Cocaine’s effects are usually brief, often lasting less than 30 minutes. However, you will still have some cocaine in your system after its effects have dissipated. Also, you can test positive for cocaine even after the drug itself has been eliminated from your body.
Cocaine and The Body
Cocaine is a central nervous system (CNS) stimulant. This means that the drug speeds up functioning within the CNS, which includes faster delivery of messages from the brain to various parts of the body.
When you use cocaine, one way that the drug affects your body is by binding to proteins called dopamine transporters. Dopamine is a neurotransmitter (chemical messenger) that is associated with functions such as motivation, learning, reward, and mood.
In a healthy, drug-free CNS, dopamine and dopamine transporters work like this:
- Neurons (nerve cells) in the CNS release dopamine in response to certain triggers.
- The dopamine enters the synapses, which are the small gaps that separate neurons throughout the CNS.
- Once the dopamine has delivered its message to the receiving neuron, dopamine transporters bring the drug back to the sending neuron, so that it can be reabsorbed and stored for reuse.
When you have cocaine in your system, that last step is interrupted:
- As cocaine molecules attach themselves to dopamine transporters, they prevent these proteins from returning the dopamine to its originating neuron.
- This leads to a buildup of dopamine within the synapses.
- This buildup has the effect of amplifying the message that the dopamine is carrying. As a result, you will experience a dramatic boost in mood, energy, and related functions.
The intensity and duration of cocaine’s effects can vary depending on which version of the drug you use (powder or crack) and you ingest it (snorting, smoking, swallowing or ingesting). However, the process through which cocaine affects your body is the same regardless of these factors.
How Long Does Cocaine Stay in Your System?
The answer to the questions such as, how long will you have cocaine in your system?, can be influenced by several factors, including:
- Your age, weight, and metabolism
- How much cocaine you have used
- How long you’ve been using cocaine, and how frequently you use is
- If you have any medical concerns that can affect your body’s ability to process and eliminate drugs from your system
- What type of drug test you take
The half-life of cocaine can vary from about 1.5-4.1 hours. A half-life is the amount of time it takes for your body to process and eliminate half of a substance from your system. Experts usually consider a drug to be below a clinically significant level after four to five half-lives. So you can expect to have cocaine in your system for about six to 20 hours.
However, this doesn’t mean that you will only test positive for cocaine for up to 20 hours after the last time you used the drug. This is because drug screens don’t only detect cocaine itself. They can also find metabolites, which are substances that your body creates during the process of breaking down cocaine.
The two primary metabolites of cocaine are benzoylecgonine (BE) and ecgonine methyl ester (EME). These substances will remain in your system for a time after all the cocaine has been eliminated. Since your body produces unique metabolites for each substance it processes, the presence of BE or EME in your system is proof that you have recently used cocaine.
Different drug screens can detect cocaine and cocaine metabolites for different amounts of time. For example:
- A blood test may return a positive for cocaine use for up to two days after your most recent use.
- Saliva tests may also detect cocaine or its metabolites for about two days after you used the drug.
- If you take a drug screen that involves a urine (pee) sample, you may test positive for up to three days after your last dose.
- Hair follicle tests have a considerably longer detection window. An analysis of your hair follicles could find evidence of cocaine use as long as 90 days (three months) after the last time you used the drug.
Again, please note that these time spans are estimates only, and can vary depending on the types of factors we listed earlier in this section.
How to Get Cocaine Out of Your System Safely?
The good news about removing cocaine from your system is that your body will do this naturally and automatically. The not-so-good news is that there’s nothing you can do to speed up the elimination process. Also, if you have become addicted to cocaine, this process may also trigger a variety of unpleasant withdrawal symptoms.
Common symptoms of cocaine withdrawal include:
- Intense drug cravings
- Exhaustion and fatigue
- Agitation and irritability
- Diminished ability to focus and concentrate
- Slowed physical and mental responsiveness
- Depression
- Changes in sleep patterns
- Vivid, disturbing nightmares
For some people, the severity of withdrawal poses a significant barrier to ending their use of this drug for good. If you find yourself in this situation, it may be beneficial to begin treatment in a detoxification (detox) program.
Detox typically lasts no more than a week. While you’re in this program, you will be in a closely supervised environment where you won’t be able to acquire cocaine or other addictive substances. This prevents you from returning to active drug use in order to alleviate your withdrawal symptoms.
Also, your detox treatment team may offer medical and/or therapeutic support to help you manage your symptoms and keep you as comfortable as possible. Then, once you’ve successfully completed detox, you can transition directly into a residential or outpatient program where you can begin to build a foundation for a drug-free future.
Contact Renewal About Our Cocaine Detox Programs
Renewal Health Group offers personalized detox services for adults who have become addicted to cocaine and other substances.
At our cocaine detox in Los Angeles, CA, you will be cared for by a team of compassionate experts. We’ll keep you safe and as comfortable as possible as you complete withdrawal, and then we’ll help you determine which type of follow-on programming is best for you. With our help and a concerted effort on your part, you start to live a much healthier and more hopeful life, free from the constraints of compulsive cocaine use..
To learn more or to schedule a free consultation, please visit our Contact page or call us today.
Published: 12/11/2024
