Tapentadol is a relatively new centrally-acting opioid that is not only an opioid receptor agonist but also a norepinephrine reuptake inhibitor. Although tapentadol withdrawal symptoms tend to be less severe than those of other opioids, they can still be dangerous if you abruptly stop taking the drug after using it for a long time.
First approved by the FDA in 2008 for acute pain treatment, tapentadol is prescribed for acute and chronic pain treatment, such as that caused by nerve damage in patients with diabetes.
Nonetheless, tapentadol is classified as a Schedule II controlled substance, meaning that it has a high potential for abuse and addiction. As such, long-term use of this drug may increase the risk of opioid misuse, dependence, and potentially lethal withdrawal symptoms.
What is Tapentadol?
Tapentadol is a synthetic opioid medication used for severe pain treatment when non-opioid pain relievers aren’t strong enough or cannot be used. Most commonly, it is sold under the brand names Nucynta®, Palexia®, and Aspadol®, among others.
Tapentadol is available in the following forms:
- Tablet
- Extended-release tablet
- Oral solution
Like other opioids, tapentadol bonds with opioid receptors in the central nervous system (CNS) and alleviates pain by preventing pain signals from reaching the brain.
Alongside pain relief, tapentadol can induce euphoric feelings by triggering dopamine release. Since people are hardwired to repeat activities that produce dopamine, this increases the drug’s potential for abuse and addiction.
Taking tapentadol more frequently or at larger doses than directed constitutes opioid abuse and can lead you to develop tolerance, dependence, and addiction to the drug. It can also cause an opioid overdose and death.
Whether you take tapentadol for short-term or long-term pain treatment, you should always take it according to your doctor’s instructions to reduce these risks.
Common Tapentadol Withdrawal Symptoms
Even if you’re taking tapentadol exactly as prescribed, you risk becoming physically dependent on the drug. Because of this, it’s best to avoid taking opioids, including tapentadol, whenever possible.
Simply put, the body eventually gets used to the usual dosage of tapentadol and requires larger amounts of the substance to achieve the same effects as before. This is known as tolerance, which is a sign of opioid dependence.
If you continue taking tapentadol, especially at higher doses, physical dependence can lead to addiction. Once you develop physical dependence or addiction to tapentadol and attempt to quit the drug or reduce its dosage, you’ll experience tapentadol withdrawal symptoms.
Generally, tapentadol withdrawal looks and feels similar to that of other opioids. The most common symptoms of tapentadol withdrawal include:
- Breathing difficulties
- Nausea
- Vomiting
- Stomach ache
- Difficulty falling or staying asleep
- Anxiety
- Diarrhea
- Sweating
- Restlessness
- Runny nose
- Increased blood pressure
- Muscle aches
- Increased heartbeat
- Blurry vision
- Pupil dilation
- Tremors
- Hallucinations
- Goosebumps
- Shivering
Slowly tapering off tapentadol can help reduce the intensity of tapentadol withdrawal symptoms. That said, some of these symptoms are not only uncomfortable and painful but also potentially life-threatening. For this reason, you should never quit tapentadol “cold turkey” or without medical supervision.
Tapentadol Withdrawal Timeline
Tapentadol withdrawal timeline depends on the type of tapentadol you’re taking, among other factors such as age, metabolism, and organ health.
Generally, the extended-release tapentadol withdrawal timeline (e.g., Nucynta® ER) will be longer than that of immediate-release tapentadol.
With that in mind, here’s what the tapentadol withdrawal timeline typically looks like for immediate-release tapentadol:
Depending on the drug’s formula, you might start experiencing the first tapentadol withdrawal symptoms within 6–30 hours after taking the last dosage. On average, tapentadol stays in your system for 22 hours after the last dose.
Typically, the first symptoms to show up are vomiting, nausea, and flu-like symptoms, such as headache and runny nose.
Opioid withdrawal symptoms, such as insomnia, diarrhea, sweating, and anxiety, typically peak within the first few days after the last dose.
That said, a study comparing immediate-release oxycodone and tapentadol withdrawal symptoms found that only 17% of patients experienced withdrawal symptoms within 2–4 days after quitting tapentadol. Moreover, the reported symptoms were described as “mild to moderate,” suggesting that tapentadol withdrawal symptoms tend to be less intense than those of other opioids.
