Vivitrol is a med mainly administered to help prevent drug or alcohol abuse and relapse, and is used specifically for alcohol and opioid drugs such as heroin and prescription medications. Vivitrol is an extended release type of the medication Naltrexone, which is available through a monthly injection. 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 activated by alcohol or opioids, so when someone takes a drink of alcohol or tries to get high on opioids they basically can't get high or drunk.
There are particular precautions that need to be taken before someone begins treatment with Vivitrol. First off, a client who with the intent to start Vivitrol must have been off of opioids for a minimum of 7-10 days. This is including clients who are involved in opioid maintenance therapy and are taking drugs such as Buprenorphine or Methadone. For a heroin abuser 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 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 Green Lane which also offers individual therapy, group therapy and medical supervision. Talk with your therapist or doctor about how pharmacological tools can help you build the drug-free life you want.
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