Fentanyl Can I Just Go Cold Turkey When Quitting (Page 3) (Top voted first)

My doctor has had me on the 100 fentanyl patch for 1 year now. He is going to take me off it. Can you just stop taking it with out side effects or withdrawals. Please tell me the proper way to get off this patch. Please help me, I have the doctor appointment tomorrow and want to know what to say. So far it sounds like his plan is just to take me off cold turkey. I am scared of withdrawals. I am a mom of 5 kids and need to be ok. Please help.

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Firstly, I am a Nurse Practitioner so I know of what I speak, and I'm sorry. Tendon and ligament damage with fibromyalgia and you're on that high a dose of fentanyl?! I'm sorry, but BOOHOO. Buck up for your child like I did for my 3! I had cancer while pregnant with our third child and was in labor for 15 weeks in the hospital. Of course they shut off my meds to let him be born..at 28 weeks. But he held on till 37 and was completely healthy. I was left with 5 permanent vertebral fractures (compression fractures from osteoporosis caused by my cancer tx.) The prolonged labor led to a necessary hysterectomy with cystocele and rectocele repair during which they found more primary CA, not Mets. A later surgery was botched and I now have an ileostomy plus permanent nerve damage causing neuropathic pain making it almost impossible to sit. Hell yes I was on drugs. But I also busted my ass to get stronger through PT. And yep, I was on drugs and tried a Neurostimulator...to no avail. I went to Mayo for help in 2009 and learned that I was mostly unfixable and have a rare Neuro that shuts down all the systems we can't control. And of course there's no cure, only symptomatic. They wanted me to try a program of theirs for pain at least. So off I went through a month long program at Mayo teaching people like us how to live and getting us off of our drugs. Nope. I got off them but couldn't get out of bed. (Also didn't help that two of my new friends committed suicide within a month of the program.) Seven years after the botched surgery and 5 after the program i was in a horrible car accident. I unbuckled to protect my child who was in the front seat, knowing I'd never live with my child being hurt even if the damn accident wasn't my fault. Thank God, he was fine. I, however, spent three months in the hospital, my entire blood volume replaced, legs and hips rebuilt, learning to walk again, having more surgeries unrelated to the accident. (Hmm, I know I mentioned the Neuro disorder, did I already mention the Lupus and Fibromyalgia?)

I hurt every day. I have steroid inj's. for my back, hips and knees. I was on drugs for 8 years and DID NOT want to let them go. Give it a try, find a good doc. I'm sorry for being a b****, but you need it. Get the fear out of your head--- you can get off. 250mcg fentanyl, 20mg Oxy, all gone for me.

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You poor thing. We are going through basically the same thing. My Husband lost his job and his Insurance ended on 7/31/2012. I can pick up Ins. where I work but more than likely it won't be in effect until 9/1 or even 10/1. Most of my meds are filled as well except I'll be withdrawing off Ambien and 100mcg of Fentanyl until my Ins. takes effect. I am VERY worried about this as well and I have a job where withdrawing would GREATLY interfere with it and with my Husband not working right now I cant afford to take off in order to go into the Hospital to detox. The only thing I can tell you is I'm sorry, It SUCKS big time!! and go on line and such Ins. for pre existing conditions and see what type of ins. is available to you by state or federal the only thing about that is it's expensive as Hell!! I guess I'm gonna call my Pain Dr. tomorrow to see what they suggest. I wish you very much luck. :)

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What dose are you currently taking and are the doctors still prescribing the fentanyl to you? Hopefully they are and I can tell u how I came off it by myself due to doctors not giving a damn to help

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Hey there, just thought I'd write see how your doing?

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Hello everyone I am on day 5 going cold turkey. Getting off of a one year usage of fentanyl. Someone may have posted it but I want to know how long this lasts? I cant sleep maybe an hour a night if longer than that its out of pure exhaustion, concentrate, my whole body feals like something is crawling under my skin(worst feeling ever) I have the worst anxiety I have ever experienced in my life. I have stopped smoking drinking and all other recreational drug use. This is worse than all of them. Thx for any suggestions and help

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Minus you should never have gone cold turkey.. That's why your having the bad side effects.. You are suppose to do it slowly,, you need to ask your doctor and maybe give you something .. I went off fentanyl after 9 years and took two months to withdraw without getting totally sick,, it can be very dangerous, at least ask a pharmacist what you should do at this time..

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How long were you on the patch for? I have been on the patch for 4 months I wan I want off I am terrified of being sick I'm going to I am terrified of being sick I'm going to run out of my medication please tell me what it's been like for you I have to very young beautiful c I have to very young beautiful children need me so much

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Lamb is right definitely try to at least do some stretching exercises and drink tons of water, the other helpful advise I can give is to take vitamin D (5000 IUD) it sounds like a lot but it is known to not only boost your mood & energy but to help with pain per my dr. Cymbalta is a anti-depressant but per the FDA it is also used to treat fibromyalgia type pain and is non-narcotic and very helpful during withdrawals. I was on 350mcg every 48 hours for 11 or 12 years and am completely off it now(my story & what I went through trying to get off it is the 1st post in the forum) it was horrible to try and get off. I have been off the fentanyl sense this summer and what a world of difference. I am down to 25 mg of oxy a day and then I will be narcotic free! I do still have some withdrawal type symptoms even after all this time but life is much better. Keep your chin up and listen to all of the good advice of people on this site, sometimes just knowing your not alone in this is half of the battle. Don't be afraid of reaching out.

