Studies have found that over 3,694,500 individuals in the U.S., inject drugs intravenously. With the prevalence of injections increasing, so too are their associated risks.

One such risk is a blown vein, a condition that happens when the needle damages your vein walls, causing blood leakage.

Whether it came from being administered an IV drug or substance abuse, the complication can stem from various causes.

Stick around as we learn more about how you can treat a blown vein, its symptoms, causes, and prevention methods to employ.

What Is a Blown Vein?

A blown or ruptured vein occurs when a blood vessel becomes damaged, often from incorrect needle insertion.

Healthcare professionals typically puncture your vein wall to draw in blood from its opening. In cases of a blown vein, the needle will go further in and penetrate through to the other side.

Subsequently, it’ll result in blood leaking around the affected area. Once a vein is torn, you can’t attempt any IV insertions in that injection site.

A Quick Guide to Treating a Blown Vein

Fortunately, a blown vein is usually harmless. Your assigned medical practitioner will need to apply pressure on it to limit the blood loss.

Next, the area will need to be cleaned to avoid any infection. The site will probably swell and bruise afterward.

You can alleviate the swelling with an ice pack. It should heal within 12 days or so.

Causes of a Blown Vein

In essence, a blown vein usually happens when a needle insertion isn’t properly performed. Here’s why that could happen:

1. Substance Abuse

If someone is struggling with injectable substance usage, they may accidentally insert the needle multiple times in the same site. These frequent injections will eventually damage the skin.

Additionally, some types of drugs can harm the veins. For instance, heroin’s high acidity can exacerbate a vein’s condition.

2. Incorrect Needle Size

Needles are categorized based on their gauge number. The higher it is, the smaller the needlepoint needs to be. These smaller-sized options are best used for small veins located around the hands.

A larger needle may have more risk of blowing a vein, but that doesn’t exempt smaller needles from the margin of error, as they may be too small to provide enough tactile sensation to prevent injury.

3. Incorrect Needle Insertion

During injection, whether it’s a medical professional or a regular person, it may be a bit difficult to immediately find a vein. As such, the constant searching for a vein while the needle is under the skin may result in vein injury. 

4. Rolling Veins

Some veins move around when touched more easily than others. If your nurse happens to choose a rolling vein, it may slightly shift its position, increasing the risk of a blown vein.

Typically, a medical professional begins by touching the vein with their fingers to test for mobility, minimizing such a risk. Still, it’s a risk that’s present.

5. Fragile Veins

Fragile veins can also be the culprit behind blown veins. As you grow older, your veins become more fragile. Time wears your vein walls, making them lose their elasticity.

In addition to age, frequent IV drug use can also weaken your veins and make them less flexible.

For this reason, trying to inject an overly fragile vein will make it more susceptible to rupturing.

6. Too Much Movement

Too much movement during the insertion of a needle can also cause a blown vein. Whether you’re doing the injection yourself or having a professional do it for you, it’s best to minimize movement.

One trick to help is looking away from the needle during injection, as fear can cause uncontrollable jerks or sudden movements.

Symptoms of a Blown Vein

A blown vein can exhibit the following symptoms:

• Bruising
• Skin discoloration
• Mild pain and discomfort
• Swelling
• Leaking blood or fluid
• Stinging sensation
• Tenderness to the touch

The Difference Between a Blown Vein vs. Collapsed Vein

A blown and collapsed vein may be confused due to similar symptoms like swelling and bruising, but they’re different.

A collapsed vein occurs when the vein walls cave in or flatten, blocking blood flow. Meanwhile, a blown vein involves rupturing.

In some scenarios, a collapsed vein may never bounce back, leaving it permanently blocked. Fortunately, the body reacts by developing new blood vessels to bypass the poor circulation.

How to Prevent a Blown Vein

The good news is that there are several prevention methods you and your medical professional can employ to avoid a blown vein.

Better Preparation

Your medical practitioner can take certain steps to better prepare for the insertion, such as:

• Choosing a vein that is visible and stable to insert the catheter in.
• Using a tourniquet for older people or those with fragile veins to increase visibility.
• Preparing the correctly sized needle.
• Putting their thumb below the injection site to avoid too much vein movement.

Hydration

Staying well-hydrated makes the vein-searching step easier for the nurse. Hydration means more water in your veins, making them stiffer and more convenient to draw blood from.

Extra Caution During Needle Insertion

Once the needle is in, nurses or medical professionals must take steps to ensure a safe draw and release. They can do so by:

• Pushing the needle from a 30-degree angle (as parallel as possible to the vein).
• Instructing you to remain steady and avoid excess movement.
• Removing the needle carefully and applying pressure on the site afterward.
• Taking out the tourniquet or blood pressure cuffs before sliding out the needle.

Complications of a Blown Vein

A blown vein isn’t categorized under serious injuries. It mostly heals on its own over time. Nevertheless, a blown vein can turn into a collapsed one.

It usually happens over time, particularly to those who frequently receive drugs through IV, such as cancer patients needing intravenous treatment and individuals who generally take several drug tests at a time.

It’s also possible among those struggling with drug addiction since they may overuse the same site.

Another critical complication worth mentioning is when the liquid, non-vesicant medication meant for intravenous treatment could spill onto surrounding tissue. This is known as infiltration.

If the liquid is vesicant or causes blisters, like chemotherapy medication, it’s called extravasation.

In this case, you’ll risk further complications such as inflammation, irritation, pain, and swelling.

Drug Abuse and Vein Damage

Those facing intravenous substance abuse may overuse a vein and resort to other limb areas, such as their legs, to inject illicit substances.

This spreads the vein damage to other regions, exacerbating their condition. Overall, this could lead to more debilitating cases, including chronic venous disorder (CVD). This can result in harmful effects, like pain, cramps, edema, weakness, and itching.

With continued drug use, these symptoms will likely worsen as your veins weaken even more.

When to Seek Professional Help

While blown veins generally won’t cause major complications, they may require additional assistance in healing. You’ll want to see a doctor if you notice the following symptoms:

• No healing after weeks
• Difficulty in moving the affected area
• Strong pain
• Fever
• Excess swelling

To Conclude

Even though a blown vein is relatively harmless and easily treatable, it can cause dangerous complications. If someone struggling with intravenous substance abuse has a blown vein, they can’t inject anything in that same vein.

Consequently, a situation may arise where they need to inject a life-saving medication, but can’t. If you or a loved one is suffering from drug abuse, don’t hesitate to contact Allure Detox to receive the necessary help.

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Published on: 2024-06-11
Updated on: 2024-06-19

Benzodiazepines are among the most commonly used — and misused — prescription drugs in the United States. Often simply referred to as “benzos,” they can offer relief from anxiety, insomnia and a variety of other conditions. Unfortunately, despite their widespread popularity, many people are unaware that benzos also have a darker side. Heavy or prolonged use may lead to dependence and addiction, resulting in a set of withdrawal symptoms known as “benzo flu.”

If you or someone you know is using benzodiazepines, understanding what benzo flu is, why it occurs and how it can be treated can help you manage or even prevent this unpleasant and uncomfortable condition.

What are the symptoms and causes of “benzo flu”?

Benzo flu is an informal term that’s frequently used to describe the most common physical effects of benzodiazepine withdrawal. When someone dependent on benzos like Valium, Xanax, Ativan or Klonopin suddenly stops taking them, they may initially experience nausea, sweating, chills, body aches and other flu-like symptoms. Unlike the common flu, however, benzo flu is frequently accompanied by adverse psychological effects as well. Together, these physical and mental symptoms are known as benzodiazepine withdrawal syndrome (BWS).

Causes of Benzo Flu

Benzodiazepines primarily work by enhancing the activity of gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA) receptors in the brain and nervous system. This produces the intoxicating hypnotic and anxiolytic effects that make benzos an effective treatment option for insomnia and anxiety disorders. Unfortunately, it can come at a steep cost.

With repeated use, your body quickly begins adapting to the effects of the drug, altering the natural balance of receptors and neurotransmitters. This can lead to physical dependence in as little as one to two weeks, causing you to experience withdrawal symptoms upon stopping or taking lower doses. Risk factors that may increase the likelihood and severity of benzo flu include higher doses, abrupt cessation and chronic, long-term use.

Symptoms of Benzo Flu

Depending on your usage, history, sensitivity and underlying physical and mental health, benzodiazepine withdrawal can manifest in many different ways. The influenza-like illness that characterizes benzo flu typically begins within hours of the last dose and can last from a few days to several weeks. It encompasses a wide range of physical ailments that may come and go over time. These include:

• Headaches
• Fatigue
• Sweating and chills
• Diarrhea and constipation
• Nausea and stomach cramps
• Muscle pain and stiffness
• Spasms and tremors
• Heart palpitations

As physically challenging as benzo flu can be, it’s often the mental aspects of withdrawal that are most distressing. Since many people take benzodiazepines to help manage anxiety disorders, it’s no surprise that ceasing use can produce a sudden rebound in these symptoms. In fact, benzo withdrawal can cause a variety of psychological issues, including:

• Anxiety and panic attacks
• Depression and malaise
• Disturbed sleep
• Anger and irritability
• Inability to concentrate

In rare cases, severe benzodiazepine withdrawal can even become dangerous. Without proper treatment and support, particularly heavy users may be at risk of experiencing psychosis, hallucinations, suicidal ideation and potentially life-threatening seizures.

