What is withdrawal and when does it occur?
Withdrawal occurs when an opiate-addicted individual stops taking opioids. Withdrawal can begin in as little as a few hours after the last dose, but typically starts 12-24 hours after the last dose. A lot of times it begins with sweating, yawning, a runny nose and “teary”-eyes. As withdrawal peaks, the user will be extremely uncomfortable with symptoms such as diarrhea, shivering, sweating, insomnia, muscle aches, abdominal cramps, restlessness, irritability, loss of appetite, and anxiety. It is often compared to the flu, but for many the flu is a play day in comparison. Withdrawal generally lasts about a week with the acute symptoms peaking on day 3 and subsiding by day 7. With long-acting opioids, such as methadone and buprenorphine, the withdrawal can last twice as long. Recent studies have indicated there is often a “post-acute withdrawal syndrome” which can mean months of muscle aches, insomnia, and depression; this doesn’t mean the user will be suffering for months on end. PAWS o