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1 fent patch every 48 hours --- im looking to come off but need to cross over to another long term medicine and then in the future after next oporation taper down --

now the patches available do not work well with my skin ---- the 2 manufactures that make the ones that work on me stopped manucturing december 10th ?>?? uh ohhh

any ideas or suggestions on a long term med gd to switch to ?
thk u my friends

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How are you getting on skippy long time no hear :/

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My dr just discharged me because last month my pain was so bad I put on an extra patch to get it under control it was concidered a breach of the narcotic contract so she wont see me. I have a new dr. on board but wont scrib meds till she reads my chart, im scared but cold turkey may be only choice I have one patch left its gel so I cant cut it.

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Drinking The correct Tea helps more better than any over the counter drug for RLS

I have Chronic Pancreatpitus I have had to jump from one medication to another for 3 plus years now.

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I have been on fentanyl for 13years i am tired of it, i decided to quit cold turkey 4 days ago the first 2 was the worst but now i am starting to feel better except the back pain and burning in stomache am i through the worst or will it get harder..

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If your dr says go cold turkey go see another dr. They need to phase you down from 100 to 75 to50 to 25 to even 12.5. I forgot to change my 75, which I take every other day for 5 days and i was soooo sick. Even my own pain dr says that it needs to be gradually taken away. Good for you though that they want to take you off. I am on for the long haul. My best wishes to you through this process and for the new year.

Sincerely,
Suzanne

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I have been on fentanyl patches for 10 years before that they gave me fentanyl pops 1200 mg 10x day. My insurance wouldn't pay for them so I went on patched 3-100 mg patches every 48 hours. My husband could lose his job any day. I need to get rid of this. I can't remember things horrible constipAtion high blood pressure sweat like crazy all the time I shake. Need help now

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I so agree with Pamela! It sounds like my life exactly! I don't even recognize myself anymore & I have 5 kids that I can't even be a proper mother too. After having 2 neck surgeries & a fusion on my C5, 6 & 7 I was in unbearable pain & had to be hospitalized for 10 days after being released from the hospital just for the doc to figure how to control the pain. They gave me the fentanyl patch, oxy, dilauded, Percocet & soma. Now that my surgeon is releasing me he's referred me to a pain clinic! I've been to 2 pain clinics & neither will take me because because I'm on lethal doses! Are you serious?! They say I need to go to an in house treatment center! I have 5 kids as a single mom & there's no way so I'm going cold turkey on all narcs. I have no memory, no life, no ability to mother my children & absolutely no desire to leave my bedroom so what's to loose? It's been a week of hell so far. Vomiting , nausea, no sleep, restless legs, panic attacks & SEVERE depression! I have all the narcs to take but I refuse because there's no way in hell I'm EVER doing this again! I can deal with the physical stuff but the depression is another very scary story. No meds help. Please send prayers as I will do for all of you!

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Hi there it sounds to me like you are one of the best mothers I know, I've also had to come off narcs and it's not easy! I'm still struggling to find my way, four kids who love and depend on me, all I can say is keep it up the withdrawals will subside you have to realise that you are a very strong person to be doing what you are doing. My doc was kind enough to give me methadone to help with the withdrawals and it helps a lot, perhaps you could try this also as the whole process to do properly may take months so you need to be strong. I'd suggest the methadone to help ok so go to your doc asap. My doc is taking the dose down .5 mlg per month so that's how slow it should be to come off safely and without too much depression, I still get panic attacks almost daily but they do go eventually I'm sure. Our kids need us and that's why we continue this fight. I so wish I was never prescribed fentanyl etc i was sore but happier without it. Good luck and my prayers are with you xo

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This is my 1st post ever, anywhere. I am trying to get off Fentanyl as well. Been on 100 mcg's (48 hrs) for several years now and I'm sick and tired of taking the patch. I have DDD, two failed rotator cuff surgeries as well as an elbow surgery (pain). The shoulder and back pain is the worst. I'm 52 years old, worked a steady job with Ma Bell as a lineman 25 years and wore my body out. Three weeks ago I started cutting my Mylan brand 100 mcgh patches in half. So far so good. I did notice that I started taking more of the Dilauid I'm rx'ed for breakthrough pain. My plan is to keep cutting the patches in half till I'm at 12.5 and jump off this crazy train. I want my life back. My wife and kids need there husband and father back. I have been reading what others have wrote and I see MANY similar stories like mine. I desperately want to lift this fog I am in, I want to be happy once again. Does this sound like a workable solution? I figure two weeks between cutting the dose to the next lower level ought to work (I think?). I just am worried that I will start taking the Dilauid to replace the fent? Any advice will be most welcome. Thanks for listening. Tom in Idaho.

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Thank you so much for the information you have giving me. Last year the tried to bring me down last year . The insurance company cut me off completely. My husband bought those out of our pockets and huge mess trying to get them back. There so stupid, they don't understand what I'm doing. I think I'm going to a pain doctor , they should know how to handle the insurance company. I'm going to try again at the end of the month. Than you so much I thought I have been the only one going thru this.

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John could you please tell me what to do or what to read to get off fentanyl?

I've been on fentanyl patch 100 an 25 every 48 hours for about five or six years. Not even sure how long. I have morphine also but do not take as many as prescribed. I have COPD and am afraid I'll stop breathing during withdrawal . Can you hp me figure out what to read at least? I'm 48 year old and need off this crap! Have a new grand baby and want a life at least some even though it will be painful I need and want to be alive and also have parents to take care of in a near future sure. Thanks

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