more. How does Contrave compare to the oral GLP-1s? The Wegovy and Foundayo (orforglipron) pills cost about $299, or three times more than $99 Contrave—but they don’t work three times better. Tests show the Wegovy pill is the most effective, helping 47 percent of people lose 15 percent or more.
Meanwhile, with Ozempic and Wegovy shots, the average person loses 15 percent of their body weight for about $349 per month; Mounjaro and Zepbound shots take off about 20 percent for $449 monthly.
Contrave and GLP-1s are typically prescribed at a lower initial dose to minimize side effects. For Contrave, common side effects can include nausea, constipation, headaches, dry mouth and insomnia. “These tend to subside over time,” notes Dr. Connor.
Who is Contrave weight loss medication best for?
A gentle reminder that you always need to talk to a doctor to know what’s best for you. Contrave isn’t a good fit for folks with certain health conditions. And it’s typically only prescribed to people who are obese or overweight with health issues like prediabetes or sleep apnea. Dr. Connor says Contrave can be great at reducing “brain hunger”—those urges to eat that have little to do with how full you are.
Contrave is part antidepressant, so it may also help improve mood and make you less inclined to want comfort food. So Contrave will potentially “help you eat less and reduce calorie intake, leading to gradual weight loss,” she notes. Is it a quick fix? No. It can take eight to 12 weeks to see meaningful results. And those results will be best if you adopt a healthy lifestyle, adds Dr. Connor. Jen came up with an inspired way to do just that.
How Jen went next-level with Contrave
Jen had often heard people talk about benefits of intermittent fasting—like improved blood sugar, extra energy and easier weight loss. But with a brain fixated on food, “I thought I could never go 16 or 18 hours without eating,” she recalls. Then Contrave came along.
After years of obsessively tracking her food and weight, she loved the idea of simply having a six-hour window each day during which she could eat until she was full. As Contrave kicked in, she had no trouble following that schedule. On weekdays, she emphasized protein, veggies and good fats (things like chicken breast, salad and nuts became go-tos). On weekends, she relaxed a bit, allowing herself pizza or a restaurant meal.
“I didn’t count calories at all,” she says. “I just ate until I felt satisfied. Contrave made it so I could actually do that and still lose weight. It was the perfect balance for me.” She suddenly had more energy, and she used it to go to a community gym during her lunch hour.
Since losing weight, Jen is thriving
Jen lost 13 pounds the first month and her mood began to lift; by the two-month mark she had significantly more energy and less pain. Over the course of 18 months, her blood work got better and 61 pounds disappeared. Now two years later, she’s on a maintenance dose of Contrave (which can be taken indefinitely).
She knows the drug isn’t for everyone but she still wants to spread the word. “I’m not exaggerating when I say I was barely making it through the day when I started. Now I’m thriving. My kids say they got their mom back!” If you’re struggling with constant cravings and weight gain, talk to your doctor. Contrave weight loss medication might be an option neither of you has considered yet—and if you’re anything like Jen, it can make all the difference.
This story originally appeared in the May 4, 2026 issue of Woman’s World.
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