Vivitrol Used in Treatment - Alcohol and Drug Treatment Centers - St. Stephen, MN.

Vivitrol is a med mainly administered to help prevent drug or alcohol use and relapse, and is used specifically for alcohol and opioid drugs such as heroin and prescription pain killers. Vivitrol is an extended-release type of the med Naltrexone, that 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 blocks the receptors that would normally be activated by opioids or alcohol, so when an individual drinks alcohol or tries to get high on opioids they essentially cannot get drunk or high.

There are particular precautions that should be be taken before an individual is administered Vivitrol. Firstly, a person who intends to start Vivitrol must have abstained from opioids for at least seven to ten days. This is including people who are involved in opioid maintenance therapy and are being given medications such as Methadone or Buprenorphine. For a heroin abuser or someone who has been taking Methadone for a long time, quitting quickly can be very difficult, but withdrawal is something they will have to go through for at least 7 days in order to start Vivitrol.

These meds must be used as part of a rehab program in St. Stephen that also includes medical supervision, individual therapy, and group therapy. Speak to your therapist or doctor about how pharmacological tools can help you maintain the drug and alcohol free life you want.

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