Naltrexone (intramuscular route)

Vivitrol

Naltrexone injection is used to help patients with opioid use disorder who have stopped taking opioids to stay drug-free and maintain their recovery. It is also used to help patients with alcohol use disorder stay alcohol-free. The medicine is not a cure for addiction. It is used as part of an overall program that may include counseling, attending support group meetings, and other treatment recommended by your healthcare provider. Naltrexone is not an opioid. It works by blocking the effects of opioids, especially the euphoric and rewarding feeling that makes you want to use them. It also may block the euphoric and rewarding feeling that may make you want to use alcohol. It will not produce any opioid-like effects or cause mental or physical dependence. It will not prevent you from becoming impaired while drinking alcohol or using opioids. Naltrexone will cause withdrawal symptoms in people who are no longer taking opioids for a period of time. Therefore, naltrexone treatment is started after you are no longer taking opioids for a period of time. The length of time this takes may depend on which opioid you took, the amount you took, and how long you took it. Before you start using this medicine, be sure to tell your healthcare provider if you think you are still having withdrawal symptoms. This medicine is to be given only by or under the direct supervision of your healthcare provider. This product is available in the following dosage forms:

In deciding to use a medicine, the risks of taking the medicine must be weighed against the good it will do. This is a decision you and your doctor will make. For this medicine, the following should be considered: Tell your doctor if you have ever had any unusual or allergic reaction to this medicine or any other medicines. Also tell your health care professional if you have any other types of allergies, such as to foods, dyes, preservatives, or animals. For non-prescription products, read the label or package ingredients carefully. Appropriate studies have not been performed on the relationship of age to the effects of naltrexone injection in the pediatric population. Safety and efficacy have not been established. Appropriate studies performed to date have not demonstrated geriatric-specific problems that would limit the usefulness of naltrexone injection in the elderly. There are no adequate studies in women for determining infant risk when using this medication during breastfeeding. Weigh the potential benefits against the potential risks before taking this medication while breastfeeding. Although certain medicines should not be used together at all, in other cases two different medicines may be used together even if an interaction might occur. In these cases, your doctor may want to change the dose, or other precautions may be necessary. When you are receiving this medicine, it is especially important that your healthcare professional know if you are taking any of the medicines listed below. The following interactions have been selected on the basis of their potential significance and are not necessarily all-inclusive. Using this medicine with any of the following medicines is not recommended. Your doctor may decide not to treat you with this medication or change some of the other medicines you take. Using this medicine with any of the following medicines is usually not recommended, but may be required in some cases. If both medicines are prescribed together, your doctor may change the dose or how often you use one or both of the medicines. Using this medicine with any of the following medicines may cause an increased risk of certain side effects, but using both drugs may be the best treatment for you. If both medicines are prescribed together, your doctor may change the dose or how often you use one or both of the medicines. Certain medicines should not be used at or around the time of eating food or eating certain types of food since interactions may occur. Using alcohol or tobacco with certain medicines may also cause interactions to occur. Discuss with your healthcare professional the use of your medicine with food, alcohol, or tobacco. The presence of other medical problems may affect the use of this medicine. Make sure you tell your doctor if you have any other medical problems, especially: