Carfentanil Withdrawal Symptoms & Timeline

Carfentanil (sometimes spelled carfentanyl) is a synthetic opioid drug used in veterinary medicine. When doctors need to tranquilize a large animal (like an elephant), they load up a dart with the medication. Unfortunately, this substance shows up in human street drugs too. 

Carfentanil is about 10,000 times more potent than morphine.[1] Its strength makes it ideal for veterinary medicine. A tiny dose can take down a very large animal. However, this potency makes carfentanil deadly in humans. 

Since carfentanil is so deadly, researchers haven’t performed many studies on its efficacy in humans. Since it’s an opioid, we can make some assumptions about what withdrawal might look like and how long it lasts. 

Common Carfentanil Withdrawal Symptoms 

Opioid withdrawal occurs when someone physically dependent on drugs reduces their dose or quits abruptly.[2] All opioids (including heroin, hydrocodone and morphine) can cause this problem. 

Carfentanil is an analog of fentanyl. The two drugs have a similar chemical structure, but they’re not exactly the same. Analogs are designed to mimic the pharmacological effect of the original drug.[3] 

Since carfentanil is similar to fentanyl, it can cause similar withdrawal symptoms when recurrent users quit the drug. Those symptoms include the following:[4]

• Watery eyes 
• Runny nose
• Yawning
• Hot and cold flashes 
• Cravings 
• Anxiety 
• Restlessness 
• Irritability 
• Disturbed sleep 
• Nausea
• Diarrhea 
• Vomiting 
• Aching bones and joints 
• Shaking 

These symptoms can be incredibly painful. Sometimes, they can be dangerous. Excessive vomiting and diarrhea can lead to intense dehydration, leading to organ damage. 

Most withdrawal episodes are also associated with strong opioid cravings. People may want the drug, and they may know that using it again can make the symptoms ease or disappear. 

Carfentanil Withdrawal Timeline 

Researchers haven’t performed extensive studies on carfentanil metabolization in humans.[5] The drug is so strong and toxic that performing such studies isn’t safe. Using medications like fentanyl as a guide, we can determine how a typical withdrawal process might work. 

Generally, carfentanil users might experience a withdrawal timeline like this:[5-8] 

12 Hours 

Fentanyl persists within the body between six hours and 32 hours.[6] If carfentanil lasts for a similar amount of time in humans, withdrawal symptoms should begin within this time frame. 

Withdrawal symptoms are typically mild in the early stages. You may feel subtle signs, and you may not have all of them at the same time. Symptoms will quickly progress from this point.

3 Days 

Within about three days, opioid withdrawal symptoms are at their peak.[7] You may have every sign of withdrawal, including intense gastrointestinal distress, and they may be so significant that they’re hard to ignore. 

During this time, relapse to carfentanil or other opioids is likely without professional help. Withdrawal symptoms and cravings are so intense that many people simply return to opioid misuse to make them disappear.

2 Weeks 

Withdrawal symptoms tend to ease within about two weeks of quitting opioid drugs. Most people notice that they feel physically better, a little at a time until they’re feeling much more like themselves once again. 

As the intensity of withdrawal dissipates, people are less inclined to relapse to make the discomfort of withdrawal disappear. However, people are very vulnerable to relapse during the first six to 12 months of recovery. Since opioid use disorder (OUD) is a lifelong condition, the risk of relapse is always present.[8]

2 Months 

While physical signs of withdrawal are typically gone by the two-month mark, one sign of damage may remain. Many people feel intense cravings for drugs at this stage, and they may be unable to ignore them. 

Researchers say opioids can harm normal decision-making processes, which increases relapse risks.[9] People may know that carfentanil is dangerous, but lingering damage can make resisting it difficult. 

When to Get Carfentanil Addiction Treatment 

Many opioid users don’t intentionally seek out fentanyl analogs like carfentanil.[3] They buy drugs from dealers that are contaminated with the substance. Some don’t survive these episodes since overdose is very likely when such potent opioids are used. 

Long-term opioid misuse can change brain chemistry in significant ways. Some people find that substances like heroin just aren’t strong enough. They seek out analogs instead, and this experimentation can cost them their lives.[3]

Researchers say that carfentanil is more addictive than either heroin or fentanyl.[10] If you’ve used this drug, you’ll likely need help to recover. Treatment can make a huge difference. It can be the pathway to a better life. 

How Does Treatment Work?

Addiction treatment often begins with detoxification.[11] Doctors use medications to smooth chemical imbalances and allow people to get sober without experiencing life-threatening symptoms. 

In the past, people enrolled in detox and stopped the medication when the program was complete. Studies showed this wasn’t an effective approach. 

In a decade-old study, researchers found that 27% of people relapsed to opioids the day they were discharged from detox.[12] Medication for Addiction Treatment (MAT), also known as medication–assisted treatment, programs offer a better way forward. 

In an MAT program, therapies help you get sober safely. Medications like Suboxone will continue as long as you need them to ease your cravings and relapse risks. For some people, therapy lasts indefinitely. There’s no reason to stop taking Suboxone as long as it continues to support your recovery.[13]

Bicycle Health offers MAT via our telemedicine services. You don’t have to travel to meet your treatment team. Instead, you’ll visit your team in video appointments. You’ll talk about your substance misuse, and your doctor will determine if Suboxone is right for you.

You may get a prescription for Suboxone the same day you meet with your doctor, and you can pick up your medication at a local pharmacy. Telehealth offers increased access to MAT as well as a confidential, convenient and private way to get help. This is the best and most effective way to ensure that you can stay sober for the long term. 

Contact us to find out if this approach is right for you.