Diagnosing Benzo Flu

With so much at stake, accurately identifying and managing benzo flu is extremely important. Because the early stages of withdrawal can be easily dismissed as a flu infection, healthcare providers need to carefully review your medical history as well as your symptoms. This requires a clear understanding of the medications and dosages in question, so it’s essential to be honest and forthcoming when seeking care.

Benzo Flu Strategies and Treatments

The prospect of going through withdrawal can be very stressful, making it difficult for some people to stop using benzos. With the right strategies and support, however, you can successfully manage the symptoms of benzo flu and begin taking the necessary steps toward a full recovery.

The most effective tool for overcoming benzo dependence is tapering, which involves gradually lowering your dose until it’s safe to discontinue the medication altogether. Since tapering too quickly can trigger withdrawal symptoms, this should always be done under the guidance of a medical professional. Your healthcare provider can help you create a personalized tapering schedule, regularly monitor your progress and make changes or prescribe other medications as needed to minimize discomfort.

If you need more specialized assistance, a detoxification program may be a more suitable option. Inpatient detox programs offer around-the-clock medical supervision, medication-assisted treatment, full psychiatric assessments and other therapies in a controlled, recovery-focused environment. Another vital key to success is establishing a strong support system. Depending on your needs, this may include counseling, therapy, education, support groups and other strategies aimed at building healthy coping skills, reducing stress and providing accountability.

Preventing Benzodiazepine Withdrawal

While benzos offer undeniable therapeutic value, they need to be used carefully to minimize the risks associated with withdrawal. That means using them only when necessary and always taking them exactly as directed. Whenever possible, it’s best to avoid using benzos for more than two weeks at a time. However, never stop taking your medication or change your dose without first consulting with your healthcare provider. In addition, consider asking your doctor if there are other drugs or alternative treatments available. These may range from SSRI and SNRI medications to therapy and lifestyle changes.

The Costs and Consequences of Benzo Flu

Though understandably overshadowed by the opioid crisis, benzodiazepine withdrawal is a serious public health threat in its own right. Many people are simply unaware of the dangers and become physically dependent through no fault of their own, losing their quality of life and experiencing profound mental health challenges. Sadly, little research has been done to shed light on the wider consequences of benzo flu, but there’s little doubt that it exacts a heavy toll on individuals and society alike.

It doesn’t have to be this way. Through better education, research and support, we can find lasting solutions to help promote recovery and mitigate the impacts of benzo flu. Call or contact the specialists at Allure Detox to learn more and get the help you need today.

FAQ

References

• Benzodiazepines: Uses, Dangers, and Clinical Considerations | PMC
• The benzodiazepine withdrawal syndrome | PubMed
• Benzodiazepine Withdrawal: Potentially Fatal, Commonly Missed | Emergency Medicine News
• Tapering Patients Off of Benzodiazepines | AAFP
• Withdrawal Management | NCBI Bookshelf

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Published on: 2024-02-09
Updated on: 2024-06-19

If you’ve ever applied for a job or played sports, it’s possible that you’ve taken a drug test. And, in some professions, employees can occasionally be drug tested at random.

A drug test involves a chemical analysis of a person’s bodily fluid or hair follicles. Such a test can detect the presence of a certain substance or a group of substances. And one of the most common — if not the single most common — of these tests is the 5-panel drug test.

But why do people undergo drug tests? What societal role do these tests play? And what exactly is a 5-panel test?

Applications of Drug Tests

Drug tests are simple to take. You just give a sample of your hair, urine, or sweat to a medical professional. (Most likely, you’d provide that sample in person — as opposed to bringing it with you — so that you couldn’t get it from someone else.)

Alternatively, the healthcare specialist might use a little needle to draw a small amount of blood from your arm. Either way, your sample would then go to a laboratory.

In our society, these tests have several major functions. For one thing, they let employees screen their job candidates and regularly check up on their staff members.

Of course, drug-free lifestyles are especially important for those responsible for others’ safety: healthcare professionals, firefighters, and airline pilots, to name just a few examples.

Unfortunately, when employees abuse drugs or alcohol, their work performance usually suffers. They might lose morale and become less productive. They may become more irritable and thus more likely to fight with supervisors, coworkers, and customers. They could experience more workplace accidents or miss work more often. And, if they’re desperate to procure more drugs, they might be tempted to steal from the company.

On top of all that, the court system sometimes drug tests defendants accused of committing crimes or causing accidents. And, in athletic leagues, drug tests can help ensure a fair playing field by identifying athletes who take performance-enhancing substances.

Also, when people undergo treatment programs for alcohol or drug use disorder, their care specialists may drug test them on occasion. That way, when patients experience relapses, they can receive the extra care they need.

What Is a 5-Panel Drug Test?

Drug test results typically come back on cards with one or more panels. For example, such a card could have four, seven, or 10 panels. Each panel pertains to a different substance.

In the U.S., the most commonly administered drug test is the 5-panel version. In fact, it’s used throughout the federal government. For instance, the Department of Transportation depends on this particular test to screen its job applicants.

In the private sector, the 5-panel drug test is widely recognized as the industry standard. In particular, employers frequently use it to conduct random drug testing.

Like most other drug tests, the 5-panel test usually examines urine. However, in some cases, blood, saliva, sweat, or hair samples are collected instead.

Substances Detected by the 5-Panel Drug Test

A 5-panel drug test looks for these substances:

Substance	Description
Marijuana (THC)	Cannabinoids, including THC, which is the psychoactive component of marijuana.
Cocaine	Benzoylecgonine, a metabolite of cocaine.
Opiates	Including heroin, morphine, and codeine.
Amphetamines	Including amphetamine and methamphetamine.
Phencyclidine (PCP)	A dissociative drug formerly used as an anesthetic agent, known for its hallucinogenic effects.

Keep in mind that the human body metabolizes and excretes different drugs at different rates. Thus, traces of a particular drug could linger for a few hours or a few days, or it could remain for a longer period.

In addition, different factors affect how fast someone can eliminate a certain drug. Those variables include the dosage size, that person’s height, weight, and tolerance for the substance, and how often that individual uses the drug.

Let’s take a look now at the drugs the 5-panel test can identify and how long those substances can remain in a person’s system.

Marijuana and Cannabis

These days, it’s legal in many places for people to use marijuana and cannabis products recreationally, without a prescription. Even so, it’s also legal for employers to forbid employees to consume these drugs. (The law also lets employers fire workers who don’t comply with marijuana and cannabis bans.)

The primary active ingredient in marijuana/cannabis is called tetrahydrocannabinol (THC). THC can remain in a person’s blood for up to 12 hours, saliva for up to 24 hours, and hair follicles for up to 90 days. And, in urine, this compound can linger anywhere from one day to one month. Occasionally, it lasts even longer than a month.

Cocaine

People snort or inhale cocaine for the fast and powerful high it gives them. Yes, this drug can definitely bring on a rush of energy and a sense of euphoria. However, cocaine is highly addictive, and overdoses can be very dangerous — even fatal.

In general, after someone takes cocaine, a drug test could spot it in saliva or blood for up to two days. Urine tests for cocaine, meanwhile, can come back positive for up to three days. However, if a person uses cocaine often, the drug can appear in urine for as long as two weeks. And, in a hair test, cocaine is identifiable months or even years after someone takes it.

Opiates

Opiates are compounds that derive from certain natural plants like poppies. (Opioids often get confused with opiates, but opioids are synthetic.) Heroin and morphine, for example, belong to the opiate group.

Opiates can relieve pain, induce euphoric feelings, and increase a person’s sense of well-being. Again, though, opiates are addictive, and opiate overdoses can lead to grave outcomes that include comas and death.

Urine tests can generally detect opiates for a maximum of three days. However, all traces of heroin may vanish from someone’s urine in just one day.

Phencyclidine (PCP)

Sometimes called angel dust, PCP is a powerful mind-altering drug that’s taken in powder or liquid form. Among other effects, it can give people a high, make them hallucinate, allow them to feel like they’re superhuman, and provide the sensation that they’re floating away from reality.

On the other hand, PCP can have severely negative consequences like memory loss, high blood pressure, depression, blurred vision, and fatal overdoses.

How long is PCP detectable? In urine, the answer is up to 14 days. In saliva, it’s as long as three days. And, in hair, it can once again be upwards of 90 days.

