Vivitrol and Insomnia: What Users Say

• Mon...
• August 7, 2019

For Opioid Use Disorder "So I was on Suboxone for almost 5 years. It helped get my life together but created a barrier for moving forward. I grew stagnant, just doing well enough in life to stay afloat. I kept the mediocre job, the small apartment, and 'ok' life. I'm staying humble through this time. I made the decision to get off the subs and chose Vivitrol. At first, the withdrawals from the subs were bad, then I started getting better. My doctor 'suggested' I get the Vivitrol shot, and I knew that would be a good decision. I didn't want to feel horrible like I did on the subs, I wanted pure sobriety. So I jumped on the idea without hesitation. I'm 2 shots in now, and I feel as though I'm still in withdrawal. I will definitely not be getting another shot. I'm certain it's because of the shot at this point. Over 2 months feeling like this??? I'm writing this hopefully to help someone going through the same thing. If you still feel pain, aches, insomnia, general dissatisfaction with life, it might be the Vivitrol."

• Mar...
• February 7, 2019

For Opioid Use Disorder "I came off a two-year opiate habit. I’d bounce between heroin and Suboxone. I could get off the H and onto the Suboxone just fine. The problem was I couldn’t get off the subs. I went to a 30-day inpatient rehab. I detoxed, tapered off subs quickly, and felt fine for the next 14 days. I was getting better every day. Then I got the shot. Sick every day, no energy or motivation, trouble sleeping, etc. It’s been almost 3 weeks after the shot, and these side effects are not going away. I’ll never do it again. It’s not PAWS. I know the difference. For whatever reason, Vivitrol is a bad mix for me. I don’t really have any cravings, but I feel awful. Not dope sick awful, but bad enough that I won’t be getting a second shot. All of this got me to do some in-depth research, and I found some sketchy stuff with regard to how the mfg. tested this medication and used lobbyists to get it approved and into the court systems, etc. If it works for you, great. For me, not so much."

• JMJ...
• February 6, 2016

For Opioid Use Disorder "My son is addicted to OxyContin. He went to rehab twice and to an extended living facility. He relapsed after both. He is in his second month of Vivitrol treatment and so far is doing very well. He is going to school and says he has no cravings. Still, he has sleep issues and difficulty concentrating. We are very hopeful that he will get his life back. He is seeing a private therapist (psychologist) once a week as well. He is very confident that this combination, as well as lots of family support, will give him what he needs to succeed in living a drug-free life. Many people pray for him every day and we are all very hopeful. In seven weeks, he gained ten pounds. That is a big improvement."

• thi...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• March 27, 2023

For Alcohol Use Disorder "OMG. I feel like I'm dying of apathy at best, and a shaking, sweating, angry ball of anxiety at worst. I had gone through alcohol and benzo withdrawal a month ago, then got this horrible shot and immediately felt like I was going through it all over again, plus other weird side effects like ringing ears, insomnia but exhaustion, lack of motivation, and no interest in anything... at all. Today is only a week since I got the shot, and I can't stand to think that the next 3 weeks will be like this. Do your research, unlike me. If you have depression or anxiety, think this over. Yay, I'm not drinking or thinking about drinking, but I feel like I wouldn't get off the couch if the house was on fire, either. I would do benzo withdrawal twice over rather than deal with these awful side effects. Never again."

• Gyp...
• December 1, 2016

For Opioid Use Disorder "Have been on the shot for 2 years now. It helped me recover from alcohol, but I also found it helps my major anxiety and sleep. I don't think they have done enough studies on it to see what else it can help with."

• Jac...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• January 3, 2017

For Opioid Use Disorder "I was addicted to opiates for 4 years before this shot. I finally feel like I'm not living a double life anymore! I was homeless within 6 months of first becoming dependent on heroin (IV from the start), and I've wanted to stop ever since. Willpower alone is not enough! I've tried every way on my own, but now, with Vivitrol, I can be confident in my recovery. It's closing in on the end of my first month on it. It has caused some stomach cramps, loss of appetite, lack of sleep, anhedonia, and slight depression. The best comparison would be the feeling when you first start to feel withdrawal setting in. My craving levels were eliminated after administration, however, toward the end of the month, I'm feeling them more."

• Ott...
• Taken for 6 months to 1 year
• March 6, 2016

For Opioid Use Disorder "I still don't know if cravings and anxiety are one and the same, but I've been on this for 6 months. I notice a lot of headaches, increased anxiety, depression, insomnia, and male sexual problems. I still need 0.5 mg Xanax 5 times a day for the anxiety, and Ambien CR for insomnia. The product coordination nurses deny that this causes male sexual side effects. I've had sex twice in 6 months on Vivitrol, and that includes my honeymoon. I think Vivitrol helped me the most by making it clear that if I tried any opiates, I could overdose immediately and die. So I've put up with the side effects, but I hope to be off this in 1 year. And, yes, I want my sex life back."

