What is fentanyl? Uses, misuse, and side effects

Fentanyl has a relatively short half-life, but its effects can be prolonged due to its potency. Fentanyl’s effect on the central nervous system leads to intense relaxation and muscle weakness, causing users to lose control over their body posture. This loss of fentanyl stance control is particularly evident in the back and neck muscles, resulting in the user bending forward or hunching over.

Overdose Resource Exchange (ORE)

• This involuntary bending or folding forward, and sometimes backwards is the physical evidence of the potent sedative effects that Fentanyl will cause.
• His brother reported that the boy had taken a blue tablet labeled “M30,” which the boy believed to be oxycodone.
• This extreme potency is one of the main reasons that fentanyl is as dangerous as it is.
• In many states, roughly $50 billion in opioid settlement money paid out by corporations is also starting to help.
• Fentanyl bending over, or “Nodding Off” often also includes “wobbling” or “teetering” which can often appear as a rocking motion.

A fentanyl overdose can occur after the drug is injected, swallowed, snorted, or smoked. Symptoms of a fentanyl overdose, including slow or absent breathing, generally occur within minutes of the overdose. Death can follow quickly https://ecosoberhouse.com/ if the overdosed person isn’t treated.

Senior Health

Nodding off is a physical condition that is a direct result of the depressant effect Fentanyl has on the human body’s central nervous system. People will also display a rocking or teetering motion as they struggle to regain balance, this motion reflects the bodies inability to stay alert while under the influence of Fentanyl. Fentanyl is both sold alone and often used as an adulterant because its high potency allows dealers to traffic smaller quantities but maintain the drug effects buyers expect.

Why Do Fentanyl Users Nod Off & Bend Over?

Fentanyl produces paradoxical effects on muscles, simultaneously causing both rigidity and weakness. Research has documented that synthetic opioids trigger severe and widespread muscle rigidity, particularly in the trunk muscles that support the spine and torso. This stiffness restricts the chest cavity, limiting respiratory movement and affecting posture. Sometimes, a person with opioid dependence may take fentanyl as a substitute for heroin.

• When fentanyl binds to these receptors, it can create intense feelings of euphoria and relaxation, but it also carries a high risk for addiction and overdose.
• Because of the so-called “War on Drugs” and criminalization of people who use drugs, people often are unaware of the exact composition of the substances they’re using.
• King County worked with Rescue Agency to create Laced & Lethal, a campaign to educate youth about fentanyl, and how to respond to overdose.
• People making illegal fentanyl often do this because it’s less expensive to use fentanyl than other drugs.

While more nationwide prevention efforts and reduction strategies are needed to combat the opioid epidemic, prevention can also start in the home. If you or a loved one is struggling with a fentanyl addiction, help is available. Inpatient treatment Twelve-step program can provide you with a safe environment where you can detox and learn the tools necessary for a healthy recovery. Contact a treatment provider today to learn more and begin your healing journey. Fentanyl’s extreme potency means that even a small amount can cause severe, sometimes fatal reactions.