Amphetamines

Amphetamines are psychostimulants. That means these drugs speed up the messages that travel between the brain and the rest of the body. For that reason, prescription amphetamines can treat various medical disorders, including Parkinson’s disease.

When amphetamines are sold illegally on the street, they usually come in the form of tablets, powders, or crystals. And, while these drugs can make users feel happier and more energetic, they’re extremely hazardous. Amphetamine overdoses can lead to breathing problems, convulsions, strokes, heart attacks, and death.

A 5-panel drug test could identify amphetamine remnants in saliva for up to 60 hours, in blood for up to 48 hours, in urine for up to four days, and in hair for as long as 90 days.

Are you scheduled to take a 5-panel drug test soon? And are you worried about it because you’re struggling with a substance use disorder?

Conclusion

If so, we at Allure Detox Center in West Palm Beach can help. Our staff of experts provides effective and customized treatment programs. And our facility is safe, comfortable, and supportive. In short, we can help you rebuild your life, reclaim your future, and pass every drug test along the way. To learn more, please contact us at any time.

FAQ

SOURCES

• https://adf.org.au/drug-facts/amphetamines/
• https://americanaddictioncenters.org/pcp-abuse/effects-and-dangers
• https://www.dea.gov/sites/default/files/2020-06/Morphine-2020.pdf
• https://www.deadiversion.usdoj.gov/drug_chem_info/pcp.pdf
• https://medlineplus.gov/ency/patientinstructions/000797.htm
• https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/diagnostics/10285-drug-testing
• https://nida.nih.gov/publications/research-reports/cocaine/what-are-short-term-effects-cocaine-use
• https://www.oregon.gov/adpc/pages/opiate-opioid.aspx

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Published on: 2024-01-29
Updated on: 2024-06-19

Drug tests have been a part of society for decades. For example, the International Olympic Committee began testing athletes for performance-enhancing drugs in 1968. In the United States, drug testing started becoming more commonplace in the 1970s, and regulations were put into place en masse a decade later to implement workplace drug testing.

The types of drug tests that are being utilized have increased over the years as well. Some of the most common ones have been blood, hair, and urine drug tests, all of which are preferred if testing beyond recent use is the intent. However, there are some limitations related to those that have caused them to be utilized less often nowadays. For example, blood testing requires intrusive procedures conducted by trained professionals while blood, urine and hair testing necessitates the use of facilities that have been designed for that purpose.

There is an additional type that is being increasingly utilized: mouth swab drug tests, which are also known as saliva drug tests. The main reasons why include their ease of administration, their non-invasive nature, how cost-effective they are and how difficult it is for someone being tested to skew the drug test results.

Some of the common places where they are utilized include workplaces, rehab centers and probation offices.

However, their detection times are generally much shorter than the other options. At the opposite end of the spectrum, hair tests can detect substances that were taken up to around 90 days prior. For this reason, mouth swab drug tests are used much more so to detect recent drug use. In particular, they can usually determine if someone is currently under the influence of a drug.

Understanding mouth swab drug tests

A mouth swab drug screening is normally administered through the taking of a saliva sample from the inside of the cheek or under the tongue with a cotton swab, pad or sponge.

The individual who is taking the test should not consume any food or drinks for the 10 minutes immediately preceding the administration of it. Food and drinks that have greater potential for causing a false-positive or false-negative result include salt, vinegar and fruit. Also, you shouldn’t use mouthwash as it will eliminate drug metabolites from the saliva.

The testing process itself takes about two minutes, and results are known within a few minutes afterwards.

Many different drugs can be tested although the length of time that has passed between use and it showing up in this type of test varies. The same is true as far as how much time can pass before the drug use is no longer detectable.

This testing method has been estimated as being 98% accurate. That said, it should be noted that amphetamines and benzodiazepines tend to be harder to detect with an oral fluid drug test as compared to other drugs.

Detection Periods of Common Substances

For a number of reasons, it is an inexact science as far as providing detection windows of common substances. Factors include the individual’s age and metabolism as well as, of course, how much of the drug has been consumed or injected. That relates, most importantly, to the size of the most recent dose while it having also been used for some time prior to then can have a relatively minor impact as well.

With that said, here are some estimates.

As far as being detected shortly after use goes, alcohol tends to be the quickest as its detection is possible essentially immediately. It is followed by amphetamines, methamphetamines and cocaine, which are usually detectable once 10 minutes have passed. Substances requiring about an hour before detection is possible include marijuana/cannabis (which contain the psychoactive compound THC), MDMA and opiates (different from opioids).

Looking at the other end of the timeline (i.e. how long these substances will remain detectable for), most will be for at least 24 hours. However, alcohol and marijuana have perhaps the shortest time periods in this respect with many experts saying that they will only remain detectable for 12 hours. Some say 12-24 hours instead, perhaps even longer for marijuana users, particularly chronic ones.

Otherwise, the use of MDMA, cocaine or benzodiazepines is detectable until roughly 24 hours have passed after use. The estimated related timelines for amphetamines is 72 hours and for methamphetamines is 96 hours.

How long opiates can be detected varies tremendously, depending on which one has been consumed. Thirty hours is a rough timeline to keep in mind. Generally, hydrocodone tends to be on the shorter end at around 24 hours while heroin is usually at the other extreme as its timeframe is approximately 120 hours.

Legal Considerations

Legal specifications related to mouth swab drug tests vary from state to state and otherwise. Most notably, they may not be administered in Hawaii, Maine or Vermont. Meanwhile, in some other places, they are allowed but only under specific circumstances.

Conclusion

Mouth swab drug tests have become much more common over the past few years, primarily because they can be so easily administered while providing accurate results as well. However, they do not detect substance use from more than several hours or a few days beforehand, which is a significant consideration.

If you would like to learn more about drug testing methods or the services that we offer individuals who are looking to move on from drug use and turn their lives around, reach out to Allure Detox. We offer an effective detox experience, which is a vital step on the path to recovery for many.

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Published on: 2024-01-29
Updated on: 2024-06-19

Nearly 2.5 million Americans take Adderall for ADHD/ADD, depression, and narcolepsy. It’s the 24th most prescribed drug in the United States and is available in nearly every pharmacy across the state.

With it being used so prevalently, many are curious about its effectiveness past its expiration date. So, in this article, we’ll discuss everything you need to know about expired Adderall. Does Adderall expire, and if so, what are the side effects of taking expired Adderall?

Let’s find out.

Does Adderall Expire?

The clear-cut answer to this question is yes, Adderall does expire. But like most food products, the expiration date on the bottle doesn’t reflect when the product expires, but rather when its potency starts to wane.

Most medications maintain their potency even years after the expiration date. According to research conducted by the American Medical Association and the Food and Drug Administration, common drugs like aspirin and various amphetamines like Adderall retain 95% to 99% of their potency 15 to 40 years after the expiration date.

The truth of the matter is this: pharmaceutical companies don’t extend the expiration dates as there isn’t an incentive for them to do so. After all, it’s more profitable for patients to throw away out-of-date medications and replace them with new ones.

So the better question here isn’t whether Adderall expires, but rather when it expires.

To that, researchers have yet to provide a conclusive answer. In the experiment, amphetamine retained 100% of its potency five years after the expiration date and 95% of its potency 10 years thereafter. But since it’s a controlled experiment, results vary.

Therefore, tossing away drugs past their expiration date is always safer to minimize the risk of side effects.

Is It Safe to Take Expired Adderall?

Medical practitioners advise against taking medication past its expiration date. So while technically safe to take expired Adderall, one should refrain from doing so.

If you’re in a situation where you need a dose but can only find an expired bottle, taking a pill or two shouldn’t pose any harm. Just keep in mind that it won’t be as potent or effective as in-date Adderall.

Increasing the dose to match the effectiveness should be avoided at all costs. Taking more than the recommended amount, even if the medication isn’t as potent, may lead to unpleasant side effects and even overdose.

How to Tell If Adderall Has Expired

Some medications develop distinct characteristics when they start to lose potency.

Old Aspirin, for example, starts to smell strongly of vinegar because its molecules separate into acetic acid, a primary component of vinegar.

Unfortunately, Adderall doesn’t display any tell-tale signs of chemical degradation, so it’s nearly impossible to tell Adderall has expired from scent and looks alone. Because of this, you’ll have to depend on the expiration date to ensure it’s still in date.

Manufacturers usually set the expiration date two to three years from the dispensed date, but it’s recommended that you use the bottle within one year of opening.

That said, various factors affect the potency of Adderall and prescription drugs in general. Humidity, heat, light, and storage conditions are among these factors. Therefore, proper storage is of utmost importance to prevent premature loss of potency.

What Are the Side-Effects of Taking Expired Adderall?

When a drug expires, it can undergo chemical changes that may cause unexpected side effects. Some are even at risk for bacterial growth, leading to more severe illnesses. So if your prescription medication expires, the best thing to do is to throw it away safely.

