Vivitrol is a drug mainly administered to help prevent drug or alcohol dependency and relapse, and is administered specifically for alcohol and opioid drugs such as heroin and prescription medications. Vivitrol is an extended release version of the medication Naltrexone, that one can get through a monthly injection. It is not habit forming, and is what is called an antagonist. When someone injects Vivitrol, it cuts off the receptors that would normally be activated by alcohol or opioids, so when someone takes a drink of alcohol or takes opioids they essentially cannot get high or drunk.
There are certain precautions that need to be taken before someone is administered Vivitrol. Firstly, a person who intends to start Vivitrol must have abstained from opioids for at least 7-10 days. This includes people who are involved in opioid maintenance therapy and are being given drugs like Methadone or Buprenorphine. For a heroin abuser or someone who has been taking Methadone for a long time, quitting quickly can be very difficult, but withdrawal is something they will have to endure for a minimum of seven days in order to start Vivitrol.
These drugs must be used as part of a treatment program in Reading which also offers medical supervision, individual therapy, and group therapy. Talk with your therapist or doctor about how pharmacological aids can help you build and maintain the sober life you want.
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