Detoxing from heroin is one of the highest hurdles to overcome. Heroin is extremely addictive and causes terrible withdrawal symptoms. However, people can make heroin detox easier on themselves with the help of methadone. Knowing the methadone withdrawal timeline doesn’t help detox quicker but can make it easier.
What Is Methadone? How Does It Work?
Methadone is a medication that doctors use to treat people who suffer from opiate addictions such as heroin. It’s a long-lasting medication, so they only have to take one every 24 to 36 hours. Taking more than one a day may cause problems or addiction to methadone itself.
During the methadone withdrawal timeline, the drug blocks the high that people get when they take opiates. The drug also helps reduce the intensity of withdrawal symptoms and limits cravings. Despite making withdrawal easier, people should still seek professional help when detoxing from heroin.
What Is the Methadone Withdrawal Timeline?
The methadone withdrawal timeline refers to the amount of time it takes to detox from opiates while using methadone. In general, it doesn’t help people detox quicker, but it’s safer and causes fewer complications. With that said, methadone can help prevent relapse. Once relapse occurs, patients have to start the detox process all over again.
There’s no magic number for how long heroin detox takes. In general, it lasts seven or more days with professional help. The first day or two are the hardest to get through, and methadone helps the most during that time. Usually, the symptoms start to appear within as little as 12 hours from the last dose, including:
- Anxiety or panic attacks
- Loss of appetite
- Severe muscle pain
- Vomiting
- Insomnia
- Diarrhea
Beyond seven days, the symptoms of heroin withdrawal start to subside. In some cases, it takes slightly longer. However, it’s common for people to continue to have anxiety or trouble sleeping for months.
Don’t Try to Detox Alone
Detoxing from any drug, including heroin, is difficult. Getting professional help from Serenity House Detox & Recovery can ensure that you detox correctly and safely. Detox is the first step to overcome substance abuse problems, and we can help. Some of the programs that we offer include:
- Medical detox program
- Gender-specific detox program
- Methadone detox program
- Drug-specific detox programs
- Affordable detox program
Don’t let relapse happen to you. Turn to us to get reliable detox help you can count on. Contact Serenity House Detox & Recovery today at 866-294-5306 for more information about our detox services.