Author: John Carter
Vivitrol Injection: Side Effects, Cost, Uses, Dosage, and More
Once naltrexone is in your system, as discussed above, it will block the endorphin rush from drinking alcohol. So, for example, if you plan to go out for the evening, you could take naltrexone one hour before you expect to have your first drink. As a physician on the Monument platform, I’ve seen many of my patients benefit from medication to help stop drinking.
Naltrexone is not addictive or psychoactive, meaning that it won’t give you any type of high. And stopping naltrexone won’t cause any withdrawal symptoms. This is one of the reasons why it can be a great treatment option.
Vivitrol is used for the treatment of alcohol or opioid addiction alongside social therapy and psychotherapy. It is administered by intramuscular injection by a health professional once every four weeks. People taking Vivitrol need to have completely stopped drinking and not taken opioids seven to fourteen days prior.
What should I avoid while receiving Vivitrol?
The recommended dose for most patients is a 50 mg daily oral naltrexone pill. However, you should speak to your healthcare provider about what dosage is right for you to take. Some people may need to take a higher dose to feel the effects of naltrexone. Alternatively, others adjust their dosage in order to avoid side effects. Although naltrexone is generally well-tolerated, some side effects like headaches and nausea can occur for some individuals. Your physician can adjust your dosage in order to minimize side effects.
- A person’s mood, digestion, cognition, and interest in other daily activities are usually unchanged.
- It should not be used in place of the advice of your physician or other qualified healthcare providers.
- There isn’t any data from clinical trials on how many people taking Vivitrol developed hepatitis or liver disease.
- You can also discuss daily dosing, which is standard at Monument, vs. The Sinclair Method.
Vivitrol is prescribed in certain situations for alcohol and opioid dependence. If you have questions about treatment with Vivitrol, talk with your doctor. Remember, your doctor and other healthcare professionals are available to help you. So don’t be afraid to ask questions or offer feedback on your treatment.
Vivitrol blocks the intoxication and euphoria or ‘high’ that alcohol and opioids cause. Ahealthcare professional will give you the injections at your doctor’s office. Naloxone (Narcan), on the other hand, is a medication that’s used to treat opioid overdoses.
Not everyone can obtain a prescription and get injected by trained medical staff. Fortunately, more addiction treatment professionals have undergone training in how to administer Vivitrol in recent years. While Vivitrol’s efficacy lasts for 2-4 weeks (usually closer to 4 weeks), the naltrexone pill exerts effects for a day or two, depending on the dosage.
Your tolerance for opioids may be decreased due to Vivitrol. So taking the same doses of opioid medications that you took before starting to use Vivitrol may cause serious overdose or even death. The use of Vivitrol and naltrexone in treating opioid dependence has been directly compared in a clinical study. About 60% of people who took Vivitrol stayed in treatment for 24 weeks. In comparison, about 28% of people who took naltrexone tablets stayed in the study treatment for 24 weeks.
Who should not receive Vivitrol?
Methadone is a generic drug, whereas Vivitrol is a brand-name drug. A generic drug is an exact copy of the active drug in a brand-name medication. If you have more questions or are concerned about withdrawal from Vivitrol, talk with your doctor or pharmacist. If you stop treatment with Vivitrol, you shouldn’t have withdrawal symptoms. Vivitrol may not be right for you if you have certain medical conditions or other factors that affect your health. Talk with your doctor about your health history before you take Vivitrol.
To be effective, treatment with Vivitrol must be used with other alcohol or drug recovery programs such as counseling. Vivitrol is an extended-release suspension that is injected into your gluteal muscle. Once injected, it slowly releases naltrexone (the active ingredient) for about a month. Vivitrol reaches steady state in the body at the end of the first month of using the medication. Naltrexone exposure is three to four times greater when using Vivitrol as opposed to using oral naltrexone 50 mg tablets once daily. There is less than 15% accumulation of naltrexone with repeated use.
Typically, people experience the best results when they take naltrexone as needed for a few months or longer. There are rare cases in which naltrexone can cause anhedonia, or lack of overall pleasure, leading to depressive symptoms. However this is not common, and research suggests naltrexone may even reduce depression for some people. There is another medication that does intentionally make you feel ill when you drink.
Vivitrol side effects
The following information is provided for clinicians and other healthcare professionals. If you’re concerned about opioid overdose while or after taking Vivitrol, talk with your doctor. Vivitrol can start working within 2 hours after your first injection. However, after the first 2 weeks, the level of medication in your body slowly decreases. You should take Vivitrol according to your doctor or healthcare professional’s instructions. If you have any questions about Vivitrol or naloxone, or how to treat an opioid overdose, talk with your doctor.
Oral Naltrexone vs Vivitrol
Patients should be opioid-free for 7 to 14 days prior to starting treatment with Vivitrol. In clinical trials, 14% of people who took Vivitrol at the approved dose for alcohol dependence experienced decreased appetite. In comparison, only 3% of people who took a placebo (no treatment) had these side effects.
Side effects and risks
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