Opioid
Fentanyl
Fentanyl is a synthetic opioid roughly 50 times stronger than heroin. Most of what is on the street is made illegally and pressed into pills that look like Percocet, Xanax or Adderall, or mixed into other drugs.
Also called: fetty, blues, pressed pills
Withdrawal is rough, rarely fatalSigns it has become a problem
- Nodding off mid-sentence
- Pinpoint pupils
- Using to keep from getting sick, not to get high
- Burnt foil, straws, or small blue pills stamped M30
- Withdrawal starting within hours of the last use
What withdrawal is like
Overdose and emergencies
An amount the size of a few grains of salt can stop breathing. Signs: no response, slow or no breathing, blue lips, gurgling. Give naloxone (Narcan), call 911, and stay. Fentanyl can outlast one dose, so be ready to give a second. If xylazine is mixed in, naloxone still helps the opioid part. Give it anyway.
Dangerous combinations
Fentanyl is now found in counterfeit pills, cocaine and meth. People who do not use opioids at all are overdosing on it. Fentanyl test strips and naloxone save lives.
What actually helps
Medication is the standard of care: buprenorphine or methadone cut the risk of dying by about half. Starting buprenorphine after fentanyl takes some care, so do it with a prescriber who knows fentanyl.
Common questions
Can you die from fentanyl withdrawal?
It is rarely fatal on its own. Fentanyl withdrawal feels like the worst flu of your life: aches, chills, vomiting, diarrhea, crawling skin, no sleep. It is rarely fatal by itself, but people relapse to stop it, and a relapse after even a few days off is when overdoses happen.
What does an overdose or emergency look like?
An amount the size of a few grains of salt can stop breathing. Signs: no response, slow or no breathing, blue lips, gurgling. Give naloxone (Narcan), call 911, and stay. Fentanyl can outlast one dose, so be ready to give a second. If xylazine is mixed in, naloxone still helps the opioid part. Give it anyway.
What treatment works for fentanyl?
Medication is the standard of care: buprenorphine or methadone cut the risk of dying by about half. Starting buprenorphine after fentanyl takes some care, so do it with a prescriber who knows fentanyl.
Written in plain English for education. It is not a diagnosis or medical advice. Demo Clinical review by a licensed professional is part of the launch plan and will be named here.
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