Signs & Symptoms of Fentanyl Withdrawal

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Withdrawal can be a formidable obstacle for someone who is trying to quit using fentanyl. In addition to being sources of considerable pain, the symptoms of fentanyl withdrawal can even be life-threatening in some cases.

What is Fentanyl Withdrawal?

Withdrawal refers to the physical and/or psychological symptoms that a person may experience when they abruptly stop using a substance that they have become addicted to.

When a person develops an addiction to fentanyl or another opioid, their body will adapt to the continued presence of the drug in their system. When that drug is no longer present, their body will struggle to regain equilibrium. 

Experts believe that withdrawal from fentanyl and other opioids may begin in the locus coeruleus, a small area at the base of the brain that has a significant number of opioid receptors. 

Signs and Symptoms of Fentanyl Withdrawal

Someone who is trying to end their compulsive use of fentanyl is likely to develop both physical and psychological withdrawal symptoms.

Common physical symptoms of fentanyl withdrawal include:

  • Watery eyes and runny nose
  • Abdominal cramping
  • Nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea
  • Racing heart rate
  • Increased blood pressure
  • Pain in muscles and bones
  • Fever and chills
  • Excessive perspiration
  • Disrupted sleep (insomnia)

The withdrawal symptoms of fentanyl can also include psychological effects such as:

  • Powerful drug cravings
  • Anxiety and/or depression
  • Agitation and irritability
  • Mood swings
  • Inability to concentrate or focus

A person’s experience with fentanyl withdrawal can be influenced by several factors, including:

  • Their age, weight, and metabolism
  • The amount, duration, and frequency of their fentanyl use
  • If they have gone through withdrawal before
  • If they have also become addicted to other substances
  • If they have any co-occurring medical or mental health concerns

These factors can affect the type of fentanyl withdrawal symptoms a person develops, as well how long they last and how severe they become.

Depending on these and other relevant factors, a typical fentanyl withdrawal timeline can look like something like this:

  • The first symptoms of fentanyl withdrawal usually begin to occur within 12-24 hours after a person’s last dose of the drug.
  • Symptoms typically intensify over the next few days, often peaking around 72 hours (or three days) after the individual stopped using fentanyl.
  • Once they have peaked, withdrawal symptoms of fentanyl should begin to slowly subside. This process usually takes five to seven days, though some symptoms may linger longer.

In most cases, a person can expect to be through the worst of their fentanyl withdrawal experience within a week or two. Unfortunately, as we’ll discuss in greater detail in the next section, some people continue to suffer with symptoms for much longer.

What Are the Dangers of Fentanyl Withdrawal?

Fentanyl isn’t just a temporary period of unpleasantness. It can also pose myriad short- and long-term dangers, such as:

  • Immediate relapse: To be blunt, fentanyl relapse can be a truly miserable experience. And while it is usually over in a few days, the severity of a person’s symptoms can quickly overwhelm their desire to stop using the drug. The risk of immediate relapse is particularly high among those who try to get through fentanyl withdrawal at home, on their own, where they can easily return to active opioid abuse as a means of easing their distress.
  • Post-acute withdrawal syndrome: Commonly referred to as PAWS, this syndrome is characterized by extended fentanyl withdrawal symptoms that last for months or even years after a person stops using the drug. Potential PAWS symptoms include cravings, persistent fatigue, disrupted concentration, memory problems, insomnia, sexual dysfunction, and mood disorders such as anxiety and depression.
  • Health damage: Fentanyl withdrawal doesn’t usually cause lasting physical harm. But minimal danger is not the same as no danger. In extreme cases, withdrawal from fentanyl or other opioids can actually be fatal. As discussed in an August 2016 editorial in the journal Addiction, the biggest health-related risk of fentanyl withdrawal is dehydration from vomiting and diarrhea. If not properly addressed, this dehydration can lead to elevated blood sodium levels, heart failure, hypoxic brain damage, and death.

The authors of the Addiction editorial noted that deaths from opioid withdrawal are entirely preventable if a person receives appropriate, timely medical intervention. Professional help can also significantly reduce a person’s risk of immediate relapse. Additionally, it can help them learn to manage the symptoms of PAWS.

This underscores the value of choosing to go through fentanyl withdrawal in a detoxification (detox) program. In detox, you will be closely supervised where you won’t be able to access opioids or dangerous drugs. Also, you’ll be cared for by professionals who can safeguard your health and make you as comfortable as possible.

Effects of Fentanyl Withdrawal and Overdose

As noted, the possible effects of fentanyl withdrawal can include immediate relapse, extended symptoms, and possibly even death. 

Another potential catastrophic effect of fentanyl withdrawal is overdose:

  • If a person uses fentanyl to alleviate withdrawal symptoms, it’s entirely possible that, in their distressed state, they could take too much and overdose. 
  • If someone gets through withdrawal, then relapses after a brief period of abstinence, they may not realize that their tolerance for fentanyl has declined. Taking the same amount that they did before quitting could also trigger an overdose.

Signs of fentanyl overdose can include:

  • Extreme confusion or disorientation
  • Difficulty staying awake
  • Loss of consciousness
  • Dangerously slow or shallow breathing
  • Faint pulse
  • Bluish skin coloration, primarily near the lips and fingertips.

If you are with someone who exhibits these signs after using fentanyl or any other opioid, you need to get help immediately. In 2022 alone, the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) recorded more than 73,000 deaths involving synthetic opioids other than methadone, a category that consists primarily of fentanyl.

Contact Renewal Health Group to Safely Detox from Fentanyl

Renewal Health Group is a trusted source of medical detox, residential care, and outpatient programming for people who have become addicted to fentanyl and other dangerous substances.

When you go through withdrawal at one of our fentanyl detox programs in Southern California, you can expect to receive comprehensive, personalized care from a team of experienced professionals. Once you’ve successfully completed fentanyl withdrawal, we can help you determine which type of follow-on care will best prepare you for long-term recovery.

To learn more about fentanyl detox or any of our other services, or to schedule a free consultation, please visit our Contact page or call us today. 

Published: 2/5/2025