Does Vivitrol work? This is a legitimate question

Quote
GOOD LUCK young man! My 24 yr old grandson is on the pill and will go on the shot in a few weeks. He is in his second month of a sober living treatment program which he did on his own and we see a BIG difference in him now and feel the next step will get him back where he can STAY on track with his life which HE wants. Drugs are a terrible addiction I don't wish on anyone as he tells me how hard it is to beat on your own.
 






All I can say is I used to sell Vivitrol and it was like another poster said, offices would relay success stories of sober patients to me all day long. I can honestly say that it was the most gratifying product to sell in my 20 years in the industry. It saves peoples lives. Period.

Granted, there are some hard core alcoholics who fought through the effects and continued to drink over them but they were few and far between. For the most part, the only way the drug stopped working for an alcoholic was if the alcoholic stopped going for injections which was very common because they were not actively in counseling or had enablers around them...
 






Just got the shot today after a week or so of being on the pill. I abused percocet for about 2 years, and got myself pretty dependent to the tune of 240-300 milligrams a day or more ( 10 x 30mg). Last month, I went off the percs cold turkey with some comfort meds provided by tge outpatient clinic. They then told me about naltrexone and vivitrol. I was resistant as I worried about side effects, and probably in the back of my mind I wanted to be able to take a perc still when I wanted. Well, two weeks after detox, I relapsed and a month later I was again dependent - had to detox withdrawals all over again. I said screw this, and started the Naltrexone immediately after I could give them the clean urine. Went to the clinic today and got the shot. No side effects to mention really. I will post again with uodates on cravings etc. But all I have read and heard is that this shot is great for people who want to be clean and sober. I dont have to drive home from work and have that mental tug of war of whether to stop and see my dealer for pills. The shot takes that mental struggle away because I know there is no point. I will not get high. Its like a personal watchdog, a babysitter for the mind of an addict as the mending process begins. I am very hopeful and optimistic and thats about as real and positive a testimony for this shot as anyone can give. Put it this way, two months ago I was a hopeless addict; then I was a fearful and anxious recovering addict who relapsed; today I feel good and comfortable in my recovery with no real craving or fear to replase.
 






Ok so i posted the last message above an heres my update after 3 days:

I've had a dull headache for 2 days. Not a sharp migraine, but rather a mild ache low in the head, around the eyes, ears and around the back of the head. For some reason, I felt the need to clentch my teeth and jaw the last few days hourly. It feels like some of the side effects of a totally synthetic opiod such as tramadol/ ultram. I feel clear, sober and well except those effects that come with those types of meds. I assume there exists a similarity the receptors are being attended to.

Its only day 3 so I dont expect miracles, but Im waiting to see when the cravings go away. I mean, Im not sitting here craving an opiate now but I definitely wouldnt say my urges have been ceased or silienced. In due time we will see how that goes.

Will check back in a few days.
 












Thank you to the poster above. Its now day 6 and thea headaches have subsided for the most part, still have some teeth and jaw clentching but not as bad as the first few days. I feel fine, maybe a little less motivation than Id like but again, I feel fine; theres nothing major to report. Oh, still waiting for this "craving reducer" effect. Its only been a week but I do not notice any mental reduction in the desire not to use, except for my own determination for progress in being back to normal- clean and narcotic free. As I stated in my first post, I think this shot is a babysitter, a leash sort to speak, for addicts in recovery. I have remained clean this week because I reconcile the fact that I cannot and will not get high. For that I am extremely pleased and would encourage anyone with an opiate problem to get on this shot and stay on this shot for a good amount of time. The relapse rates are just too high, and the withdrawals are just too tortuous and discouraging. Its a deadly and dangerous slope, so take this "leash" and humble yourself. You need it.
 