Physical tapentadol withdrawal symptoms usually subside within the first week. Nonetheless, some psychological symptoms, including cravings, may persist.
How Long Do Tapentadol Withdrawal Symptoms Last?
As mentioned above, the duration of tapentadol withdrawal symptoms varies from one person to another, as it depends on various individual factors.
Simply put, tapentadol withdrawal symptoms indicate that your body is clearing out the substance from its system. As such, the faster your body breaks down substances, the sooner tapentadol withdrawal symptoms should subside.
How long tapentadol withdrawal symptoms last also depends on your tapentadol use, i.e., for how long, how frequently, and at what doses you’ve been taking tapentadol.
Naturally, someone taking tapentadol regularly for a year will likely experience tapentadol withdrawal symptoms longer than someone who took it for a month.
Nonetheless, most tapentadol withdrawal symptoms should subside within a week or two.
If your symptoms last for several weeks or even longer, you may be experiencing post-acute withdrawal syndrome (PAWS). This condition is characterized by persistent withdrawal symptoms, such as:
- Depression
- Irritability
- Fatigue
- Sleep disturbances
- Impaired memory
- Poor concentration
- Mood swings
- Cravings
Risks, Dangers, and Side Effects of Tapentadol
Like all medications, tapentadol may cause side effects, especially within the first few days of starting the treatment.
Some of the most common tapentadol side effects are:
- Constipation
- Nausea
- Vomiting
- Drowsiness
- Lightheadedness
Besides these, tapentadol can cause severe side effects that require immediate medical attention. Consult your doctor as soon as possible if you notice that your side effects are getting worse or if you experience the following side effects:
- Abdominal pain
- Appetite loss
- Confusion
- Difficulty urinating
- Extreme fatigue
- Seizures
- Shallow breathing
- Stomach ache
- Fainting
- Weight loss
Since tapentadol may cause drowsiness and decrease concentration, you should avoid driving until you learn how this medication affects you.
Moreover, alcohol and certain medications can increase the risk and severity of tapentadol side effects. To avoid potentially life-threatening adverse reactions, inform your doctor if you’re taking any of the following medications:
- CNS depressants, such as seizure and anxiety medication
- Muscle relaxants
- Other opioids
- SSRIs and other serotonergic drugs, as these may cause serotonin syndrome
- Monoamine oxidase inhibitors (MAOIs) since they can lead to adverse cardiovascular events
To minimize the risk of dangerous side effects, you should also speak with your doctor about alternative pain management options if you have any of the following health problems: asthma; lung problems; head or brain trauma; liver problems; kidney problems; seizures; substance use disorder; gallbladder problems; pancreatic conditions.
Importantly, taking tapentadol while pregnant could affect your pregnancy and lead to neonatal abstinence syndrome (NAS).
Tapentadol use can also lead to dependence, addiction, overdose, and potentially life-threatening withdrawal symptoms. These risks are particularly high if you abuse or take the medication for an extended time.
How to Manage Tapentadol Withdrawal Symptoms
Without a doubt, managing tapentadol withdrawal symptoms on your own is no easy task.
Not only that, but it is also dangerous. Unfortunately, it’s not unheard of for people to die during opioid withdrawal. This can happen due to dehydration caused by excessive vomiting or diarrhea, as well as other complications.
Due to this, it’s in your best interest to seek professional help if you’re thinking of quitting tapentadol or other opioid medication.
Since tapentadol withdrawal symptoms can be rather painful and uncomfortable, quitting opioids without medical supervision puts you at an increased risk of relapse. In turn, this increases the risk of overdose and death, as periods of drug abstinence lower your tolerance, making it easier to overdose.
If you’re looking for an easy way to manage tapentadol withdrawal symptoms, you may be looking into opioid detox options, such as rapid detox. While rapid detox may sound particularly tempting because it promises quick results, it is a dangerous procedure that doesn’t guarantee long-term results despite its high price.
Although it can help manage tapentadol withdrawal symptoms, rapid detox only detoxes opioids from your body. However, since it doesn’t treat opioid addiction, it often leads to relapse.
