Fentanyl is a highly addictive opioid drug. A doctor can prescribe it for extreme pain, usually due to cancer or another serious illness. Unfortunately, fentanyl is sometimes diverted to the black market and offered for sale to people interested in taking it for non-medical reasons. It is frequently being mixed into other prescription pain medications leading to inadvertent dependency and in some cases death. Whether a person is taking fentanyl as prescribed by their doctor or whether they are taking it illicitly, they will go into withdrawal if they stop taking the drug. It can be helpful to learn how to identify fentanyl detox symptoms so that you can recognize them in yourself or others because withdrawal can be uncomfortable, distressing, and even dangerous without medical supervision. Here at Sante Center for Healing out substance abuse treatment programs can help those struggling with fentanyl addiction heal.
How Long Does It Take For Withdrawal To Start and How Long Does It Last?
Once your body becomes habituated to the presence of fentanyl, if you stop taking it, withdrawal usually starts within 24 hours or less. Everyone’s experience is slightly different, so signs of fentanyl withdrawal might start more quickly or take longer depending on the person’s health, use of other drugs, and other individual circumstances.
The acute withdrawal phase will not usually last more than a week, but symptoms can persist for months afterward. Again, each person’s experience will be somewhat different due to their general state of physical health and other factors.
What Are the Symptoms of Fentanyl Withdrawal?
Not everyone will have all the symptoms of fentanyl withdrawal, but here are some of the most commonly reported ones:
- Yawning
- Runny nose
- Trouble sleeping
- Nausea and diarrhea
- Stomach upset and loss of appetite
- Anxiety, anger, and irritability
- Aches, chills, and goosebumps
- Sweating
- Intense drug cravings
What Can Be Done To Relieve the Symptoms of Fentanyl Detox?
It can be difficult to know what to do when you or a loved one are experiencing the symptoms of fentanyl withdrawal. The best thing that can be done to help is to reach out for help to a licensed drug addiction counselor or treatment center. Many treatment centers offer medically-supervised detox programs designed to help people experiencing opioid withdrawal. In medically-supervised detox programs, patients are monitored by care staff and offered appropriate medications and treatments to relieve withdrawal symptoms as much as possible.
Another benefit of seeking treatment at a licensed drug treatment program is that patients will also be offered psychological counseling and peer group therapy, and other types of helpful therapies. This process can help the person identify and deal with the underlying issues that may have caused them to use drugs in the first place and the traumas and pain that come along with living with addiction.
How Can I Find a Treatment Program Near Me?
There are medically-supervised detox programs all over the country, but consider contacting Sante Center for Healing at 866.238.3154. Our caring and professional staff are prepared to guide you and your family through the first steps of getting help. At Sante, individuals find a serene location that focuses on their physical and mental health as they heal from addiction. We provide a simple three-step process to begin treatment: intake and evaluation, stabilization, and aftercare. Our staff will help each patient move through these stages and into the next phase of their treatment.
If you or someone you care about has struggled to stop using fentanyl, reach out to our staff today. Recovery is possible with the right help and support, and we at Sante Center for Healing are committed to helping individuals rediscover how beautiful a sober life can be.
