The length of time that crystal meth stays in your system depends largely on three factors:
- the dosage
- the metabolism
- the regularity of use
Just as the high the user gets varies from person to person (from a few hours to 24 hours), so the length of time it takes for the dosage to leave the system differs from person to person. It usually takes around ten hours for half the dosage to be flushed from the system, so whereas a moderate user might be completely clean within 2-5 days, it might take up to 10 days for crystal meth to leave the systems of heavier, longer-term users.
- Ways Around Meth In The System
Certainly, random drug testing would be likely to detect crystal meth in the system, because even in the case of moderate use, the last meth-use would have to be at least 48 hours before the test. Such odds have led to the availability of fake or substitute clean urine, though obviously such products are of dubious legality.
The detoxification of crystal meth users is difficult, because crystal meth is a stimulant that affects the pleasure centers of the brain, with the result that detox by its very nature makes the user intensely miserable, and result in anxiety, agitation, insomnia and, of course, intense cravings for the drug. Ironically, detox is usually sought as an escape from the compulsive need that develops for the drug in the meth-user. That said, many people who detox from crystal meth take as little as a week to ten days to get completely clean of the drug. Withdrawal symptoms can continue for several days after a completed detox, and users are very likely to retain intense cravings and other emotional issues arising from their addiction for a significant length of time after they are technically clean of crystal meth.
