Vivitrol is a drug used to prevent drug or alcohol dependency and relapse, and is used specifically for alcohol and opioid drugs such as heroin and prescription medications. Vivitrol is an extended-release version of the drug Naltrexone, which is available through injection once a month. It isn't addictive, and is what is called an antagonist. When an individual takes Vivitrol, it blocks the receptors that would normally be activated by opioids or alcohol, so when someone drinks alcohol or tries to get high on opioids they essentially cannot get high or drunk.
There are particular precautions that should be be taken before an individual begins treatment with Vivitrol. First off, a person who intends to start Vivitrol needs to have abstained from opioids for at least seven to ten days. This is including people who are participating in opioid maintenance therapy and are taking meds such as Buprenorphine or Methadone. For a heroin addict or someone who has been on Methadone for several years, quitting quickly can be brutal, but withdrawal is something they will have to go through for a minimum of seven days in order to begin taking Vivitrol.
These meds must be used as part of an addiction treatment program in Moody that also includes individual therapy, group therapy and medical supervision. Speak to your doctor or therapist in regards to how pharmacological tools can help you build and maintain the sober life you want.
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