Vivitrol is a medication used to prevent drug dependency and relapse, and is used specifically for alcohol and opioid drugs such as heroin and prescription pain killers. Vivitrol is an extended-release version of the drug Naltrexone, which one can get via injection once a month. It isn't habit forming, and is what is known as an antagonist. When someone takes Vivitrol, it blocks the receptors that would usually be activated by opioids or alcohol, so when an individual takes a drink of 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, a person who intends to begin Vivitrol needs to have abstained from opioids for a minimum of 7-10 days. This includes individuals who are participating in opioid maintenance therapy and are taking drugs like Buprenorphine or Methadone. For a heroin abuser or a person who has been on Methadone for a long time, abrupt cessation is very difficult, but withdrawal is something they will have to go through for a minimum of seven days in order to begin taking Vivitrol.
These medications must be used in conjunction with an addiction treatment program in Hutchinson which also offers individual therapy, group therapy and medical supervision. Talk with your therapist or doctor about how pharmacological tools can help you maintain the drug-free life you want.
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