Precautions
Patient Assistance Programs for Vivitrol. Patient assistance programs (PAPs) are usually sponsored by pharmaceutical companies and provide free or discounted medicines to low income or uninsured and under-insured people who meet specific guidelines. Eligibility requirements vary for each program.
Who qualifies for Vivitrol?
check eligibility By submitting this form, you are confirming that: You are 18 years or older. You are not using any federal or state healthcare programs to pay for your VIVITROL prescription. You are being treated for alcohol dependence or opioid dependence.
How long do you have to be clean to get a Vivitrol shot?
You can't take Vivitrol until you've been clean from opioid drugs and medications for 7 to 10 days. Fighting cravings during the first week may be the most difficult part of recovery.Sep 21, 2021
Can patients self administer Vivitrol?
VIVITROL must be prepared and administered by a healthcare professional. The recommended dose of VIVITROL is 380 mg delivered intramuscularly every 4 weeks or once a month.
How long do you have to be off Suboxone before you can start Vivitrol?
VIVITROL injection will be administered on Day 8 at 380 mg. After the initial titration period for opioid withdrawal (of up to 8 days), patients will receive the Vivitrol injection. Then, we will follow patients for retention out to 4 weeks....Individual Participant Data (IPD) Sharing Statement:Plan to Share IPD:No8 more rows
Does Vivitrol cause weight gain?
Neither weight gain nor weight loss was reported by people taking Vivitrol in studies. Vivitrol can cause decreased appetite in some people, which may lead to weight loss.Sep 13, 2021
What is the success rate of Vivitrol?
Vivitrol combined with counseling and therapy has a 90% success rate in helping people achieve sobriety.Aug 13, 2021
Can you take hydrocodone on VIVITROL?
While you're taking Vivitrol, it's important that you don't take any opioid medications. And you shouldn't take any opioids within 7 to 10 days before starting Vivitrol treatment. This is because if you use opioid medications during these times, you may have symptoms of opioid withdrawal.
What is the shot that makes you not want to drink?
Naltrexone injection is used along with counseling and social support to help people who have stopped drinking large amounts of alcohol to avoid drinking again.
Does naltrexone help with anxiety?
Importance: Extended-release naltrexone (XR-NTX) is a promising alternative treatment of opioid addiction but has never been compared with opioid agonist treatment for effects on symptoms of anxiety, depression, and insomnia.Feb 1, 2019
Will Vivitrol show up on a drug test?
Like other medications that are used within a medication assisted treatment program, Vivitrol will not show up on a standard drug test. There are specialized drug tests that can detect Vivitrol, however they are not commonly used.
Is Vivitrol more effective than naltrexone?
The study, sponsored by the National Institute on Drug Abuse, found that a monthly shot of naltrexone (sold as Vivitrol) is as effective as its main competitor, the daily pill of buprenorphine and naloxone (sold as Suboxone).Nov 14, 2017
Is Sublocade like Vivitrol?
Vivitrol and Sublocade belong to different drug classes. Vivitrol is an opioid antagonist and Sublocade is a partial opioid agonist. Side effects of Vivitrol and Sublocade that are similar include nausea, headache, and tiredness/fatigue.Jul 23, 2020
How It Works
- Initially, Vivitrol was approved by the Food and Drug Administration in 2006 to prevent relapse in those recovering from an alcohol use disorder. Naltrexone works to minimize cravings for alcohol via a different mechanism than previously used alcohol relapse prevention medicines, li…
Upsides
Downsides
Bottom Line
Tips
- Vivitrol is a brand (trade) name for naltrexone injection. How naltrexone works in alcoholism is not completely understood; however, some experts believe it works by blocking the effects of natural...
- Do not confuse naltrexone with naloxone (Narcan), which strips the opioid from the opioid receptor and is used for the emergency treatment of opioid overdose.
- Vivitrol is a brand (trade) name for naltrexone injection. How naltrexone works in alcoholism is not completely understood; however, some experts believe it works by blocking the effects of natural...
- Do not confuse naltrexone with naloxone (Narcan), which strips the opioid from the opioid receptor and is used for the emergency treatment of opioid overdose.
- Vivitrol belongs to a class of medicines called opioid antagonists.
Response and Effectiveness
- Vivitrol may be used to treat alcohol dependence in patients who are able to abstain from alcohol in an outpatient setting prior to the initiation of Vivitrol. Patients should not be actively drink...
- Vivitrol has also been shown to improve abstention rates, reduce the number of drinking days, and reduce the risk of relapse. It also reduces alcohol cravings.
- Vivitrol may be used to treat alcohol dependence in patients who are able to abstain from alcohol in an outpatient setting prior to the initiation of Vivitrol. Patients should not be actively drink...
- Vivitrol has also been shown to improve abstention rates, reduce the number of drinking days, and reduce the risk of relapse. It also reduces alcohol cravings.
- Vivitrol does not cause physical or psychological dependence and is not considered a drug of abuse. Tolerance to Vivitrol's effect does not appear to occur.
- Apart from its opioid blocking effects and some pupillary constriction (a decrease in the size of the pupil of the eye), Vivitrol has few, if any, other reported effects.
Interactions
- If you are between the ages of 18 and 60, take no other medication or have no other medical conditions, side effects you are more likely to experience include: 1. Nausea, a headache, depression, fatigue, insomnia, anxiety, and sleepiness are the most common side effects reported. Generally, Vivitrol is well-tolerated in people who are genuinely opioid-free. 2. Vivitrol i…
References
- Vivitrol is used for the treatment of alcohol 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.
Further Information
- Vivitrol should be used in addition to comprehensive social and psychotherapeutic measures to reduce opioid or alcohol addiction.
- Always carry identification that alerts medical personnel to the fact you are taking Vivitrol. A Vivitrol medication card is available from most treatment centers for this purpose.
- If you try and self-administer opioids while taking Vivitrol, you will not perceive any effect.
- Vivitrol should be used in addition to comprehensive social and psychotherapeutic measures to reduce opioid or alcohol addiction.
- Always carry identification that alerts medical personnel to the fact you are taking Vivitrol. A Vivitrol medication card is available from most treatment centers for this purpose.
- If you try and self-administer opioids while taking Vivitrol, you will not perceive any effect.
- Stop Vivitrol and see your doctor immediately if you develop abdominal pain lasting more than a few days, white bowel movements, dark urine, or yellowing of your eyes.
Recognizing The Dangers
- Peak plasma levels of naltrexone, the active component of Vivitrol, reach a transient initial peak approximately two hours after injection, followed by a second peak that occurs two to three days l...
- Compared to oral naltrexone 50mg given daily, total naltrexone exposure is three to four-fold higher after a single dose of Vivitrol 380mg IM.
Locating Appropriate Treatment
- Medicines that interact with Vivitrol may either decrease its effect, affect how long it works for, increase side effects, or have less of an effect when taken with Vivitrol. An interaction between two medications does not always mean that you must stop taking one of the medications; however, sometimes it does. Speak to your doctor about how drug interactions should be mana…
Find Vivitrol Recovery Care Today
- Vivitrol (naltrexone injection) [Package Insert]. 03/2021. Alkermes, Inc. https://www.drugs.com/pro/vivitrol.html
Sources
- Remember, keep this and all other medicines out of the reach of children, never share your medicines with others, and use Vivitrol only for the indication prescribed. Always consult your healthcare provider to ensure the information displayed on this page applies to your personal circumstances. Copyright 1996-2022 Drugs.com. Revision date: January 18, 2022. Medical Discl…