Duragesic Detox Centers

There is a growing amount of attention being focused on the use of Duragesic, the fentanyl patch. If you have an addiction to Duragesic, then you know how completely this powerful opioid can take over your life. It isn’t long before you are arranging your day around the drug and letting other parts of your life suffer.

According to Primary Care Companion for CNS Disorders, transdermal fentanyl patches, like Duragesic, are worn to alleviate pain for a solid 48 to 72 hours. That is a lengthy period of time, so the dosages are quite powerful. In addition, the journal notes that fentanyl itself is 100 times more potent than morphine. Can you imagine? Of course something that strong is capable of upending your life.

If you have a Duragesic addiction, you know that you need treatment, but you may not know a lot about the first phase of treatment: detoxification. The following discussion will help you to understand the detox process in general and to understand the opioid withdrawals it will fight and the ways in which it will fight them.

For more information about Duragesic detox and to locate a detox or treatment center, call 800-315-1376 (Who Answers?). Our experts are waiting to help you during this difficult time. You don’t have to do this alone.

What Is Detox?

You know the term “detox.” Although, you may associate it with fad diets and yoga routines. The idea of ridding the body of toxins has become commonplace in alternative health circles, where people go on juice detoxes and do yoga detox for weight loss.

Duragesic detoxification is more complicated than that because it draws on the medical field as well as that of addiction sciences. Detoxification is the process by which Duragesic and other drugs (including alcohol) are eliminated from your system. You go from acutely intoxicated to a drug and alcohol free one.

A number of different treatment methods are used to guide you through this difficult time with a minimal amount of pain.

What Will My Withdrawals Be Like?

Trouble sleeping is a common symptom of Duragesic withdrawal.

Duragesic is an opioid, which means that its withdrawals will be similar to those for any other opioid, like heroin or oxycodone. According to the US National Library of Medicine, you can expect the symptoms to set in between 12 and 30 hours after your final dose. However, Duragesic is an extended-release medication and it increases in potency while you wear it. The patch has a half-life of 17 hours, which means withdrawal should begin closer to one day after removing it.

In general, opioids should not be abruptly discontinued because they cause serious withdrawals. You may, therefore, be tapered off of them in detox. However, when withdrawals set in (and they will), the FDA warns you to expect:

• Restlessness
• Teary eyes
• Runny nose
• Yawning
• Sweating
• Chills
• Goose bumps
• Muscle pain
• Pupil dilation
• Touchiness
• Anxiety
• Back pain
• Joint pain
• Weakness
• Stomach cramps
• Trouble sleeping
• Nausea
• Loss of appetite
• Vomiting
• Diarrhea
• Increased blood pressure, respiratory rate, or heart rate

How Will Professional Detox Help Me?

Opioid detox frequently features medication, either to ease the withdrawal symptoms or to alleviate specific symptoms.

For instance, you may be given methadone or buprenorphine, both of which are standard in opioid detox. They allow the brain to feel it has had the opioid it craves without the high. If your treatment includes long-term methadone maintenance, you may continue taking the methadone for some time.  But, if it is just being used to treat the detox, you may be weaned off of it through tapering.

As for treating specific symptoms, it is not unusual to receive a non-narcotic analgesic like ibuprofen to treat aches and pains or Benadryl for nausea. These adjunctive medications are often used in conjunction with methadone to create a more comfortable detox period than you would otherwise experience.

Opioid dependence, like Duragesic dependence, is often linked to a number of other health conditions; these are called co-occurring conditions and the detox program will discover these issues during your thorough intake assessment. Your individualized treatment plan will actually include treatment for all co-occurring conditions.

To learn more about the process of detoxing from Duragesic, contact us at 800-315-1376 (Who Answers?) right now. The sooner you call, the sooner your journey to recovery begins.