ok im 25 yrs old been hooked on gettin high since i was 16... my addiction was contained for 5 short years and during that time i got married graduated college bought a house two new vehicles and even a brand new harley... but my addiction showed its ugly face again and i got hooked on opiates... still kept my good job and everything was still ok in my material world... then i got hooked on crack.... spent all my money along with alot of my grandmothers... basically i lost everything i had worked for... long story short i just got out of jail about 4 days ago and was driven straight to the doc for the vivitrol shot... well on the way to the doc man i was feeling GREAT... i got the shot... the next day man i felt like shit... almost like i was in jail again (going through withdrawal)... now its been day 4 and i still feel bad... i dunno it may be all psycological... im a very mental person and i know this is all in my head.. and yes ill be honest i have tried drinking and i do get drunk but not a happy drunk... its weird its a mentally sober but physically intoxicating drunk... i also have tried coke and ha dont get high at all... so dont waist ur cash... but all the drugs aside.. i dont feel good... its early though... im going to stick it out.. i owe it to the people i love and have hurt... one thing u can count on ill always be honest!!! ill keep ya posted on what happens
 






Hello to the 25 year old poster above. Im the guy above who just got the shot last week and have been giving a couple updates. Before I comment on how you are feeling, let me just say that you and I have alot in common. I too have been getting high on one thing or another since I my early teens. When I was a teenager it was pot, then ectasy, coke and crack in my twenties, and just as I turned 30 most recently it became opiates- percocet to be specific. That being said, I am also college educated, I was successfully making six figues, bought a house, had a nice life. And within a year and a half, I basically lost my career, all of my savings, and some of my treasured possessions due to this addiction to opiates. Getting high was always just a part of the culture I grew up around. It followed my successes an my ego betrayed me by leading me to believe I could do whatever I wanted a long as I kept the grades up or as long as I was successful in my career. Unfortunately, its just a matter of time. As someone with addictive tendencies, you have to put the word "yet" after every sentence.
"I never let drugs interfere with my life- yet"
"I never stole from anyone to get high- yet"
"Ive never been arrested for possession- yet"


Its just a matter of time and it will all happen. Thats the crazy thing about addicts, we have no perception of what rock bottom is. Its just a matter of time and sounds like youve already experienced some of it. I dont even know you but I can tell you from your post that you dont belong anywhere near a jail. You gotta know that, right?

Okay, so heres my take on why you feel like crap, ready? You said you just got the shot 4 days ago and you then said you've (tried) getting drunk and youve done some coke. Its no wonder why you dont feel great, thats aint how it works. Give your body a rest man, let the shot do what it does without screwing it all up with coke and booze. Thats just nuts to do that and then wonder why you dont feel good. It isnt the shot that is making you feel bad, its the combination of an opiate blocker, alcohol and stimulants and whatever else you are putting in your body over the last few days. And I can only assume the crappy diet that goes with a coke and booze fueled 4 day period. Treat your body with some respect and stop poisoning it for a few. It doesnt sound like you are trying hard to be sober. I know habits are hard to break but this shot isnt a joke. It isnt a game on how to beat it. You're gonna close your eyes and not wake up if you keep screwing around combining drug blockers, booze and
street drugs. Good luck man, I'm 3 weeks clean and life gets better almost everyday.
 






To both posters above trying to put their lives back together - I am very glad you are posting. Things are pretty bad within the organization and (please don't take this the wrong way) but reading your posts make me realize how good things really are (it is a count your blessings feeling).
Take care both of you and good luck in your continued recovery.
 






Thank you for the comment above. Its been a foggy couple years dependent on opiates and a rocky couple months getting off them. If you read any of my recent posts above and take away anything, please know that despite being educated, intelligent, driven and successful, I fell into a dependent relationship with too many vices over my first couple decades of adult life. However, opiates were (are) BY FAR the darkest and physically most difficult compulsion to kick. This is why I am posting in this thread about the Vivitrol shot. Its a way out of this horrible cycle of physical addiction. I can honestly say that I understand completely and totally why people just cannot kick herion and opiates and ultimately end up dying an addict. The physical sickness and agony that are withdrawals are just about unbearable, especially when you get up into high doses of hundreds of milligrams. Believe me when I say its almost unrealistsic to come off it. Its a shame that kids are dying because they had no idea what they were getting into until it was too late and they were already physically dependent. Im 3 weeks clean and thank God I was able to beat this pitfall, even though it took alot from me mentally, physically, socially and financially. And I am thankful I got this shot a couple weeks ago so that I dont have to struggle with replase, which is a reality.
 






