How Long Can Opioids Be Detected In Your System?

Opioids are pain-blocking medications that also create a sense of euphoria and have a high risk of abuse.

Depending on the particular opioid and test used, these drugs can be detected for a few hours (blood testing) or up to 90 days (hair testing).

Average Opioid Drug Test Detection Times

In general, drug detection times vary for every type of drug, including opioids and opiates. Read on to see the specific times for each type of opioid drug.

Codeine Detection Times

Codeine is used for mild pain relief and as a cough suppressant. It can be found in many forms of cold medicine and has a half-life between 2.5 hours and 3 hours.

Codeine detection times are:

• blood test: 12 hours
• hair test: 90 days
• saliva test: 4 days
• urine test: 3 days

Demerol (Meperidine) Detection Times

Demerol has a half-life of 2 to 5 hours. The half-life of a drug is how long it takes for half of it to be removed from your system.

Demerol (Meperidine) detection times range from:

• blood test: 24 hours
• hair test: 90 days
• saliva test: 48 hours
• urine test: 96 hours

Dilaudid (Hydromorphone) Detection Times

This drug is 8 to 120 times more potent than morphine. It is only prescribed if other pain medications are not an option.

Dilaudid (Hydromorphone) can be detected for the following times:

• blood test: 2 days
• hair test: 90 days
• saliva test: 4 days
• urine test: 2 to 4 days

Fentanyl Detection Times

Fentanyl is a synthetic opioid, meaning that it is not naturally occurring. Because of this, it does not break down into the same metabolites as other opioids.

It has a half-life of 5 to 15 hours and will last in your system anywhere from 25 to 75 hours.

The detection times for fentanyl include:

• blood test: 2 days
• hair test: 90 days
• urine test: 8 to 72 hours (up to 96 hours at strongest concentrations)

Gabapentin Detection Times

This is a fast-acting opioid with a short half-life of 5 to 7 hours. It takes 1 to 2 days to leave your system and has an average detection time of 2 to 4 days.

Gabapentin detection times include:

• blood test: 5 hours or up to 2 days
• hair test: up to 90 days
• urine test: up to 3 days

Heroin Detection Times

Heroin has a short half-life of only 30 minutes.

Heroin detection times include the following:

• blood test: 3 days
• hair test: 90 days
• saliva test: 2 days
• urine test: 2 days

Hydrocodone Detection Times

This medication works by blocking pain signals to the brain. It is an extended-release medication that is used for long-term chronic pain management.

Hydrocodone detection times:

• blood test: 1 day (extended-release may last longer)
• hair test: 90 days
• saliva test: 12 to 36 hours
• urine test: 4 days

Methadone Detection Times

Methadone’s half-life is much longer than other opioids — anywhere from 8 to 200 hours. This means it can take 40 to 1,000 hours to leave your system.

Methadone can be detected in your system for the following periods:

• blood test: 3 to 4 days
• hair test: 90 days
• saliva test: 10 days
• urine test: 14 days

Morphine Detection Times

Morphine is a pain reliever that may stay in the body longer if the person taking it has serious health problems.

For immediate release forms of this drug, it has a half-life of 1.5 hours to 4 hours. It is no longer in your system after 7.5 to 20 hours.

The extended-release form has a half-life of 2 to 4 hours. It leaves your system after 8 to 72 hours.

Morphine is detectable for the following times:

• blood test: 12 hours
• hair test: 90 days
• saliva test: 4 days
• urine test: 3 days

Opium Detection Times

Opium is the naturally occurring byproduct of the poppy plant. It is a strong painkiller and produces euphoric effects.

Opium detection times include:

• blood test: 1 day
• hair test: 90 days
• saliva test: 36 hours
• urine test: 3 days

Oxycodone Detection Times

The half-life of this drug is 3.2 to 5.6 hours. However, the second half of the drug takes longer to excrete from the body. Thus, full elimination often requires longer than other types of opioids.

Oxycodone detection times range from:

• blood test: 24 hours
• hair test: 90 days
• saliva test: 4 days
• urine test: up to 3 days

Oxymorphone (Opana) Detection Times

Immediate-release forms of this drug have a half-life of 7 to 9 hours, whereas extended-release forms have a half-life of 9 to 11 hours.

Detection times for oxymorphone (Opana):

• blood test: 1 day
• hair test: 90 days
• saliva test: 2 days
• urine test: up to 3 days

Percocet Detection Times

Percocet has a half-life of 3.5 hours. If used frequently or at high dosages, it can remain in a person’s system for longer.

Percocet detection times:

• blood test: 1 day
• hair test: 90 days
• saliva test: 1 to 3 days
• urine test: 3 to 4 days

Suboxone Detection Times

This prescription drug is a combination of buprenorphine and naloxone. It is often used in medication-assisted treatment (MAT) for opioid addiction.

Suboxone detection times:

• blood test: 2 days
• hair test: 90 days
• saliva test: 72 hours
• urine test: 6 days

Tramadol (Ultram) Detection Times

Tramadol’s half-life is about 6 hours. It is prescribed to relieve moderate to severe pain.

Tramadol (Ultram) detection times are:

• blood test: a few hours
• hair test: 90 days
• saliva test: 48 hours
• urine test: 3 days

Types Of Opioid Testing

Toxicology screenings for drugs come in many forms. While opioids can stay in your system for 7.5 to 60 hours on average, detection times can be much longer.

In general, detection times for opioid testing are:

• blood testing: less than a day
• hair testing: up to 90 days
• saliva testing: 1 to 1.5 days
• urine testing: 2 to 3 days

Factors that can affect drug metabolism time include:

• physical health
• diet and exercise habits
• fluid intake
• age
• weight
• gender

False-positive results are uncommon but can occur. Consuming certain foods, such as poppy seeds, may result in a false positive for opioid testing, as opium comes from the poppy plant.

Why Opioid Drug Testing Might Occur

There are many reasons to conduct drug testing.

Some of the most common reasons for drug testing are:

• part of the pre-employment process, or periodically to maintain employment
• after a workplace accident
• parole requirements
• part of court proceedings (civil or criminal)
• part of treatment services at a rehab center
• the request of primary care provider or other medical professional
• the request of a loved one

Find Opioid Addiction Services Near You

Our addiction services are available to anyone who needs them. Spring Hill Recovery Center provides many levels of care for addiction, as well as opioid-specific treatment programs.

Find opioid addiction treatment to start living life sober. Call us today to get started.