Vivitrol is a drug used to help prevent drug or alcohol dependency and relapse, and is administered expressly for alcohol and opioid drugs such as heroin and prescription pain killers. Vivitrol is an extended-release version of the medication Naltrexone, that one can get via a monthly injection. It is not habit forming, and is what is known as an antagonist. When someone is adminstered Vivitrol, it cuts off the receptors that would normally be activated by alcohol or opioids, so when an individual drinks or tries to get high on opioids they essentially can't get drunk or high.
There are particular precautions that need to be taken before an individual is administered Vivitrol. First off, an individual who with the intent to start Vivitrol needs to have been off of opioids for a minimum of seven to ten days. This includes people who are participating in opioid maintenance therapy and are being given medications such as Buprenorphine or Methadone. For a heroin addict or a person who has been taking Methadone for several years, abrupt cessation is very difficult, but withdrawal is something they will have to endure for at least 7 days in order to begin taking Vivitrol.
These meds must be used as part of a rehab program in Halifax that also includes individual therapy, group therapy and medical supervision. Talk with your doctor or therapist about how pharmacological tools can help you maintain and build the sober life you want.
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