Here are the potential side effects of taking expired Adderall:

• Abdominal pain
• Dizziness
• Diarrhea
• Loss of appetite
• Vomiting
• Heartburn
• Weakness

If you start to show any of these symptoms after ingesting expired Adderall, contact your physician straight away.

Another less-discussed side effect of Adderall is drug abuse. Since expired Adderall isn’t as potent as in-date Adderall, some people would take double or triple the dosage to reach the same potency it had before. This could ultimately lead to accidental overdoses and addiction.

How to Properly Store Adderall

Proper storage is crucial to extending a drug’s potency.

Improper storage may break down the active ingredient before its expiration date, making it less effective and, in rare cases, even toxic.

It could also lead to accidental or intentional misuse of Adderall, as improper storage may give house members trouble-free access to the drug.

Here are some important tips to follow when storing Adderall:

• Place the medication in a cool, dry place, preferably between 59 to 86°F (15 to 30°C).
• Keep the bottle out of easy reach and sight of children and animals. Store the medication in a drawer, storage box, closet, or atop a high shelf.
• Store the medicine in its original container with its label. If the container doesn’t have an expiration date, make sure to write down the dispense date. Adderall expires in two to three years, but it should be taken within one year of the purchase date.
• Don’t place your medication inside the bathroom cabinet as heat and moisture can speed up the degradation process.
• If the prescription bottle came with a cotton ball, take it out as the cotton ball puts moisture in the bottle.
• Don’t refrigerate your Adderall as the fridge could also expose it to excess moisture. The fridge can also be easily accessed by children, so it’s not a safe place to store.
• If you’ve been prescribed a range of ADHD medications, store them in a pill organizer. Label the organizer with the medicine’s name, frequency, dose, and expiration date so you know when to take them in what compositions.

Conclusion

Like all prescription medications, Adderall has an expiration date. However, the expiration date on the bottle doesn’t reflect when the medication expires, but rather when it starts to lose its potency.

Adderall can be used years after its expiration date, but it’s not recommended to do so because it won’t be as potent as it was before. If in doubt, it’s always best to discard the medication and purchase a brand-new bottle.

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Published on: 2023-02-23
Updated on: 2024-06-19

Whether illicitly or by prescription, one of the more common questions Adderall users ask is, “Does Adderall build up in your system?”

Adderall is a common prescription used to treat ADHD and narcolepsy. When taken as intended, Adderall can improve attention and focus, reduce impulsive behaviors, and elevate mood. But when taken without medical supervision, the effects can be dangerous.

This article is written for those looking to understand how long Adderall’s effects last, how long it lingers in the system, and when to expect the beginning of withdrawal.

What Is Adderall’s Half-Life?

Adderall contains a mixture of two drugs: levoamphetamine (l-amphetamine) and dextroamphetamine (d-amphetamine). 

For the uninitiated, half-life is a term used to quantify the amount of time a drug’s active substance is reduced by half in the body. Different drugs have different half-lives, and the duration is dependent on how the body processes and ingests the drug (i.e., through the mouth, injection, etc.).

The half-life of a drug is greatly dependent on a person’s age. For l-amphetamine, for example, the average half-life is 13 hours for adults, 13 to 14 hours for adolescents aged 13 to 17, and 11 hours for children aged 6 to 12.

For d-amphetamine, the values are slightly less: 10 hours for adults, 11 hours for adolescents aged 13 to 17, and 9 hours for children aged 6 to 12.

With these figures, we can conclude that Adderall’s half-life is anywhere between 9 to 14 hours.

Does Adderall Build Up in Your System?

Though Adderall’s effect lasts only for a few hours, the substance lingers in the system for days and sometimes even months after the last use, depending on the test conducted. Approximate estimations are as follows:

• Urine test: 72 to 96 hours after last use
• Blood test: 46 hours after last use
• Swab test: 20 to 50 hours after last use
• Hair test: up to 3 months seven to ten days after last use

Urinalysis and saliva tests detect metabolites produced by Adderall, which remain in the body two to three times longer than the drug itself. 

Drug misuse doesn’t typically appear in the hair until seven to ten days after exposure, but once it enters the hair, it’ll remain there for weeks, months, and even years.

Hair tests are the most reliable way to test ongoing or repetitive drug use because of their ability to detect drugs for a significantly longer period. It can also be used to determine what type of drug is used, how long it was used for, or how long it’s been discontinued.

That said, hair tests are only applicable to long-term users. If a person has taken Adderall once or twice, it’s less likely to show up as positive on a hair test.

Factors that Contribute to How Long Adderall Stays in the System

Adderall can remain in the system for anywhere between 24 hours to several days, and is detectable even longer in your hair follicles. Here are the factors that play a role in how long the drug stays in the system:

Dosage

Dosage significantly affects how long Adderall lasts in the system. The more you consume, the longer it’ll take for the body to break down and eliminate the drug from the system.

Genetics

Genetics can play a role in how long Adderall stays in the system. Certain enzyme variants can accelerate the elimination of marijuana in some people. The concentration of these enzymes is often an inherited trait.

Frequency of Use

Like marijuana, Adderall’s effects can be cumulative. This means that the more you use it, the easier it’ll be to detect in the system. A person who’s tried Adderall out of curiosity can flush it out much quicker from their system than a person who takes Adderall every other day.

Metabolism

A person with a quick metabolism can flush out the drug much faster than a person with slow or impaired metabolism.

When to Expect Adderall Withdrawal, and How Long Does It Last?

The timeline for Adderall withdrawal differs from person to person. Some people experience withdrawal symptoms as quickly as a few hours after the last dose, while others last up to a few days.

Physical symptoms often peak within four days, with intensity ranging from mild to severe, before gradually tapering off. However, mental and emotional symptoms caused by Adderall withdrawal can linger for weeks and even months.

Users abuse Adderall because it helps the body feel more awake, alert, and focused. It also stimulates the effect that releases dopamine to the brain, giving users a sense of euphoria and well-being. So when a person abruptly stops using the drug, their dopamine levels drop and the body and brain have to adjust to the change.

Those who take Adderall in prescribed amounts don’t struggle with this change, but those who take it without a prescription or more than recommended will immediately notice the effects. The more often it’s taken, the more dependent the body will be, and the harder it’ll be to stop.

Factors that affect how long withdrawal symptoms last and how bad they can be include genes, family history of addiction, and health history (especially mental health).

Without outside intervention (i.e., rehab or therapy), people who quit “cold turkey” are more likely to suffer from depression, insomnia, anxiety, and various other mental health disorders. 

What Are the Symptoms of Adderall Withdrawal?

Some of the most common physical symptoms of Adderall withdrawal include:

• Lack of appetite
• Difficulty sleeping
• Muscles spasms
• Fatigue
• Aches and pains
• Stomach cramps
• Nausea
• Vomiting
• Fatigue

On the other hand, psychological symptoms include:

• Irritability
• Nightmares
• Depression 
• Suicidal thoughts
• Mood swings
• Memory issues
• Lack of motivation
• Lack of interest in activities

Wrap Up

Adderall’s effects are cumulative, so it builds up in the system. Adderall is detectable in the system for days and sometimes even months after use, depending on the test.

Blood tests detect Adderall 24 hours after the last use, while urine and swab tests detect Adderall between 20 to 96 hours after the last use. Hair tests detect a pattern of repeated drug use over the course of 90 days.

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Published on: 2023-02-23
Updated on: 2024-06-19

If your wife always seems to be under the influence of drugs or alcohol, it can be difficult to know how best to help her. While only a trained professional can officially diagnose an addiction, it’s likely that your wife is struggling with an addiction to substances if she’s always high. This can be a frightening realization, but keep in mind that addiction is a treatable condition, and there are resources available to help you and your wife get through this difficult time.

Know the Signs

Some cases of addiction can be subtle, so it’s important to recognize when your wife’s substance use has become a problem. Fortunately, as her spouse, you’re in a unique position to recognize the signs.

Signs that your wife may be suffering from addiction include:

• Sudden weight changes (usually weight loss)
• Skin changes, such as sores and drastically accelerated aging
• Visible needle marks
• Persistent drowsiness
• Decreased hygiene care
• Lack of interest in activities she used to enjoy
• Altered sleeping patterns
• Unexplained mood swings
• Neglecting duties at home or work
• Changes in social circle

Other signs of addiction may be present, so be sure to remain observant and consider whether your wife’s current behavior is out of character. No two cases of addiction are the same, and it’s best to trust your judgment.

Steps to help someone with an addiction

Dealing with a loved one’s substance abuse can be incredibly challenging and emotionally taxing. Here are some steps you can take to help your wife if she is always high:

1. Educate Yourself

• Learn About Addiction: Understanding the nature of addiction can help you better support your wife. Addiction is a complex condition that affects the brain and behavior.
• Types of Substances: Know what substances she is using and their effects, risks, and potential treatments.

