Fentanyl Overdose

Fentanyl is an opioid-based painkiller that is not usually prescribed for chronic pain management but more often used in times of acute pain, such as a surgical procedure. It's an anti-anxiety medication that causes extreme drowsiness allowing you to undergo your medical operation without experiencing any pain. Unfortunately, a number of side effects accompany Fentanyl's pain relieving characteristics including difficulty urinating, moodiness, slowed heartbeat, blurry vision, and difficulty with hand-eye coordination.

What are the Signs of a Fentanyl Overdose?

Some of the side effects experienced in Fentanyl are also signs of a Fentanyl overdose. The difference is that an overdose is much more noticeable and threatening and generally manifests itself in multiple symptoms simultaneously. Some signs of a Fentanyl overdose include:

Shallow or labored breathing
Inability to breathe
Faint pulse
Unconsciousness
Slowed heart rate or sudden drop in blood pressure

What Do I Do in the Event of a Fentanyl Overdose?

If you are concerned that you have taken too much Fentanyl but do not feel that you need an ambulance right away, first call 1-800-222-1222, the toll-free hotline for the National Poison Control Center. They are available 24 hours a day, and it need not be an emergency for you to make the call.

However, if you do need an ambulance or you are with someone who is exhibiting the symptoms of a Fentanyl overdose like bluish lips and nails and faint or no heartbeat then call 911 right away. Similarly, if you feel that you are about to pass out and no one else is around, then try to call emergency while you still can.

How is a Fentanyl Overdose Treated?

If you overdose on Fentanyl, you can expect that paramedics will arrive wielding ventilation support to help you breathe, perhaps give you fluids intravenously and most likely administer a shot of naloxone to put an immediate stop to the effects of the opiates in your system. If you are addicted to Fentanyl, this naloxone shot will cause you to go into acute withdrawal but, if it's given in time, it will save your life. You may be kept for observation overnight, but if all goes well, you should be allowed to go home within 24 hours. Unfortunately, when a Fentanyl overdose occurs, it is often fatal.

How Do I Avoid a Fentanyl Overdose?

First of all, tell your doctor about all of the medications that you are currently taking. Include vitamin supplements and any herbs in that list. Some medications can increase the soporific effects of Fentanyl and, in so doing, your chances of overdose. Interestingly, grapefruit and grapefruit juice can be very dangerous when you are on Fentanyl, so try to avoid anything grapefruit related while you are on the drug.

Of course, the best way to avoid an overdose on Fentanyl is to detox off of the medication immediately. Fentanyl detox is our specialty at Meditox.

Avoid a Fentanyl Overdose Through Fentanyl Addiction Treatment at Meditox

By taking advantage of the unique properties of Suboxone, Meditox provides you with an outpatient treatment that has never been available before. You need only come in for one appointment at the Meditox center closest to your home. During this appointment, you will undergo an evaluation to ascertain whether or not a Suboxone detox is right for you. If so, you will spend the rest of the appointment with your Meditox clinical team as they create a personalized treatment plan for you. When you go home, you will have a Suboxone prescription in hand and a finite period after which you will be completely drug-free. Call for more information today.

If you feel that Meditox might be the right solution for you or your loved one, please call us for a toll-free and private consultation:

Additional Resources

National Institutes of Health, Office of Dietary Supplements: Substitution pharmacotherapies for opioid addiction

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Mother, Real Estate Agent, 49
August 11, 2006

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