If you are arranging medical detox for the first time—for yourself or for someone you care about—you are probably trying to plan real life. How many days should I take off? Who will handle work, children or pets? When can I reasonably expect to function again?
For Detox Concierge, most alcohol-detox programs are planned for five days. Opioid detox may require seven to ten days. Ambien, kratom and more complicated circumstances are reviewed individually.
Those are care-planning periods—not promises that every symptom will disappear on a particular day or that a substance will no longer be detectable in the body. Dr. Jonathan Reitman determines the medical plan, and the patient’s response during detox may support continuing or adjusting it.
Call (310) 484-4803 at any hour. The care team can explain the process, cost and how much time the patient should initially reserve.
Which Timeline Are You Asking About?
Three different timelines are often called “detox,” but they do not begin or end together:
- How long alcohol, a drug, medication or metabolite remains detectable. This concerns testing and depends on the substance, type of test and pattern of use. It is not the same as the time required for medical detox.
- How long withdrawal symptoms continue. Symptoms can begin, peak and ease at different times. Some may continue after the most medically active period has passed.
- How long supervised detox care is planned. This is the period during which the nurse remains onsite, administers prescribed medication, monitors the patient and communicates with Dr. Reitman.
A substance can become undetectable before the patient feels well, or symptoms can continue after continuous detox nursing is no longer required. The treatment plan is based on the patient’s medical needs—not on a testing calendar.
“Substances” Includes More Than Street Drugs
Detox Concierge evaluates adult cases involving:
- alcohol;
- opioids, including fentanyl, heroin and prescription pain medication;
- prescription sleep medication, including Ambien; and
- kratom.
Being prescribed a medication does not answer how long a change or discontinuation will take. Dr. Reitman reviews what the patient is taking, how it is being used and what symptoms or risks are present before recommending a plan. Inclusion on this list does not mean every case receives the same treatment or can be managed at home.
Why Two People May Need Different Amounts of Time
Dr. Reitman considers:
- the substance or combination of substances involved;
- the amount, frequency, duration and most recent use;
- prescriptions and other substances that may affect withdrawal or medication;
- prior withdrawal, seizures, falls, confusion or emergency treatment;
- current medical and psychiatric conditions; and
- what the onsite nurse observes after treatment begins.
A prior detox provides useful history, but it does not guarantee that the body will respond the same way again. The first estimate is a planning tool. The nurse’s observations allow Dr. Reitman to make decisions based on the patient who is actually receiving care.
The Schedule Is a Medical Plan, Not a Website Table
- Call the care team. The telephone is answered 24 hours a day. The first conversation covers the immediate situation, location, availability, cost and intake.
- Complete the intake and physician consultation. Dr. Reitman ordinarily consults with the patient by phone and develops the medical orders.
- The nurse obtains the medication and comes to the patient. Care can usually begin within 24 hours of the first call, depending on the circumstances, location, nurse availability and access to the ordered medication.
- The nurse remains onsite. The nurse administers and accounts for prescribed medication, monitors the patient continuously and keeps Dr. Reitman informed.
- The plan responds to the patient. Dr. Reitman remains available on call to the nurse. If the patient needs a different schedule or level of care, the plan changes accordingly.
“They were very responsive and communicative about the process and laid out how the program works prior to agreeing to treatment.”
How Much Time Should You Protect?
Reserve the full expected care period before starting. Do not assume that feeling better early means the remaining nursing time is unnecessary or that the patient can immediately resume a demanding schedule.
For a five-day alcohol-detox plan, one practical arrangement is to take Friday off, use the weekend for the middle of the detox, and plan to work remotely on Monday and Tuesday only if the patient’s condition and job permit. There is no additional charge for starting or continuing care over a weekend.
Medication, poor sleep, weakness and the withdrawal itself may affect concentration, judgment, balance and stamina. When medically appropriate, the medication schedule may be adjusted to reduce avoidable daytime sedation, but the page cannot promise that every patient will be able to work during detox.
Arrange childcare, pet care, meals, transportation and essential household responsibilities for the entire planned period. It is easier to release unused time than to find emergency coverage after treatment has begun.
“I feel 100% better than I did 8 days ago and could not have done it without them.”
Completing Detox Does Not Mean Every Effect Is Gone
Completion means the agreed period of acute physician-directed care and continuous onsite nursing has ended. Sleep, appetite, energy, mood or other symptoms may take additional time to settle.
Detox Concierge does not require the patient to enter rehab, attend AA or adopt a particular recovery program afterward. The patient may discuss medical or practical next steps and decide what happens next.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is this page only about illicit drugs?
No. It includes alcohol, opioids—including fentanyl and prescription pain medication—Ambien and kratom. The plan and duration are individualized.
How long does alcohol detox at home take?
Most Detox Concierge alcohol-detox programs are planned for five days. Some patients need longer care.
How long does opioid detox at home take?
Opioid detox may require seven to ten days. The opioid involved, recent use, other substances and the patient’s response can change the plan.
What should a first-time caller have ready?
Do not delay the call to assemble perfect records. If available, be ready to describe what the patient has been using, the most recent use, current prescriptions, major health conditions, prior withdrawal or seizures, current symptoms and where care is needed.
Does a previous detox determine how long this one will take?
No. Prior experience is useful medical history, but Dr. Reitman reviews the current circumstances and the nurse reports how the patient responds this time.
Can I keep working during detox?
Do not assume that you can. Some patients may handle limited remote work as their condition permits. Others need the entire period free from work. Safety and the patient’s response come first.
Does insurance cover the service?
Detox Concierge is private-pay and does not bill or accept insurance. The care team quotes one all-inclusive charge for the agreed standard services, including travel. Documentation can be provided for independent submission, but reimbursement is determined by the insurer.
Call (310) 484-4803 at any hour to ask how much time to reserve, what the service costs and how quickly care can begin.
Medical Sources
1. Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, *Detoxification and Substance Abuse Treatment*, TIP 45 — official SAMHSA PDF. Used as background for distinguishing evaluation, stabilization and withdrawal management from a simplistic drug-elimination timeline.
2. American Society of Addiction Medicine, *National Practice Guideline for the Treatment of Opioid Use Disorder: 2020 Focused Update* — official ASAM guideline. The guideline distinguishes short- and long-acting opioid withdrawal patterns and supports individualized assessment rather than one general opioid timeline.
3. American Society of Addiction Medicine, *Clinical Practice Guideline on Alcohol Withdrawal Management* — official ASAM guideline page. Used for the general proposition that withdrawal management requires individualized assessment and monitoring.