Vivitrol is a drug used to help prevent drug or alcohol use 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 one can get through a monthly injection. It is not addictive, and is what is known as an antagonist. When someone takes Vivitrol, it cuts off the receptors that would normally be activated by alcohol or opioids, so when an individual drinks alcohol or tries to get high on opioids they basically cannot get high or drunk.
There are certain precautions that should be be taken before someone is administered Vivitrol. Firstly, someone who with the intent to begin Vivitrol needs to have been off of opioids for a minimum of seven to ten days. This is including clients who are involved in opioid maintenance therapy and are being given medications like Buprenorphine or Methadone. For a heroin addict or a person who has been taking Methadone for a long time, quitting quickly is very difficult, but withdrawal is something they will have to endure for a minimum of 7 days in order to start Vivitrol.
These medications must be used as part of a treatment program in Herrick Center that also offers medical supervision, individual therapy, and group therapy. Talk with your doctor or therapist in regards to how pharmacological aids can help you build and maintain the drug-free life you want.
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