It sounds like the beginning of a horror movie: a pill, not even more than five dollars, 100 times stronger and more deadly than morphine. Unfortunately, this isn’t the plot of a movie. It’s real life and real danger.
The so-called ‘super pill’ is a drug that’s made its way into the street drug scene. It’s sold to people because it’s cheap to produce and get a hold of. But sales of this drug aren’t just cruel. They’re deadly.
If you know anyone who struggles with using street drugs or are just someone who likes to be cautious, it’s important that you understand the super pill. After all, not knowing could cost you or a loved one their life.
Here, we’re going to tell you what the super pill is and what it does. That way, you’ll know the signs as well as what to avoid, and you’ll be able to get anyone who may have fallen prey to it the help they need.
What is the Super Pill?
Before you can find out what the effects of taking the super pill are, you need to understand what it is. Here, we’re going to talk about what the super pill is made from as well as what it looks like. This information should make identifying the super pill much easier.
What Does It Do?
The super pill is a combination of two prescription medications. Alone and prescribed correctly, these medications can treat symptoms in those with mental or physical illness. But when mixed and given to someone who doesn’t have an appropriate prescription, this combination can have deadly effects.
Specifically, the super pill is a combination of the anti-anxiety medication Xanax and Fentanyl, which is a powerful anti-pain medication. When they aren’t prescribed to those who need them, Xanax is a narcotic, and Fentanyl is an opioid.
There’s never any reason for such drugs to be mixed, especially when an overdose in either one alone can be harmful. Yet those on the streets are mixing them, leading to disastrous consequences.
How Does It Work?
Fentanyl itself is a drug that has proven time and time again to be deadly. Xanax, when someone overdoses on it, can lead to coma and death. But together, they can each magnify the side effects of the other one.
The Fentanyl in the super pill ends up magnifying the effects of the Xanax. It makes the drug 50 times more powerful than Heroin, so even a tiny dose the size of three grains of sand can be deadly.
It affects the body very quickly, so it’s really difficult to reverse. Narcan, a drug used to help Heroin abusers, can slow the process of an overdose on the super pill, but since the drug is so fast-acting it’s unlikely that this will be of any use.
What Does It Look Like?
The super pill looks exactly like a normal Xanax pill. It has the same size, shape, and color. In fact, some super pills even have the Xanax label on them, making it nearly impossible to tell them apart.
This means that those who already have issues with Xanax abuse are vulnerable to getting hold of the super pill. Most people who die because of using the super pill are looking to purchase Xanax illegally.
Once the pill is bought, the addict can’t tell the difference between the super pill, a drug that they probably aren’t even thinking about, and the Xanax that they want and assume they bought.
Short-Term Effects
If someone is lucky enough to survive a run-in with a super pill, all sorts of short-term side effects are bound to pop up shortly after the pill is taken. These are all ways that loved ones can spot the fact that a super pill has been taken and know when to get help.
Look out for the following symptoms in yourself or a loved one that has used or abused Xanax.
Bad Dreams
Because of the mixture of prescription drugs and the way that they work on the brain, someone who has survived an encounter with the super pill is bound to have nightmares. Hopefully, someone lives with the abuser and can spot these dreams. If not, though, there are still ways you can look into this symptom.
If you find that someone close to you has been sleeping more poorly than usual or is often tired in a strange way, you should be asking questions. Offer support and listen when they talk.
See if the person you suspect has taken a dose of the super pill has been having frequent nightmares. If this is the case encourage them to seek medical help, especially if they’ve abused Xanax in the past.
If you find yourself or a loved one having symptoms like bad dreams, there’s still hope. Our drug detox programs offer a lot of benefits and help for those who need it desperately.
Hallucinations
Another scary psychological effect of a run-in with the super pill are hallucinations. Hallucinations can come in all sorts of shapes and sizes. Someone experiencing them can have visual or verbal hallucinations. This can make it difficult to identify the signs.
If you notice someone frequently telling stories of things that clearly didn’t happen, this is a sign that they might be hallucinating. This is especially the case if the person isn’t someone you know to usually tell tall tales.
Another thing to note is whether or not someone seems more paranoid than normal. This is totally natural if the person feels watched or has been seeing things that aren’t there.
Nausea and Vomiting
A short-term physical effect of an encounter with the super pill is nausea. The combination of drugs in the addict’s system can make them feel dizzy and nauseous.
