Vivitrol Used in Treatment - Alcohol and Drug Treatment Programs - Gladstone, NM.

Vivitrol is a drug used to help prevent drug or alcohol use 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 medication Naltrexone, that one can get via a monthly injection. It isn't addictive, and is what is called an antagonist. When someone is adminstered Vivitrol, it blocks the receptors that would usually be activated by alcohol or opioids, so when an individual drinks alcohol or tries to get high on opioids they basically cannot get drunk or high.

There are certain precautions that need to be taken before someone is administered Vivitrol. First off, a person who with the intent to start Vivitrol must have been off of opioids for a minimum of 7-10 days. This includes people who are participating in opioid maintenance therapy and are being given medications like Buprenorphine or Methadone. For a heroin abuser or a person who has been taking 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 begin taking Vivitrol.

These meds must be used as part of a treatment program in Gladstone that also includes individual therapy, group therapy and medical supervision. Speak to your therapist or Dr. in regards to how pharmacological tools can help you maintain the drug-free life you want.

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