Vivitrol is a medication mainly administered to prevent drug use and relapse, and is used expressly for alcohol and opioid drugs such as heroin and prescription pain killers. Vivitrol is an extended-release version of the medication Naltrexone, that is available via injection once a month. It is not habit forming, and is what is called an antagonist. When an individual is adminstered Vivitrol, it blocks the receptors that would normally be triggered by opioids or alcohol, so when someone drinks or takes opioids they essentially cannot get high or drunk.
There are certain precautions that need to be taken before someone begins treatment with Vivitrol. Firstly, a client who intends to begin Vivitrol must have abstained from opioids for a minimum of seven to ten days. This is including clients who are participating in opioid maintenance therapy and are taking meds like Buprenorphine or Methadone. For a heroin abuser or someone who has been taking Methadone for several years, quitting quickly can be very difficult, but withdrawal is something they will have to endure for a minimum of 7 days if they want to begin taking Vivitrol.
These medications must be used in conjunction with an addiction treatment program in Concord which also includes medical supervision, individual therapy, and group therapy. Speak with your therapist or doctor in regards to how pharmacological tools can help you maintain the drug-free life you want.
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