Vivitrol Services are being Offered
at Women’s Recovery for
Alcohol and Opiate Addiction
Vivitrol services are available for anyone who is battling an opiate addiction or alcoholism. This new medication has been FDA approved to be used during medication-assisted treatment (MAT). We’re happy to announce that it is now available here at Denver Women’s Recovery and Summit Women’s Recovery as a part of our rehab program offerings.
Vivitrol has been shown to be among the safest drugs used to help alcoholics and opioid addicts. Naltrexone is a medication that is the active ingredient in the Vivitrol shot. For the last several years, MAT has helped many people recover. The problem has always been that many of the medications used were addictive. That meant that there were risks involved with taking them. The good news is that with Vivitrol, the risks are highly minimized.
We understand the situation you’re in if you’re addicted to opioid drugs or alcohol. Maybe you’ve even tried other methods in an effort to get sober, but they didn’t work. Up until recently, there has never been a treatment like the Vivitrol injection. It has produced promising results for so many people. We’re confident that you’ll be pleased with the outcome once you start your treatment.
Getting Started With Vivitrol Services
The very first step you will want to take is to get an assessment. This can be completed over the phone. When we talk with you, we’ll need to know the extent of your addiction. We’ll ask about the different substances you use, how much, and how long you’ve been using. The more information we have about you, the better.
Once we understand your addiction, we can talk about our recommendations for your treatment. In some cases, Vivitrol isn’t a medication you can begin taking right away. However, we can help you get ready for it to work well for you.
When your addiction treatment begins, going to a drug or alcohol detox will be the first step. Your substance abuse problem has a powerful hold over your physical body, and that must be broken. Also, because of your drug use, there are toxins that must be removed from your body. Detoxing is going to help with that process.
If you have been using opioid drugs, you won’t be able to start Vivitrol services right away. If you do, you may experience quick, painful, and even debilitating withdrawal symptoms. That’s something we want to avoid at all costs. During your opiate detox, we’ll use other methods of controlling your symptoms. You’ll be much more comfortable during that time.
If alcohol has been your drug of choice, you may be able to begin Vivitrol right away. This is something that your doctor will discuss with you. We feel that it’s very important to take a personalized approach when treating our clients. We want to prescribe the treatments that will work the best for you.
It may take between 7 and 14 days for you to be ready to start with Vivitrol. Sometimes doctors will give clients a shot of Naloxone first. This is to check to be sure you can tolerate the Vivitrol injections. If you do, they will know that Vivitrol will work well for you.
During your Vivitrol treatment, you will be required to participate in therapy. This might mean individual sessions with a therapist, group therapy, or both. A 12 Step group is often critical to those who are recovering from alcohol or opioid addictions. These groups are similar to what you might experience during Narcotics Anonymous or Alcoholics Anonymous meetings.
Going to therapy is going to help you in so many ways. The medication is going to be assisting with your withdrawal symptoms and the physical side of the addiction. Therapy is going to address the psychological side.
It’s very important for you to receive well-rounded treatments for your recovery. In order to do that, it means working on every contributing factor. You need to know why you started using opiates or alcohol in the first place. You’ll learn what it is that continues to draw you to them as a way to cope. Once you know what the reason for your addiction is, that is where real recovery starts to take place.
What you Need to Know About Vivitrol Injections
People frequently have a lot of questions about Vivitrol before they start using it. The same is most likely true for you. We’d like to take a moment and answer some of the questions you might have.
Vivitrol shots are given once every 30 days. It is an extended-release medication, which means a little bit gets released into your system every day. This allows you to take it less, and for it to work for the entire month. At the end of the 30-day period, you simply receive another injection to continue your treatment.
It is very important to get all of your Vivitrol injections on time. If you happen to miss a dose, you may notice that your withdrawal symptoms return. This is especially true during the first few months that you’re on it.
This is a great question, but it’s difficult to answer for certain because everyone is different. The duration of your treatment with Naltrexone will depend on what you need and your progress. There are people who need to continue taking it for as long as 12 months. Others might be able to stop using it much sooner than that. Fortunately, it’s a medication that can be taken safely for up to one year.
Once a year has passed, addiction treatment experts believe that Naltrexone should be discontinued. By that time, any withdrawal symptoms should be completely under control. You should also have had enough counseling that you’re already coping by using methods other than substances.
However, it needs to be said that people occasionally do relapse, even after receiving the Naltrexone injection for a year. If this happens with you, you can go back on the drug for more treatment.
