Vivitrol is a med mainly administered to help prevent drug dependency and relapse, and is administered specifically for alcohol and opioid drugs such as heroin and prescription pain killers. Vivitrol is an extended-release version of the med Naltrexone, which is available via injection once a month. It is not habit forming, and is what is known as an antagonist. When an individual is adminstered Vivitrol, it cuts off the receptors that would normally be triggered by alcohol or opioids, so when an individual drinks alcohol or takes opioids they basically cannot get drunk or high.
There are particular safety measures that need to be taken before an individual begins treatment with Vivitrol. First off, an individual who plans to begin Vivitrol needs to have been off of opioids for at least seven to ten days. This includes people who are participating in opioid maintenance therapy and are taking drugs such as Methadone or Buprenorphine. For a heroin addict or a person who has been on Methadone for several years, abrupt cessation is brutal, but withdrawal is something they will have to endure for at least seven days in order to begin taking Vivitrol.
These drugs must be used as part of a treatment program in Elco that also offers medical supervision, individual therapy, and group therapy. Talk to your doctor or therapist about how pharmacological aids can help you maintain and build the sober life you want.
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