2. Communicate Openly and Compassionately

• Choose the Right Time: Find a calm moment to talk to her about your concerns, avoiding times when she is under the influence.
• Be Compassionate: Approach the conversation with empathy and without judgment. Express your concern for her well-being rather than focusing on blame.
• Listen: Allow her to share her feelings and experiences. Listening can provide insights into her struggles and motivations.

3. Encourage Professional Help

• Medical and Psychological Support: Encourage her to see a healthcare provider or addiction specialist who can provide a comprehensive assessment and treatment plan.
• Therapy: Suggest individual therapy, such as cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT), which can help address the underlying issues contributing to her substance use.
• Rehabilitation Programs: Explore options for inpatient or outpatient rehabilitation programs that offer structured treatment and support.

4. Offer Practical Support

• Attend Appointments: Offer to accompany her to medical or therapy appointments for moral support.
• Help with Logistics: Assist with arranging transportation, childcare, or other logistical needs that may be barriers to seeking treatment.

5. Establish Boundaries

• Set Limits: Clearly define what behaviors are unacceptable and what the consequences will be if those boundaries are crossed. This might include not using substances in the home or around children.
• Consistency: Stick to the boundaries you set to maintain a stable environment.

6. Seek Support for Yourself

• Support Groups: Join support groups for families and loved ones of people with substance use disorders, such as Al-Anon or Nar-Anon.
• Therapy: Consider seeing a therapist yourself to help cope with the emotional stress and learn effective ways to support your wife.

7. Create a Supportive Environment

• Healthy Lifestyle: Encourage a healthy lifestyle by promoting activities that do not involve substance use, such as exercise, hobbies, and social activities.
• Positive Reinforcement: Acknowledge and celebrate small victories and positive changes in her behavior and efforts toward recovery.

8. Plan for Emergencies

• Emergency Contacts: Know who to contact in case of an overdose or a medical emergency.
• Naloxone: If she is using opioids, keep naloxone (Narcan) on hand and know how to use it in case of an overdose.

9. Be Patient

• Recovery is a Process: Understand that recovery from addiction is a long and often challenging process with potential relapses.
• Stay Committed: Show ongoing support and commitment to her recovery journey, even during setbacks.

Helping your wife with her substance use involves a combination of compassionate communication, professional support, and personal boundaries. It’s essential to take care of your own well-being as you support her through her recovery journey.

Communicate Your Concerns

After recognizing the signs of addiction, you can start to think about how to approach your wife. The thought may be intimidating, but having an honest conversation with your wife about her drug or alcohol use shows that you care and want to help.

When talking with your wife, give her the opportunity to open up without feeling judged or ashamed. Avoid aggression and blame as this can make her defensive and less likely to accept help. Instead, try to focus on how her addiction is affecting her life, and emphasize how her recovery can yield positive results.

You should also be transparent about your feelings in order to foster trust and understanding. Expressing your fears and worries can help your wife realize the impact of her addiction on those around her, and it can motivate her to seek help.

Seek Professional Help

If your wife is open to getting help, you can explore treatment options. Treatment programs can provide medical detox, medication-assisted treatment, and therapy to help your wife develop healthier coping skills. The exact treatment plan will depend on the severity of her addiction, but the bottom line is that there are professionals available to help your wife recover.

Some people with addiction issues may be reluctant to seek professional help. While Florida is one of many states that allow involuntary addiction treatment for those in danger of harming themselves, treatment is almost always more effective when it’s voluntary. For this reason, finding ways to motivate your wife to accept treatment is key.

Be patient, understanding, and persistent in your efforts. Take the initiative in searching for treatment centers and engaging in conversations about potential options. Concerns about cost and time away from work or family can be addressed by researching insurance benefits, talking to employers about taking a leave of absence, and exploring ways to manage childcare.

Ultimately, your wife is the only one who can make the decision to seek help, but there are strategies you can use to support her on this journey — and you don’t have to do it alone. At Allure Detox, we offer comprehensive addiction treatment programs in Florida to help individuals reclaim their lives, and we want to help your family get on the path to recovery. Contact us today to learn more about our treatment programs and how we can help your wife recover from addiction.

FAQ

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Published on: 2023-01-31
Updated on: 2024-06-19

Anyone who uses kratom may wonder if it can show up in a drug test. Because of the risk of losing a job by failing a test, it makes sense to learn about it. The National Institutes of Health recognizes its legality and availability online and in many places in the United States. Unfortunately, kratom may appear in some tests but not in others. Many people choose kratom because of a sometimes mistaken belief that it does not show up on drug tests.

TL;DR: Kratom will NOT show up on a standard 5-panel drug test but can be detected in a specialized 10-panel test for up to a week or more after use.

UNDERSTANDING WHICH TESTS CAN DETECT KRATOM

Drug tests that use the standard 5-panel drug test format do not detect kratom alkaloids. A 10-panel that tests for kratom, however, can find it in urine for a week or more after use. Inspection for it in tests that sample blood, saliva and hair may produce positive results too. However, most employers prefer the urine test as the fastest and most reliable method of detection.

Urine

Detection can occur for a longer period in urine than in other substances, making it a preference of employers. In addition, its simplicity and lack of need for a needle puncture may add to its appeal. A urine test may start detecting kratom within about six hours and remain possible for days.

Blood

The amount of kratom consumed may appear in a blood test, making it more precise than a urine test. Positive results may show up one day after use, and the detection window may last for several days.

Saliva

As the least preferred type of drug test, saliva may or may not produce meaningful results.

Hair

Employers may conduct a hair test that can detect the substance for up to 10 days after use. Its attributes make it a useful tool for a longer time than urine allows.

Substance	Detection Time After Use	Detection Duration	Notes
Urine	~6 hours	Several days	Preferred due to longer detection period and non-invasive nature.
Blood	1 day	Several days	More precise than urine tests.
Saliva	Not specified	Not specified	Least preferred, may not produce meaningful results.
Hair	Not specified	Up to 10 days	Useful for a longer time than urine, used by employers.

Comparing the Disadvantages and Advantages of Kratom

Even though kratom does not have a Food and Drug Administration (FDA) endorsement, the ancient herb appeals to people who have a range of needs. Some claim that it reduces anxiety, depression, sleeplessness and pain. Others use it for mood management.

However, the downsides of using it may outweigh any perceived benefits. Safety concerns have caused several states to ban it while others allow people to use it as an aid to opioid withdrawal

Some of the dire consequences that can result from using kratom include these:

• aggressiveness
• brain swelling
• constipation
• difficulty breathing
• hallucinations
• liver damage
• nausea and vomiting
• seizures
• thyroid issues

The risk of a product that may include other substances and the reaction that kratom produces in the body may even lead to death.

WONDERING HOW LONG KRATOM LASTS

The herbal drug produces a legal psychoactive effect with a natural ingredient that mimics opioid impact on the brain, pain response, and anxiety. Particularly the opiate-like effects, such as sedating and pain-relieving effects, and to help people with withdrawal symptoms from opioid drug abuse. So how long does Kratom last? The amount taken seems to greatly influence how long the effects last. Reaction to it may start within a few minutes and last for almost a couple of hours. Most effects depend on certain factors that affect its use.

CONSIDERING FACTORS INFLUENCING EFFECTS

Kratom resembles other substances that react differently in the presence of variable factors that influence its effects. Most of them lie outside anyone’s ability to change, giving a heads-up about the potential danger of using kratom. 

Physical Fitness

Body fat retains the metabolites in kratom, making it last longer in people who have a high body fat percentage.

Passage of Time

Age can have the effect of slowing bodily functions, and it can allow kratom to produce longer-lasting effects in older people more than in younger people. The presence of other medications and the slower elimination processes in older people allow it to remain in the body for a longer time.

Family History

Genetics may play a role in how long kratom can stay in the body.

Diet

Kratom takes effect faster when taken with a high-fat meal, leading to quicker absorption and less time to reach peak effectiveness. Similar to most other drugs, the use of kratom on an empty stomach may cause its effects to be amplified.  Proper hydration can affect how long it takes the body to eliminate kratom through urination.

GAINING INSIGHT ABOUT ADDICTION

The available research on the long-term effect of kratom use does not yet provide adequate guidance. However, enough data exists to confirm that abuse can occur. Mayo Clinic considers the herbal extract from an evergreen tree in Southeast Asia as unsafe. Any substance that provides the types of relief that users of kratom believe it does can lead to addiction. No matter the substance of choice, the signs of becoming addicted have certain symptoms in common.

