How long does meth stay in the human body and how can I tell if my son is using?

Question

A co-worker of mine has told me she knows her son is using meth and she doesnt know how to go about confronting. She wants to help him ,but she has no info on it. She asked me about it ,I told her I have used it, some years past and told her its an awful spiral down to ruin. She would like to know how long it stays in the system and any other useful infor mation she can get.Thank you for your help.

Answer 1

The best answer I can give is that once you have been around Meth, or used it it will show up in your hair. The best way to know for sure is have a chemical test done on a hair sample. Meth has a cycle that involves things like criminal activity to support the habit, long periods with no sleep, lack of appetite, increased interest in sex (pornography) loss of weight, stinky feet, poor body hygiene and various other symptoms.

Answer 2

Meth typically stays in the body for 3 days, but look out for the following signs:

-teeth grinding
-tooth decay
-staying up all night, particularly for a week straight
-weight loss
-loss in appetite
-any lesions or signs of lost circulation from needle use (needle use can damage the arteries)
-pipes, syringes, or other paraphernalia [sp?] indicating the possibility of use
-increased energy with a severe crash (depression)

Also consider counseling (if your son happens to be using) and have her talk to a counselor and/or getting some information from Drug and Alcohol Services or your local police/health department. I'm glad you have been able to overcome your meth use, and I hope you continue to stay sober.

Answer 3

you have to stay strong . the hair test is done , and it can actually tell you within 24-48 hours when you used it.. rest assure that this stuff is the bad boy on the block, and it is getting worse, not better, how old is this kid. if he is a minor, then you have the control. you have to tighten up on him.. have you and your son always had a good relationship? this is a good starting pointing,,,
you confront him head on with what you know. if he is leagle age , you can put him out of the house. in reality that is no good.. if he is useing this ,,, there are going to be signs of it,, tireness, fast talking , then slow talking. not eating for several days, has made a new class of friends,, and they do not look just right,, a new class of friends for the worse,,, is a very good sign.
you should not feel bad as a parent, because you know that you have done everything you can..
getting on meth has nothing to do with your social standing,, rich or poor,
i have dealt with many a child on this stuff,, and some do want to get off of it , but can't,, is is becomeing the drug of choice because ... thes people cook it up in their kitchen, every bit of poision you have in the house , they will use. in this stuff..
another tactic that we have used very succesfull ,,, get the parents to go on a vacation take the kid with you and stay for several days, always with him,, if he is on it,, he will do everything to get away from you..

i will say this any one who would sell this junk to a kid or anyone,, should be put under the jail..
this is no easy task to do ,, but you hang in there , you are going to be ok...

Answer 4

Depending on the how much is used and for how long he's been using will determine the length of time the drug is still in his system. During one of my heavy usage periods, I used as much as I could, and theres no such thing as too much. Anyways, to make a long story short, I was raided, conned into submitting a urine test or spend time in jail, which I wasn't about to do cause I wanted to get back out there and keep using. Anyways, my test came up positive, yet I hadn't used for about 2 or three days (they say three days max for the average addict) but using every day, all day, for months or years straight can make someone test dirty even up to 7 or 10 days later.
Speaking from experience of being an occasional user, and being on probation as of one year so far, and having to submit to a swab test once a month, I stupidly tested the whole three day thing, before having to report, and I tested clean. Swab testing is supposedly the best way to detect meth use, especially for ones who smoke it, because its absorbed into your blood stream not only through the lungs but also absorbs through your gums and checks. Swab is used to see if someone has used just hours or a day or two before. Urine test can detect up to a week to two weeks to prior usage, and hair follicle testing which is hardly being used anymore since the cost is extremely high compared to other methods, and is not a reliable tool since it can detect meth use up to 2 or 3 months even if the once meth addict has been clean he will still test dirty. My Probation officer said that is the worst test to do on someone if you want to know if that person is currently using. So urine test is the best route, for at home testing. Thankfully the law relies on the good 'ol swab testing.

One of the most helpful sites I have come across for information, and online communities for addicts, recovering addicts, and their loved ones would be http://www.methmadness.com
Good luck

Answer 5

It includes sores on the face(from picking at imaginary bugs), paranoia, tooth decay, weight loss,hyperactivity, disturbed sleep patterns,aggressive behavior, irritability,involuntary muscle movements, malnutrition.

If her son is a minor tell her to take him in to get drug tested, otherwise she can arrange an intervention. Whatever she chose tell her to approach the situation with caution and another person there. Depending on when he lasted you used he could become violent. It is very important that she gets her son help. The sooner the better. Meth is a drug with long lasting effects to the body and mind.

Check out these websites:
http://www.onea.org/Methamphetamine.htm#What%20is%20Methamphetamine?

http://www.hazelden.org/servlet/hazelden/go/INFO_TALKWHATCANISAY

http://www.idahocareline.org/eLibrary/Meth.html

http://www.drugfree.org/Intervention/HelpingOthers/AdultTeen/You_Suspect_Your_Child_Has_a_Drug_Problem


Tell her good luck and God bless!

Answer 6

It stays in your system for 3-5 days depending on your weight and how much meth you do.

Answer 7

If you feel your son may be using methamphetamine, or any drug for that matter, confront him and ask! His welfare is at stake and you must do something before its too late. A drug test (urine being the best) could be ordered by your family doctor, and it might clear up any suspicions. However, note that Meth is detectable only for approximately 72 hours by blood and urine testing.

Answer 8

I recently went through this problem with my husband (now ex-husband). The drug stays in the body (blood, urine) for only a few days. However, it stays in the hair for 90 days! Since her child is a minor, she can get a sample of his hair and submit it for testing. Have her look at on-line for at-home drug testing kits. They normally cost about $30 and they test for multiple drugs. She may also have him tested at a physicians office, and since he is a minor, he cannot object to the testing. Most importantly, tell her to follow her instincts, if he is acting abnormal than there is something wrong. Tell her to watch for tweaking behaviors: not sleeping and then crashing, taking things apart or repetitive actions. Is her son hanging out with people she has never seen or heard of before? If she still has questions, have her talk to someone at a rehab center. She may also be able to get a free test kit from them. They have great pointers, and can also point her in the direction of AA and NA groups for family members. This is not an easy thing to deal with and being able to talk to others that are going through it helps a lot! Because of what I went through with my ex-husband constantly lying and hiding is drug habit, I have tons of trust issues and being able to talk about it with others is the only way I could have ever made it through.

Answer 9

Have her talk to a counselor in a detox program. He probably needs to get in one asap. She really needs to talk to a doctor and someone who can help her son asap. Good luck.

Answer 10

i'm pretty sure its always going to be there, but less and less leaves the body each day. my health teacher had a son going through this addiction and she said it's painful to overcome, so i hope everything turns good out for your son =)