How long the traces of medication stay in the body depends on several factors. Drugs metabolize differently depending on the person using them, the drug itself, and how they administered the dose. A person’s age, sex, body composition, and certain genetic and biological markers contribute to how long the medication remains in detectable amounts in their system. It may last only a few days in the urine, a week or two in the sweat, and up to 90 days in the hair. The type of drug used and how prevalent that drug use is are also contributing factors. If you or a loved one are struggling with drug abuse or addiction, reach out for help from a prescription drug addiction treatment center.
Table of Contents
The Kind of Treatment Found in Prescription Drug Rehab
Whether you were prescribed medication or acquired it illegally, now that you have recognized that you have a severe addiction problem, it is time to take that first step to get off the medication and restore your health. One must be using the medication for some time before an addiction develops, and this buildup in your system alters your body chemistry. When looking for a treatment center, it is essential to know and trust what type of treatment methods can aid you in your recovery.
Addiction Treatment Programs
There are several types of addiction treatment programs, which depend on the patient’s needs and the severity of the addiction. Which one is best for your needs will depend on consultation and evaluation by a treatment center. The following types of programs may be available:
- Medication-assisted detox program
- Residential treatment program
- The partial hospitalization treatment program
- The intensive outpatient treatment program
- Outpatient treatment program
Each of these treatments has both advantages and disadvantages, which is why it’s best to seek the advice of our team members.
How Long it Takes for Medication to Leave Your System
What type of prescription medication your treatment team will use is the primary determining factor in how long it stays in your system. The person using them and their body chemistry also will contribute to how long traces of the drug remain.
- Amphetamines stay for 12 hours in the blood, 1-3 days in the urine, 7-14 days in the sweat, and up to 90 days in the hair.
- Barbiturates can remain for 1-2 days in the blood, 2-4 days in the urine, and up to 90 days in the hair.
- Benzodiazepine can stay for up to 2-3 days in the blood, seven days in the urine, and up to 90 days in the hair.
- Opioids can remain for 2-5 days in the urine, 7-14 days in the sweat, and up to 90 days in the hair.
The specific prescription medication you are using can also determine how long it will take for the liver and kidneys to process it and then expel it from the body. In the benzodiazepine category, for instance, valium may remain for ten days, while halcyon will only remain for two days. Drugs like Ativan, Librium, Klonopin, Restoril, and Xanax will fall in the middle and be detected for up to 5 days.
How Does Your System Processes Medication?
There are a number of factors involved in how your body processes medication, including your age, how fast your metabolism is, and the toxicity of the substance you’ve taken. The liver is the primary organ that is responsible for metabolizing medication and has a limited capacity to process a given substance. Overburdening the liver with medication can lead to health complications including liver disease and liver damage in the case of moderate to severe substance use. Most medication needs to be processed by the liver before it can be released from the body through urination and bile production, which is an important part of digestion.
Testing for Medication
You may be curious to know how long medication can be detected in the body. Drug tests are usually conducted to test for illicit drug use by law enforcement, but some companies require pre-employment drug screenings and may also conduct random drug tests. Although urine and blood tests are widely known methods of checking for traces of medication, your hair and saliva can also be tested to find out what kind of substances you may have taken. The detection window for each test varies which is why it’s useful to use different forms of testing if misconduct is suspected.
Will it appear in a blood test?
Yes. Blood tests are the most accurate form of detection and will pick up on the presence of drugs that have been taken within a 48-hour window. The results of a blood test are immediate and can be conducted on small amounts of blood. It is also much harder to cheat a blood test than other forms of testing.
Will it appear in a saliva test?
Yes. A saliva test is considered equivalent to a blood test when it comes to accuracy, and also has a short window of detection – up to 48 hours, depending on the type of substance. A simple mouth swab can be used to detect alcohol and some, but not all, commonly used drugs including cocaine, marijuana, and opioids.
Will it appear in a hair test?
Yes. A hair test provides the longest window of detection compared to other tests, anywhere from a week to a few months since a substance was taken. It is not useful, however, for detecting more recent drug use.
Will it appear in a urine test?
Yes, but the window of detection varies depending on certain biological factors and the type and strength of medication taken. A urine test will detect substances taken anywhere from a few days to around one week. Although urine tests are the most routine form of detection, they are also easier to tamper with because urine samples are self-collected.
Detoxing from Medication
Detoxing is a complex process that varies depending on the type of medication taken, the length and intensity of use, and a person’s unique biological makeup and current state of well-being. A medically supervised detox may be necessary for people who have developed a physical dependency on a medication or drug, whether or not it was prescribed. In the case of a substance use disorder, medically supervised detox is always recommended, especially if someone is addicted to heroin, cocaine, oxycodone, or other powerful drugs.
Detox is an unpleasant process in which people experience a range of physical and psychological withdrawal symptoms including vomiting, sweating, fatigue, muscle spasms, anxiety, paranoia, and more. It is sometimes necessary to use other medication to help people safely detox from strong drugs and is a useful way to slowly taper people off medication while making the detox process less taxing on the body.
Reach Out to Ethan Crossing Recovery Today
Prescription drug abuse had been rising long before the opioid epidemic, but now it has exploded. Many people who would have never thought of using prescription drugs for any but a short length of time have found themselves unable to face up to the fact that they have a problem. But the longer you deny it, the worse the problem is going to get. While the traces of the drug may be expelled by the body in a few days through the urine and a few weeks through sweating, it can remain in detectable amounts in the hair for almost three months.
At Ethan Crossing Recovery in Springfield, Ohio, our prescription drug treatment center has a wide array of therapies and programs to help guide you through recovery. Anyone can get help at any point. Ethan Crossing Recovery serves the Cincinnati, Dayton, Columbus, Ohio area. Contact us today.