In October of last year, the FDA gave its approval for using Vivitrol for treating opiate addiction. After opiate detox (usually 7 to 10 days), the person struggling with opiate addiction is supplied with Vivitrol once per month with an intramuscular injection to aid in relapse prevention and a slip back into their opiate addiction.
As of today, Vivitrol is the only non-narcotic medication approved for the prevention of relapse and a return to opiate addiction. After a period of abstinence most often following opiate detox, Vivitrol is given once per month by a nurse or doctor through an intramuscular injection. Being non-narcotic, Vivitrol is the only non-scheduled, non-addictive opiate antagonist that blocks the euphoric effects of opiates that people seek when they are active in their opiate addiction. While not being a miracle cure for opiate addiction, it is strongly believed that Vivitrol will help opiate addicts maintain their abstinence when administered with counseling and other recovery work such as regular attendance at 12 step meetings.
Approval of Vivitrol by the Food and Drug Administration represents an important step forward in the treatment of opiate addiction because it is the only non-addictive, non-scheduled, opiate antagonist currently available for the treatment of opiate addiction. Prior to this only other forms of scheduled narcotics like Methadone and Buprenorphine (Suboxone and Subutex) were prescribed for treatment of opiate addiction. Historical data has shown that many opiate addicts treated with these other narcotic regimens for opiate addiction ended up transferring one addiction for another or alternating back and forth between their prescribed treatment narcotic (Methadone, Buprenorphine, etc.) and the drug of choice for their opiate addiction (Heroin, OxyCodone, etc).
On top of opiate addiction, Vivitrol may be effective for the treatment of alcohol dependence. As with opiate addiction clients, the patient has to abstain from alcohol prior to initiation of treatment.
As of today, Vivitrol is the only non-narcotic medication approved for the prevention of relapse and a return to opiate addiction. After a period of abstinence most often following opiate detox, Vivitrol is given once per month by a nurse or doctor through an intramuscular injection. Being non-narcotic, Vivitrol is the only non-scheduled, non-addictive opiate antagonist that blocks the euphoric effects of opiates that people seek when they are active in their opiate addiction. While not being a miracle cure for opiate addiction, it is strongly believed that Vivitrol will help opiate addicts maintain their abstinence when administered with counseling and other recovery work such as regular attendance at 12 step meetings.
Approval of Vivitrol by the Food and Drug Administration represents an important step forward in the treatment of opiate addiction because it is the only non-addictive, non-scheduled, opiate antagonist currently available for the treatment of opiate addiction. Prior to this only other forms of scheduled narcotics like Methadone and Buprenorphine (Suboxone and Subutex) were prescribed for treatment of opiate addiction. Historical data has shown that many opiate addicts treated with these other narcotic regimens for opiate addiction ended up transferring one addiction for another or alternating back and forth between their prescribed treatment narcotic (Methadone, Buprenorphine, etc.) and the drug of choice for their opiate addiction (Heroin, OxyCodone, etc).
On top of opiate addiction, Vivitrol may be effective for the treatment of alcohol dependence. As with opiate addiction clients, the patient has to abstain from alcohol prior to initiation of treatment.
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