Yes, you can receive outpatient treatment services while taking Vivitrol. It’s not necessary for you to be in an inpatient or long-term rehab during that time. This is fortunate because it will allow you the flexibility to continue with your daily life. You can still go to work, spend time with your friends, and care for your family.
How Much do Vivitrol Shots Cost on Average?
The average cost of Vivitrol injections is around $1,500 for each one. For many people, it is very affordable to receive Vivitrol services. If you have health insurance, and you have met your deductible, the entire cost of the drug is covered. You may be breathing a sigh of relief at this news. This is made possible because of The Affordable Care Act.
The ACA is our country’s newest healthcare law. Because of this law, women like you are able to get the addiction help they need. It actually requires their insurance companies to assist them in covering the cost of treatment.
If you don’t have health insurance, you may want to apply for it through HealthCare.gov. You can research what’s available in Colorado and apply for the policy that will work for you.
Also, if you currently have Medicaid insurance, you are in luck. Medicaid will cover the entire cost of each Vivitrol injection you receive in Colorado.
If you don’t have health insurance, covering the cost of Vivitrol may be a challenge for you. Each dose can run as high as $1,500 if you’re paying for it out of pocket. Fortunately, Alkermes, which is the company that makes Vivitrol, has ways to help.
They offer a Patient Assistance Program that may be able to assist you. This program can help you save as much as $500 every month. In fact, even if you do have health insurance, this program is worth looking into. You may be able to not have any type of copay toward your medication.
Understanding How Vivitrol Treats Alcoholism and Opioid Addiction
Now that you have some basic information, let’s talk about how Vivitrol can help you. You may have a lot of questions about how it works in the body, and how it can help you stay sober.
Quitting your use of drugs or alcohol is bound to be extremely difficult. Willpower simply isn’t enough for most people, even when they really want to stop using it. You’ll be happy to know that Vivitrol can help you bridge that gap.
It’s very important to know how Vivitrol works before you get started with treatment. As we said previously, Naltrexone is the main active ingredient in Vivitrol. The Naltrexone tablet can be taken on its own to fight addiction as well. However, this method isn’t recommended because there is too much room for user error. That’s why taking Vivitrol is preferred among most addiction treatment professionals.
Vivitrol is known as an antagonist. It works by attaching to the opioid receptors in the body and blocking them. The difference is the receptors don’t release dopamine into the body the way they do when using opioids or alcohol.
If you have an opiate addiction, any opioid molecules won’t have access to the receptors. The result is that you experience lessened cravings and a reduction in your withdrawal symptoms.
The same is true if you are addicted to or dependent on alcohol. The opioid receptors are still affected by alcohol, even though it’s not an opiate drug. By blocking them, you will experience decreased cravings for alcohol. In addition, your withdrawal symptoms will also be improved.
The Benefits of The Opiate Blocker Injection Over the Naltrexone Pill
Sometimes people are nervous about taking a medication in the form of an injection. If a pill is available, they would rather take that instead. Perhaps this is also the way you feel right now.
It’s important to understand why your doctor might feel that an injection is better for you. Many people who use Vivitrol are using it on an outpatient basis. If they were to take a pill, they would also be receiving OP treatment.
When it comes to taking Vivitrol vs. Naltrexone, Vivitrol is the better option. With the Naltrexone tablet, the addict is responsible for remembering to take it every day. Even one missed dose could result in a relapse. Also, the addict has to be agreeable to taking it each day. If they end up experiencing cravings, or if they simply start thinking they want to use, they might skip it. This is problematic, and it doesn’t contribute to their goals for sobriety or staying clean.
We understand that addiction recovery is hard. It’s even more stressful for people with addictions when they’re forced with that daily decision. Vivitrol makes it easier for them because the medication is designed to work all month long.
You should let your doctor know if you experience these or any other side effects. Most are only a nuisance, and won’t be enough reason to discontinue Vivitrol.
Most people find that the side effects of Vivitrol don’t last very long. You may experience some of the effects on the above list, but they should fade in time. It may take a few weeks, or possibly longer, for your body to adjust to the medication. However, once you do, you’ll probably find that your side effects are greatly minimized.
There are some uncommon side effects that can occur when you take the Naltrexone shot. The Vivitrol website lists them to provide important patient safety information. For example, you may find:
- You experience depression symptoms.
- You develop an allergic rash. If not treated or reported to a doctor, this could result in pneumonia.
