Vivitrol Used in Treatment - Drug and Alcohol Treatment Centers - Barrington, IL.

Vivitrol is a medication 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 drug Naltrexone, which is available via injection once a month. It is not habit forming, and is what is called an antagonist. When an individual is adminstered Vivitrol, it blocks the receptors that would normally be triggered by opioids or alcohol, so when an individual drinks or tries to get high on opioids they essentially cannot get high or drunk.

There are particular safety measures that need to be taken before someone is administered Vivitrol. Firstly, a person who plans to begin Vivitrol must have been off of opioids for at least 7-10 days. This includes people who are involved in opioid maintenance therapy and are being given medications like Methadone or Buprenorphine. For a heroin abuser or a person who has been on Methadone for a long time, quitting quickly can be brutal, but withdrawal is something they will have to go through for a minimum of a week if they want to start Vivitrol.

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

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