Vivitrol can only be prescribed and administered by an approved healthcare professional, so monthly appointments are required as part of an addiction recovery program with Vivitrol.
You need to be alcohol- or opioid-free for seven to 14 days before receiving the Vivitrol shot.
Once the shot has been received, it lasts for four weeks.
Find out more about the benefits of taking Vivitrol
How Does Vivitrol Last For A Month?
Vivitrol contains the prescription medication, naltrexone.
Each injection contains 380 mg of Vivitrol in a 4 mL solution and is injected into the muscle of the buttocks.
Intramuscular injection allows for the medication to be absorbed into the bloodstream slowly, and in the case of Vivitrol, it takes about four weeks for all the medication to be absorbed.
The location of the injection alternates between each side of the buttocks, since a side effect of Vivitrol can be injection site irritation.
Finding Addiction Treatment Options With Vivitrol
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Addiction Resource aims to provide only the most current, accurate information in regards to addiction and addiction treatment, which means we only reference the most credible sources available.
These include peer-reviewed journals, government entities and academic institutions, and leaders in addiction healthcare and advocacy. Learn more about how we safeguard our content by viewing our editorial policy.
- Annual Review of Biomedical Engineering — Prevention of Opioid Abuse and Treatment of Opioid Addiction: Current Status and Future Possibilities
https://www.annualreviews.org/doi/abs/10.1146/annurev-bioeng-060418-052155 - U.S. Food & Drug Administration (FDA) — Information about Medication-Assisted Treatment (MAT)
https://www.fda.gov/drugs/information-drug-class/information-about-medication-assisted-treatment-mat - National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism — Medications Development for the Treatment of Alcohol Use Disorder and Alcohol-Related Organ Damage
https://www.niaaa.nih.gov/medications-development-treatment-alcohol-use-disorder-and-alcohol-related-organ-damage-re-issue-rfa - Psychiatric Research Institute — What is Vivitrol?
https://psychiatry.uams.edu/research/center-for-addiction-research/research-study-improve-treatment-outcomes-prescription-pain-killer-users/what-is-vivitrol/ - Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration — Naltrexone
http://samhsa.gov/medication-assisted-treatment/medications-counseling-related-conditions/naltrexone