• desire to use it regularly
• using a substance for longer periods
• taking higher doses to get the same effect
• making sure of a constant supply
• lack of focus on anything else
• taking risks to get the substance
• ignoring budgetary restrictions
• recovering from effects
• trying unsuccessfully to stop using

Early symptoms start with psychological dependence that produces desired feelings and relief from pain, anxiety, sleeplessness or depression. Physical addiction can occur when the body’s chemistry adjusts to having the substance available. Addiction becomes difficult to treat because stopping use creates discomfort and other issues.

FINDING HELP THAT SUITS YOU

At Allure Detox, we take a different approach to treating detox, addiction treatment and substance abuse. The Joint Commission recognized us for excellence in treatment for substance use and behavioral health. Our depth of understanding and experience allows us to help anyone who faces the challenges to health and happiness that addiction creates. We are healthcare providers that provide safe and quality addiction treatment options.

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Published on: 2022-12-30
Updated on: 2024-06-18

You may have heard that Suboxone is a medication that can block the effects of opiates, and you are wondering if it is an effective treatment for your substance use disorder. The medical community uses Suboxone as the preferred method of treatment for opioid use disorder because the buprenorphine component of the medication effectively blocks opiates, and it can do this for as long as 36 hours.

How Long Does Buprenorphine (Suboxone) Last?

Suboxone’s half-life is equal to 42 hours. The half-life is the measurement of how long it takes the body to metabolize half of the drug. Therefore, if the medication remains in the body for a longer time, it will block the effects of opiates for a longer time as well. If you were to take morphine, fentanyl, or heroin within 24 hours of taking your last dose of Suboxone, the opiates would not be able to exert any effects.

Factor	Duration
Immediate Effects	Begins within 30 minutes to 1 hour
Peak Effect	1 to 4 hours after administration
Duration of Action	24 to 72 hours
Half-Life of Buprenorphine	Approximately 24 to 42 hours
Overall Opiate Blocking Duration	Typically 24 to 72 hours, can extend depending on dose and individual metabolism

What Are Opioids/Opiates?

Opioids are also known as “opiates,” and they include painkillers that you can get with a prescription from your doctor, but they can also be illegal substances that include heroin and illicitly manufactured fentanyl. Opiates are classified in Schedule II of the Schedules of Controlled Substances, which means that the Drug Enforcement Administration considers these drugs to be highly dangerous. They are extremely likely to lead to an addiction, so physicians only prescribe them for short periods of time.

The body has opioid receptors that control pleasure and pain, and opioids bind to these receptors. When this occurs, it can block the pain signals that the brain sends out and releases more dopamine into the system. Dopamine has the responsibility of helping you make decisions, but it also creates a pleasurable feeling that comes from the expectation of a reward. Because dopamine is being released, this encourages you to continue to take more opiates and leads to an addiction to these substances.

What Is Buprenorphine?

Buprenorphine is a component in Suboxone, and the FDA approved it as a treatment for substance use disorder. It is different from other substances used to treat this disorder because it must be prescribed by a healthcare professional. Suboxone is a combination of buprenorphine and naloxone.

As a partial opioid agonist, buprenorphine acts like an opioid, so it creates the effects that heroin creates, but these effects will not be as strong. It also creates a “ceiling effect” that causes the effects created by the substance to level off after a certain point even if you ingest more of the opioid.

Naloxone is an opioid antagonist, so it blocks the effects of opioids. The addition of this substance discourages people from injecting Suboxone. Instead, they are required to swallow a tablet or take it as a sublingual film. If you were to inject an opioid, the naloxone would cause you to experience distressing withdrawal symptoms. Since you are not injecting Suboxone, the medication can begin to take effect in the fastest manner.

How Does Suboxone Block Opiates?

Suboxone blocks opiates and opioids by a process known as “affinity.” As was mentioned above, the brain has several opioid receptors, and all opioids and opiates bind to these receptors. The ”mu” is the receptor that is associated with overdose, sedation and euphoria.

Affinity refers to how easily an opioid can bind to an opioid receptor. Since only one opioid with the highest affinity can attach to one receptor at a time, the Suboxone prevents other opioids from attaching to the opioid receptors. Because buprenorphine has a higher affinity than other opioids, it can effectively block the effects of other opioids as it remains attached to the receptors.

When an opioid is a partial agonist, it cannot fully activate an opioid receptor. This either reduces its ability to create a high or keeps it from creating the high altogether. This is the reason that physicians use Suboxone during the maintenance phase of treatment for opioid use disorder.

Methadone is also used during the treatment phase, and it is a “full agonist.” Because it is a slow-acting substance, the high that it creates isn’t very strong. A dose of methadone will not become fully active until at least two or three hours have passed, so its half-life can last as long as 60 hours!

What Is Naloxone?

Naloxone is the second ingredient in Suboxone, and it reverses the effects of an overdose. Fortunately, it does so very quickly. When it begins to work, it rapidly causes the victim to breathe normally again. This can be the case even if the person’s breathing has slowed down considerably or even stopped.

Naloxone has a high affinity, so it can kick other opioids off of the opioid receptors and reverse the effects of an overdose. Naloxone cannot produce euphoric effects, so when it binds to opioid receptors, it blocks the other opioids and forces them to circulate around the system. Opioids have the potential to kill the user because they bind to so many opioid receptors in the brain stem that the victim has difficulties breathing. After ingesting naloxone, the body takes the other opioids and breaks them down so that they can be eliminated.

Should I Take Buprenorphine?

Each person is different, and every treatment option doesn’t necessarily work for everyone. When you enter Allure Detox, we will assess whether or not buprenorphine is a medication that can work for you. You will need to be aware of the fact that you cannot receive Suboxone until 12 to 24 hours have passed since you last ingested opioids.

Different people also need to take Suboxone for different lengths of time. For example, some people need Suboxone on an indefinite basis if it continues to work for them. Once the cravings for opioids have subsided, your physician will be able to reduce your dose of Suboxone. For example, as you become more stable after taking Suboxone on a daily basis, your physician may reduce your dose to every other day.

Opiate Withdrawal Symptoms

It may only take a couple of weeks of using opioids to become addicted to these substances. When this occurs, your body wants you to continue, so if you stop, it will send out several withdrawal symptoms. If you have been taking opioids for longer than two weeks, you wouldn’t be advised to stop taking them on your own. That is because the withdrawal period can be very dangerous, and the symptoms can be severe. Opiate withdrawal symptoms can include the following:

• Body aches
• Sweating
• Hypertension
• Seizures
• Fast heartbeat
• Vomiting
• Hallucinations
• Rapid breathing

What Is Medication-Assisted Treatment?

Medication-Assisted Treatment or MAT is a process by which we will detoxify your body. At Allure Detox, we will place you in our MAT program first so that we can remove all of the substances from your body. One of the medications that we can administer to you at this time is Suboxone, but we also have other options. These include naltrexone, VIVITROL and naloxone. The medications we administer will ease the withdrawal symptoms so that your body has a chance to metabolize all of the opioids in its system. They will also relieve the extreme cravings you will have for opioids.

During the detoxification process, you will be in the best condition to begin confronting your psychological addiction to opioids. At Allure Detox, we treat your psychological addiction with several types of behavioral therapies. These include the following:

• Individual therapy
• Gender-specific counseling
• Family counseling
• Contingency management
• Cognitive-behavioral therapy
• 12-step facilitation sessions
• Dialectical behavior therapy
• Motivational interviewing

Co-occurring Mental Health and Substance Use Disorders

Mental health disorders and substance use disorders co-occur in large numbers of the population. When a mental health disorder and a substance use disorder present themselves at the same time, they are known as “co-occurring.” At Allure Detox, we also offer mental health therapies for the treatment of co-occurring disorders.

You will need to be evaluated for a mental health disorder when you come to Allure Detox. It wouldn’t be surprising that you are experiencing both of these conditions because 7.7 million adults have been diagnosed with mental health disorders and substance use disorders at the same time.

The medical community can never definitively state which disorder presented itself first, but of the 42.1 million adults diagnosed with mental health disorders, 18.2% were also diagnosed with substance use disorders. Conversely, of the 20.3 million adults diagnosed with substance use disorders, 37.9% were also diagnosed with a mental health disorder. You will receive a thorough exam to determine whether or not you have a mental health disorder. Then, we can draw up a treatment plan that addresses your needs and your goals.

If you are willing to do what you need to do to be free of opioids, contact us at Allure Detox so that we can get your life back on track again.

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Published on: 2022-12-24
Updated on: 2024-06-19

Fluconazole is typically a harmless drug, but in rare cases, it can cause damage to the liver.

If you’ve been dealing with thrush or another type of fungal infection, your doctor may prescribe you fluconazole. Since this medication can interact poorly with other substances, you’ll need to be careful about what you eat and drink. Is it okay to combine fluconazole and alcohol? Keep reading our guide to find out.

What Is Fluconazole?

