Must-Know Tapentadol Withdrawal Symptoms & Timeline

Tapentadol is a weak opioid painkiller. Like all medications in its class, tapentadol can cause withdrawal symptoms when long-term users quit the drug abruptly. 

Unlike Vicodin, OxyContin and other strong opioid painkillers, tapentadol doesn’t cause severe sickness during withdrawal. However, the drug’s impact on your brain can lead to significant cravings for it once use stops. Without treatment, such as Medication for Addiction Treatment (MAT), you could return to tapentadol misuse or switch to a street drug like heroin. 

What Is Tapentadol? 

Tapentadol is a painkiller that works on two major parts of your central nervous system. Active ingredients bind to opioid receptors while simultaneously blocking the reuptake of norepinephrine.[1] 

The opioid latching releases dopamine, making you feel calm and relaxed. Since norepinephrine is involved in your fight-or-flight response, altering this level can also keep you calm. Acting on these dual pathways, which are also associated with pain signals, can ease discomfort.[1]

Tapentadol is used for moderate, severe, and chronic pain.[2] Brand-name pills like Nucynta and Nucynta ER are administered orally to people ages 6 and older.[3] 

If you’re struggling with an acute injury (like a broken bone), your doctor might treat it with Nucynta. If you’re living with cancer pain that hasn’t responded to other therapies, Nucynta ER can provide around-the-clock relief.[3]

Tapentadol is also provided in a liquid suspension under the brand name Palexia. Doctors use this medication to treat moderate to severe pain that hasn’t responded to pills like Nucynta.[4] 

Certain drugs will interact poorly with tapentadol, such as MAO inhibitors or naltrexone. Make sure your doctor is aware of all medications you are taking before taking tapentadol.

How Tapentadol Leads to Withdrawal Symptoms

Opioids work directly on crucial parts of your brain that control your heartbeat, digestion and mental health. When you quit these drugs abruptly, the damage remains. Withdrawal symptoms soon appear. 

Researchers say the locus coeruleus at the base of the brain triggers most opioid withdrawal symptoms. This region contains several opioid receptors, and when they’re deprived of the drug they’re accustomed to, they spark discomfort.[5] 

Tapentadol binds selectively to opioid receptors. Its affinity for some receptors is 44 times lower than that of morphine (another opioid). It’s still a powerful painkiller, researchers say. But it doesn’t work the same as other opioids.[2]

Tapentadol’s loose linking can mean fewer withdrawal symptoms when you quit using it suddenly. Researchers say most people who quit tapentadol feel mild symptoms, while people who quit stronger drugs like oxycodone often have moderate or even significant withdrawal problems.[6]

Common Tapentadol Withdrawal Symptoms

A typical opioid withdrawal process involves the following symptoms:[7]

• Agitation
• Anxiety 
• Aching muscles 
• Watery eyes 
• Runny nose 
• Sweating
• Yawning
• Diarrhea
• Stomach cramping
• Nausea 
• Vomiting 

In severe cases, opioid withdrawal can cause dehydration. Accompanying cravings can increase your relapse risks, especially if they’re not treated. If you relapse after a period of abstinence, the same dose that you previously took without issue could result in an opioid overdose.

How Long Do Tapentadol Withdrawal Symptoms Last?

Your kidneys process tapentadol, and it’s typically removed from the body within about 26 hours.[2] Extended-release forms of tapentadol can last a little longer. When your body has processed every molecule of the drug, withdrawal symptoms can begin. 

In studies, researchers say symptoms last for about five days.[6] At that point, people typically have symptoms they rate between 6 and 7 on formal opioid withdrawal scales.[6] Researchers say scores between 5 and 12 are considered mild.[5]

Tapentadol Withdrawal Timeline 

Studies suggest that quitting tapentadol quickly after using it for the long term doesn’t always cause opioid withdrawal symptoms.[2] If they do happen, they tend to be mild.[2]

A typical tapentadol withdrawal timeline might look like this: 

Day 1

You skip your first dose of tapentadol. If you are going to experience withdrawal symptoms, they will begin within the first 24 hours of stopping use. 

Days 2–4

Withdrawal symptoms like agitation, anxiety, and muscle aches can intensify during this period. If you will develop gastrointestinal symptoms, they will start during this period. Diarrhea and nausea may start. 

Day 5

Withdrawal symptoms should fade around day five. You may begin to gradually feel like yourself again. 

How to Manage Tapentadol Withdrawal 

Experts don’t recommend quitting tapentadol abruptly.[8] While withdrawal symptoms are considered mild, they can still be very uncomfortable. And they come with risks too. 

Researchers say abrupt quitting tapentadol or any opioid can lead to seeking out other opioids, including stronger painkillers. And sometimes, people deal with tapentadol withdrawal by switching to illicit drugs like heroin.[9] 

When stronger drugs are used, overdose becomes more likely, and this can be fatal. The potent opioid fentanyl may be laced into prescription painkillers like Vicodin or OxyContin that are sold on the street. Synthetic opioids like fentanyl are responsible for more than 70,500 fatal overdoses in 2021.[10-12]

MAT for Tapentadol Withdrawal

Treating tapentadol withdrawal means using a replacement medication like Suboxone as part of an MAT program.[13-15] These substances latch weakly to opioid receptors, easing withdrawal symptoms and drug cravings. 

Suboxone won’t make you feel high. But it can help you focus on building a new life in sobriety since you won’t be distracted by uncomfortable withdrawal symptoms or persistent cravings for tapentadol.

At Bicycle Health, we use telemedicine to administer MAT for opioid use disorder. Telehealth treatment has shown to be particularly effective for addiction treatment, as it offers increased convenience and access to patients.[16-19] 

Meet with a professional in a video appointment, and pick up Suboxone at a pharmacy near you. Stay in touch with your therapist in video appointments and work on changing your lifestyle. 

This kind of treatment allows for you to maintain privacy and confidentiality, as you get treatment from the comfort of your home. You can access this care no matter where you live. Contact us to find out if this model is right for you.