From Ingestion to Elimination: The Duration of Fentanyl in Your System
Every year, thousands of individuals die from opioid abuse. Despite this reality, opioids are prescribed and illegally consumed. Fentanyl rests at the center of this epidemic.
About half of the deaths from opioid overdose are from Fentanyl. Fentanyl is one of the most addictive drugs, allegedly 50-100 times more potent than morphine. Fentanyl can slow breathing to the point of suffocation. These facts alone explain why so many individuals ultimately overdose on the drug.
Doctors prescribe opioids, like Fentanyl, to ease pain from surgery, injury, and medical conditions. Now that you’re aware of how serious fentanyl addiction is, below is information on how the drug is processed. Read on for the answer to “how long does fentanyl stay in your system?”
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The brain-body processing of Fentanyl sets the stage for addiction.
After ingestion, the drug attaches to specific opioid receptors in the brain, which affects how one perceives pain and emotion. As Fentanyl engages with these receptors, increased amounts of dopamine are released. As more dopamine is released, euphoria overrides the perception of pain and ultimately interferes with natural dopamine release.
The answer to “how long does fentanyl stay in your system?” depends on many factors.
The drug’s form also influences how long it remains in the body. Pharmaceutical versions of Fentanyl may be prescribed in tablet form, injectable solutions, nasal sprays, or transdermal patches. Illegal versions are distributed in powder form, and these powders are snorted, injected, or swallowed.
How Fentanyl is administered influences the answer to “how long does fentanyl stay in your system?” Fentanyl is medically administered as an injectable solution or as a transdermal patch. For the former, the drug moves through the bloodstream directly, and for the latter, it is absorbed through the skin.
Individual factors affect the duration of the drug in the body.
Individual factors that influence the answer to “how long does fentanyl stay in your system?” include:
- body mass
- liver and kidney health
- frequency of drug use
- half-life of the drug
- dosage
- age
- metabolism
- gender
The half-life of Fentanyl is 3-7 hours.
Fentanyl has a half-life of 3-7 hours. In tablet and nasal spray versions, it takes 15-20 minutes for the effects to begin. These effects start wearing off after 3-6 hours. It can take up to 2 days for the effects of the transdermal patch version to begin. Other factors that influence the answer to “how long does fentanyl stay in your system?” include:
- physical activity
- hydration levels
- tolerance
Drug testing types and timeframes vary.
The answer to “how long does fentanyl stay in your system?” depends on the type of drug tests conducted and the factors mentioned above. Following one’s last consumption, Fentanyl can be detected in urine for up to 3 days, for up to 2 days in blood, and for up to 3 months in hair.
Get the lifesaving help you need.
If you’re struggling with opioid abuse, reach out to a treatment center immediately. Fentanyl addiction is lethal. Get the lifesaving help you need to recover.
