Can One Have Withdrawal Symptoms 2 Weeks After Getting Off Fentanyl (Top voted first)

I was on 25mcg Fentanyl patches for about 2 months. I went down to 12mcgs to wean myself. After the 12s ran out, I was extremely sick for about 4 days. It's now been 2 weeks since the sickness of withdrawal, but every now and then, I have weird symptoms like nausea, rapid heart beat, jitteriness, insomnia, that last usually a few hours then go away. Is it possible that I am still feeling the effects of the Fentanyl withdrawal?

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I was on 20-40mg daily of methadone for about 8 yrs. for severe arthritis in my entire spine(had surg. for herniated discs)--Then my Dr. died suddenly and my new Dr. sent me to a pain management Clinic (I have excellent insurance)--they said they did not believe in methadone and put me on 30mg of morphine every 12 hrs.--with the morphine the pain was horrible because it didn't touch the pain--then they put me on 25mg patch every 3 days which was worse--after 1month they put me on 25mg patch & a 12mg patch--I have been going thru a living hell for the past 7 months---extreme pain, restless leg, no sleep, drenching sweats at night, cold during the day, nausea, headaches, blurry vision and no energy--I can do none of the things I did 8 months ago--this is no way for a person to live when you know there are meds that can be taken to help but when you try to find other DRs they think you are just looking for drugs and most are unwilling to take you as a patient when they know you are already going to a pain clinic. The quality of my life is almost o--It is a sin when we live in country where we pay taxes and pay high insurance premiums, try to be law abiding citizens and cannot get the help we need from legit Drs because some of them don't believe in what your previous Dr. had you on and was working there were no ill effects. Drug addicts go to the streets and obtain what they need but we law-abiding citizens cannot get help legally. What is the problem?????

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In reading other sites it can take between 14 to 28 days to be rid of all symptoms from fentanyl
Cheers Wayne

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Hello, Husky! How are you feeling?

Yes, they can linger for quite awhile and, just like you've experienced, they tend to taper off in severity. Things should steadily continue to improve.

However, if they don't, or if they start to get worse, please be sure to contact your doctor. This is a very potent narcotic, so you do have to be very cautious.

Learn more Fentanyl details here.

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yep, but things will only get better. Stay drug free if you can, you will not regret it.

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Can somebody tell me what i can take to help me with these awful withdrawals?

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Hi. I'm Mike.
Been on fentanyl and oxycodone since 2005. Haven't abused but was on high dose and experienced many ugly side effects. Working with Dr to discontinue both. In the last few .months have reduced fentanyl from 200 mg x 48 hrs to 25 mg x 48 hrs. and 120 oxycodone daily to 45 mg. Quickest reduction has occurred in last two months. Please tell me if extreme lethargy, weakness, anxiety and ranced sweats can be from withdrawal? Thankyou

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Definitely. I took Fentanyl for 7 years and every withdrawal I tried failed because of the amount of time it took. But I was shooting 100MU/day. I finally moved to Suboxone (the switch was hell - I had to go through 10 days of withdrawal and even then I needed 48mg/day of Suboxone - I eventually tapered down to 18mg from which I'm withdrawing now. But that's another story. Good luck - you seem to have passed the worst. Whatever you do, don't get back on Fentanyl - it's hard to withdraw from - worse, it's difficult to find people who're selling them in enough quantities - so you'll be forced to go through constant withdrawals as I did the last few years. In fact, all of my 5 weeks of vacation and some were spent on withdrawal each of these years.

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Posters Duragesic withdrawal is horrific; you MUST be able to titrate slowly and even a 25 mcg/hour drop makes you horribly sick. If you are a patient on management YOU must have a physician willing to work with you.

Due to changes in regulations in California where I've gone due to my severe conditions (I am Central Pain Syndrome it has gone to my brain so it can kill) and have been on Duragesic since 2000 BUT am without PM now since end of March and took the insurer to court but without medication put aside I'd be dead.

Pre surgery back in 2002 I wanted to lower and was on much less back then; I did 25 mcg/hour giving a week for each drop. Will not work you will be so sick, and so miserable whatever sanity you have left will not get you through.

An opiate addict can kick physically in 3 to 4 days.

25 mcg/hour a week reduction is too much for most pain patients. Day 3 is horrible on your first reduction; day 10 is 100 x worse than 3 so if you have cut another 25 mcg/hour you are reconsidering this drop. If you have a good and humane physician who understands the steps of this drug and reduction it is best to never go down greater then 25 mcg/hour and give that 4 weeks and drop another 25 mcg/hour. For those who only have upper strengths you do whatever it takes.

Replacing the fentanyl with another opioid won't work. This drug is recognized by your brain receptors and it is impossible to massage that endorphin starved brain replacing the decreased fentanyl with morphine, oxycodone etc.

To the last poster give me some more information I'm concerned you dropped to nothing without a titration. I am a professional nurse and would suggest since so many physicians are taking the FDA mandate on 120 mg. morphine equivalent throwing patients out on high dosages rather then working them down and keeping them that you get your GP to admit you to a hospital.

You can suffer a MI or CVA from too rapid titration or going cold off this medication.

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Yes, it's normal, the heart stuff is not fun and can be dangerous. Talk to your Dr. It can take months till you sleep and feel right. Be patient. When I stop about the time I fall asleep, I get bad tremors in the leg/arms, heart racing, crazy vivid nightmares. Wait it out & pound the water...your head will clear then you realize you can feel normal again. Never had an issue with PM till the flood of suppliers from who knows where came out. Side effects are worse than the help. Even knocking down to 1 tramadol a day can ease withdrawals and help with pain. Cold turkey can be risky. Good luck.

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