ReVIDA® Recovery Addresses Fentanyl Combinations

Johnson City, TN - ReVIDA® Recovery addresses concerns surrounding fentanyl being cut with substances in Appalachian communities. Dealers mix fentanyl with other drugs to save money, increase the effect, and stretch out their inventory. It is 50-100 times stronger than any other opioid, so the chance of overdose is high. Dealers do not have to inform their customers that fentanyl has been added, so people might not know that they are taking fentanyl in the first place.

“Fentanyl is a synthetic (man-made in a lab) opioid that’s FDA-approved for the treatment of severe pain. Doctors will prescribe this medication for short periods to manage post-surgical pain, but it isn’t a medication that’s prescribed for the long term. Anyone who takes fentanyl for long periods risks forming a physical and mental dependency on it,” the article states.

When fentanyl is taken under a doctor’s guidance, it can be in forms such as nasal sprays, transdermal patches, and sublingual tablets. However, fentanyl is also taken illegally. This can be a pill or powder that people might inject into themselves. Dealers will mix fentanyl with other substances, which will make those substances dangerous.

Dealers might mix fentanyl with heroin, cocaine, or benzodiazepines. They might even mix it with things that seem harmless at first glance. These include sugar, caffeine, aspirin, starch, and baby powder. Even these objects can be dangerous when in combination with fentanyl and other substances. For example, caffeine can hide symptoms of an overdose, increase anxiety, magnify the side effects of fentanyl, and increase heart rate.

The biggest danger of consuming fentanyl combined with other substances is that it increases the chances of overdose. Some signs of an overdose include gurgling noises, blue lips, a rigid or limp body, pale skin, and sweating.

Since dealers are not required to inform their customers that the products they are illegally selling contain fentanyl, it is near impossible for people to know if they are encountering fentanyl. The best way to know if there is a possibility that the substance someone is consuming has fentanyl is through the use of fentanyl test strips.

“If you live in the Tennessee area, the Department of Mental Health and Substance Abuse Services offers fentanyl test strips free of charge. Most states (including Tennessee) also have a Good Samaritan Law in place, which means if you or someone you love needs medical help because you’ve taken too much fentanyl (or you’ve taken fentanyl cut with something else), you won’t be prosecuted,” the article continues.

Not consuming illegally-obtained substances is the best way to avoid encountering fentanyl, but this is not always an easy task for some individuals. Often, those already consuming illegally-obtained substances have a hard time leaving their substances behind because of the impact of withdrawal symptoms. Withdrawal symptoms are how the body removes a substance it has become used to. The good news is that recovery is still possible no matter how impossible it might feel for that person.

ReVIDA® Recovery offers outpatient rehab services in a safe and supportive environment. They have specialists and licensed therapists ready to help those with a substance use disorder reclaim their lives. They can do this by providing services that help with finding a job, applying for aid, CPS, and housing services. They also have several locations in Tennessee and Virginia so that people can get help nearby.

For more information about ReVIDA® Recovery and their services, visit their website or call them at 423-631-0432.