ANR Opioid Treatment for Tapentadol Withdrawal
Accelerated Neuro-Regulation (ANR) is a groundbreaking opioid dependence treatment that can help you overcome tapentadol dependence in a matter of days.
Unlike traditional treatments and opioid detox programs, ANR addresses the underlying cause of opioid addiction. While other treatments simply treat tapentadol withdrawal symptoms, ANR stands out as the only treatment that can reverse opioid effects on the brain, helping you achieve long-term recovery from opioids.
The ANR treatment involves putting you under heavy sedation, inducing tapentadol withdrawal, and, most importantly, re-regulating your endorphin-receptor system to its normal state.
The procedure is performed in an ICU setting of accredited hospitals by a team of highly experienced medical professionals, ensuring the safety and quality of the treatment. On average, our patients stay in the hospital for 36 hours. Patients can return to their daily lives in just a few days without addiction, cravings, and the risk of relapse.
Besides effectiveness, safety, and speed, ANR has several other advantages, including a personalized approach to healing opioid addiction. The ANR treatment is tailored to each patient individually, making it safe and effective even for those with complex medical conditions.
If you’re ready to leave tapentadol dependence in the past, contact us today to book a free consultation!
Key Takeaways
The bottom line is even though tapentadol may cause less severe withdrawal symptoms than most other opioids, you should never quit it without consulting your doctor. Otherwise, tapentadol withdrawal may put your health at risk and lead to relapse, just like any other opioid.
If you struggle with tapentadol addiction, consider undergoing the ANR opioid dependence treatment. Not only can it minimize uncomfortable withdrawal symptoms, but it can also help you safely and effectively get off of opioids without the risk of relapse.
Tapentadol Withdrawal FAQ
1. What are the main withdrawal symptoms of tapentadol?
The main tapentadol withdrawal symptoms are nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, stomach ache, and difficulty sleeping, among others. Since some of these symptoms can lead to dehydration and other life-threatening complications, you should never quit tapentadol abruptly or without consulting your doctor.
2. What is the tapentadol withdrawal timeline?
The tapentadol withdrawal timeline depends on a variety of individual factors, including your age, metabolic rate, how long you’ve been taking tapentadol, and so on. That said, tapentadol withdrawal symptoms typically start within the first 30 hours of taking the drug and subside within a couple of weeks.
3. Is tapentadol an opioid?
Yes, tapentadol is an opioid pain reliever. However, it differs from most other centrally-acting opioids in that it is also a norepinephrine reuptake inhibitor. Like all opioids, tapentadol is a prescription drug that should be taken as directed by a doctor to minimize the risk of abuse and addiction.
4. What is tapentadol prescribed for?
Tapentadol is prescribed for the treatment of severe pain that cannot be treated by non-opioid painkillers. While it is sometimes used to treat chronic pain, it’s best to avoid taking tapentadol for long-term pain treatment due to the heightened risk of misuse, dependence, and addiction.
5. Can tapentadol cause addiction?
Yes, tapentadol can cause addiction, especially when taken for an extended period. Given its habit-forming properties, you should never take tapentadol for a longer time or in larger doses than prescribed.
6. Can you get addicted to tapentadol?
Yes, you can get addicted to tapentadol, even if you take it exactly as prescribed by your doctor. In particular, you should avoid taking tapentadol with other drugs or if you have a history of substance abuse or addiction, as this may make you more susceptible to opioid addiction.
7. How do you stop taking tapentadol?
If you’re thinking of stopping taking tapentadol, schedule an appointment with your doctor to determine the safest and most effective way for you to quit it. More likely than not, this will involve tapering off tapentadol, i.e., taking it in increasingly lower doses until you can stop taking the drug altogether.
8. How long does tapentadol stay in your system?
Tapentadol stays in your system for 22 hours on average, though this may vary depending on the formula of the drug, how much of it you’ve taken, and other individual factors. That said, certain drug tests may detect tapentadol in your system for longer than that.
9. What is ANR opioid treatment?
Accelerated Neuro-Regulation (ANR) is a revolutionary opioid dependence treatment that returns the brain to its pre-addictive state, thus negating the risk of relapse. By tackling the issue of opioid addiction at its very core, ANR has helped more than 25,000 people worldwide make a long-lasting recovery from opioid addiction!
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