- You develop chest pain or breathing problems.
- You have liver problems or develop hepatitis.
- You develop kidney problems.
- You experience precipitated withdrawal symptoms if you take the drug too soon after stopping opiates.
- You have a severe reaction at the site of the injection.
If you suffer from any medical conditions, make sure your doctor knows about them. This will be an important determining factor in deciding if Vivitrol is the right medication for you.
Vivitrol vs. Suboxone: Which is Proven More Effective?
It’s possible that you are more familiar with Suboxone than you are with Vivitrol. Suboxone has been on the market much longer, and it has been used as opioid replacement therapy for years. ORT can be very helpful for those who are addicted to opiate drugs. However, it is not helpful for people with alcoholism. That’s one of the main differences when you compare Vivitrol vs. Suboxone.
Another big difference is that with Suboxone, the risk of a secondary addiction is very real. This is nonexistent with Vivitrol. There is no risk whatsoever in developing a secondary addiction.
As far as how well they work, research indicates that better outcomes are experienced with Vivitrol. However, the effectiveness of both drugs is roughly the same. Vivitrol a medication that certainly offers a lot more benefits. The fact that you don’t need to remember to take your medication is a major plus. That alone is usually enough to result in doctors and patients choosing Vivitrol.
Relapsing While Receiving Vivitrol Services
You may be wondering what happens if you drink on Vivitrol, or what if you use opiates? Of course, the goal would be for you to not suffer a relapse. However, we do know that relapses happen to everyone periodically. It’s important to know what your experience might be if you do go back to using.
If you drink alcohol while you use Vivitrol, there shouldn’t be many negative effects. It won’t make you feel sick, and you will still be able to get drunk if you choose to. This medication won’t interfere with the effect that alcohol will have on you.
The real risks of using alcohol while on Vivitrol involve the damage that can be done to your liver. You risk having an increase in your liver enzymes if you drink while you’re receiving this form of MAT. You could also return to active alcoholism if you continue to drink. It’s best to stay away from alcohol altogether.
If you use opiate drugs while you are receiving Vivitrol services, there are more risks involved. You won’t experience the feeling of being high because of how it blocks the opioid receptors. However, that could mean that you take more opioid drugs to compensate for this. You could accidentally take too much and end up overdosing.
Whether you’re an opioid addict or an alcoholic, it’s best to remember why you’re starting Vivitrol. Your goal is to be free of your addiction. The best gift you could give yourself is to allow the drug to do what it was designed to do.
Reviews From Patients Who Have Used Vivitrol for Addiction Recovery
It’s always nice to read about others’ experiences when using Vivitrol. Here is what two clients have to say:
I am an opioid addict. I was headed down a dangerous road, but I was afraid of going through opioid withdrawal. I never thought I would be able to quit. When Vivitrol was suggested for me, I have to admit that I was skeptical. I never thought that taking shots would work; especially if I only had to take it once a month.
I am happy to report that it’s been three months, and I’m feeling a lot better! I don’t have any cravings, and my withdrawal symptoms were greatly minimized. For the first time, I finally feel like I can beat this addiction.
I am an alcoholic, and I had reached the point where alcohol had completely taken over my life. Finding a place that offered Vivitrol services was my last hope. I was really amazed at how quickly the drug seemed to work for me. It was nice that I could get it via injection, which meant I didn’t have to remember to take pills.
I am now six months along on my Vivitrol treatments, and what a difference! I used to think about drinking constantly, and now I can go days without it even crossing my mind. My withdrawal symptoms were practically non-existent, which made it so much easier to recover. I would recommend Vivitrol to anyone.
Is Vivitrol Addictive?
There is no risk of addiction when you use Vivitrol for your addiction treatment. This is the reason why it’s such a widely used form of MAT.
Are There Vivitrol Withdrawal Symptoms When You Stop Getting the Shot?
Because Vivitrol is non-addictive, you don’t need to worry about having any withdrawal symptoms. If you stop the drug too soon, your alcohol or opiate withdrawals could come back.
It’s best to follow your doctor’s advice about when you should stop. They will guide you to make the transition as easy for you as possible.
Make Your Appointment at Women’s Recovery to Start Vivitrol Today
Here at Women’s Recovery, we’re very excited to be able to offer Vivitrol services to our clients. If you’re a woman who has been suffering from an alcohol or opioid addiction, this might be your answer.
Do you have questions regarding Vivitrol services? If you do, please contact us.
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