Understanding the Fentanyl Withdrawal Timeline

Overcome Opioid Detox and Get Lasting Recovery at South Shores

Understanding the fentanyl withdrawal timeline is a must for anyone who wants to quit using but feels scared about opioid withdrawal. Ending your battle with fentanyl is a time marked by challenges. But knowledge is your mighty weapon in this fight. Fentanyl is a powerful opioid, meaning withdrawal can mean several uncomfortable symptoms.

This response is normal. It happens due to fentanyl’s intense potency. Its risks dramatically grow when compared to the threat of severe withdrawal symptoms of other opioids. 

But the fentanyl withdrawal countdown isn’t a sprint. It’s rather a marathon. When you cross the finish line, you will find yourself enjoying a fentanyl-free life. Each day is progress along this racetrack, even if it feels challenging.

South Shores Recovery can be your ally and constant support through this process with a space for healing. From our clinical director to our entire team, our rehab is where hope and healing meet. Our team understands the complexity of opioid use disorder. We also acknowledge how those struggling with fentanyl addiction might also have other mental disorders that demand attention. 

If you are reading this because you struggle with fentanyl addiction, congratulations on learning about recovery. You know, deep down, that you need help. We also commend you if you’re reading this because you love someone struggling. Your devotion will be critical as your loved one recovers from fentanyl use disorder. 

Read on. You’ll learn more information about fentanyl addiction. With this information, you will be ready to make recovery decisions, and South Shores is here to support you every step of the way!

Why Fentanyl Addiction Is So Widespread

SAMHSA, The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, cautions that over 100,000 Americans died of opioid overdoses in 2021. So, that might make you pause and ask a question. Why does someone use such unsafe illicit substances? 

Fentanyl’s addictive nature comes from its involvement in complex brain processes. It changes how the brain processes. When fentanyl withdrawal occurs, it’s an indication of how greatly the brain’s chemistry has been modified.

Just how much does might it impact someone’s life? The National Institute on Drug Abuse warns Americans that fentanyl, a synthetic opioid, is as much as 50 to 100 times more potent than heroin or morphine.

Fentanyl is an opioid quite more potent than heroin or morphine. It works by binding to the brain’s opioid receptors. Those receptors are key in regulating pain, pleasure, and emotions. When fentanyl latches onto the receptors, it causes a release of dopamine, a neurotransmitter that creates pleasure and reward. The euphoric experience someone feels after using leads users to use the drug repeatedly. It very quickly lays the basis for addiction.

The Changes in Brain Chemistry That Occur With Opioid Use Disorders

Repeated fentanyl begins altering the brain’s reward system. Over time, the brain adapts to the drug’s presence. That lessens its response to natural rewards and makes the drug the primary source of pleasure. This transformation means someone must boost drug use to get the same pleasure, a situation called tolerance.

Addiction treatment programs emphasize that this altered brain chemistry makes quitting fentanyl incredibly challenging. As tolerance grows, the amount of fentanyl needed to satisfy cravings increases, causing an increased risk of overdose. This condition is particularly dangerous with fentanyl, given its potency.

Moreover, when a person stops using fentanyl, their opioid tolerance rapidly decreases. If they relapse and use the same amount of fentanyl they used before, the reduced opioid tolerance can easily lead to overdose. That’s what leads to the alarming rates of overdose deaths of this drug.

Fentanyl addiction is notoriously difficult to combat. Professional care and support are required for successful recovery.

Professional Care for Opioid Withdrawal

Professional medical detox for safe opioid withdrawal. Risking a ‘cold turkey’ detox can be excruciating. It’s also incredibly unsafe, as fentanyl detox impacts both your body and mind. Without the help of trained professionals, the risks become immense.

Professional medical detox offers a supervised medical detox environment. A rehab center is the safest spot to overcome the unpredictable, sometimes severe fentanyl withdrawal symptoms. 

During treatment for opioid dependence, a practitioner prescribes a medication that acts as a partial opioid agonist at opioid receptors in the brain. In other words, the medicine used at the clinic helps with reducing cravings and withdrawal symptoms.

This level of care also means that any medical complications are treated promptly. In a supervised setting, healthcare professionals monitor vital signs. They also provide psychological support. Competent care providers significantly reduce the risks associated with withdrawal.

Professional detox and substance abuse treatment centers, like South Shores Recovery, offer help with more than the medical interventions to reduce the symptoms of fentanyl withdrawal. Rather, the staff will address deeper psychological and behavioral patterns associated with opioid use disorder. This holistic approach is vital for long-lasting recovery. It can bring clients back into a more fulfilling life in the long term.

What Is the Fentanyl Withdrawal Timeline?

One of the new clients’ most commonly asked questions is: How long do fentanyl withdrawal symptoms last? Whether you are dependent on prescribed fentanyl, the counterfeit blue Percocet pills flooding our country, or other illicit sources, the timeline for detox remains the same.

Understanding the timeline of fentanyl withdrawal is critical for anyone who has encountered drug abuse, most notably with illicit opioids like fentanyl. The body’s reaction while withdrawing from drugs is not mere discomfort. Rather, it’s a complex physiological response to lacking a chemical it has become physiologically dependent on.

When you stop using fentanyl, your body, now adapted to the drug, suddenly finds itself without it. This abrupt change triggers opioid withdrawal symptoms. That results in reactions from your nervous system and organs. Fentanyl creates a more intense withdrawal process compared to other opioids.

The timeline and intensity of symptoms can vary. Some key factors include:

• The duration and intensity of fentanyl use
• General health condition
• An individual’s metabolism
• Other substances or alcohol used

The Most Common Acute Fentanyl Withdrawal Symptoms

Generally, acute opioid withdrawal symptoms appear within a few hours after the last dose. The earliest acute symptoms may include the following:

• Muscle aches
• Restlessness
• Runny nose
• Anxiety
• Insomnia. 

Remember that the length of time and symptom severity is different for everyone. 

More Severe Symptoms of Fentanyl Withdrawal

As time progresses, more severe symptoms may develop. These can include these:

• Nausea
• Diarrhea and vomiting
• Severe pain in the muscles
• Severe abdominal cramping
• Heart failure (in the worst cases!)

The severity of symptoms depends on how the body reacts while re-adjusting to life without the drug. Remember that professional medical detox staff is there to help! 

Professional Medical Detox for Safe Fentanyl Withdrawal

Supervised medical detox is the key to safe fentanyl withdrawal. You aren’t only fighting against opioid withdrawal symptoms. You are also up against the intense cravings and physiological dependence that come with fentanyl detox. It’s not a matter of willpower; professional care means safety.

Medical professionals will look after your safety and comfort in a supervised medical detox program. The medical team will watch your vital signs and manage withdrawal symptoms. They also prescribe medications when necessary to ease discomfort and manage health risks. This approach significantly mitigates the physical and emotional distress associated with fentanyl withdrawal.

Professionals also have another tool – professional therapies to control cravings. The goal is to help you get through the withdrawal phase and start developing coping strategies.

Say Goodbye to This Synthetic Opioid at South Shores

Are you ready to begin a real recovery from fentanyl, with a solid foundation for lasting clean time? Substance use disorder treatment – for opiods or non-opioid treatment – requires medical oversight.

Whatever drug you’re physically dependent on, South Shores Recovery can help. It doesn’t matter whether you abuse a particular drug, alcohol, or opioid medications. We specialize in addiction medicine and will help you at every step you take in this journey. From withdrawal management to medication-assisted treatment, we will create a comprehensive treatment plan just for you. It’s time to restore your mental and physical health.

Let’s connect today – we can end your struggles with synthetic opioids and other drugs immediately.