Getting Through Fentanyl Withdrawal: What You Need to Know

The decision to quit Fentanyl and take steps towards taking back control of your life is great, but detoxing from it isn’t easy. It's considered to be one of the most addictive opioids, and going through the withdrawal symptoms alone without professional help is very difficult.

Fentanyl is a synthetic opioid. It has been approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration as a pain-relief medication and an anesthetic. While highly potent, fentanyl also has a high potential for dependence and abuse. Hence, suddenly reducing intake or stopping this opioid leads to fentanyl withdrawal, a condition characterized by highly unpleasant symptoms.

At the NuView Treatment Center, we offer specialized and personalized treatment and care for those suffering from fentanyl dependence. Our treatment plans comprise comprehensive therapy and support to address the physical and psychological aspects of fentanyl dependence and withdrawal. We believe in empowering our clients to overcome opioid use disorder and ensure lasting recovery through evidence-based treatments, counseling, and personalized care plans.

Fentanyl is a synthetic (or man-made) opioid, which has a high potential for dependence and abuse. Therefore, if one becomes dependent or addicted to fentanyl, then their body adapts to a certain level of fentanyl. If this is reduced or stopped abruptly, then fentanyl withdrawal symptoms begin to appear.

Fentanyl withdrawal happens in cases of heavy and chronic use of fentanyl and when one becomes physiologically dependent on fentanyl. Approximately 539,000 Americans aged 12 or older misuse prescribed fentanyl, and there were 122,884 fentanyl-related ER visits in a year. Therefore, fentanyl misuse and dependence cannot be taken lightly.

If anyone is experiencing fentanyl withdrawal, then contacting healthcare providers is very crucial. Emergency services (like 9-1-1 in the U.S.) can also be very useful.

Common fentanyl withdrawal symptoms are as follows:

• Irritability
• Anxiety
• Nausea/vomiting
• Diarrhea
• Fever
• Severe sweating
• Chills
• Sleep difficulties
• Pain (muscle and bone pain)
• Stomach cramps
• Uncontrolled leg movements       

Fentanyl is a short-acting opioid, and among those who experience fentanyl withdrawal, the fentanyl withdrawal symptoms begin to appear between 6 – 12 hours after the last dose. Sometimes, the onset of these fentanyl withdrawal symptoms can be even quicker or slower (within 30 hours after the last dose). Usually, this begins with cravings, chills, irritability, vomiting, diarrhea, sleep difficulties, pain, cramps, and so on. These symptoms tend to subside within 5 – 7 days.

However, the more severe fentanyl withdrawal symptoms, like anxiety and mood changes, can last for longer, up to a few weeks or even a few months.

Therefore, immediate medical attention must be given to fentanyl withdrawal symptoms so that they can be reduced and managed.

While medical supervision is very important to manage withdrawal symptoms, some coping strategies can also help you get through the detox period more smoothly. Some of these are:

• Drink a lot of water to prevent dehydration during the process
• Eat nutrient-rich meals to support your body
• Get medical support whenever needed
• Use mindful breathing and relaxation techniques to help with psychological stress
• Plan your day ahead to have some structure and control
• Avoid being with people or situations that trigger use
• Try to distract yourself by pursuing productive hobbies

Fentanyl withdrawal symptoms are very unpleasant, and they are not generally life-threatening. However, if a person wants to quit fentanyl without medical supervision, then it can lead to persistent vomiting and diarrhea. These symptoms can increase the risk of a heart attack.

Moreover, with fentanyl withdrawal, there is always a risk of the person going back to fentanyl use (even misuse) after a period of abstinence. This is when a comprehensive treatment involving psychotherapy and other healthy practices is not provided. Fentanyl misuse can then increase the risk of fentanyl overdose. As per the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention article, “U.S. Overdose Deaths Decrease in 2023, First Time Since 2018,” there were 74,702 deaths related to fentanyl overdose. While the number has decreased from 2022, fentanyl withdrawal and its association with fentanyl overdose cannot be overlooked.

Fentanyl withdrawal is managed with medically supervised detoxification. In this kind of detox, fentanyl is slowly reduced through a process known as tapering until the bodily system does not require the opioid any longer. During medically supervised detox, the doctor will monitor the client’s health and well-being.

Medication-assisted treatment, where opioid agonists like methadone and buprenorphine are used to replace fentanyl. This is called replacement therapy, wherein the aforementioned medications will reduce opioid cravings by blunting or blocking their effects.

While detox and medication-assisted treatment are immediate steps to manage fentanyl withdrawal, long-term recovery and sobriety require psychotherapeutic interventions and social support to prevent relapse and promote overall health and well-being.

Treatment options for fentanyl withdrawal involve medically supervised detox and medication-assisted treatment. However, as fentanyl withdrawal results from fentanyl dependence or opioid use disorder, treatment will involve inpatient rehab, outpatient rehab, partial hospitalization programs, intensive outpatient programs, and aftercare.

In these treatments, a combination of psychotherapy and medication is used. Psychotherapy usually involves:

Motivational Interviewing, wherein the focus is on reducing ambivalence to fentanyl misuse and instilling motivation to bring about positive changes in life.

Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, in which maladaptive thinking and emotional patterns leading to fentanyl misuse are identified and reshaped into productive and healthy ones.

Contingency Management seeks to reward positive behaviors like abstinence.

Medication involves methadone or buprenorphine, which reduce fentanyl cravings by reducing or blocking its effects.

Apart from the above, lasting recovery and sobriety involve ongoing care and enrolling in informal peer groups like Narcotics Anonymous (NA).

What is one of the first signs of withdrawal?

Some of the first signs of fentanyl withdrawal involve nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, chills, irritability, and anxiety.

How long do withdrawal symptoms last?

Fentanyl withdrawal symptoms can last anywhere between 5 – 7 days, while the more severe ones can last anywhere between a few weeks to a few months.

How do you prevent withdrawal symptoms?

To prevent fentanyl withdrawal symptoms, fentanyl misuse must be avoided. In case of fentanyl misuse, medically supervised detox is necessary.

What was fentanyl originally used for?

Fentanyl was first developed in 1956 and was originally meant to be used as an intravenous anesthetic.