For people that are physiologically dependent upon opiates, there is often a lot of fear around the concept of opiate detox. After all, many opiate abusers have tried this multiple times, and each time have endured severe physical and psychological withdrawal symptoms from opiate detox.
I admit that most of my website has been focused on home opiate detox.
Here is my reasoning for this:
I feel like there is already a lot of great info online about the professional types of detox, and there is a big shortage of valuable tips for getting off opiates at home. However, in the spirit of being “well-rounded,” I felt like it would be helpful to provide you with a “menu” of the four primary methods of professional opiate detoxification.
Home detox isn’t for everyone, so if you’re not comfortable getting off opiates by yourself, you may wish to consider enrolling in professional treatment.
The categories I will be covering include:
Medical Opiate Detoxification, Rapid Opiate Detoxification, Ultra Rapid Opiate Detoxification, and Outpatient Opiate Detoxification.
Here is a comprehensive list of the main features of each detox method…
1. Medical Opiate Detox
- Different facilities offer varying treatment protocols, including medications used, length of treatment, and other factors.
- Most Opiate Detox facilities will treat your opiate withdrawal symptoms with medications.
- You’re overseen by doctors, and often times patients will spend a few days in detox, then transfer to inpatient rehab (this is common but not always the case).
- Allows the patient to be closely monitored throughout the process and given appropriate medication to prevent severe withdrawal symptoms.
- Typically costs thousands of dollars, though many insurance plans cover the cost or at least a portion of it.
- Only treats the acute opiate withdrawal symptoms, and does nothing to combat Post Acute Withdrawal Syndrome (PAWS).
2. Rapid Opiate Detox
- Opiate Withdrawal occurs while patients are asleep under general anesthesia.
- The patient is given IV injections of medications called opiate blockers such as naltrexone, naloxone, and nalmephine, and physical detoxification is achieved within 4 to 8 hours.
- A patient is also given IV injections of muscle relaxants, anti-nausea medications, and other drugs to relieve symptoms.
- Rapid Opiate Detox takes place in an intensive care unit of a hospital, and the patients are typically discharged within 48 hours following recovery from anesthesia and assessment of their physical status.
- Can cost many thousands of dollars, and insurance may or may not cover this option.
- Only treats the acute opiate detox symptoms, and does nothing to combat PAWS.
3. Ultra Rapid Opiate Detox
- Patients are placed under general anesthesia (medically-induced coma) and doctors administer the opiate blocker naltrexone, which blocks all of their endorphin receptors.
- The withdrawal is an accelerated process, pushing them into 100% detoxification within a 5-30 minute period.
- Insurance companies don’t pay for this type of treatment, and it is very expensive out of pocket (sometimes over $20,000).
- Only treats the acute opiate detox symptoms, and doesn’t help with PAWS.
- This method can be very hard on the body for some individuals.
- The quickest way to eliminate opiate dependence.
4. Outpatient Opiate Detox
- Typically safe and effective for individuals who are more likely to have mild to moderate withdrawal symptoms, rather than severe symptoms.
- Can be accomplished with a variety of medications such as buprenorphine-naloxone, buprenorphine alone, clonidine alone, or clonidine combined with naltrexone.
- Some methadone clinics have a 21-Day Detox Program to choose for individuals wanting to quit opiates and not stay on methadone long-term.
- Patients get to live at home and visit the Outpatient facility at varied intervals depending on the program.
- Typically costs a couple of hundred dollars to $1,000 or more depending on the medications prescribed and the treatment program.
- The least intrusive opiate detox method to an individual’s life.
- Only treats acute symptoms, and does nothing for PAWS.
Best way to Detox from Opiates
I’m often asked what the best way to detox from opiates is. In my opinion, there really isn’t a one-size-fits-all “best way.” Depending on a variety of factors, different detox methods may resonate with and work better for certain individuals.
For this reason, I believe it’s very important to do as much research as possible before choosing an opiate detox protocol.
That way you can make a well-informed decision about how you will safely and effectively transition off opiates.
Anyone who is recovering from a drug addiction needs a plan that is specific to them. They also need a lot of support to know they aren’t alone. I know that was one of the reasons I was able to quit was because of the support that my family gave me. Just don’t give up, because you deserve to live a drug free life. Thanks for the information and the advice!
