How long does prescription pain killers stay in your system?

Answer 1

It usually takes 20 minutes to a half hour for medicine to work, but some medicine takes more time then others. Tramadol, for example, can take 50-55 minutes to really get rolling in the blood stream, but will usually last six hours.

Answer 2

It depends on the medication, and how the dose is formulated. It can be 4, 6, 8, 12 or more hours. It's a frustrating answer, I know, but the true answer - without specific info on the particular pain reliever - is always "It depends, it depends, it depends". Because it does.

Answer 3

There isn't any long term usage data available since most patients who use them are typically terminal cancer patients, and the fact that Duragesic patches haven't been around that long (only 15 years). However, for those of us who are long term chronic pain patients, it's not unusual to use them for a long time - I've been using them continuously for 10 years, and prior to that had received more than my share of Fentanyl intravenously for various procedures.

It's important to understand and look at the use of any Fentanyl patch in the overall scheme of things as well. Anyone who uses them has made the switch from lesser opiates because they need constant relief of pain that's there 24/7. Aside from the restrictions on use, the persistent side effects (mood changes, constipation, etc.) can really affect daily life.

However, the choice is pretty clear, given the option of being in agony all the time or putting up with the patches. The trick is to find the right balance of patch doses and breakthrough meds - while my dosages have had to change several times over the years (up and down), my prescriptions are pretty much the same. Knowing how to keep your kidneys healthy is important as well, and you should have them checked at least annually, though if you've got a decent pain doctor they should be doing it anyway.

Always remember that first and foremost using them is a quality-of-life decision. I resigned myself years ago to the fact that I'd likely be an opiate patient the rest of my life, and that was 14 years ago - I'm only 50. But I'm not ready to give in to pain just yet.

Answer 4

3 days if done through urine. Mouth swab tests 7 days,hair follicle sample is forever. Dr.Aaron.

Answer 5

It really depends on how often you take them. Usually, it takes about 3-5 days for it to get out of your system. That's assuming you're trying to pass a drug test.