Vivitrol is a medication used to prevent drug or alcohol dependency and relapse, and is administered expressly 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 through injection once a month. It is not addictive, and is what is known as an antagonist. When an individual is adminstered Vivitrol, it blocks the receptors that would normally be triggered by opioids or alcohol, so when someone drinks or tries to get high on opioids they essentially cannot get drunk or high.
There are particular precautions that should be be taken before someone is administered Vivitrol. First off, someone who intends to start Vivitrol needs to have been off of opioids for at least seven to ten days. This is including people who are participating in opioid maintenance therapy and are being given drugs such as Buprenorphine or Methadone. For a heroin abuser or someone who has been taking Methadone for a long time, quitting quickly can be brutal, but withdrawal is something they will have to endure for at least a week if they want to begin taking Vivitrol.
These meds must be used as part of a treatment program in Noxen which also includes medical supervision, individual therapy, and group therapy. Talk with your therapist or Dr. in regards to how pharmacological tools can help you maintain the drug-free life you want.
For All Alcohol and Drug Rehab Centers In Noxen, Click Here.