Fluconazole is a common antifungal medication. Its main use is to destroy overgrowths of certain types of fungi. Doctors typically prescribe it for patients with many candida infections: oral thrush, yeast infections, or a penile infection called balanitis. Depending on your situation, your doctor might also prescribe it for certain types of urinary tract infections, meningitis, or other fungal infections.

This medicine comes in many forms, including topical creams and oral pills. It is most frequently sold under the brand name Diflucan and can also be found in other brand-name medications like Canesten. If you’re prescribed fluconazole, you must take it regularly for several days. Depending on your health condition, you need to take it for anywhere from one week to six months.

Will Alcohol Keep Your Fluconazole From Working?

Fluconazole stops infections by destroying fungal cell membranes. Due to how it works, alcohol won’t necessarily inhibit fluconazole’s ability to function. Most fluconazole prescriptions do not come with any instructions to avoid alcohol while taking the medication. Unlike antibiotics, taking a sip of alcohol won’t immediately make you sick or cause your fluconazole to stop working entirely. Medically speaking, there are no known interactions between fluconazole and alcohol.

Remember that this simply means alcohol won’t directly affect fluconazole’s ability to work. It doesn’t mean that combining fluconazole and alcohol is a good idea. The main issue with mixing the two drugs is that alcohol tends to support the type of fungal microbes that cause thrush or yeast infections. Alcohol contains a lot of sugar and fermented ingredients, and both of these substances can make fungal microbes grow out of control. While the fluconazole is trying to slow down fungal growth, the alcohol gives the fungus everything it needs to flourish.

This can lead to nasty antifungal-resistant infections. Especially if you consume a lot of sugar and alcohol while not following your prescribed fluconazole dosage, your infection might linger. Therefore, doctors tend to suggest skipping alcohol any time you have a fungal infection, regardless of what medication you take for it. By avoiding alcohol, you can speed up your recovery time and start feeling normal sooner.

Is It Safe to Mix Fluconazole and Alcohol?

Alcohol might not technically keep fluconazole from working, but don’t forget that combining the two can have other impacts on the body. Fluconazole is typically a harmless drug, but in rare cases, it can cause damage and cause liver problems. This damage to the liver is a severe enough problem that formerly healthy patients can develop jaundice and other symptoms of liver disease. Any time you take fluconazole, you need to look for yellow eyes, dark urine, abdominal pain, and other signs of liver damage.

Its ability to harm the liver means that fluconazole can be problematic when combined with alcohol. Studies find that roughly 5% of all people who take fluconazole end up with elevated liver enzymes. This minimal amount of damage is something a healthy liver can recover from. However, if you’re also combining it with drinking large amounts of alcohol, it can put a lot of strain on your liver. To be safe, limiting your drinking or stopping altogether while on fluconazole is better.

If you already have liver damage due to alcoholism or other health problems, it is not safe to take fluconazole regardless of how much you are currently drinking. Your doctor will typically recommend another medication to treat your fungal infection instead. It is very important to avoid fluconazole when dealing with issues like alcohol-induced hepatitis because even small amounts of additional injury can be too much for a damaged liver to deal with.

How Long Should You Wait Between Taking Fluconazole and Alcohol?

As you can see, it is usually a good idea to avoid taking fluconazole and alcohol simultaneously. Not only does alcohol make it easier for fungal infections to flourish, but the side effects of fluconazole can work with alcohol to harm your liver. How long do you need to stop drinking if you want to stay on the safe side?

Fluconazole stays in your system for a while, so it’s not as simple as waiting an hour between taking your pill and having a drink. Once you take fluconazole, it can linger in your system for up to 10 days. Conservative estimates suggest that your best option is to stay alcohol-free while taking the fluconazole and for 10 days afterward.

Meanwhile, alcohol leaves the system more rapidly. As long as your liver is in good health, you don’t need to wait days between taking alcohol and then consuming fluconazole. Instead, you usually just need to wait a few hours after alcohol consumption before you take your fluconazole dose. Remember that large amounts of alcohol take longer to clear your system. If you’ve been drinking excessively, you might need to wait at least a day before you start your medication.

How Much Alcohol Can You Safely Drink With Fluconazole?

When you’re taking fluconazole, no amount of alcohol is a good idea. If you absolutely must drink, it’s important to follow harm-reduction guidelines. First of all, try to avoid sugary, yeasty alcohols like sweet cocktails or beers. These are the types of beverages that can cause your fungal infection to flourish despite the fluconazole killing off some of the microbes.

Secondly, it is essential to avoid overdrinking. Drinking enough to harm your liver can increase the risk of you ending up with liver damage after taking fluconazole. How much is too much? Current medical research indicates that more than 30 grams of alcohol regularly per day can cause liver damage. Keep in mind that this might be less alcohol than you realize. 30 grams of pure alcohol per day equals two 12-ounce beers, 1.5-ounce shots of liquor, or 5-ounce glasses of wine.

Is Your Relationship With Alcohol Healthy?

If you’re in a situation where you’re considering prioritizing alcohol over medical attention, it might be time to reexamine your relationship with alcohol. Though having one or two drinks with fluconazole is technically safe, it’s not ideal. Most people will benefit from pausing alcohol while they take fluconazole, and being unable to do so can be a sign of an alcohol addiction.

An alcohol abuse disorder is typically characterized by drinking despite adverse consequences. A person dealing with addiction may continue to drink even though they realize that alcohol is causing personal, social, financial, or health problems. Those with an addiction often spend a lot of time thinking about, drinking or recovering from drinking alcohol, and they frequently end up drinking far more than initially attended. All of these warning signs indicate you should speak to a substance abuse healthcare professional.

Whenever you find yourself unhappy with your drinking levels but unable to cut down, Allure Detox is here to help. We provide a broad range of programs, including detox, residential rehab, and outpatient rehab. Our talented team works hard to give you the skills you need to fight addiction. Ready to get started? Contact us today to learn more about our services.

Summary

TL;DR: It’s not recommended to drink alcohol while taking fluconazole as it can increase potential side effects.

FAQ

References

• https://www.nhs.uk/medicines/fluconazole
• https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK548300/
• https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/2184510/
• https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3321494/
• https://www.niaaa.nih.gov/publications/brochures-and-fact-sheets/alcohol-use-disorder-comparison-between-dsm

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Published on: 2022-09-14
Updated on: 2024-06-18

For those unfamiliar with Percocet, it is the brand name for the prescription pain reliever that contains Oxycodone and acetaminophen. Delving further, Oxycodone is a semi-synthetic opiate, and acetaminophen is the active ingredient commonly found in Tylenol, Panadol, Paracetamol, and other popular over-the-counter pain relievers. Generally, physicians will prescribe Percocet to patients struggling with severe, short-term pain brought on by surgery or physical trauma. They also sometimes prescribe it to patients suffering from chronic pain caused by an underlying disease, cancer being one of the more notable ones. And it is pretty easy to see why many physicians consider Percocet a go-to for relieving both short-term and chronic pain.

Aside from those who are allergic to acetaminophen, Percocet is generally well tolerated and provides long-lasting pain relief, often keeping pain at bay for 3 to 6 hours at a time. Plus, it starts working fast; most people report experiencing relief from pain symptoms within 10 to 30 minutes after taking Percocet as prescribed by their physician. Like other prescription pain relievers, not everyone takes Percocet to escape the firm grip of pain; some take it explicitly to achieve a euphoric high, which can quickly open the door to addiction and other problems.

What are the effects of a Percocet high?

A Percocet high refers to the euphoric and pleasurable effects experienced by some individuals when they take Percocet, a prescription medication that contains a combination of oxycodone (an opioid) and acetaminophen (a pain reliever). Here are the key aspects of a Percocet high:

Effects of a Percocet High:

1. Euphoria: Users often experience an intense feeling of happiness and well-being.
2. Relaxation: A sense of deep relaxation and calmness.
3. Pain Relief: Significant reduction or complete alleviation of pain.
4. Drowsiness: A feeling of sedation or sleepiness.
5. Warmth: A warm, pleasant sensation that can spread throughout the body.

Other Possible Effects:

1. Dizziness: Feeling lightheaded or unsteady.
2. Nausea and Vomiting: Some users may feel sick to their stomach or vomit.
3. Itching: Itching, especially on the face and body.
4. Constipation: Difficulty with bowel movements.
5. Respiratory Depression: Slowed breathing, which can be dangerous at high doses.

Risks and Dangers:

1. Addiction: Percocet has a high potential for addiction due to its euphoric effects.
2. Tolerance: Over time, users may require higher doses to achieve the same effects, increasing the risk of overdose.
3. Overdose: High doses can lead to life-threatening respiratory depression, coma, or death.
4. Acetaminophen Toxicity: Excessive use can cause liver damage due to the acetaminophen component.

