Vivitrol is a med mainly administered to prevent drug or alcohol abuse and relapse, and is used expressly for alcohol and opioid drugs such as heroin and prescription pain killers. Vivitrol is an extended release type of the medication Naltrexone, which one can get via injection once a month. It is not habit forming, and is what is known as an antagonist. When someone is adminstered Vivitrol, it blocks the receptors that would usually be activated by alcohol or opioids, so when someone drinks or takes opioids they basically cannot get high or drunk.
There are particular precautions that need to be taken before an individual begins treatment with Vivitrol. First off, a person who plans to begin Vivitrol needs to have been off of opioids for at least 7-10 days. This includes people who are involved in opioid maintenance therapy and are taking meds like Buprenorphine or Methadone. For a heroin abuser or a person who has been on Methadone for several years, quitting quickly is very difficult, but withdrawal is something they will have to endure for a minimum of a week if they want to start Vivitrol.
These medications must be used in conjunction with an addiction treatment program in Lawton which also offers individual therapy, group therapy and medical supervision. Talk with your doctor or therapist in regards to how pharmacological aids can help you maintain and build the sober life you want.
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