VIVITROL® treatment online — receive your injection locally

VIVITROL is used as part of treatment for alcohol use disorder. It also has a separate FDA-approved use in opioid use disorder; this page focuses on alcohol use disorder.

VIVITROL contains naltrexone, which blocks opioid receptors involved in some of alcohol's rewarding effects. For some patients, this can help reduce craving and heavy drinking. It is not a cure and is used as part of an ongoing treatment plan.

The recommended dose is 380 mg, given as a deep intramuscular injection in the buttock muscle approximately every four weeks or once a month. Each injection is administered by a healthcare professional.

Your evaluation, treatment planning, and follow-up can take place through DevotedDOc telehealth. The injection itself is administered in person by an appropriate healthcare professional at a qualified local administration site.

Depending on your location and availability, options may include medical clinics, community or nonprofit health centers, injection or infusion centers, and qualified pharmacy-based administration sites where permitted. Use the state map or ZIP search to explore currently identified options. You choose from available appropriate sites.

Generally no, unless a location is specifically identified as DevotedDOc. DevotedDOc provides your ongoing medical care and helps you identify qualified local administration options, which are typically independent healthcare organizations.

No. Pretreatment with oral naltrexone is not required, although it may sometimes be used based on patient preference or clinical judgment.

VIVITROL is not disulfiram (Antabuse) and does not intentionally make you sick if you drink alcohol. However, VIVITROL does not make heavy drinking safe and does not treat alcohol withdrawal. Patients should not be actively drinking at the time of their first VIVITROL injection and should be able to abstain from alcohol before treatment begins. Your DevotedDOc clinician will review your drinking pattern, withdrawal risk, and treatment goals to determine when treatment can safely begin.

Patients generally need to be opioid-free for at least 7–10 days before starting VIVITROL to reduce the risk of sudden opioid withdrawal. People transitioning from buprenorphine or methadone may require a longer opioid-free period. Your DevotedDOc clinician will review your recent opioid use and determine when VIVITROL can safely be started.

No. VIVITROL is used for ongoing treatment of alcohol use disorder and does not treat acute alcohol withdrawal or replace medically supervised detoxification. If withdrawal risk is identified during your evaluation, your DevotedDOc clinician will discuss the safest next step, which may include supervised or in-person care before outpatient treatment begins.

VIVITROL blocks opioid receptors, so usual doses of opioid pain medication may not work while it is active. Never try to overcome the blockade by taking more opioids; this can cause overdose, coma, or death. Anyone treating your pain needs to know you receive VIVITROL and when your last injection was.

Tell your surgeon, dentist, anesthesia team, or emergency clinician that you receive VIVITROL and the date of your most recent injection. For planned procedures, discuss pain-control options with the surgical or anesthesia team in advance, and let your DevotedDOc clinician know about upcoming procedures.

Commonly reported side effects include nausea, headache, dizziness, tiredness, trouble sleeping, decreased appetite, muscle cramps or joint pain, and injection-site tenderness. Less common but serious risks include severe injection-site reactions, liver problems, depressed mood, and allergic reactions. Review the FDA Medication Guide and contact your clinician with concerns.

Coverage varies by plan and is never guaranteed. VIVITROL may be covered under your medical or pharmacy benefit, and some plans require prior authorization. The administration site or pharmacy generally handles benefits verification and authorization, and your health plan makes final coverage decisions.

DevotedDOc medical visits are $99.99 per visit. Medication, laboratory testing, injection-site charges, pharmacy services, and other outside services are separate.

Other FDA-approved medications for alcohol use disorder include oral naltrexone, acamprosate, and disulfiram. DevotedDOc evaluates patients for appropriate options after an individual medical evaluation.