Vivitrol is a medication mainly administered to prevent drug use and relapse, and is used specifically for alcohol and opioid drugs such as heroin and prescription pain killers. Vivitrol is an extended release type of the medication Naltrexone, that one can get via injection once a month. It is not habit forming, and is what is called an antagonist. When an individual injects Vivitrol, it blocks the receptors that would usually be triggered by opioids or alcohol, so when someone drinks alcohol or tries to get high on opioids they essentially can't get high or drunk.
There are particular precautions that need to be taken before someone is administered Vivitrol. First off, an individual who with the intent to start Vivitrol must have abstained from opioids for at least 7-10 days. This includes clients who are participating in opioid maintenance therapy and are taking drugs like Buprenorphine or Methadone. For a heroin abuser or someone who has been on Methadone for several years, abrupt cessation is very difficult, but withdrawal is something they will have to go through for at least 7 days in order to begin taking Vivitrol.
These medications must be used in conjunction with an addiction treatment program in Donegal that also offers medical supervision, individual therapy, and group therapy. Speak to your doctor or therapist about how pharmacological aids can help you build the drug-free life you want.
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