Naltrexone’s indications, mechanism of action, pharmacokinetics, administration methods, significant adverse effects, contraindications, monitoring, warnings, and toxicity are discussed. The Provider Locator is searchable by ZIP code or by city and state. Inclusion in the Provider Locator does not imply referral, recommendation https://accountingcoaching.online/facing-your-powerlessness-in-addiction-recovery/ or endorsement nor does omission in the Provider Locator imply Alkermes’ disapproval. The information from the Provider Locator is provided on an “AS-IS” basis. Alkermes disclaims all warranties, either express or implied, including but not limited to the implied warranties of merchantability and fitness for particular purpose.

It is advisable for patients taking naltrexone to carry a card detailing their use of this agent that can be shown to health care providers. Because naltrexone blocks opioid receptors, it can render opiate analgesics ineffective, which may be of practical clinical importance, especially in an emergency setting. VIVITROL® is a prescription injectable medicine that can be used to prevent a relapse to opioid dependence or alcohol after a person has gone through detoxification.

Can Vivitrol be taken to help me lose weight?

If you’re pregnant or planning to become pregnant, talk with your doctor before using Vivitrol. It’s not known if Vivitrol, which is given as an injection, is safe to take during pregnancy. No human or animal studies have been done on the effects of Vivitrol during pregnancy. For instance, some interactions can interfere with how well a drug works. Other interactions can increase the number of side effects or make them more severe.

However, if you’ve recently taken an opioid medication and then start Vivitrol treatment, you can have sudden opioid withdrawal symptoms. In such cases, you may need to stay in a hospital or be monitored for symptoms such as a fast heart rate and high blood pressure. Most of the serious side effects that can occur while you’re taking Vivitrol can happen whether you’re taking the medication for alcohol or opioid dependence. To have opioid withdrawal, you must’ve been taking an opioid medication. Clinical trials also showed that people who stopped drinking alcohol for 1 week before starting to take Vivitrol were more likely to not drink at all during treatment. The studies also showed that people who took Vivitrol drank on fewer days and had fewer heavy drinking days than people who took a placebo.

prefer to not take agonist treatments, or cannot do so because of legal or job requirements

An hour of time can give the body a nice cushion and prevent alcohol poisoning. An immediate injection doesn’t provide the same breathing space. The case presented here is a fairly typical example of a heavy drinker who is mildly to moderately dependent on alcohol. Obtaining spousal reports Alcoholic Ketoacidosis StatPearls NCBI Bookshelf to confirm progress would be important as well. As with most medications, the type, severity, and range of side effects from VIVITROL® vary from person to person. Some individuals may find the side effects go away with a day or two, while others may have lingering side effects.

In clinical studies, about 33% of people who took the approved dose of Vivitrol (380 mg) for alcohol dependence had nausea. In comparison, 11% of people who took a placebo also had nausea. A safety study was also performed to compare Vivitrol with the drug naltrexone in tablet form.

Drugs & Supplements

Receiving this medication as a once-a-month shot can be an effective way to reduce your alcohol or drug use. The injectable form of the medication can improve treatment adherence, which can improve your outcomes and chances for recovery. If you think naltrexone might be a good choice for you, talk to your doctor about your treatment options.

• Call 911 if your symptoms feel life threatening or if you think you’re having a medical emergency.
• This is because Vivitrol isn’t addictive and can’t be misused.
• In comparison, injection site pain occurred in only 1% of people who received a placebo injection.

Suboxone can reduce opioid withdrawal symptoms, while VIVITROL® cannot. VIVITROL® and Suboxone can help reduce cravings and protect against relapse. VIVITROL® requires a period of opioid abstinence, while Suboxone does not. Vivitrol is a long-acting injectable form of naltrexone, which is a medication used to treat two substance use disorders – opioid use disorder and alcohol use disorder (alcoholism). It helps prevent people with alcohol or opioid dependence from feeling like they need to use these substances.

Addiction

So, you should be careful not to take any narcotics while you are taking naltrexone. Do not take any cough medicine with codeine in it while you are taking naltrexone. Naltrexone can cause or worsen withdrawal symptoms in people who take narcotics. You must stop taking all narcotics 7 to 10 days before you start taking naltrexone. Naltrexone is relatively contraindicated in patients who have liver-enzyme levels that are four to five times above the upper limit of the normal range. In addition, naltrexone, due to its blockade of brain opiate receptors, should not be used in patients who are dependent on opiates or those needing opiates for relief of chronic pain.

When you’re dependent, your brain can’t work like usual without the opioids or alcohol. Carry written information with you at all times to alert healthcare providers that you are taking this medication so that they can treat you properly in an emergency. Naltrexone injection is a medication that is used in conjunction with other methods to treat both alcohol use disorder and opioid use disorder.

Sometimes the first sign of a liver problem is a higher level of liver enzymes (a type of protein). In clinical studies, these levels were often increased for only a short period of time, and they didn’t cause any side effects. However, some people did develop hepatitis or liver disease after taking Vivitrol. There isn’t any data from clinical trials on how many people taking Vivitrol developed hepatitis or liver disease.