• Sov...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• December 31, 2016

For Opioid Use Disorder "Week three after Vivitrol. Still having severe insomnia, goosebumps, depression, lack of energy, and weakness. It did curb my desire for cigarettes, but because I feel so horrible for so long, I am craving a fix. I'm only on the fence with this injection."

• Cha...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• August 21, 2022

For Alcohol Use Disorder "Made me extremely ill. Not an opiate user. Got the 30-day shot. Feel anxious, problems with my digestive system, headaches, trouble sleeping, and overly tired somehow. Fatigued all day, and my body aches. It's awful. I feel like I have the flu, and simultaneously, all the joy has been sucked out of my life. I can't take pleasure in anything during the day."

• Jak...
• July 6, 2017

For Opioid Use Disorder "Vivitrol has made me completely useless. I was taking methadone as prescribed every day for the last six years. I actually cut my dose in half the last 24 months. But, I decided to quit cold turkey to get on Vivitrol. Now I am so miserable! I can only get myself to take a couple bites of food a day if I can keep it down. My head is constantly throbbing. I haven't slept more than two hours every night for at least a month. My body is so weak, yet I'm constantly freezing and sweating. My hands shake all the time, and the ringing in my ears is so loud I have a hard time hearing things sometimes. I find that I don't care about anything. I don't even want to be around my own son anymore. I am not surprised people get suicidal on this drug."

• Non...
• January 24, 2020

For Opioid Use Disorder "The first day on Vivitrol, I felt only what I could describe as peace. But then, the insomnia kicked in. I was all stretchy constantly, which was not really that big of a deal. But you know what was a big deal? The sexual malaise, or complete decimation of my libido. At first, I orgasmed extremely quick, then no orgasms no matter how hard I tried. It was hard on my relationship. If I wanted to not feel, I would have stayed on dope. The second side effect I have is this: it's been just about 30 days, and ALL I want to do now is eat. I guess this is because my receptors can take dopamine again? The food is just SO amazing I am pretty much obsessed with it. I am actually grateful to have had the thirty days to start creating new habits of not using. The most messed up thing is that trying to ask healthcare providers about these side effects (very specifically) elicited such evasive answers and denial of the facts that are clearly on Vivitrol's own website."

• Ste...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• July 10, 2018

For Opioid Use Disorder "I was an addict for 20 years. Mainly opiates. I decided to seek help and got into a mat program that provides Vivitrol injections for free and intensive outpatient programs (IOP). That's awesome and everything because I've been wanting to be on Vivitrol for at least a year, but I didn't think it was possible because I didn't have insurance. So I went through the whole withdrawal process because you have to be clean to get the shot, and then when I got the shot, I thought everything was going to be great. I was wrong. The first five days I could not eat or sleep. After that, I have been feeling a lot better, but my anxiety has been through the roof. And the injection site still hurts sometimes, even after 3 weeks. Next week I'm due to get my second shot, and I'm hoping it will be better. It kind of seemed like I was on chemo because the first 5 days after the shot had such terrible side effects."

• JJ ...
• September 27, 2015

For Opioid Use Disorder "I am on day 2 of the Vivitrol shot. I was an Oxy/alcohol user for 3 years and then switched to Suboxone, detoxed off the subs at 1/4 mg/2 mg films. Withdrawals off 1/4 mg were pure hell. I got the Vivitrol shot, and now I haven't slept in 2 days, only 3-4 hours a night. My alcohol cravings aren't as bad, but I still want a beer. My Oxy cravings are gone. I don't hurt or feel restless from the sub withdrawals. I tried taking melatonin to sleep, but it doesn't help. If this sleep pattern persists, I am not getting the shot next month."

• Bay...
• June 17, 2021

For Opioid Use Disorder "Took the injection after medical opiate detox. Instantly, I was puking and having horrible diarrhea. Things remained horrible. Couldn’t eat for 5 days. Constant severe blood pressure increase. I “thought” it was due to detox, but now I know that I am allergic to this injection. I immediately had to go on high doses of blood pressure meds in order to not have a heart attack or stroke. The symptoms are still here 25 days after injection. Night sweats, insomnia, severe depression. This was the worst decision I have ever made. And life threatening. Pulled medical records past 5 years, never had high blood pressure. I paid $30K to go to the best medically induced opiate detox, then stay at a million dollar home with staff. I had to stay 3 extra days while others would leave completely fine 4 days earlier. I was the sickest I have ever been. In one week, lost 26 lbs, no sleep, high blood pressure, extreme fatigue. I'm just praying all these horrific side effects go away soon. Absolute worst decision I’ve made."