Vivitrol vs Suboxone: Which Medication-Assisted Treatment is Right for You?

Overcoming opioid addiction and alcohol misuse is difficult and usually requires detox, medications, and support groups to make it through. Medications are beneficial when it comes to controlling withdrawal symptoms and getting over the addiction.

At the Victory Treatment Program in Knoxville, Tennessee, Stacey Maltman, FNP-BC, provides Suboxone and Vivitrol for her patients. She's an addiction and recovery specialist offering medication-assisted treatment and outpatient detox for people struggling with addiction.

What is Vivitrol?

Vivitrol is one of the medications we offer to help overcome addiction. It's an opioid antagonist, which means it blocks receptors for opioids in your brain. Vivitrol allows people who are recovering from drug or alcohol addiction to prevent relapse.

Vivitrol is an injectable, extended-release medication that contains naltrexone. We deliver it as an injection in the buttocks once a month. The dose is 380 milligrams, and it's nonaddictive.

For opioid addiction, Vivitrol works by preventing the "high" you feel when taking opioids. Because of this, it prevents misuse and reduces cravings, helping people overcome addictive behaviors.

Understanding Suboxone

Suboxone is another medication we offer for opioid addiction. It's a combination of naloxone and buprenorphine that's a daily medication taken orally under the tongue.

Naloxone is an opioid antagonist, meaning it blocks opioid receptors and the euphoric feeling of opioid drugs. It helps to prevent misuse of the medication in people who are still trying to recover from addiction.

Buprenorphine is a partial opioid agonist, meaning it provides some opioid effects to reduce withdrawal symptoms and deter cravings. Mixed with naloxone, it gives an option for people still withdrawing from opioids to help them get over the hump.

How do they differ?

Suboxone and Vivitrol are both effective for drug and alcohol addiction, but they're entirely different. Vivitrol contains naltrexone, while suboxone is a mix of buprenorphine and naloxone.

We also administer them by different routes. Vivitrol is a monthly injection, whereas suboxone is a medication you take under the tongue daily.

Vivitrol also doesn't help with withdrawal symptoms, and you have to sustain a period of abstinence before starting it. It's a better option for people who are already on the road to recovery.

Suboxone is an option for people actively detoxing because it helps with withdrawal symptoms, and it doesn't require a period of abstinence before beginning it. However, people can misuse it, where they can't abuse Vivitrol.

What treatment is best for me?

The medication you need depends on various factors, including where you are in the recovery process and if you're going through withdrawal symptoms.

Suboxone is a better option for people going through opioid addiction recovery who need help getting through withdrawal symptoms. It's a daily medication taken under the tongue, which is suitable for people who don't like needles.

You may be a good candidate for suboxone if you're starting the recovery process and you need help with cravings and withdrawal symptoms. However, if you're prone to abusing medications, we may recommend Vivitrol instead.

Vivitrol is a better option if you're already in the recovery process and haven't had alcohol or opioids in a few days or weeks. It's an excellent option for people who are prone to abusing medications because it's non-habit-forming.

Contact the Victory Treatment Program today to discuss our medication-assisted treatments, or visit our website to learn more.