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Naltrexone for alcohol or drug dependence
You might develop liver damage if you have liver disease (such as hepatitis, cirrhosis, or liver failure) and take too much naltrexone.
This medicine will cause withdrawal symptoms if you are taking opioids drugs. If you have taken opioids in the past 7 to 10 days, talk to your doctor before taking naltrexone.
You might need to take naltrexone for several months to effectively prevent relapse.
Vivitrol, a once-a-month injection of this medicine, is approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to treat drinking problems. This form of naltrexone can be useful for people who have a hard time deciding whether to take the medicine each day.
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has issued an advisory about injectable forms of naltrexone. You may have a skin reaction at the injection site, the place where the shot is given. Call your doctor if you notice any skin change at the injection site, such as swelling, tenderness, redness, or pain, that does not improve or gets worse within 2 weeks.
Complete the new medication information form (PDF) 
(What is a PDF document?) to help you understand this medication.
| By: | Healthwise Staff | Last Revised: January 26, 2010 |
| Medical Review: | Kathleen Romito, MD - Family Medicine Peter Monti, PhD - Alcohol and Addiction | |
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