Fentanyl Withdrawal and Treatment

This article is also classified as:

Actiq®, Fentora® and Duragesic®

If you have been abusing Actiq®, Duragesic®, or Fentora®, you’re taking the drug Fentanyl, the strongest narcotic painkiller on the market. It is a dangerous drug that can only be legally prescribed to cancer patients.

One danger is that your body can build up a tolerance to Fentanyl, which means you will have to keep using more to achieve the same effects. What makes Fentanyl so risky is that you have no margin for error if you increase your dosage. Even a tiny bit more – the size of several grains of salt – can be deadly.

You can recover from Fentanyl abuse by enrolling in a residential treatment center. The first step is chemical withdrawal, which can take four to five days. Your symptoms will depend upon individual factors such as how long you have been using Fentanyl, how much, your medical history, age, weight, and so on. Some people prefer to go to clinics where they can substitute a legal drug such as methadone for Fentanyl, and then gradually withdraw from that drug. This way, they avoid the process of chemical withdrawal.

You need professional help with chemical withdrawal because a doctor can prescribe medications to make your symptoms less unpleasant. The first 48 to 72 hours will be the most intense, when you may experience sweats alternating with chills, watery eyes, runny nose, yawning, restlessness, irritability, inability to get comfortable, loss of appetite, nausea, tremors, depression, vomiting, convulsions, muscle and back pain, nervousness, goose bumps, tearing, stomach cramps, kicking movements, and nightmares.

Clearing your body of all traces of Fentanyl is only the first step in recovery. Your best course is to remain in treatment for several months, if possible, in order to receive intensive counseling and classes in stress management. You may need to explore emotional issues that often resurface after you discontinue drug use, such as childhood abuse and trauma. Many people addicted to powerful painkillers have underlying mental problems, especially depression. These can be successfully treated with therapy and medication. Counselors can teach you how to find healthy outlets to release stress and anxiety, such as art, sports, yoga, and music.

If you were abusing Fentanyl because you have chronic pain, your recovery will depend on you addressing that problem. For more information, see www.chronic-pain-management.com.

Fentanyl may have a grip on your life, but you can let go of it. Others have done it, and so can you. If you phone 866.323.5613 right now, a counselor can guide you into the program that best fits your needs and individual budget.