What are the symptoms of opiate withdrawal?

Answer 1

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Definition
Opiate withdrawal is caused by stopping, or dramatically reducing, opiate use after heavy and prolonged use (several weeks or more).

Opiates include heroin, morphine, codeine, Oxycontin, Dilaudid, methadone, and others. The reaction frequently includes sweating, shaking, headache, drug craving, nausea, vomiting, abdominal cramping, diarrhea, inability to sleep, confusion, agitation, depression, anxiety, and other behavioral changes.

Causes, incidence, and risk factors
About 5% of the population is believed to misuse opiates, including illegal drugs like heroin and prescribed pain medications such as Oxycontin.

These drugs can cause physical dependence. This means that there is a reliance on the drug to prevent symptoms of withdrawl. Over time, greater amounts of the drug become necessary to produce the same effect.

The time it takes to become physically dependent varies with each individual.

When the drugs are stopped, the body needs time to recover, and withdrawal symptoms result. Withdrawal from opiates can occur whenever any chronic use is discontinued or reduced.

Some people even withdraw from opiates after hospitalization for painful conditions without realizing what is happening to them. They think they have the flu, and because they don't know that opiates would fix the problem, they don't crave the drugs.

Symptoms
The symptoms of withdrawal are often the reverse of intoxication. Withdrawal includes dilated pupils, diarrhea, runny nose, goose bumps, and abdominal pain.

Signs and tests
A physical exam and clinical history are often sufficient to diagnose opiate withdrawal. A urine or serum drug screen can verify the existence of opiates and any other drugs of abuse.

Answer 2

Opiate withdrawal is caused by stopping, or dramatically reducing, opiate use after heavy and prolonged use (several weeks or more).

Opiates include heroin, morphine, codeine, Oxycontin, Dilaudid, methadone, and others. The reaction frequently includes sweating, shaking, headache, drug craving, nausea, vomiting, abdominal cramping, diarrhea, inability to sleep, confusion, agitation, depression, anxiety, and other behavioral changes.

Causes, incidence, and risk factors

About 5% of the population is believed to misuse opiates, including illegal drugs like heroin and prescribed pain medications such as Oxycontin.

These drugs can cause physical dependence. This means that there is a reliance on the drug to prevent symptoms of withdrawl. Over time, greater amounts of the drug become necessary to produce the same effect.

The time it takes to become physically dependent varies with each individual.

When the drugs are stopped, the body needs time to recover, and withdrawal symptoms result. Withdrawal from opiates can occur whenever any chronic use is discontinued or reduced.

Some people even withdraw from opiates after hospitalization for painful conditions without realizing what is happening to them. They think they have the flu, and because they don't know that opiates would fix the problem, they don't crave the drugs.

Symptoms

The symptoms of withdrawal are often the reverse of intoxication. Withdrawal includes dilated pupils, diarrhea, runny nose, goose bumps, and abdominal pain.

Signs and tests

A physical exam and clinical history are often sufficient to diagnose opiate withdrawal. A urine or serum drug screen can verify the existence of opiates and any other drugs of abuse.

Treatment

Treatment of withdrawal includes supportive care and medications. The most commonly used medication, clonidine, primarily reduces physical symptoms.

Another detox method is to use a slowly tapered dose of methadone to reduce the intensity of withdrawal symptoms. This can be effective in inpatient programs, but outpatient methadone detox programs are ineffective.

Methadone maintenance involves ongoing use of methadone. This is the most effective treatment for opiate addiction, according to the Institutes of Medicine.

The FDA is expected to approve a new medication for use in the treatment of opiate withdrawal very soon. This medication, called buprenorphine, may help both physical and mental withdrawal symptoms. It may also be used for long-term maintenance like methadone.

This will have significant advantages over methadone because it will be obtainable from general practitioners, not just specialized clinics with rigid attendance requirements.

Some drug treatment programs have widely advertised treatments for opiate withdrawal called detox under anesthesia or rapid opiate detox. This involves anesthetizing the patient and injecting large doses of opiate-blocking drugs, with hopes that this will speed up the transition to normal opioid system function.

There is no evidence that these programs actually reduce time spent suffering withdrawal. In some cases, they may reduce the intensity of symptoms. However, there have been several deaths associated with the procedure, particularly when it is performed outside a hospital.

Because opiate withdrawal produces vomiting, and vomiting during anesthesia significantly increases death risk, many specialists think the risks of this procedure significantly outweigh potential (and unproven) benefits.

Answer 3

While, the symptoms of opiate withdraw are very rough, there is a legal alternative that can completely remove the withdraw and even help you break that habit whilst still giving you the same high. I get mine from the source below.

Answer 4

Here's a complete list of daytime vs nighttime symptoms defined by levels of severity. Check the blog post in the source below.

http://withdrawalaid.com/blog/withdrawal-symptoms-from-opiate-addiction/

Answer 5

Opiate withdrawal includes dilated pupils, diarrhea, runny nose, goose bumps, and abdominal pain.

Answer 6

I can only speak from my experience. Maybe you just need to change you're med's around to something not addictive. Or antidepressent. there are many around now that do help. pls find a doctor you feel comfortable talking to and see what they have to say. its worth the try, you may have to experiement untill you find the right med.s and it's ok. alot of people should be on medication that aren't good luck. and remember you are strong.

Answer 7

.Chills,sweats,nausea,cramps and panic attacks. In short it's the sickest you will ever be.The symptoms will progressively worsen over 3 days then lessen it should be over in 5-7. Good luck

Answer 8

tremors, cold sweats paranoia violent mood swings. The symptoms peak at 72 hrs then slowly subside

Answer 9

Major symptom is posting silly questions on Yahoo Answers...

Answer 10

http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&q=opiate+withdrawal
http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/ency/article/000949.htm
http://www.opiates.com/opiate-withdrawl.html
That ought to give you a good idea. Looks hideous to me.