Vivitrol is a med used to prevent drug or alcohol use and relapse, and is administered expressly for alcohol and opioid drugs such as heroin and prescription medications. Vivitrol is an extended release type of the medication Naltrexone, that is available via injection once a month. It is not addictive, and is what is known as an antagonist. When someone injects Vivitrol, it cuts off the receptors that would normally be triggered by opioids or alcohol, so when someone drinks or takes opioids they essentially cannot get high or drunk.
There are certain precautions that need to be taken before an individual begins treatment with Vivitrol. First off, a client who intends to begin Vivitrol must 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 taking drugs like Buprenorphine or Methadone. For a heroin abuser or someone who has been on Methadone for several years, abrupt cessation can be brutal, but withdrawal is something they will have to go through for at least seven days if they want to start Vivitrol.
These drugs must be used in conjunction with an addiction treatment program in North Truro that also includes medical supervision, individual therapy, and group therapy. Talk with your doctor or therapist about how pharmacological tools can help you maintain and build the sober life you want.
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