How Long Does Meth Stay in Your System?
Table of Contents
What is Meth?
Effects of Methamphetamine in Your System
There are several effects that methamphetamines have on the body and mind. Some short-term meth side effects are as follows:2Alertness
Energetic
Agitation
Aggression
Increased sex drive
Extremely talkative
Rapid/shallow breathing
Rapid heart rate
Breathing issues
Heart damage
Arrhythmia
High blood pressure
Seizures
Dilated eyes
Chest pains
Confusion, Paranoia, and Agitation
Stomach pain
Slow or quick heartbeat
Sexually aggressive behavior
Huge risk of depression, paranoia, and anxiety
Troubles feeling pleasure
Major health problems
Heart disease
Methamphetamine Statistics
According to the NIDA, around 1.6 million people are using methamphetamines in the previous year, with 774,000 of them used within the past month. In addition, in 2017, almost a million people over the age of 12 were struggling with methamphetamine use disorder.3
Over the past few years, abuse of psychostimulants like methamphetamines has led to over 10,000 overdose deaths in 2017 alone. To put that in perspective, there were only 547 in 1999 and 1,378 in 2007. However, methamphetamine use has dropped from 68/100,000 people to 49/100,000 people from 2005 to 2015.3
How Long is Methamphetamine in your system?
It takes around 4 days for methamphetamines to leave the body. Around half the drug will leave the body within the first ten hours. Meth symptoms can last anywhere between six to twelve hours. 4
Meth symptoms also depend on how the drug enters a person’s system. When a person consumes meth orally, they will see peak symptoms around 2-4 hours in. However, if an individual decides to snort, smoke, or inject methamphetamines, they could see symptoms within a few minutes.4
Detecting Meth in Drug Tests
There are several reasons why someone would need to take a drug test. It might be required by a company, a school, or for mandatory testing. There are several types of test someone could do, including:
Urine
One way people detect meth is through a urine test. The person being tested will urinate into the cup. Then, they will take it to be tested inside of a lab.5 Meth can show up in your urine well after you have taken it. Normally, it lasts between one to four days for a single use. However, heavy use of methamphetamines can stay in your system for up to a week.6
Blood
Blood tests can be used alongside urine tests or on their own. They will simply draw some blood and test it in a lab. Normally, meth stays inside of a person’s bloodstream one to three days after the last time a person used it.6
Saliva
Another form of testing is through saliva tests. A doctor might swab your mouth or ask you to spit into a tube. They will then test the sample. Methamphetamines are still detectable in saliva one to four days after use.6
Hair
Hair testing is not as reliable as the other forms of testing, but it is popular because it can go back much further in time. In this test, they will take a sample of hair and test it. Methamphetamines are detectable in your system for up to 90 days after the last time you used the drug.6
False Positive Testing
Sadly, no drug test is perfect. There is a chance that a person has a false positive test. This result normally happens when they are on a different medication. To avoid false positives, make sure you disclose all medications you have taken recently to a doctor before testing. Some of the medications that can lead to false positives are:6
- Antidepressants
- Metformin
- Ephedra
- OTC medications
- Trandate
- Ritalin
Factors That Affect Meth Detection Time
The period it takes to detect methamphetamines depends on several factors. The timetable could vary based on several factors.
Low functioning livers or kidneys could cause methamphetamines to be processed slower, leading to it staying in your system for longer. If someone is struggling with meth use disorder, it will take an extended time for meth to completely leave the system.6
Even though the effects are quicker, injecting methamphetamines leads to it staying in the body much longer compared to swallowing and digesting it. In addition, mixing methamphetamines with other substances like Adderall could extend the amount of time it stays in the body.
Finally, having a high metabolism can lead to quicker processing of meth when compared to people with a slow metabolism. Therefore, someone who is more physically active, younger, and healthier might get meth out of their system faster than someone else.6
The Dangers of Meth Use
Meth Overdose
Thousands of people die every year due to meth overdose. If you or a loved one is showing signs of meth overdose, seek medical attention right away. It is possible to overdose the first time someone uses meth. A person can also overdose due to buildup in the body. Many times, people overdose by accident. Some symptoms of meth overdose include:- Breathing issues
- Signs of a heart attack
- Signs of a stroke
- Extreme chest and stomach pains
- Confusion
- Higher body temperatures
- Abnormal blood pressure
- Losing consciousness
- Hyperaggressive behavior
- Mental health issues such as paranoia
- Seizures
- Intense and more rapid side effects of meth use
Meth Withdrawal
There are several withdrawal symptoms, including:
- A sudden increase in appetite
- Feeling agitated
- Weariness and fatigue
- Troubles sleeping
- Excessive sweating
- Hallucinations and paranoia
- Confusion
- Nausea
- Suicidal thoughts
- Tremors
- Struggles with motivation
- Red and itchy eyes
- Dehydration
- Other mental health issues
Meth Rehab Options
Meth Detox
One of the first steps of addiction treatment is detox. Most doctors recommend a medically assisted detox that would be followed by therapy.7 The amount of medical intervention needed will depend on the severity of the addiction.
Treatment Options
Another treatment option is to go through cognitive behavioral therapy, a form of therapy that focuses on changing behaviors to stop unhealthy habits and patterns in a person’s life.7 Normally, the therapist will help the patient learn different ways to cope with stress. CBT is best when done alongside a medical detox.
Meth stays in the system well after use, and it can cause major issues, including overdose. If you or a loved one are struggling with meth use disorder, please reach out to a medical professional right away. They have resources that can help.
Resources
- https://www.drugabuse.gov/publications/research-reports/methamphetamine/what-methamphetamine
- https://www.webmd.com/connect-to-care/addiction-treatment-recovery/methamphetamine/little-known-meth-use-side-effects
- https://www.drugabuse.gov/publications/research-reports/methamphetamine/what-scope-methamphetamine-misuse-in-united-states
- https://drugpolicy.org/drug-facts/how-long-meth-stays-in-system
- https://www.urmc.rochester.edu/encyclopedia/content.aspx?contenttypeid=167&contentid=amphetamine_urine_screen
- https://www.urmc.rochester.edu/encyclopedia/content.aspx?contenttypeid=167&contentid=amphetamine_urine_screen
- https://www.webmd.com/connect-to-care/addiction-treatment-recovery/treatments-for-meth-addiction
