Title: Features and overview

Context:
Short-term oral medications can be utilized to assist with managing the withdrawal symptoms, especially when prescribing fast tapers. Do not treat withdrawal symptoms with an opioid or benzodiazepine. Withdrawal symptoms are not life-threatening and may not be seen with a gradual taper. Early symptoms take hours to days to appear. Early symptoms include anxiety/restlessness, rapid short respirations, runny nose, tearing eyes, sweating, insomnia, and dilated reactive pupils. Late symptoms take days to weeks to appear. Late symptoms include runny nose, tearing eyes, rapid breathing, yawning, tremor, diffuse muscle spasms/aches, piloerection, nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea, abdominal pain, fever, chills, increased white blood cells if sudden withdrawal. Prolonged symptoms take weeks to months to appear. Prolonged symptoms include irritability, fatigue, bradycardia, decreased body temperature, craving, insomnia. Early symptoms generally resolve 5 to 10 days following opioid dose reduction/cessation but may take longer depending on the half-life of the opioid (e.g., methadone). Some symptoms of withdrawal such as dysphoria, insomnia and prolonged craving may take longer. Patients with chronic pain may find that symptoms, such as fatigue, mental functioning, pain, and well-being, improve over time.

Question: How long does it take for late withdrawal symptoms to appear?

Answer: days to weeks