If you suddenly stop using fentanyl, you may experience unpleasant withdrawal symptoms. If you suspect someone is overdosing on fentanyl, call 911 immediately. Many people worry that calling emergency services for someone taking an illegal drug will get them in trouble, but this is not true.
However, be sure to take the dosage your doctor prescribes for you. Your doctor will determine the best dosage to suit your needs. National Harm Reduction Coalition creates spaces for dialogue and action that help heal the harms caused by racialized drug policies. Learn more about law enforcement and overdose response here. For more information on the core strategies and evidence based interventions, read The Primer on Spending Funds.
Why Is Fentanyl In The Drug Supply?
Call your doctor if you have any unusual problems while using this medication. If your loved one is struggling with opioid use, the resources below may be helpful. Log in or create an account for a personalized experience based on your selected interests.
HealthBeat
Even through the narrow lens of cutting the drug supply, the sellers have already proven adept at adapting to new circumstances. The underlying message of the report was that the US Postal Service should do more to crack down on these illicit shipments. Right now, private carriers are required to collect advanced electronic data, a bar code with information about the sender, the recipient, and what is in the package. But the Postal Service and its foreign counterparts do not. That’s precisely why sellers prefer the US Postal Service over FedEx or UPS. In a time of noise, confusion, and spin, we’re committed to clarity, truth, and depth — even when it’s hard.
Click On The Images For Free Naloxone
Understanding the dangers of fentanyl is crucial, especially for individuals who might unknowingly consume it or use it without a doctor’s prescription. Illicitly manufactured fentanyl is illegal and can be sold as powder, nasal spray or pills that look like other prescription opioids. Fentanyl can be known by street names such as Apache, China Girl, Dance Fever or Goodfellas. As an opioid, fentanyl travels through your blood to attach to opioid receptors in brain cells.
While it’s safe for your doctor to give you fentanyl in a medical setting, some people abuse it, which can lead to an overdose. Many fatal overdoses thought to be from heroin have been from fentanyl. A small dose of fentanyl can be fatal depending on how tolerant someone is and their body size. Coroners’ offices and state crime laboratories do not test for fentanyl unless given a specific reason to do so. Older people are more likely than younger individuals to experience adverse effects, especially the respiratory depressant effects of fentanyl.
Young People And Fentanyl
Fentanyl is one of the top substances driving overdose deaths in the US, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Fentanyl is often mixed with other drugs like heroin, crack, or cocaine. Sometimes people look for combinations of uppers (like crack or cocaine) and downers (like heroin) (this was once called a speedball). Although some people may seek out this combination, dealers may also mix fentanyl into other drugs to stretch their supply and increase their profits. But when fentanyl is mixed into non-opioid drugs (like methamphetamines), or when the dose of fentanyl is higher than an individual is used to, it can be lethal. Because fentanyl is typically diluted, users may not know how much fentanyl they might be ingesting.
Why Would Pharmacists Sell An OTC Opioid These Days?
Naloxone (Narcan) is an antidote for fentanyl and other opioid overdoses. Naloxone helps reverse the respiratory depression of fentanyl. Naloxone can help prevent fentanyl-related deaths when it is given within a short period of time after an overdose. The nasal spray form of naloxone does not require a prescription and can be obtained from pharmacies. Naloxone acts quickly to reverse the effects of an opioid overdose, but opioids last much longer than naloxone. Additional doses of naloxone are therefore sometimes necessary.
- Fentanyl test strips can identify the presence of fentanyl in unregulated drugs.
- It’s crucial to use extreme caution when getting medication or products marketed as “natural alternatives” from someone other than your health care provider.
- Keep track of how many patches are left so you will know if any are missing.
- Over the past decade, fentanyl that is made and distributed illegally has become increasingly common in the illegal drug supply and has contributed to a surge in drug overdose deaths.
- Your doctor will probably start you on a low dose of fentanyl and gradually increase your dose until you find the dose that will relieve your breakthrough pain.
- The effects of fentanyl last a few hours, but it can be detected in your urine, hair and blood far longer.
Older Black Men Are Disproportionately Affected By The Overdose Crisis
Even as the US worked with China to crack down on one fentanyl compound, the sellers simply tweaked their formula and offered to sell a new version in another email included in the report. A couple purchased some marijuana and smoked it on their couch. The woman woke up on the floor several hours later and found her partner unresponsive. She called EMS, and they were brought to an emergency room.
Purchase NARCAN® Nasal Spray For Your Workplace
Fortunately, the drug in question here does not kill people. The name of this drug that you can buy in many states without seeing a doctor is known as Naloxone, or Narcan. If there is anyone in your home who uses opioids, it is a good idea to have Narcan on hand.
- Fentanyl analogs, which are similar in nature to fentanyl and include substances like acetylfentanyl, furanylfentanyl, and carfentanil, have also been found in the US drug supply.
- They found people who were purchasing for personal use — including seven who overdosed and died — as well as the people buying to set up their own distribution network in America.
- The use of drinks that contain alcohol can increase your risk of serious side effects from fentanyl.
- On Wednesday, the FDA announced that it has approved the sale of naloxone nasal spray, also known as Narcan, for sale over-the-counter to treat opioid overdose.
- Other signs of an overdose may include a pale or clammy face, and discoloration of the lips or fingernails, according to the CDC.
The clerk claimed the pharmacy did not stock counterfeit pills. Making naloxone available more widely is seen as a key strategy to control a nationwide overdose crisis, which has been linked to more than 100,000 U.S. deaths a year. The majority of those deaths are tied to opioids, primarily illicitly manufactured fentanyl that can take multiple doses of naloxone to reverse.
Become A Harm Reduction Champion
Data sources include Micromedex (updated 4 Feb 2024), Cerner Multum™ (updated 4 Feb 2024), ASHP (updated 12 Feb 2024) and others. This is not all the information you need to know about fentanyl test strips for safe and effective use and does not take the place of your healthcare provider’s advice. Review and follow the full test strip information before use, as directions may vary among tests. Discuss this information and any questions you have with your doctor or other health care provider.
