Vivitrol is a medication mainly administered to help prevent drug or alcohol dependency and relapse, and is administered specifically for alcohol and opioid drugs such as heroin and prescription medications. Vivitrol is an extended-release type of the med Naltrexone, which is available through injection once a month. It isn't addictive, and is what is known as an antagonist. When an individual takes Vivitrol, it cuts off the receptors that would normally be activated by alcohol or opioids, so when someone drinks alcohol 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 begins treatment with Vivitrol. Firstly, a person who intends to start Vivitrol must have been off of opioids for at least seven to ten days. This is including people who are involved 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 a long time, abrupt cessation is brutal, but withdrawal is something they will have to endure for a minimum of seven days in order to begin taking Vivitrol.
These drugs must be used in conjunction with an addiction treatment program in Burgettstown that also includes individual therapy, group therapy and medical supervision. Talk to your therapist or doctor in regards to how pharmacological tools can help you build and maintain the drug-free life you want.
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