How to Treat Opioid Withdrawal

Withdrawal is a normal reaction. It happens when your body tries to find balance after you stop using opioids or cut back. This process can be uncomfortable and even painful, but it is a necessary step towards recovery from opioid addiction. Treatment options available to make the journey more manageable and increase your chances of long-term success.

What Is Opioid Withdrawal?

Opioid withdrawal occurs when you suddenly stop or reduce your intake of opioid drugs after prolonged use. At that point, your body relies on opioids. This means it has adjusted to having them in your system.

Abruptly stopping them can trigger a range of unpleasant symptoms as your body tries to readjust. Opioids can be prescription pain medicines like oxycodone and hydrocodone. They can also be illicit drugs like heroin and fentanyl.

Opioid Withdrawal Symptoms

The symptoms of opioid withdrawal can vary in severity and duration. This depends on factors like which opioid you were using, how much you were taking, and for how long. Common withdrawal symptoms include:

Muscle aches and pains
Nausea and vomiting
Diarrhea
Anxiety and restlessness
Insomnia and fatigue
Sweating and chills
Runny nose and watery eyes
Intense cravings for opioids

The timeline for opioid withdrawal depends on the type of opioid involved. For short-acting opioids like heroin, symptoms typically begin within 12 hours after the last dose and can last for several days to a week or more. For longer-acting opioids like methadone, withdrawal symptoms may not appear until 72 hours after the last dose, but can persist for several weeks.

When To Seek Help For Opioid Withdrawal

Opioid withdrawal is not life-threatening in itself, but it can be extremely uncomfortable and challenging to manage alone. Severe withdrawal symptoms can increase the risk of relapse, as many people will seek relief by using opioids again.

If you are experiencing severe or prolonged withdrawal symptoms, have underlying medical conditions, or have a history of complications during previous withdrawal attempts, seek help immediately. Healthcare professionals can provide medications and supportive care to alleviate the symptoms and ensure your safety.

How to Treat Opioid Addiction Withdrawal Symptoms

Medications To Treat Opioid Withdrawal

Illustration of a nurse with medication-assisted treatment

Medications can play a vital role in managing opioid withdrawal symptoms and increasing the chances of successful recovery. These medications work by reducing the severity of withdrawal symptoms or by substituting the opioid with a safer alternative.This process is known as medical detoxification for opioids.

Prescription Medications For Opioid Withdrawal

Buprenorphine: This prescription can alleviate withdrawal symptoms and cravings by acting as a safer opioid on the opioid receptors. This helps prevent feelings of euphoria (feeling “high”) and allows for the person taking it to feel normal again. Buprenorphine is also available as a combination medication with naloxone (a medication that reverses opioid effects) to deter misuse. This combination is well-known by its brand name, Suboxone. Buprenorphine and Suboxone can be prescribed virtually and taken at home and research shows long term stabilization with Suboxone helps prevent future relapses.
Methadone: This medication is administered in-person at methadone clinics and it also can help stabilize individuals and reduce withdrawal symptoms during the detoxification process. It also is an opioid medication but since it is long lasting it has less risk for misuse and could be used long term for prevention of relapse. Unlike buprenorphine, methadone cannot be taken at home unless the clinic has allowed for take home prescriptions after a long period of sobriety.

Additionally, there are many prescription comfort medications that can target specific withdrawal symptoms like restlessness, diarrhea, body aches, nausea/vomiting, sweating, anxiety, and insomnia. Many providers will prescribe these medications to help prevent relapse during detox.

Non Prescription Medications For Opioid Withdrawal

Prescription medications are the primary treatment for opioid withdrawal but your provider might also recommend over-the-counter (OTC) medications or alternative/complimentary therapies to provide relief. This can include OTC pain medications like ibuprofen (Advil) or acetaminophen (Tylenol), antihistamines like Benadryl for sleep and anxiety, vitamins, herbal supplements, meditation, and acupuncture. Make sure to inform your provider if you are using any additional support/medication outside of their prescribing to manage withdrawal symptoms.

MAT with Therapy and Peer Support

Making it through opioid withdrawal is a significant milestone, and it’s critical to maintain that momentum to build up stability and prevent relapse. Having a plan for ongoing support and to prevent relapse is important to maintain your hard-earned progress.

It is common and recommended to keep taking certain medications to help you stay off opioids, including methadone and Suboxone. This type of treatment is called medication-assisted treatment (MAT). It combines prescription medications with behavioral therapies and peer support.

Group of people doing a team cheer at the end of an addiction recovery support group meeting

The goal is to help you address all sides of addiction, not just the physical symptoms. The medications help break the physical dependence and combat cravings while you work with a counselor and peer recovery specialist to treat the emotional and mental health challenges of addiction.

Overcome Addiction with MAT

At Eleanor Health, we can help you face opioid withdrawal and start your recovery journey with MAT treatment. We have online and in-person services available in New Jersey, Louisiana, North Carolina, Ohio, Washington, Texas and Massachusetts.

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