Opiates (Opioids) Detox

Detox from Opiates and Opioids

Opioid addiction can be challenging to overcome but the right treatment program can make all the difference. Before starting rehab, you may need to remove harmful substances from your body. At Sunrise Detox, we offer expert opioid and opiate detox programs to help you start your recovery on the right track. 

Understanding Opioid Dependence

Even short-term use can lead to opioid dependence. This is because these substances trigger powerful changes in the brain. Specifically, they affect the way this organ perceives rewards and processes emotions. 

When you take an opioid, it binds to certain receptors in your brain, leading to the release of endorphins that block pain and release feelings of pleasure. While powerful, this effect is also brief. As a result, individuals consume more of the drug or take it more often to achieve the same effects. This builds their tolerance over time and leads to addiction. 

Quitting opioids suddenly can trigger dangerous, painful side effects. Instead of trying to complete this step on your own, it’s best to taper your usage slowly under the guidance of an expert medical team.

Symptoms of Opioid Withdrawal

Opioid withdrawal symptoms are usually mild to moderate in nature. Most people experience an upset stomach or flu-like symptoms. Some of the earliest symptoms you may experience include:

• Chills
• Muscle aches
• Diarrhea
• Fever
• Runny nose
• Sweating
• Fatigue

These symptoms could progress into other issues like insomnia, nausea, abdominal cramping, and dilated pupils. Other late-stage symptoms include elevated heart rate or blood pressure. 

Symptoms normally peak about two to three days after an individual stops using opioids and resolve within five to seven days. However, some people may experience lingering symptoms that last for several weeks. 

This is especially the case for individuals detoxing from methadone or similar opioids that slowly release into the body. These symptoms peak around Day One to Day Three, but can persist for longer. Conversely, withdrawal symptoms for fast-acting opioids like heroin begin around six to 12 hours after the last dose but typically resolve more quickly. 

While physical pain is one consideration, it’s also important to understand the psychological component of opioid withdrawal. As you detox from these substances, you may experience feelings of depression or anxiety. You might also feel irritable or agitated. If these symptoms don’t resolve after a few weeks then you may need treatment for a co-occurring mental health condition. 

Why Medical Opioid Detox Is Important

It’s unsafe to detox from opioids on your own. Even mild symptoms can become painful or dangerous without the right safety protocols in place. Detoxing at an inpatient opiate detox facility gives you around-the-clock access to expert medical care, supervision. and intervention when you need it the most. 

If your personalized treatment plan calls for it then you may also receive medications to help you focus less on the uncomfortable side effects of detox and more on your recovery. 

Our medically supervised opioid detox program uses FDA-approved Suboxone to help you taper off opioids and relieve your symptoms. After tracking your response to a test dose, we’ll administer the medication, adjust your dosage as necessary, and gradually reduce your intake until it’s no longer needed. 

Other medications we may administer to improve your comfort include over-the-counter pain relievers and safe sleeping pills to relieve insomnia. 

Sunrise Detox’s Opioid Withdrawal Process

When you’re ready to begin at Sunrise Detox, reach out to our admissions team. We’ll perform a comprehensive assessment to learn your health history, understand your opioid addiction, and start forming your customized treatment plan. 

Once your medical detox starts, we’ll closely monitor you to make sure you’re safe, comfortable, and progressing appropriately. Our staff can skillfully identify and treat common symptoms of opioid withdrawal, intervening as necessary to manage your pain, reduce your cravings, and lower your relapse risk. 

We’ll personally partner with you every step of the way, helping you overcome opioid addiction so you’re physically and psychologically ready to move forward in recovery. In addition to managing your physical symptoms, we also offer individual, group, and peer-based counseling to help you work through your addiction. Our goal is to help you reach stabilization, then transition into an outpatient or residential addiction treatment center following our comprehensive aftercare planning. 

Detox Timeline for Opioids 

The amount of time it takes you to detox from opioids will depend on several factors including your current health, addiction history, age, and any co-occurring medical conditions you have. Still, most individuals will experience the same symptom timeline as they go through the process. Here’s a look at what to expect. 

Short-Acting Opioids

During withdrawal from short-acting opioids through an oxycodone or heroin detox, most people begin to feel effects within eight to 24 hours of their last dose. These effects normally last four to 10 days before they begin to taper off. 

Fentanyl is a notable short-acting opioid with a rapid onset. Its effects normally peak between 36 and 72 hours after the last dose and can continue for up to 10 days. However, the effects could last for a few weeks depending on the severity of the addiction.

Long-Acting Opioids

With long-acting opioids like methadone and extended-release medications, it can take up to 12 to 48 hours after last use before individuals start experiencing withdrawal symptoms. They can last up to 10 to 20 days.

After Detox: Transition to Ongoing Treatment 

Detox is an important first step in your recovery journey, but it isn’t the only one. Following your stay at Sunrise, we’ll help you start the next path forward through our collaborative aftercare planning process. 

This might mean continuing your treatment at a local outpatient or residential addiction treatment center, where you can address and work through your substance use on a deeper level. This gives you the opportunity to understand the root causes of your opioid addiction, identify your triggers, and learn healthy life skills for long-term recovery. 

We can recommend and make connections to accredited facilities nearby that can support your progress. Family input will be an important part of this journey, and we encourage their involvement and participation in your care. 

If your detox plan included medication-assisted treatment (MAT) using Suboxone then you might continue that protocol through a MAT maintenance plan to prevent relapse and aid the transition to your next level of care.