Heroin Vivitrol

[Pillsbury_Dope_Boy]

I'm a junkie. I'm American but currently living overseas somewhere where I don't have access to heroin. My family has suggested I go on Vivitrol if/when I move back to the US.

I have always been afraid to go on Vivitrol because I am afraid it will just make me feel like I'm in withdrawal all the time (i.e. it will have the opposite effect of an opiate). Once I take the Vivitrol shot, there's no way out. If it does make me feel like shit all the time, there's nothing I can do about it except wait a month for the Vivitrol to wear off.

Has anyone had this experience (or anything similar) with Naltrexone or Vivitrol? Or am I just coming up with excuses to not go on Vivitrol (so that I can keep using dope)?

 

[Jabberwocky]

I wouldn't say you're coming up with excuses - that is pretty harsh. You're simply reasonably concerned with using such a potent medication.

You mention you family told you about this. Prior to their mentioning it, what were your thoughts about what you'd do after you came home? And what are your thoughts about what you want to do with it now?

Having a supportive family can be an incredible asset, but in my experience it is best to do one's own research and do whatever is best for the individual, even if the individual's vision for themselves isn't exactly the same as the family's vision for them. Recovery is a very, very personal thing, after all.

 

[Pillsbury_Dope_Boy]

I've taken oral naltrexone before (when I wasn't physically dependent on opiates or in withdrawal) and I didn't really feel any negative effects from it, except that I couldn't get high for a day or two. However, I have read that a common side effect of naltrexone/Vivitrol is opiate withdrawal-like symptoms. My doctor told me that I would probably have trouble sleeping for a few weeks after taking Vivitrol (which to me implies that there are probably other negative withdrawal-like side effects as well). What worries me is how long it takes for the Vivitrol to wear off. If I take Vivitrol and I start to feel like shit, I have to wait a whole month for it to wear off.

You're right about recovery being a personal thing, but I am not currently financially independent, so I do need my family's help. They have told me they're not willing to help me if I'm using drugs (which is what I would be doing if I was home in the US and not on Vivitrol), so my choices at this point are either to keep living overseas for good (I have family here), come back to the US and go on Vivitrol, or try and get a job that pays enough to support myself AND a drug habit (which doesn't seem realistic since it's not easy to hold a job when you're getting high every day).

I know I have a tendency to come up with excuses to avoid quitting drugs and/or accepting help and treatment (i.e. I don't like AA and NA meetings for xyz reason, I won't go to outpatient rehab for xyz reason, I won't go on Vivitrol, etc.) when really I'm just looking for excuses to keep using. However, I really am worried about withdrawal-like side effects from Vivitrol, and I wanted to know if anyone that has taken Vivitrol or naltrexone has experienced anything like that.

Thank you for the response.

 

[agarttha]

start with oral naltrexone and if the effects are bearable take the vivitrol shot.

 

[Pillsbury_Dope_Boy]

I've been reading about Vivitron on other forums, and there are a lot of stories that scare me, such as the ones on this thread:

https://drugs-forum.com/threads/i-h...withdrawing-and-on-my-third-day.184558/page-3

There was even one guy (I can't remember if it was in that thread or another one) who said that after taking Vivitrol, he felt fine for a week and then started to feel like shit. Another person said they couldn't feel pleasure or enjoy anything while on Vivitrol (even after several months) because it blocks endorphins (or something like that). Someone else said that they had detoxed off opiates and were out of withdrawal and feeling fine, but as soon as they took their first dose of oral naltrexone, they went into the worst withdrawal of their life. So yeah, I don't think I'll be taking Vivitrol.

The goal is to get myself to feel better, out of withdrawal, and motivated to do things and improve myself. Vivitrol seems to have the opposite effect. On top of that, I'm naturally someone who has anxiety (even when I'm not in withdrawal) and I am very sensitive to the symptoms of physical withdrawal (especially the RLS). I don't think I could handle anything that would make those symptoms worse.

If I knew I was going to have withdrawal symptoms for a whole month and there was NOTHING I could take to make it stop, I would probably want to put a bullet in my head. Also, after 3 weeks (or however long it takes for the Vivitrol to start to wear off), I would probably be shooting all the dope I could get my hands on, just to try and ease the withdrawal symptoms a little bit.

 

[agarttha]

i don't get it? you don't have to get the vivitrol shot. if you want to try naltrexone with the option of stopping if you don't like it, you can do just that. i'm not even advocating for it as a remedy for opiate addiction, i just don't think being afraid of being stuck on it for a month is a very good reason not to try it.

 

[Jabberwocky]

start with oral naltrexone and if the effects are bearable take the vivitrol shot.

This is a really good idea.

I've been reading about Vivitron on other forums, and there are a lot of stories that scare me, such as the ones on this thread:

https://drugs-forum.com/threads/i-h...withdrawing-and-on-my-third-day.184558/page-3

There was even one guy (I can't remember if it was in that thread or another one) who said that after taking Vivitrol, he felt fine for a week and then started to feel like shit. Another person said they couldn't feel pleasure or enjoy anything while on Vivitrol (even after several months) because it blocks endorphins (or something like that). Someone else said that they had detoxed off opiates and were out of withdrawal and feeling fine, but as soon as they took their first dose of oral naltrexone, they went into the worst withdrawal of their life. So yeah, I don't think I'll be taking Vivitrol.

The goal is to get myself to feel better, out of withdrawal, and motivated to do things and improve myself. Vivitrol seems to have the opposite effect. On top of that, I'm naturally someone who has anxiety (even when I'm not in withdrawal) and I am very sensitive to the symptoms of physical withdrawal (especially the RLS). I don't think I could handle anything that would make those symptoms worse.

If I knew I was going to have withdrawal symptoms for a whole month and there was NOTHING I could take to make it stop, I would probably want to put a bullet in my head. Also, after 3 weeks (or however long it takes for the Vivitrol to start to wear off), I would probably be shooting all the dope I could get my hands on, just to try and ease the withdrawal symptoms a little bit.

Why would you be in withdrawal for a whole month? I'm not aware of any reason you'd have to experience something like that from what you've written.

Perhaps something like buprenorphine would work better for your needs as a treatment when you come back to the states if you're still using then?

 

[subotai]

I'm a junkie.

ok...

Or am I just coming up with excuses to not go on Vivitrol (so that I can keep using dope)?

that's generally something that a junkie would do.

Not saying what you should / shouldn't do, just what you are doing (because I have felt the same way for the record)

there is no downside to getting Vivitrol if you genuinely want to stay clean from opioids for a month

if you don't actually want to stay clean, then dont get Vivitrol

again, not saying there is a right or wrong way of going about it thats just how I personally see it

Vivitrol really is the ultimate way to stay clean from opioids (from a black and white perspective). Suboxone and Oral Naltrexone can easily be circumvented and have you getting high within a day or two. You just... dont take them...

The naltrexone implant can actually be dug out of your skin and its pretty crazy how quickly people will do that

The Vivitrol shot is impossible to get rid of once you get it, and trust me it does a damn good job of blocking until around 27-28 days later