If someone you know to use street drugs is nauseous, this is, of course, not necessarily a sign of the super pill. After all, a huge number of street drugs are known to cause vomiting. Still, if the person’s drug problem is making them sick, it’s probably time to stage an intervention anyway.
If you notice vomiting in addition to other symptoms on this list, and they seem more severe than usual in someone who takes Xanax, consider having a talk with them about the super pill. A trip to the ER might be in order.
Restricted Breathing
A ‘short term’ side effect that could quickly turn deadly is restricted breathing. After the fake Xanax pill slows down the abuser’s bodily functions, they may find breathing extremely difficult.
This is especially dangerous after taking the super pill because the person’s entire respiratory and circulatory systems are functioning slowly. That’s why it’s more important than ever for the drug user to get air into their lungs.
Of course, if you or anyone else has a fit of restricted breathing for ANY reason, call an ambulance. No matter what’s happening, it’s important to get the person oxygen and help breathing become normal again. Only a trained professional can do this properly.
Long-Term Effects
The sad fact of the matter is that when the super pill is used, the user probably won’t live long enough to have any of the above effects happen. The pill works so quickly that it’s probable that they will not make it.
After all, regular Xanax can have extreme side effects. With Fentanyl making its effects faster and more deadly, there’s no limit to the long term harms the super pill can make happen.
To avoid a tragedy, make sure to be informed and to keep those you love in the know about the disastrous long-term effects that fake Xanax can carry.
Sedation and Coma
The first thing that the super pill will probably do is to put the user in a coma. In its pure form, Xanax is a mild sedative. That’s what makes it such an effective anti-anxiety drug for those it’s actually prescribed to.
For those it isn’t prescribed to- those who buy it illegally- it can cause sedation and coma if overdosed on. But in the super pill, an overdose doesn’t even need to happen in order for the user to be put into a severe coma they may never wake up from.
This is yet another effect of the Fentanyl speeding up the effects of the Xanax. The user will be sedated very quickly after even the smallest of doses. If you find someone in your life who uses drugs in a coma, definitely ask the doctor to look into their blood for traces of Fentanyl as well as Xanax.
One silver lining is that if the user is in a coma, they aren’t dead yet. This means that they may be able to be given Narcan, the Heroin cure that sometimes works on the super pill. So while things aren’t all good, all hope is not yet lost, either.
Slowed Heart Rate
One disastrous side effect that the super pill has that can lead to coma or death is a slowed heart rate. Again, because Xanax is a sedative, it’s going to slow down every one of the bodily processes.
Usually, when someone’s heart rate slows, this is a sign that they might be undergoing sedation. People’s heart rates drop when they’re sleeping, after all, or when they’re relaxed. A slowed heart rate is a sign that someone is losing consciousness.
This is actually a reason that a lot of people take Xanax, whether prescribed it or not. For those who actually need it as a medication, Xanax lowers anxiety by slowing the bodily processes.
For those who take it illegally, they like the depressant aspect of the drug for similar reasons that alcoholics like the depressant aspect of drinking.
Especially because restricted breathing often happens with the use of the super pill, having a slowed heart rate can spell extreme harm for the person who’s used the drug. Be alert and check for the slowing of someone’s heart rate when you see that they’re struggling with breathing and vice versa.
Death
Clearly, the super pill is really deadly. Usually, death will come sooner rather than later, but it’s ultimately the aftermath of all the other side effects discussed above. After all, people don’t die without first falling unconscious.
Of course, steps need to be taken to prevent yourself or a Xanax-using loved one from taking the super pill and meeting the grim reaper. Make sure that you’re knowledgeable about the drug.
Also, even though it’s going to be awkward, it’s important to have a talk with anyone in your life that you suspect has used street drugs in the past. It’s important that they know about the super pill. Not knowing could cost them their life.
Use Caution and Your Brain
We aren’t going to lie to you: the super pill is scary. Terrifying, even. But luckily, there are ways to identify not only the drug but also signs of its abuse in others.
Now that you know these signs, hopefully, you feel a lot safer. After all, the first step to keeping safe is being in the know, and you have that understanding now. Make sure to keep an eye out for these tiny and deceptive killers and you’ll be fine.
Now that you know all about the super pill, check out our services to get yourself or a loved one help with drug addiction. We offer a variety of services to get patients back on their feet after a struggle with street drug abuse.
Stay safe and alert!