Hello Matt, I REALLY appreciate the work you are doing and time that you take out of your life to help ppl to get their lives back in order. I am writing, not about myself, but about my 20 year old son who is on Day 1 off of Opiates. He has been addicted for about a year, since having a very infected tooth and taking them so he could just do basic daily tasks like work and sleep without just dying from the pain of the infection. Sadly, after the tooth was removed and the infection was cured, he knew he was in trouble because he didn’t want to go a day without the “happy feeling” that he got from the Opiates. So he easily found MANY ppl he knew that were willing to help him get what he wanted for this last year. Well as of yesterday, all of those wells ran dry and he is going thru withdrawals and suffering terribly. After reading your many pages of detoxing, I have given him .1mg of Clonidine and a 25mg Atarax (Hydroxyz HCL). His shakes and sweating seemed to stop and he was able to sleep for 4 hours uninterrupted. I need to know how much Clonidine he can have per 24 hour period and how many Atarax I can give him to help him relax. I also have Trazadone 50mg, Can I give him those as well (and how many per day) to help keep him asleep? I WANT this process to go by easily for him. It’s not like he hasn’t suffered thru WD’s before, he KNOWS the pain, which I think is important for him to experience so that he will NEVER want to go thru them again. But this time is different, he WANTS to get clean, he wants his life back. He lost his job after 2+ years of being employed and he is in a deep depression. PLEASE help me know how to treat him from home. He REALLY doesn’t want the humiliation of going in for treatment and we really can’t afford it either way. Thank you for reading this and God Bless you for your work. Sincerely, a VERY scared Momma
Matt, I also have Gabapentin, is this something that could help him with the relentless Restless Leg symptoms he is having with these withdrawals? If so, could you help me know how much he can have? I also thought that you may want to know his size etc. He is 6ft 2in. tall and weighs about 280. He used to weigh well over 400lbs but over the last 2 years he has slimmed down considerably. Sadly, I attribute some of this weight loss to the addiction, ughh. Thank you again and I look forward to hearing from you on his dosages. Sincerely, A Scared Momma
Gabapentin is my favorite for opiate withdrawal! Please read this article as well as the comments after the post to read all the success stories using this medication:
How To Use Gabapentin For Opiate Withdrawal
Many people have told me that 600-1200 mg 2-3 times a day completely stopped their entire withdrawal syndrome. Only symptom is doesn’t stop is fatigue usually. Disclaimer: This comment is only for informational use, and is not medical advice. Always talk to your doctor about proper use of medications.
Hi Tracy,
What a good mommy he is lucky to have you! Please read the following article on proper clonidine dosing for opiate withdrawal:
How To Use Clonidine For Opiate Withdrawal
I haven’t studies the other medications you referred to.
Hey tracy. Just would like to say your the best for what your trying to do for your son, on the other hand your probably his kryptonite because you are willing to do whatever it takes… Sometimes that can be bad. Anywho i would like to tell you to not give your son anything he can become addicted too, its just not going to work. I shoild know i was an opiate user for 12 years and it only set me back when i tryed to use another drug to ease my w’ds. All you need my dear is some loperamide 2mg pills! I promise, you will be much happier with the outcome then using addictive drugs to “help”. Pretty much he can take 3 to 4 pills and he should definitely see a major improvement. After a few days the worst of the w ‘ds should be gone.
Thanks Matt for explaining those different types of clinical detoxes, never knew some of that stuff. I wanted to ask you, Matt, a question. I’ve posted on here quite a few times about my methadone withdrawal and how it’s coming along, plus I’ve said some stuff about gabapentin for RLS. Well, I’m coming up on a month clean of that crap, it’s getting better and better, but my legs hurt all the time, RLS, neuropathy in my left leg and foot from shingles, plus in the mornings, I’ve been walking a fast-paced 8 miles consistently, but I love exercise, not on oxy and methadone, but before that and now after, I’m getting healthier for sure. Now the question, I know what my Dr. had to say about gabapentin and was all for it considering my left leg neuropathy, so I’ve been taking some here and there for the RLS and the nerve pain, it works great for it. But I did some research on gabapentin, the withdrawal almost seems worse from it than opiates or are around the same considering how much and how long you use it which I plan not to use it long, I’m already using it sparingly, for serious bad nights, and plan on after 3 months to stop, it’s only 300mg capsules. I’m scared of getting dependent on it ya know, that would suck, if I knew that was happening, I’d stop taking it right now! What or have you had any experience with using this prescription drug for the symptoms that I have described for myself? Do you think this is a good idea in your opinion or not? Do you know anyone that used it for this and was it a good or bad thing? Your opinion would be greatly appreciated! Don’t want to come off methadone and do awesome only to be stuck on a nerve drug that I know isn’t a narcotic, but almost acts like one, kinda of scary for me!!! I’ll await your reply, thanks!
Hi Adam,
First off, you’re doing awesome!!! Congrats my friend. Good to hear from you, and as for your question, I’ve never heard from anyone that has gone through gabapentin withdrawal, but I’ve read some articles on it can happen. Obviously tapering is often recommended by doctors in some cases to avoid this from happening. Also, have you looked into taking the two herbs passion flower and valerian root for coming off gabapentin? It is said they bind to gaba receptors so maybe you want to research this and ask you doctor? I also had a past client that switched off oxycodone for leg neuropathy and started using low THC/High CBD tincture and he told me the it worked very well for pain relief, as it is legal in the state he lives in.