What withdrawal help can the best rehab center for fentanyl abuse offer? That depends. There are two basic philosophies for drug detox and treatment. One is the social model. Another is the medical model. Most drug rehabs will use a combination of the two during the rehab phase. However, the drug detox phase is either medical or social. Medical means that certain medications are used to keep you comfortable while your body rids itself of your drug of choice. Social means that you will receive emotional support and other non-drug comforts, such as massage, water therapy or perhaps faith-based counseling support or other means. Honestly, these are no match for the intensity of fentanyl withdrawal symptoms. Your best chance is with the medical model.
What is Fentanyl?
Fentanyl is a powerful synthetic opioid some 30 to 50 times stronger than heroin and about 100 times stronger than morphine. Just two to three milligrams are lethal for someone with no opioid tolerance. That means someone not used to taking opioids. That’s about the same amount as two to three grains of salt. A lot of people have gotten into trouble with fentanyl because it’s commonly used as a cutting agent for heroin. It’s also sold disguised as legitimate prescription opioids on the black market. Illicit dealers press the fentanyl into counterfeit pills resembling the real prescription product. Some of these imitation pills look very much like the real one.
Fentanyl Withdrawal
Withdrawal from fentanyl is often the most intense of all the opioids. This is especially true for someone who has taken it for long periods of time, especially by injection, but even oral abuse is more than enough to produce a syndrome of very painful, most unpleasant withdrawal symptoms:
- Nausea
- Vomiting and severe diarrhea
- Restless leg syndrome
- insomnia
- Extreme fatigue
- Cold sweats <li>Stomach, bone and muscle pain
It’s too much to stand without medical help. Withdrawal keeps many people who would like to stop addicted. Trust me, fentanyl withdrawal is bigger than you are and will win out just about every time unless you have medication-assisted withdrawal. This is definitely your best chance to get through withdrawal and then begin rehab treatment.
Find the Right Facility
Once you have decided to stop using fentanyl, your next step is to enter a managed medical withdrawal facility. Detox units may be inpatient, outpatient, standalone or attached to a drug rehab that also offers rehab treatment. Inpatient may be in a drug rehab’s unit, in a partial hospitalization program or in a standalone drug detox. Standalone means that detox is all the facility offers. They will encourage you to attend rehab, of course, and they will refer you to suitable recovery places, but they don’t actually provide these services themselves. It’s critical to get substance abuse help immediately after detox, no matter which kind of facility you choose. If you don’t, you’re not likely to remain detoxed and sober for long.
Drugs for Fentanyl Withdrawal
Once you’re in a medical detox program, wherever it is, it’s the medical staff’s job to keep you comfortable and keep you safe. In order to do this, you must be honest with them. Tell them exactly how much fentanyl you take, how you take it and for how long you have been taking it total. You’re not going to shock them, and they’re not going to judge you. You have probably been lying to many people for a long time, but this is the time to just tell the truth. They will use this information to design a medical withdrawal program for you, so by lying you just hurt yourself. There are a number of possible medications for fentanyl withdrawal:
- Buprenorphine
- Methadone
- Benzodiazepines
- Muscle relaxants
- Medications for nausea, vomiting and diarrhea
Most of the worst symptoms are caused by the brain’s reaction to the absence of fentanyl. It has become used to it and can no longer function without it. Buprenorphine, the synthetic opioid in Suboxone, often blocks all or most of the withdrawal symptoms. However, because fentanyl is so powerful, the full-agonist methadone may be required. Methadone is all but guaranteed to keep anyone’s opioid withdrawal symptoms well at bay. Don’t let fear of fentanyl withdrawal symptoms stop you from getting the treatment you need.
Do you Need Help?
If you need help with fentanyl addiction, we are here to help. We’re professional drug counselors, and we understand what you’re going through. We have the resources to help you, and we’re available 24 hours a day at 833-610-1174. We look forward to serving you.