When someone with opioid addiction tries to quit, they often experience harsh withdrawal symptoms. Usually, these withdrawals cause so much pain that people resume using opioids to ease the symptoms. For most people, it is impossible to stop abusing opioids without the help of an addiction doctor.
In This Article
How Long Do Withdrawals Last?
While withdrawal symptoms are very unpleasant and painful, they usually begin to improve within seventy-two hours.
Within a week, there should be a significant decrease in the acute symptoms.
Longer-term symptoms are usually more behavioral and emotional, though there can be mild physical symptoms (such as withdrawal insomnia) that may take several weeks to resolve.
Opioid Withdrawal Timeline
Generally:
- Symptoms start sometime between 8 and 24 hours after you last use the drugs.
- You feel worst between 48 and 72 hours (2-3 days) after your last use.
- Symptoms stop sometime between 4 to 10 days after you last used.
As you might suspect, timing depends on the individual and factors such as:
- Length of time using the substance
- The substance itself (ie. the new drug ISO detox vs. heroin detox vs. prescription painkiller detox like oxycodone or hydrocodone)
- Method of abuse (ie. snorting, smoking, injecting, or swallowing)
- Amount taken each time
- Family history of addiction and genetic makeup
- Medical and mental health history
Withdrawal Symptoms Lasting Longer Than 10 Days
What Are the Symptoms of Opioid Withdrawal?
Initial Phase Withdrawal Symptoms
Most people start to feel these symptoms after not using opioids for around eight hours.
- Muscle aches
- Excessive sweating
- Lethargy and excessive yawning
- Runny nose
- Anxiety
- Extreme cravings and thoughts of using
- Restlessness
- Agitation
- Insomnia
- Restless leg syndrome
Second Phase Withdrawal Symptoms
The second phase, which can be more intense, begins after the first day or so. Symptoms in the second phase include:
- Dilated pupils
- Rapid heartbeat
- Diarrhea,nausea and vomiting
- Chills and goosebumps
- Abdominal cramps
- High blood pressure
What Happens During Withdrawal?
The body produces natural opioids that control pain, anxiety and depression. But, if a person gets a broken leg, for example, the body doesn’t produce enough opioids to treat the pain. External opioids treat the pain.
Over time and prolonged use, opioid receptors in the brain, the spinal cord and gastrointestinal tracts become desensitized. Higher dosages are needed to achieve the same effect. The increased consumption creates a dependency on the receptors, and when the person stops taking the opioid, the body can’t cope with the lack of the drug.
How can I feel better?
There’s no need to feel so terrible. Suboxone clinics use buprenorphine to feel better right away and get through withdrawal while you live at home. Though there are more side effects of methadone, it is also an option that provides immediate relief.
Without medical supervision, withdrawals are uncomfortable, stressful and too often result in overdose. The physical and mental toll caused by opioid withdrawal can be addressed.
Symetria Opiate Detox Centers
If you’ve tried to stop, it’s easy to feel like there is no hope of overcoming opioid addiction, but thousands of people are living healthily and happily without feeling high or sick. If you’ve been able to get past the detox phase, joining an IOP program or using medications like Suboxone or methadone helps you stay healthy long-term.
79 Comments
Tapering down to 2 -5 bags a day after using for about 2 years after surgery. I was using about 15 bags a day on average and stopped injecting months ago. I am hoping to get through this and start feeling better. I know I’m in for hell.
So, as I am writing this question I can’t help but feel a common bond almost with several of the people who posted above. As of right now, I’m going through day 5 of withdrawal from Oxycodone. I’m a chronic pain patient since 2010, and am recovering from my second battle of stage 1 epithelial Sarcoma. I had great physician who treated me and my pain for several years until he moved and left the practice. But during that time I was a very compliant patient, I had drug testing, pill counts etc. Well, after losing that physician I was referred to another pain mgmt. Dr who was the complete opposite of my former. I was in withdrawals during my first visit because it was the first appt. I think going through that experience has made me feel like I can’t ask or receive help. I left his office about a year ago after feeling frustrated/ignored/and invisible. My daily dose of long acting/immediate release was 630MG.with my original dr. The second dr. I got referred to basically treated me like I was some addict off the street. I was cut down to a 25mcg fentanyl patch, and x4 10mg Percocet. I finally had had enough and wanted to make a change of my pain mgmt. Dr. I have found a great new practice and things the first year went great, they gradually increased my dosage of 15MG Oxycodone immediate release 5-6 x day. And I started to function, I went back to work, I left the house things were going better. Well, unfortunately I decided I wanted to make a change and get rid of the fentanyl patch 25mcg 1x48hrs. It was just making life difficult, trying to be a functioning, working ft, busy schedule it’s really not so convenient to have to worry about what day to change it, and being home in a place where I could change it, and time. So, in any case my dr tried to switch me to 20mg Oxycodone extended release (generic for OxyContin) well, it’s been impossible to get in stock and the rumors are it’s not being manufactured anymore, so the best I can find is Brand at $718/mo. I did for two months, hoping to get prior authorization for the brand which is all Walgreens can get. I couldn’t get it approved, and it put us into changing everything to immediate release 2xday 30mg/6-7 15mg immediate release as well. So imagine taking pills literally every 4 hours, I’m sleeping in 2-3 hour blocks because I wake up in pain and the start of withdrawal feelings. I guess you can say I’m feeling very overwhelmed, and loosing hope and everything I have worked for. I’m 43, my life has been put on hold too many times, just trying to manage the pain and try and live, work , everything. This is the first time I have ever ran short in a month. I’m absolutely scared to death with the conversation I am going to have to have with my Dr. next week. What will think? I believe in being an honest person, but I’m scared of the judgment and possibly what is going to happen. I am scared to death of loosing the only care I have. And, I don’t know if this will change anything??? Or what I should do? Do I say anything? Does this make me an addict? Thanks guys.
I’m on day 2 (48 hours coming up)….absolutely brutal withdrawal…30 mg a day for two years….omg….I want to stop it by taking 5 mg but I am afraid it will lengthen the weening time…..this sucks
Hi, all. This sounds sooo familiar. I have been a pain mgmt patient for over 30 years (I’m 57 now). Luckily, have only had 4 drs. I REALLY don’t want to do this anymore. Planning vacations, outings based on drs appts, pharmacists refusing to fill my scripts (where do they get THAT right). My question is with 30 years of use, can I EVER be normal again or has my brain chemistry been permanently altered? Currently taking 20mg methadone qid and 15mg oxycodone qid. Appreciate the help. As for the other postings here, I truly wish you all the best of luck in your journey.
Update…day 4…way better and can’t wait for day 5. Still almost no sleep. That can’t be good. I’m a solo musician and I have a gig on day 7 coming up. Scared to death because I used opioids to perform, and I loved it. I realize I need to trust my talent, luckily I have a wife that understands. Hang in there you guys. I still feel bad, but I was hammered a few days ago.