Fentanyl Abuse and Why It’s So Dangerous
What is Fentanyl?
Fentanyl is still a ‘newer’ drug, relatively speaking, and fentanyl abuse is more common than many people might think. Fentanyl is a synthetic opioid that was developed in 1959. It is a schedule II narcotic, and is close to 100 times more potent than morphine and 50 times more potent than heroin. It is used primarily in hospitals for anesthesia, but it is also prescribed to cancer patients experiencing a lot of pain. Less often, Fentanyl is prescribed to people after surgery if they have developed a tolerance to other pain medications. Fentanyl is used to treat severe pain and is generally used in situations where the pain is expected to last a long time.
Fentanyl abuse was discussed a lot around the time Michael Jackson died, though it was just one of the many drugs found in his system. Like all drugs, it can be incredibly dangerous and should only be used under the care of a doctor, though unsurprisingly, it is often sold and used illegally.
Common Forms of Fentanyl Abuse
- Powder – Fentanyl can be made in powder form, making it very pure and very dangerous. Most of the heroin sold on the streets these days has Fentanyl in it, and it is incredibly potent and causes countless overdoses.
- Intravenous Liquid – This form of Fentanyl is often given to patients in a hospital setting. It is given to cancer patients or other patients who have major surgeries and need constant pain relief.
- Patch – One way people use Fentanyl is through a fentanyl patch. The fentanyl patch is used for chronic pain management, and it slowly releases the drug into a person’s bloodstream. The drug’s slow release alleviates pain and keeps a person comfortable for much longer than if they were just taking something else orally. People have found ways around the slow release and have figured out how to abuse this form of Fentanyl. Users remove the gel contents of the patch and ingest or inject it.
- Lollipop – Another form of the drug is fentanyl lollipops, which are pretty much what they sound like. This form of the drug is very quick-acting, and like the fentanyl patches, can be extremely dangerous. Both the fentanyl patches and the fentanyl lollipops come in different dosages.
- Lozenge – Fentanyl lozenge is often used to treat pain in cancer patients.
- Tablet – Fentanyl is also given to cancer patients in tablet form. These tablets are prescribed by doctors but they are also manufactured illegally on the streets.
You should always check with your doctor before taking any form of Fentanyl.
Additionally, you should never switch forms of Fentanyl without discussing it with your doctor as well, even if you think it is an equivalent dosage.
Common Fentany Side Effects
Some of the desirable effects that lead to Fentanyl abuse are sedation, euphoric feelings, and relaxation.
There are a significant number of adverse side effects of Fentanyl also, including:
- Diarrhea and nausea
- Dry mouth
- Pinpoint pupils
- Feeling dizzy
- Anxiety/nervousness
- Fatigue
- Headaches and abdominal pain
- Blurred Vision
- Agitation
- Sweating
- Constipation
- Weakness
- Itchiness/Crawling sensation
- Hallucinations
- Damage to the liver
- Respiratory depression – can’t get enough oxygen
- Death
Symptoms of Fentanyl Overdose
- Incoherent to the point of not being able to speak
- If asleep, cannot be woken up
- Loss of consciousness
- Seizures
- Very slow heartbeat
- Labored breathing
- Blue tinted skin
- Coma
- Death
More About Fentanyl Abuse
It is not uncommon for drug dealers to mix Fentanyl with heroin or cocaine, though the person buying the drugs would have absolutely no way of knowing this. Someone might use the same amount of cocaine or heroin that they usually do, but the unknown addition of Fentanyl can cause overdose and death. This has become increasingly common. It is so potent and can be so dangerous that there have been many news conferences held by public officials warning the public about the addition of Fentanyl into other drugs.
Medical examiners are instructed to screen for Fentanyl in all apparent heroin overdoses and deaths so they can determine if Fentanyl is indeed being added to heroin without the user knowing, causing more deaths than usual. Obviously, it would be ideal for people not to use heroin, but people realize that is unrealistic and are at least trying to do their best to warn people. If you have a problem with fentanyl abuse or with any other drug, please get treatment. Reach out to us if you have questions or need help. Help is available, and it’s always possible to live a life where you’re not dependent on drugs. Read more about help for opiate withdrawal if you are on Fentanyl and plan on quitting.