Hope Integrative Medicine · Medication guide
Vivitrol injection: what to expect
A monthly naltrexone injection given in our office that blocks the effects of opioids and is also used to treat alcohol use disorder.
At a glance
- Form
- Injection into the buttock muscle
- How often
- Every 4 weeks
- Given by
- A healthcare provider in our office; never self-injected
What it is
Vivitrol is naltrexone in an extended-release form. Naltrexone blocks the effects of opioids. It is not an opioid and is not a controlled medication.
Who it is for
Adults with alcohol use disorder who are able to stop drinking before treatment begins, and adults with opioid use disorder who have completed opioid withdrawal, to help prevent a return to use.
How it is taken
A healthcare provider gives a deep injection into the buttock muscle, alternating sides each time. It is prepared and given only by a healthcare provider and is never self-injected.
How often
Once every 4 weeks.
Getting started
For opioid use disorder, you need to be opioid-free for at least 7 to 10 days first. People coming off buprenorphine or methadone may need up to 2 weeks. For alcohol use disorder, you should not be drinking at the time of the first injection.
- A urine drug test before the first injection can help confirm you are opioid-free.
- Insurance plans often require prior authorization before the first injection. Our front desk can check your insurance before your first visit.
- Injections are given at in-person visits in our West Ashley office.
Ready for the first step?
New patients are often able to be scheduled within a week of requesting an appointment.
Your visits
Treatment typically begins with an in-person assessment, followed by weekly in-person or virtual visits before moving to a monthly schedule. Each plan is tailored to the patient and their situation.
If problems come up, visits become more frequent again until things are steady.
- A urine drug test at every visit: a point-of-care test in our West Ashley office or a test at a local lab near you, with confirmatory lab testing when a result needs it.
- Screening for depression and anxiety at every visit.
- Monthly counseling, alongside your medication visits.
- Each injection is given by a healthcare provider in our West Ashley office; it is never self-injected.
- A review of how you are doing, side effects and your goals.
Safety
- Vivitrol (naltrexone) requires being opioid-free for 7 to 10 days and is given as an in-person monthly injection; follow-up visits can be by telehealth. Using opioids on top of Vivitrol, or after a missed or stopped dose, can cause a fatal overdose because your tolerance is lower.
- Tell your provider about pain, swelling, lumps or blisters at the injection site; some injection site reactions have needed surgery.
- Tell your provider right away about low mood or thoughts of suicide.
Common Questions
Yes. Vivitrol treats alcohol use disorder as well as opioid use disorder. For alcohol, you should not be drinking at the time of the first injection.
Naltrexone blocks opioids. If opioids are still in your body, the first injection can bring on sudden withdrawal, so a waiting period of at least 7 to 10 days comes first.
Insurance plans often require prior authorization before the first injection. Our front desk can check your insurance before your first visit.
Yes. Medication works best as part of a complete plan, so monthly counseling runs alongside your medication visits.
Opioid use disorder treatment, step by step
Alcohol use disorder treatment, step by step
This article is general information, not medical advice, and does not create a patient–provider relationship. Every situation is different, so see a provider who can evaluate yours and develop a plan of care. Any medication discussed here may not be right for you: the right choice depends on your diagnoses, other health conditions and current medicines, so take medication only as directed by the provider managing your care. If you are ever in doubt about an emergency, call 911 or go to the nearest emergency room.