How long does fentanyl stay in your system, and why can different types of drug tests return different results?
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What Is Fentanyl?
Fentanyl is an extremely potent synthetic (lab-created) opioid. It was first synthesized by Belgian physician and researcher Paul Janssen in 1960, and is currently used on a prescription basis only to treat severe or breakthrough pain, often in the aftermath of surgery or due to cancer.
In the United States, fentanyl is classified as a Schedule II controlled substance. Drugs in this category have been deemed to have “a high potential for abuse, with use potentially leading to severe psychological or physical dependence.”
How Does Fentanyl Affect Your Mind and Body?
Fentanyl binds with mu opioid receptors in the central nervous system (CNS). This, in turn, triggers protein activity that results in the blockage of pain signals and elevation of mood. Other common effects of fentanyl include slowed breathing and heart rate and a sense of deep relaxation.
Fentanyl also artificially increases the amount of dopamine within the CNS. Dopamine is a neurotransmitter that is associated with motivation, learning, memory, and pleasure. This is why fentanyl use causes improved mood, often to the level of euphoria. It is also one of the reasons why the drug poses such a high risk of addiction.
Anyone who uses fentanyl for any reason risks addiction, overdose, and a host of other adverse outcomes – but the likelihood of experiencing these types of life-threatening concerns is highest among those who take the drug to self-medicate or to achieve a recreational high.
How Does Your Body Process Fentanyl?
Most of the attention about fentanyl understandably focuses on how the drug affects your body. But your body is not simply a passive recipient of fentanyl’s effects. As the drug circulates through your system via your bloodstream, your body will begin to break it down so that it can be safely eliminated.
This process is referred to as metabolism, and it occurs primarily in your liver:
- When blood containing fentanyl passes through your liver, enzymes begin to convert the drug into inactive components that no longer pose a threat to your system.
- These inactive components are referred to as metabolites.
- The most common fentanyl metabolite is called norfentanyl.
- Fentanyl metabolization also produces small amounts of other metabolites, including 4’-hydroxyfentanyl, beta-hydroxyfentanylm, and hydroxynorfentanyl.
The process of metabolizing fentanyl can begin quite quickly. According to a May 2024 article in the Journal of Addiction Medicine, when a person receives fentanyl via IV injection, metabolites can be detected in their blood plasma within about 90 seconds.
How Long Does Fentanyl Stay in Your System?
The Journal of Addiction Medicine article that we referred to in the previous section also noted that fentanyl has an estimated half-life of 3.6—14.2 hours:
- A half-life is the amount of time that it takes for half of a substance to be eliminated from a person’s system.
- It usually takes four to five half lives before a substance falls below a clinically significant level.
- Using these estimates, it may take up to 71 hours (14.2 hours x five half-lives) for your body to rid itself of fentanyl.
Unfortunately, that doesn’t necessarily answer the question of how long does fentanyl stay in your system. There are a few reasons for this, such as::
- The way fentanyl is administered can influence how long it remains in your system. For example, your body will begin to metabolize IV fentanyl faster than fentanyl received via a lozenge or transdermal patch.
- Drug screens don’t only test for fentanyl. They also look for fentanyl metabolites, which are proof that you recently had the drug in your system.
- Some fentanyl metabolites remain in your system after all the fentanyl has been broken down.
- Fentanyl and its metabolites can be detected in some types of samples longer than in others.
If you’re being tested for fentanyl, you will probably have to submit either saliva, urine, blood, or hair follicles for analysis. Let’s take a quick look at the detection capabilities of each of these samples.
Saliva tests for fentanyl
When being tested for fentanyl, you probably won’t be required to provide a saliva sample, as this type of test doesn’t detect opioids as effectively as urine or blood tests do.
However, if your saliva is analyzed, you may test positive for fentanyl for 24-72 hours (one to three days) after the last time you used the drug.
Urine tests for fentanyl
Urine tests are often used to screen for fentanyl and other drugs, because acquiring a urine sample is easier than drawing blood.
As with saliva, urine will usually retain evidence of fentanyl use for 24-72 hours after your most recent dose.
Blood tests for fentanyl
Blood tests are most common in medical environments when patients cannot provide a urine sample, which may occur if the individual has been incapacitated due to an automobile accident or overdose.
Though blood tests are reliable, their detection window is relatively small. If your blood is drawn to test for fentanyl, you will likely get a positive result only if you’ve used the drug in the previous 12 hours.
Hair follicle tests for fentanyl
When your body metabolizes fentanyl, some of its metabolites will be absorbed into your hair follicles. They can remain there for a surprisingly long time, which means that hair follicle tests can find evidence of fentanyl long after the drug and its metabolites are no longer present in other samples.
If you submit hair follicles for a drug screen, you may test positive for fentanyl for as long as 90 days (three months) after the last time the drug entered your body.
Find Treatment for Fentanyl Addiction in Atlanta
The only way to be sure that you don’t have fentanyl in your system is to stop using it immediately and wait for your body’s natural processes to work. If you find it difficult or impossible to end your fentanyl use, North Atlanta Behavioral Health is here to help.
Our treatment center in Atlanta, GA, is a trusted source of personalized outpatient care for adults who have become addicted to fentanyl and other drugs. We also care for clients who have anxiety, depression, and other co-occurring mental health concerns.
With our help and a concerted effort on your part, you can begin to live a much healthier life, free from the constraints of compulsive fentanyl use.
To learn more about how we can help you or a loved one, or to schedule a free assessment, please visit our Admissions page or call us today.
