That’s why fentanyl test strips and harm reduction strategies are so vital. While these portrayals can bring attention to the devastating impact of the opioid crisis, they can also contribute to the stigma and dehumanization of those struggling with substance abuse. Visible signs like the fentanyl fold can serve as critical warnings for first responders, friends, or passersby who may have the chance to act before tragedy strikes. The fold itself is a symptom, but what’s happening underneath—slowed breathing, reduced oxygen to the brain, and potential seizures—can cause lasting neurological damage. Repeated hypoxic episodes may lead to memory loss, impaired coordination, mood disorders, or reduced cognitive ability.
Respiratory Depression
This is the story of many fentanyl users who become dependent on and develop a tolerance to opioids without realizing it until they are unable to get them. As they continue to seek a solution for their pain, fentanyl often fills the gap as a cheaper, easier-to-obtain alternative, leading to a cycle of addiction that supersedes most everything else in their life. Fentanyl is typically administered intravenously (IV), intramuscularly (IM), transdermally (TD) as skin patches, intranasally (IN) in the form of a volatile nasal spray, and intrathecally (IT).
What Is The “Fent Fold” Or “Fentanyl Lean”?
He graduated from South College with his Master’s in Physician Assistant studies in 2015. Sahil has utilized his experience by treating patients in both civilian and military settings. He is a Captain in the Army Reserves and has 15 years of military service. His focus is on helping people who suffer from multiple issues, such as schizophrenia, mood disorders, substance abuse, PTSD, anxiety, depression, OCD, and ADHD. Sahil drug addiction enjoys taking time and listening to better understand what his patients are experiencing.
Why Fentanyl Is So Dangerous
Yes, the fentanyl fold is a visible sign of an opioid overdose in progress. While this position might appear like someone is simply asleep or unconscious, it’s typically the result of the central nervous system being severely depressed. Fentanyl is a potent prescription medication you’ve probably heard about, or tried. It is a fast-acting, synthetic opiate that depresses the central nervous system and respiratory function.
Risks of Nodding Off & Fentanyl Folding
But cracking down on one drug has led to the rise of another before, including in the case of fentanyl itself. And it’s possible the apparent increase in nitazenes across the country happening at the same time fentanyl’s presence is waning marks the beginning of a similar trend—though it may take years to establish, if it ever does. Skypoint Recovery offers personalized treatment programs led by experienced professionals who understand your journey. We’ll help you build the foundation for lasting recovery through evidence-based care tailored to your needs.
“We have to eliminate people for example on Medicaid who are not eligible to be there, able-bodied workers, for example, young men, who should never be on the program at all,” Johnson said. “It’s enormously important to recognize the gains that have been made.” By all accounts, the increasing—and likely underrepresented—presence of nitazenes in the U.S. does not come close to rivaling the fentanyl trade at this point. “It is possible that if fentanyl decreases that nitazenes could increase, but that doesn’t have to necessarily be the case,” he tells TIME. That transition process happens gradually, however, and the U.S.’s detection infrastructure—as well as the ways nitazenes are moving within the country’s drug market—make it difficult to document.
Administration
As you progress through treatment, we https://ecosoberhouse.com/article/what-is-the-fentanyl-fold/ will adjust your plan to align with your changing needs. Some people display a rocking, wobbling motion as they attempt to regain balance. During a fentanyl high, your brain is flooded with dopamine while your central nervous system slows down.
Naloxone/naltrexone are robust opioid antagonists that function by blocking µ-receptors. The FDA has approved these antidote medications for emergency treatment of patients with known or suspected opioid overdose experiencing respiratory and/or central nervous system (CNS) depression. Common routes of naloxone administration include IV, IM, IN, or subcutaneous (SC).
- As we walk through neighborhoods across America, we see the impact of fentanyl, but we also see resilience and hope.
- That is, in combination with certain neuroleptic medications as part of therapeutic neuroleptanalgesia.
- These people were prescribed opioids like oxycodone and hydrocodone for legitimate pain and turned to fentanyl when they could no longer obtain their prescriptions.
- Even if they appear “just high,” the risk of overdose is real and urgent.
Similarly, when using fentanyl citrate injection in conjunction with CYP3A4 inducer medications or stopping the CYP3A4 inhibitors, an undesirable reduction in fentanyl plasma concentrations may occur, thereby decreasing its systemic efficacy. The use of fentanyl citrate injection with CYP3A4 inducers or stopping the CYP3A4 inhibitor will require close and repetitive monitoring of the patient. Fentanyl is hepatically metabolized via the CYP450 enzyme system, specifically CYP3A4.