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How Long Do Opiates Stay In Your System?

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Posted on Sat, 9 Jun 2018
Question: HOW LONG DOES IT TAKE FOR AN OPIOD LEAVE YOUR SYSTEM? I AM ON HYDROCODON 10-325 AND WHILE AWAY LEAVING MEDS HOME...I TOOK BROTHERS TRAMADOL FOR HIS ARTHRITIS. IT HAS BEEN 8 DAYS...WILL TRAMADOL STILL BE APPARENT IN MY SYSTEM?

I am concerned that for being without my meds....and taking brothers tramadol ..total 200 mg per day for 2 days.....coming home and returning to my hydrocodone 10-325 for 8 days....that when I go to the doctor this Friday....I will not be permitted to get my usual refill ...due to my carelessness ...and taking other meds while in pain and away. is this still possible that tdramadol is still able to be detected ??? thank you
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Answered by Dr. Dr. Matt Wachsman (37 minutes later)
Brief Answer:
five days is a standard number.

Detailed Answer:
There's a huge amount of variables you cannot take into account that may cause variations in this number. There's the concentration of the drug in the blood. This changes with the amount (one is a small number 400 mg is a somewhat large number). the size of the person. Then there is how fast it gets out. Mostly this is on the basis of the pill. Some are made to be sticky. Oxycontin is oxycodone stuck into wax. It dissolves much slower. Muscle or joint injections can take weeks. A drug that is given every 8 hrs gets out fast. This may change if the person has NO FUNCTIONING LIVER or if the liver is heavily gummed up by drugs that prevent it from working. If you do not have known serious liver disease and are not on other medicines this is not an issue.

Then it depends mainly on how much you are looking for. The level of drug that the test is set up to detect varies more than 10 fold depending on just the choice of the lab. It can be so sensitive that it will detect it in everyone (even when it is not there). Seriously. A problem. Or it can be so INsensitive it will only detect it at the time it is taken (oral swab). Mostly, it will detect that drug within 5 days of the last dose. if it was 8 days ago then it is a bit unlikely to be seen. If it was 6 days after 200 mg a day then it is likely to be found (at a low level).

And, it is very bad to take tramadol not under close supervision. It is dangerous. And it is a sign of problems with drugs taking drugs that are not prescribed, lying about it, being evasive...etc, but you realize that.
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Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar
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Answered by
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Dr. Dr. Matt Wachsman

Addiction Medicine Specialist

Practicing since :1985

Answered : 4214 Questions

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How Long Do Opiates Stay In Your System?

Brief Answer: five days is a standard number. Detailed Answer: There's a huge amount of variables you cannot take into account that may cause variations in this number. There's the concentration of the drug in the blood. This changes with the amount (one is a small number 400 mg is a somewhat large number). the size of the person. Then there is how fast it gets out. Mostly this is on the basis of the pill. Some are made to be sticky. Oxycontin is oxycodone stuck into wax. It dissolves much slower. Muscle or joint injections can take weeks. A drug that is given every 8 hrs gets out fast. This may change if the person has NO FUNCTIONING LIVER or if the liver is heavily gummed up by drugs that prevent it from working. If you do not have known serious liver disease and are not on other medicines this is not an issue. Then it depends mainly on how much you are looking for. The level of drug that the test is set up to detect varies more than 10 fold depending on just the choice of the lab. It can be so sensitive that it will detect it in everyone (even when it is not there). Seriously. A problem. Or it can be so INsensitive it will only detect it at the time it is taken (oral swab). Mostly, it will detect that drug within 5 days of the last dose. if it was 8 days ago then it is a bit unlikely to be seen. If it was 6 days after 200 mg a day then it is likely to be found (at a low level). And, it is very bad to take tramadol not under close supervision. It is dangerous. And it is a sign of problems with drugs taking drugs that are not prescribed, lying about it, being evasive...etc, but you realize that.