Hello my name is olinthia . I have been an alcoholic for about 5 years . I started vivitrol three months ago. I noticed miracle results within a couple weeks. I have no cravings for alcohol. Which is a.miracle for me. The last week of the month or so I have a couple urges til I get the shot again. But they r not bad where I can't deal with them. There r a lot of side effects but as working with a drug company u know that is with any med and each person body reacts diffrently. I had no nausea til my third shot .which was my last shot to date.I was slightly sick to my stomach all day long for about 3 days. I also have experienced light headiness and minor hands shaking this last month. They do blood work periodically to check ur liver. It could effect ur liver but like I say so does drinking and at least they r keeping an I on it. My doctor just started giving this drug. He has 162 patients that takes it. Now if u have read on it I'm sure u have come across horror stories about tissue dying at injection shot . Out of my doctors 162 patients 1 has a reaction of sort . Yes me. My first shot injection site was swollen and painful for like 2 weeks then it seemed to go down. But by my second shot I still had a hard knot the size of a golf ball now on my third shot has shrunk to the size of a grape. My second shot left no hard knot and my third shot I'm into my third week of has a small knot . I still would reccomend this to anyone with the real desire to stop drinking . At first I felt like a coward taking the easy way out but I no longer feel that way. I hope this helps.
 






I just got my shot this morning. I was addicted to opiates for years as well as alcohol, I got off opiates in one day with suboxone. It changed my life, but I still have alcohol to deal with. It has taken me 7 months from my first visit with a Dr. To get off suboxone in order to get my shot. I took my normal drink tonight (double) and I do not think vivitrol is working, anybody else?
 






Anonymous said:
I just got my shot this morning. I was addicted to opiates for years as well as alcohol, I got off opiates in one day with suboxone. It changed my life, but I still have alcohol to deal with. It has taken me 7 months from my first visit with a Dr. To get off suboxone in order to get my shot. I took my normal drink tonight (double) and I do not think vivitrol is working, anybody else?
Click to expand...

Try another double. It will help.
 






























I am still waiting. It seems I have gotten all the side effects, I am wanting that reluctance to kick in, but what I most feel now is tired and shaky. Day 3. I appreciate your encouragement, when I posted, I did not realize that this was just a form for drug reps, I will not bother anymore, but thank you for helping.
 






I've been on Vivitrol for almost 2 years. For me, it is a miracle drug. The only side effects I have encountered are loss of appetite and inability to sleep. The side effects are significant after the first two or three days after the shot but gradually subside as the weeks go by.
I know it is playing with fire, but occasionally I will have a glass of wine. I know this is my personal anecdote and I wouldn't recommend it for everybody. But when the medicine is working, the only effects I feel from alcohol is a little drowsiness. As the medicine wears off and I am drinking, I will feel a slight buzz. . .although it's muted and not necessarily a desirable feeling.
I have only gone off the shot once. Within two weeks I had relapsed on a level I never thought I could achieve. Lesson learned.
I know it is not the best for your liver . . .but, hello!??!?!? . .. alcohol isn't the best chemical addition to your body either . . .much less your mind.
 






Hi, I have been on the monthly vivitrol shot for about 5 months now, and yes it does work. I was a hopeless heroin addict, shooting up several times a day. I had been on suboxone and methadone, but finally got tired of being dependent on getting my daily high. I relapsed once on the vivitrol, snorting 3 mg of dilaudid, which would usually be sufficient to get me a decent high... I felt nothing and this was a full two weeks after the injection. As for alcohol, I have never been a big drinker, though I have drank several occasions on vivitrol, and have finally come to the conclusion that it is pointless. I have not enjoyed it on a single occasion and typically get a terrible headache. So yes, this is a very wonderful drug for addiction, however I had to fight like hell to get my insurance to cover it. They would rather maintain me on methadone or suboxone, then provide me with something that will help keep my absolutely clean. Anyway, I am on it now, and it has changed my life. I was very skeptical at first, but it works.
 






Top Bottom
Back
Quote