Naltrexone is a medicine used in the treatment of opiate and prescription opioid addiction because it stops the activity of opiates. It is also used in the treatment of alcohol addiction because it appears to decrease the addict's desire to consume alcohol. Naltrexone comes in tablet form, or in injection form that can be administered once per month, although the injection can cost up to $1,100 a month.
The difference between Naltrexone and other drugs used to treat opiate addiction is that unlike Methadone which is an agonist and is not unlike heroin, Naltrexone is an opiate antagonist, and blocks the effect of opioid drugs. An individual who has been off all opioid meds for seven to ten days can begin treatment with Naltrexone, but they will have to stop taking all other opioid medications while taking the drug. This would include taking Methadone or similar maintenance therapy medications, due to the fact that being treated with Naltrexone along with these types of meds can cause sudden withdrawal symptoms.
Naltrexone is meant to be used along with a full Red Cloud treatment program which would include counseling, behavioral modification, lifestyle changes, and compliance monitoring.
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