Can You Die From Opioid Withdrawal?

Yes, it’s possible to die from opioid withdrawal, though it’s quite rare. [1]

Opioid withdrawal tends to consist of flu-like symptoms, like nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, fever, and body aches. [1] And while these symptoms can be extremely distressing, unlike alcohol and benzodiazepine withdrawal, these opioid withdrawal symptoms don’t tend to be life-threatening on their own. 

However, complications due to excessive diarrhea and vomiting—such as dehydration and elevated sodium levels—can lead to heart failure and be potentially fatal. Several deaths due to opioid withdrawal have been reported, all of which occurred during incarceration.[1]Even if you are not at risk of experiencing life-threatening opioid withdrawal, you should still seek medical detox services, which can mitigate withdrawal symptoms and cravings and ensure your comfort and safety throughout the detox process.

What Withdrawal Can You Die From?

Symptoms of Opioid Withdrawal 

Experts classify opioid withdrawal as a life-threatening condition caused by opioid dependence.[3] When you’ve used opioids like heroin, fentanyl, OxyContin, tramadol, morphine or Percocet and become accustomed to them, you can develop painful withdrawal symptoms within hours after your last dose. 

Early opioid withdrawal symptoms include the following:[4]

• Aching muscles 
• Anxiety 
• Insomnia 
• Runny nose 
• Sweating 

Without treatment, opioid withdrawal symptoms can worsen and progress. In later stages, you can develop the following symptoms:[4]

• Diarrhea
• Goosebumps 
• Nausea
• Vomiting

Late-stage opioid withdrawal symptoms can last for days and be extremely distressing and uncomfortable. Without professional detox care, these symptoms can lead to dangers like severe dehydration.

Which Opioid Withdrawal Symptoms Are the Most Dangerous?

Opioid withdrawal symptoms like aching muscles and goosebumps can be uncomfortable but not necessarily dangerous. However, problems like vomiting and diarrhea are much more serious. 

Experts say persistent vomiting and diarrhea, if left untreated, will result in life-threatening medical conditions such as:[1],[4]

• Extreme dehydration
• Hypernatraemia (dangerously high sodium levels)
• Heart failure
• Aspiration (breathing vomit into the lungs), leading to lung infection

Again, reports of fatal opioid withdrawal have mostly occurred in jail settings. No organizations track how many people die due to opioid withdrawal in jail, but reporters uncovered 20 lawsuits filed between 2014 and 2016 due to opioid withdrawal-related deaths.[2] 

Three Major Causes of Opioid Withdrawal Fatalities

People with underlying health conditions, such as coronary artery disease, congestive heart failure, epilepsy, insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus, or liver failure, are at higher risk of death from opioid withdrawal.[5] But even healthy people can die during the opioid withdrawal process if they don’t receive adequate treatment. 

The following three medical conditions are responsible for most opioid withdrawal fatalities: 

1. Dehydration

Your body needs fluids to maintain proper organ function. Everything from your heart to your lungs to your kidneys needs plenty of fluid. If you experience multiple episodes of diarrhea and vomiting, you may have too little fluids to keep your body working properly. 

People can become dehydrated due to other factors, such as sun exposure or kidney failure. But vomiting and diarrhea can lead to dehydration very quickly. 

Doctors consider severe dehydration a life-threatening emergency.[6] They can use needles to add fluids to patients, even if they’re vomiting. With this kind of treatment, people can recover. 

2. High Blood Sodium

Sodium is an electrolyte that supports electrical signaling from cell to cell. If you’re dehydrated, your body may not have enough fluid to carry sodium from place to place or out of your body. Your sodium levels can rise, leading to very severe neurological problems.[7] 

Doctors use fluids to correct these sorts of imbalances. They can provide those fluids intravenously, so you don’t vomit them up. Fluids that go right into your bloodstream are working at the source, correcting sodium imbalances. 

3. Heart Failure

The heart relies on both fluids and sodium. Without the right balance, the heart can begin to beat erratically. Sometimes, it stops beating altogether.

Heart failure is a medical emergency that can lead to death in minutes. Rehydration can correct imbalances, but some people have heart muscle damage that requires close monitoring and medications. 

Deaths From Opioid Withdrawal Are Preventable

While opioid withdrawal can cause death, proper treatment in the form of medical detox can make a huge difference. Every severe consequence of withdrawal can be treated by medical professionals in hospitals and clinics. 

Doctors say less than 1% of people in withdrawal in jail get detoxification and treatment.[8] Experts know this number is too low and are working to ensure more people get the treatment they need. 

But if you’re not in jail, you have the choice to get help when you need it. Visit an emergency room when mild opioid withdrawal signs begin so you can be hospitalized and receive interventions, such as:

• Opioid withdrawal medications like methadone or buprenorphine
• Intravenous fluids
• Nutritional therapy
• Symptomatic medications for fever, body aches, nausea, or diarrhea
• Detox counseling
• Case management and wrap-around services

If you didn’t get help with withdrawal and you develop severe dehydration and diarrhea, go to an emergency room immediately. Medications, fluid therapy and close observation could help to save your life. 

Post-Withdrawal Treatment

After you recover from opioid withdrawal and achieve medical stabilization, you need treatment for opioid use disorder. Medication for Addiction Treatment (MAT) programs combine medication like Suboxone and therapy to correct chemical imbalances and help you live a sober life. 

In a program like this, such as our online Suboxone clinic at Bicycle Health, you’ll identify issues that led you to misuse opioids, and you’ll develop a plan to deal with relapse triggers. You’ll build a support network that promotes your recovery, and you’ll get on a path to a better future.