Signs of Overdose:

• Extreme drowsiness or difficulty staying awake
• Slow or shallow breathing
• Unresponsiveness or unconsciousness
• Blue or grayish skin, lips, or fingernails

A Percocet high is characterized by euphoria, relaxation, and pain relief but carries significant risks, including addiction and overdose. It is essential to use Percocet only as prescribed by a healthcare professional and to be aware of the potential dangers associated with its misuse. If you or someone you know is struggling with Percocet misuse, seek professional help immediately.

The Consequences of Chasing a Percocet High

“Percs” is slang for Percocet, and it is how some people ask for the drug whether they are trying to get it legally or illegally. With that established, it is easier to answer a commonly asked question, what do Percs do or, more specifically, what happens when someone abuses Percs? Firstly, when someone takes a high enough dose, either at once or over time, it triggers an intense euphoric high that many say is comparable to that of a heroin high. This high is the result of an uptick in the production of dopamine in the brain, a neurotransmitter that regulates mood, emotion, and a variety of bodily functions, which occurs when Percocet attaches to opioid receptors on nerve cells in the brain, spinal cord, gastrointestinal tract, and other parts of the body.

Of course, the intense euphoria brought on by this uptick in dopamine production does not last forever. When dopamine levels return to normal, many will do whatever it takes to get more Percocet into their system to continue riding the wave of euphoria that the drug provides. The more they do this, the more likely they are to develop an addiction and even engage in drug-seeking behavior. Examples of such drug-seeking behavior include

• Buying Percocet from street-level drug dealers
• Forging or altering prescriptions from their physician
• Stealing
• Doctor shopping

Another consequence of constantly chasing a Percocet high is that the drug can take a physical and psychological toll when someone consumes too much of it. According to a study published by the Mayo Clinic, Percocet can cause the following when taken excessively or in a manner inconsistent with a doctor’s orders:

• Black, tarry stool
• Fever and chills
• Dark or light-colored stool
• Dizziness
• Headaches
• Skin rash
• Loss of appetite
• Nausea
• stomach pain
• Halitosis
• Chronic fatigue
• vomiting up blood
• Jaundice

For some people, chasing a Percocet high can also have deadly consequences. In a study published by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), researchers revealed that roughly 44 people died each day from an opioid overdose in 2020. And those who were fortunate enough to have avoided such a fate still had to be hospitalized because they overdosed on an opioid drug. According to a 2008 study, the most recent and relevant study available, emergency room visits to U.S. hospitals involving opioid overdoses, including Percocet, increased by roughly 152% between 2004 and 2008. Most of those individuals rushed to hospital ERs after overdosing on opioids reportedly exhibited the following:

• Bluish-colored lips or skin
• Going in and out of consciousness
• Cold or clammy skin
• Extreme drowsiness
• General discomfort or illness
• Loss of consciousness
• Hypotension
• A weak pulse
• Shallow breathing
• Falling unconscious

Overcoming an Addiction to Percocet and Regaining Control Over One’s Life

Because Percocet is a Schedule II narcotic opioid drug, quitting it and regaining control over one’s life is not easy. Most people will need to turn to a licensed rehab facility for help. And truth be told, there is no better place they can be while working to break free from such an addiction. Since Percocet is a Schedule II narcotic, quitting it is more or less the same as quitting heroin or any other street-level drug; the first step is getting through detox. So that everyone is on the same page, detox is the body’s way of ridding itself of not only Percocet but also other harmful contaminants once an individual stops using. This all-natural and critical first step toward getting clean can trigger an array of unpleasant withdrawal symptoms. These symptoms are identical to the ones brought on by taking too much Percocet but with hot and cold flashes mixed into the equation. Fortunately, just about all of the nearly 14,500 licensed rehab facilities across the U.S. offer medication-assisted detox to help ease these symptoms.

How Medication-Assisted Detox Helps People Struggling With a Percocet Addiction Get Through Rehab

Many people who try to quit opioids eventually relapse, meaning they return to their old ways and begin abusing these powerful drugs all over again. In fact, one very credible study found that over 78% of people trying to quit opioids, such as Percocet, relapse while still in an addiction recovery program. One of the reasons why the relapse rate is so high is because of the withdrawal symptoms that present soon after an individual abruptly stops taking the drug. Medication-assisted detox, which involves the use of FDA-approved medications, along with 24-hour monitoring by licensed physicians, helps ease severe and potentially life-threatening withdrawal symptoms that often drive people to start using again. Some of the medications that rehab facilities offer to those who agree to partake in a medication-assisted detox program include the following:

• Methadone
• Suboxone
• Naltrexone
• Lucemyra

The Role of Psychotherapy in Overcoming an Addiction to Percocet

Breaking the cycle of addiction when it comes to Percocet or any other opioid is as much of a psychological endeavor as it is a physical one. Mindful of this, many rehab facilities offer counseling sessions with a licensed therapist throughout an individual’s entire addiction recovery journey. These counseling sessions, which can be one-on-one or in a group setting, will generally comprise 1 of 3 forms of psychotherapy, cognitive-behavioral therapy, contingency management, or motivational interviewing. Studies show psychotherapy helps individuals get through all aspects of addiction recovery and significantly improves their chances of staying clean long-term.

Bottom Line

All in all, the euphoric high that some people get from abusing Percocet is almost identical to the high derived from using and abusing heroin or any other opioid. And this explains why many desperately want to get their hands on more of it as soon as the drug’s pleasurable effects start to wear off and, as a byproduct of doing so, become addicted. Having said all of that, don’t hesitate to contact a rehab facility in your area for help if you believe you or someone you love has a problem with Percocet or any other opioid drug.

FAQ

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Published on: 2022-07-29
Updated on: 2024-06-19

The history of slang terminology used to describe a variety of drugs is rather interesting to unpack. Since drugs were first abused in the United States centuries ago, people have been coming up with unique terms and phrases to discreet their drug use. One particular phrase that has been around for decades is ‘Love Boat.’

What is ‘Love Boat’?

This slang term can be traced back to the 1960s and has described various illicit and addictive substances over the years. ‘Love Boat’ also goes by several different names, including ‘Purple Rain,’ ‘Water,’ and ‘Fry,’ and has repeatedly made headlines because it causes its user to act. But what exactly is this drug, and why has it been popping up so inconsistently over the years? This drug can be a combination of three specific things:

• A tobacco cigarette or marijuana cigarette dipped in liquid PCP.
• Marijuana soaked in embalming fluid (formaldehyde).
• A tobacco cigarette or marijuana cigarette soaked in a combination of PCP and formaldehyde. 

More About Drug Known as ‘Love Boat’

The act of dipping tobacco in embalming fluid dates back to the early 1960s, and while the use of PCP has been on a sharp decline in most regions of the U.S., some areas — like Syracuse, New York — are still battling a significant PCP problem. There can easily be confusion surrounding ‘Love Boat’ and other similar drugs, seeing as ’embalming fluid’ can also be used as a slang term for PCP. So what exactly is PCP, and why is it linked to such erratic and violent behavior?

This hallucinogenic drug phencyclidine or phenyl cyclohexyl piperidine is known to cause intense visual and auditory hallucinations and delusions while causing a range of other serious side effects, including rapid heart rate and a sharp increase in body temperature. PCP is a hazardous and highly addictive drug. If you or someone you know has been abusing PCP or the drug called ‘Love Boat,’ reaching out for professional help is extremely important. 

Symptoms of PCP Addiction 

PCP is a hallucinogenic drug, meaning it alters one’s perception of reality and causes delusions and auditory or visual hallucinations. When people take PCP, they essentially move into a different reality, which can be extremely disturbing for observing their behavioral changes. If you believe someone you know has been abusing PCP, there are several signs and symptoms to keep an eye out for. The most common signs of PCP abuse are erratic behavior, mood swings, and compromised cognitive function (like slurred speech and a lack of coordination). Other potential warning signs include:

• Being defensive when loved ones address changes to behavior or moods.
• Spending less time with family and friends and more time socially isolating. 
• Spending time with a different group of people. 
• Neglecting personal responsibilities and obligations. 
• Not paying attention to personal hygiene. 
• Memory loss. 
• Sharing strange thoughts and ideas that don’t seem to align with reality. 
• Having a difficult time paying attention/getting distracted easily. 

Allure Detox and Hallucinogen Recovery 

At Allure Detox, we specialize in treating the symptoms associated with hallucinogen withdrawal. Contrary to popular belief, people who abuse hallucinogens do experience withdrawal symptoms, though these symptoms are predominantly psychological. We have psychiatric professionals on staff who are fully equipped to deal with anxiety, depression, and insomnia symptoms.

Start Sober Journey at Allure Detox

While the physical symptoms of PCP withdrawal are not as severe as the psychological symptoms, physical discomfort is widespread. Fortunately, it can easily be treated with a combination of over-the-counter pain relievers and non-narcotic sleep aids in most cases. To learn more about the process of PCP withdrawal or to learn more about our recovery program.

FAQ

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Published on: 2021-09-08
Updated on: 2024-06-19