Prescription Painkiller Detox and Withdrawal
Signs of Prescription Painkiller Withdrawal
Often, prescription drug addiction can be hidden in plain sight, making it challenging to identify. Prescription painkillers that cause addiction are often opioids and opiates, used to treat chronic pain. Prescription opiate addiction can happen quickly and to anyone. It is often not until the person attempts to stop using their prescription that they discover they have developed a physical dependence because they begin to experience withdrawal symptoms. Opioid dependence can cause withdrawal symptoms because the brain can get used to the drug and its function. When a person attempts to stop using, their body does not know how to react and develops opiate withdrawals. Prescription drug addiction can lead to heroin addiction if not addressed quickly.
Opioid withdrawals can be pretty intense. The withdrawal symptoms you will experience will depend on the severity of your physical dependence, length of opioid and opiate use, and overall health. Because multiple factors dictate how severely your withdrawal from opiates will be, every person will experience withdrawal differently. Symptoms of withdrawal from opioid dependence include:
- Muscle aches
- Nausea and vomiting
- Bone pain
- Anxiety
- Increased body temperature
- Diarrhea
- Racing heart
- Sweating
- Chills
- High blood pressure
- Insomnia
Prescription Painkiller Detox Timeline
The same factors that determine how severe your symptoms of withdrawal from opiate or opioid painkillers will be will also determine how long it will take you to go through the withdrawal process. Most people will complete withdrawal and detox within a week. However, it may take longer. Also, the opiate withdrawal timeline will depend on the type of prescription opiate or opioid. For example, short-acting opioids like morphine will begin to show withdrawal symptoms and detox more quickly. There is also a possibility of experiencing mild, lingering opioid withdrawals for weeks or months later, referred to as Post Acute Withdrawal Syndrome (PAWS). Each person will experience withdrawal differently. However, a general opiate withdrawal timeline may look like this:
- Early symptoms start within the first 24 hours of stopping use and include muscle aches, restlessness, and anxiety.
- Peak withdrawal symptoms will start about 36 to 48 hours after the last dose, including intense withdrawal such as extreme bone and vomiting.
- 72 hours after the last dose, you should begin to feel better and notice opiate withdrawals coming and going.
- After 10 days, you should feel back to normal.
Medications Used to Treat Prescription Painkiller Detox
Although the thought of going through severe withdrawal is frightening, you do not have to suffer through the withdrawal process. Medication-assisted treatment is available to help those who want to stop opioid dependence from going through the withdrawal process easily. These medications can help ease or even eliminate severe withdrawal. The best way to go through opiate detox is at a treatment center with medical detox, where you will receive around-the-clock medical care and have access to medications as symptoms of withdrawal arise. Medication Assisted treatment can include:
- Buprenorphine: A partial opioid agonist, it binds to opioid receptors in the brain and reduces cravings and withdrawals.
- Methadone: Similar to Buprenorphine, it also blocks the effects of opiates and opioids. It does not produce a high. However, it does have a drug addiction potential.
- Naltrexone: It stops the urge to use in both opioid addiction and alcohol addiction. It reduces the cravings and euphoric effects of opioids and opiates.
Learn about the next step after detox in our blog below:
Choosing Novo Detox for Prescription Painkiller Detox
Novo Detox offers opiate detox and opiate addiction treatment for prescription drug addiction. Our personalized treatment plans use medication-assisted and holistic therapy to ease withdrawal from opiates. Our addiction treatment center also provides inpatient rehab to easily transition into an opiate addiction program to help you overcome the psychological addiction often associated with opioid addiction.
Don’t hesitate to contact us at (844) 834-1777 today if you want more information about our comprehensive treatment programs.
