Vivitrol Used in Treatment - Drug and Alcohol Rehab Facilities - South Hamilton, MA.

Vivitrol is a medication mainly administered to help prevent drug abuse and relapse, and is used expressly for alcohol and opioid drugs such as heroin and prescription pain killers. Vivitrol is an extended release version of the drug Naltrexone, that is available through a monthly injection. It is not habit forming, and is what is called an antagonist. When someone is adminstered Vivitrol, it cuts off the receptors that would usually be activated by opioids or alcohol, so when someone drinks or takes opioids they basically cannot get high or drunk.

There are certain precautions that need to be taken before someone is administered Vivitrol. First off, someone who with the intent to start Vivitrol needs to have abstained from opioids for at least 7-10 days. This is including individuals who are participating in opioid maintenance therapy and are taking medications such as Buprenorphine or Methadone. For a heroin abuser or someone who has been taking Methadone for a long time, abrupt cessation can be brutal, but withdrawal is something they will have to go through for at least a week in order to begin taking Vivitrol.

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

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