Vivitrol Used in Treatment - Alcohol and Drug Rehab Programs - Mount Sinai, NY.

Vivitrol is a medication mainly administered to help prevent drug abuse and relapse, and is used specifically for alcohol and opioid drugs such as heroin and prescription medications. Vivitrol is an extended release version of the medication Naltrexone, which is available through injection once a month. It is not addictive, and is what is called an antagonist. When someone is adminstered Vivitrol, it blocks the receptors that would normally be activated by opioids or alcohol, so when someone drinks or takes opioids they essentially can't get high or drunk.

There are certain safety measures that need to be taken before someone is administered Vivitrol. Firstly, an individual who plans to begin Vivitrol needs to have abstained from opioids for at least seven to ten days. This includes people who are participating in opioid maintenance therapy and are being given meds like Buprenorphine or Methadone. For a heroin addict 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 seven days if they want to start Vivitrol.

These meds must be used in conjunction with an addiction treatment program in Mount Sinai which also includes medical supervision, individual therapy, and group therapy. Talk to your therapist or doctor in regards to how pharmacological tools can help you build the sober life you want.

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