What Is Heroin Detox?
Symptoms of Heroin Detox
- Sweating and goosebumps
- Changes to body temperature, heart rate, and blood pressure
- Trouble sleeping, anxiety, and restlessness
- Body aches, muscle spasms, and bone pain
- Weepy eyes and runny nose
- Stomach cramps, nausea, diarrhea, and vomiting
Detox Timeline
Heroin is a short-acting opioid. Because of this, detox symptoms set in quickly after a person’s last use. Heroin detox symptoms can begin as early as 8-10 hours after a person’s last dose. These symptoms can last anywhere from 4-10 days.
However, detoxing from heroin looks different for everyone. Age, health, length, and severity of addiction all affect detox timelines. Often individuals are addicted to more than one drug. Detoxing from multiple substances can alter the detox timeline as well.
In severe cases, detox and withdrawal symptoms can linger for months. Some individuals addicted to heroin develop Post Acute Withdrawal Syndrome (PAWS). When someone has PAWS, symptoms of withdrawal can last anywhere from 6-24 months. A well-planned detox is key to preventing PAWS. Working with a detox center ensures you have a safe and successful detox.
Medications Used For Heroin Detox
Medication is often used during heroin detox to manage symptoms and reduce complications. In some cases, withdrawal can be avoided completely through medication-assisted treatment (MAT). Rather than quitting heroin cold turkey, medication-assisted treatment helps you come off of heroin slowly and safely.
In addition, MAT can prevent relapse by removing cravings and blocking the effects of heroin. The most commonly used medications in MAT are methadone, buprenorphine, and naltrexone.
Other medications are used for heroin detox as well. These drugs are useful in managing symptoms of anxiety, cramping, and insomnia.
Rapid Detox Medications
Rapid detox medications are life-saving in the event of a heroin overdose. Rapid detox medications like Narcan are opioid agonists. They work by displacing opioids from their receptors in your brain. Basically, Narcan purges your brain of heroin as soon as it’s given.
Rapid detox medications do speed up the detox timelines. But, because the process happens much faster – symptoms tend to be significantly more severe. In the event of rapid detox, it is still recommended to complete detox under medical supervision. This ensures that no complications arise due to intensified symptoms.
Detoxing From Heroin At Essence Healthcare
Detoxing from heroin is made simple at Essence Healthcare. We understand that detox and recovery can be difficult to navigate on your own. Our individualized detox and recovery programs can help streamline the process.
We offer both medically managed and subacute detox programs. Our medical detox program allows for 24/7 monitoring to ensure your comfort and safety. Our subacute detox program still offers a high level of support but is more appropriate for those who may not need round-the-clock monitoring. We also offer medication-assisted treatment for heroin addiction. Outside of detox, we offer many different options for treatment as well as aftercare.
Why Choose Essence?
At Essence, we are committed to getting you back to your loved ones healed and well, as soon as possible. Our family system approach to treatment emphasizes your relationships with your loved ones, and building connections. We see our patients as family at Essence and treat each one with the same care that we would our loved ones.
Each patient is given a personal recovery team of two case managers, a therapist, two supporting staff, and a doctor. Our high staff-to-patient ratio allows you to receive the highest, most dedicated level of care. Our treatment plans are flexible and completely custom to your needs. With over twenty-five therapeutic techniques for addiction treatment to draw upon, we have you covered. At Essence, we are dedicated to helping you through every step toward a sober life. Call us and get started today.
