What to Expect when detoxing from Fentanyl at Home
There are plenty of options to help people get through dependence on fentanyl, a potent narcotic painkiller. One of them is home detox; this can mean merely trying a fentanyl detox at home without a medical specialist’s supervision. Cold turkey detox is dangerous, especially for people who try to do it without adequate medical direction. A person who abruptly stops taking fentanyl can become very sick. Detox can even cause seizures and coma, especially in those who take fentanyl for long periods or high doses.
Some detox clinics out there treat patients and send them home to recover during a critical time when they need professional monitoring. There are also available home detox kits on the internet that claim successful results in cleansing the drug; those are questionable claims. Effects and safety are compromised with any home detox method, and the very nature of opiate addiction requires professional assistance.
Fentanyl Withdrawal Symptoms
Detoxing Cold Turkey
Powerful withdrawal symptoms are common among those patients who detox from fentanyl, which comes in the form of a transdermal patch (Duragesic) and an oral lozenge (Actiq). These symptoms are difficult to manage without help and can include:
- nausea
- vomiting
- diarrhea
- stomachache
- headache
- muscle and bone pain
- depression
- anxiety
- irritability
- restlessness
- hallucinations
The reaction to overdose varies among patients but can be fatal if not treated properly.
Finding the Best Treatment for Fentanyl Addiction
Fentanyl Addiction programs and rehab facilities offer various programs and treatments with varying degrees of success and safety. A successful fentanyl treatment needs to wipe out the dependence entirely and quickly. Opiate replacement therapy is an option that has become quite common within the addiction community. The problem is, it tends to keep people in a lingering state of dependence by trading one opioid addiction for another. Some people end up using opiate substitutes such as methadone or Suboxone for years in their quest to recover. The Waismann Institute is located exclusively in southern California and is a renowned facility specializing in rapid opiate detox and medically assisted detox. The total hospital and recovery stay is monitored closely by health care providers, and it lasts just a few days.
Our procedure uses intravenous medication to clean the opiate receptors of the drug. Patients sleep lightly under sedation, during which time, we eliminate the bulk of the harsh withdrawal symptoms. Our procedure is safe and effective, getting patients back to their lives and careers quickly. Patient achieves complete detoxification from opioids, which provided them with a much better chance to adhere to whatever emotional help is indicated. Our transitional facility, Domus Retreat, offers people the additional emotional support they need before facing the world.
Clare Waismann is the founder of the Waismann Method®, a leading opioid detoxification program with nearly three decades of clinical experience. As a registered addiction specialist and certified counselor, she has dedicated her career to advancing humane, medically-based approaches to opioid dependence. Clare has been featured in major media outlets discussing addiction policy and patient care, and hosts the Waismann Method Podcast. All content on this site is educational and not a substitute for professional medical advice.
