How to Detox from Fentanyl: 5 Things You Should Know

Almost 92,000 people died in the United States from a drug overdose in 2020.

Drug addiction and abuse in the US is an epidemic that unfortunately takes a lot of lives. The more that people are educated about detoxing and understanding how the recovery process works, the more the US will be able to combat drug overdoses.

One of the most common addictions is fentanyl which is a drug often prescribed as a painkiller. If you or someone you know is trying to detox from fentanyl, it is important to do it the right way.

Here are three important things to know about a fentanyl detox and how to go about it.

1. There Are Withdrawl Symptoms to Look Out For

Because there are a lot of withdrawal symptoms while detoxing from fentanyl, a lot of medical professionals recommend detoxing slowly. Instead of quitting the drug cold turkey, you will actually be weaned off the drug slowly. A medical professional is one of the only people who should be helping you do this to make sure that the dosage is correct and done properly.

Even though you will be weaned off slowly in a medical facility, there are still withdrawal symptoms to look out for. These withdrawal symptoms are also not any that you want to deal with on your own. Additionally, medical professionals are able to provide medications that will help with the withdrawal symptoms to keep you on track.

Here are a few other withdrawal symptoms that will happen when you’re detoxing from fentanyl:

A few of the easier-to-deal-with symptoms include a runny nose, yawning, restlessness, goosebumps, and sweating
Other more difficult withdrawal symptoms that are common are anxiety, mood disturbances, more pain, cramping, nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea

It is important to note that while these do not seem absolutely terrible, dealing with the withdrawal symptoms all at one time after not having any is a lot. It is in potent to keep in mind that the pain is also pretty excruciating in muscles and joints detoxing.

This is why it is even more important to detox at a rehab center so that you are able to combat the pain with the correct medications rather than relapsing.

2. Only Detox at a Medical Center or in a Rehab Center

One of the most important things to remember about a detox from fentanyl is that it can be really dangerous to do on your own. If you do it on your own, there is also more of a likelihood that you will relapse during the fentanyl detox.

Not only is there a fear that you will relapse, but detoxing from fentanyl can also cause a lot of medical issues depending on your history. Receiving the right medication and going through the detox in an area that has medical professionals ensures that you will not deal with extremely severe withdrawal symptoms.

Many facilities will use methadone, buprenorphine, or naltrexone for the detox medication.

Benefits of Medical Detox

Even if you feel that you were able to detox on your own, there are so many benefits to going to a rehab center or a medical center for detox.

For starters, you will have a supervised environment with a nurse that is always around you to make sure that you are doing okay. They are also the ones who will be providing the medication.

Not only do you have nurses and medical practitioners around you, but if you are in rehab, you are also going to get more peer support and education throughout the process about how to stay away from fentanyl after you finish the detox. Part of this education is learning skills and coping mechanisms that you will learn in group therapy, therapy, and just speaking with a medical professional. You will also get more planning and support after you leave rehab.

3. You Can Combat Some Fentanyl Withdrawl Symptoms

While there are ultimately going to be fentanyl withdrawal symptoms, not only will the medical professionals help you deal with them, but they are also a few things that you can do.

It is important to talk with the medical nationals before doing any of the below activities, but these typically help patients recover without suffering from withdrawal symptoms as much.

Here are a few coping mechanisms to try out when you are going through a fentanyl detox:

Get enough to eat and drink so that you do not feel weaker than you already will
Be sure to get moderate exercise every single day like going on a walk and working some of your muscles
Increase your social interactions as long as they are positive
Practice relaxation techniques
Take your mind off of detox by finding hobbies and other activities to do