Fentanyl Can I Just Go Cold Turkey When Quitting (Page 6) (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.

REPLY

REPORT

Who is helping you do this I'm in the same position who will help me detox ?

REPLY

Was this helpful? 0

Go from 100mcg to 75- then 50- then 25 then 12.5 untill it falls off this will take at least 6 weeks

REPLY

Was this helpful? 0

You should be slowly decreased every visit. 75mcg, then 50mcg then 25mcg. To be cut off all at once is dangerous.

REPLY

Was this helpful? 0

I never thought I would consider this but here I am.. LOL I think I want to stop fentanyl. I have gained 50 pounds in the past 7 months and two weeks ago suffered a cortisol crash upon implementation of Cardio work out....through much research and digging I found out that Extended release opiates are what is causing the weight gain, lethargy, thyroid problems and adrenal insufficiency. The solution is to quit any extended release and add regular oxycodone. No doctor will go for that. The pounds will fall off along with other medical issues (they will stop) apparently, the naloxone and other substances that prevent abuse of opiates destroy your adrenal glands, or the proper functioning of them! Ok so since I have gone without patch for 5 days while also being out of oxy, and withdrawal was absent I am hoping that I won't experience it at all. I do have a fresh bottle of oxy and am still wearing my patch from 4 days ago. If I just leave it on and let every drop seep into me, then won't it also leave my body slow enough to forgo withdrawal?

REPLY

Was this helpful? 0

I'm in process of trying that. After finding out that my weight gain is due to opiate induced adrenal insufficiency I am trying to lower or quit patch. I'm only on 50 every 48 hrs. I was doing good with keeping it on for bout 5 days, going without one till my tummy got flustered then putting another one on. I have two boxes stashed! Umm of course my oxy use was higher so now that I'm out of pills early, I'm having hard time going less than 72hrs with one. I think I will ask doc to drop me to 25 but dang, before all this started I was also cheeking old ones before tossing them. I wish I could be put back on OxyContin. Oxycodone has no adverse effects on adrenals. Good luck to you

REPLY

Was this helpful? 0

I had a rx for alprazolam 1 mg with 3 refills on it. Does expire in 60 or 90 days?

REPLY

Was this helpful? 0

I went cold turkey from the Fentanyl 100 mcg. It was like being in a coma. Slept through it all with from what I remember was lots of shaking & no eating. I was at 277 the day I pulled off the patch & within 9 days I was at 235, a loss of 42 pounds. It was 10 years on that patch but it became a Prior Approval drug and my Pain Mgmt dr ignored all calls from my Mail in Pharmacy so I had no choice and the funny thing was that 4 days after the previous 9 I went in for Ankle surgery with 2 pins in leg & lots of pain. I have every drug known to man but always got abdominal pain from Hydro or Oxy (codone) (vicodin & Percocet) I still have about 50 10 APAP 660 which they don't make the 660 anymore as that's the Tylenol which now causes Liver damage so it's lowered to APAP 325. Write me back if u have any questions.

REPLY

Was this helpful? 0

I've been one every 72 hrs fentanyl 50mcg patches for over a year, it doesn't do me anything. If anything I find that my other meds work better when in the period between the time it takes a day or 2 before withdrawals set. I take somas, klonopin, perc 10s. My back is messed up. Btw L1 - L5 I have 2 Degerenative discs, 3 bulging discs, and arthritis caked on every level of my vertebrae. If anyone could refer me to a pain management doc in the lake Charles area so I could get a full mri of my entire back it would be great to get away from my family doc.. Any suggestions? I have the MRI of my lumbar..

REPLY

Was this helpful? 0

That worked the best for me the first time I got off fentanyl. Is to wear the patch as long as possible and start using smaller pieces. And you should really see your doctor. They in all reality can't force you to go cold turkey. I just got my patches earlier today. Came off a five day withdrawal. No sleep, no eating and the last two days was to weak to even shower. So if anyone out there is going through it. Please go to the er. I know I didn't. I'm lucky to be alive. But a couple of days into my withdrawals, I was asking God to take me. So anyone that gets so bad you can't eat or drink. Please get help. If you won't do that, keep something like Gatorade beside you at all times. And force yourself to take tiny sips. And I know it feels impossible but try to eat at least crackers. I'm just now starting to feel better. And please know that you can get through this. All of my care and feelings go out to all that are suffering.

REPLY

Was this helpful? 0

Please don't ever be ashamed about your addiction. And all doctors are different. Need to find one that understands the hell your going through. Keep fighting

REPLY

Was this helpful? 0

Im on fentanyl 100 mg and oxycodone 30 mg 6 a day and patches 1 every 2 days im a stroke pashent and without this im in severe pain would love to get off it cause my husband dont understand why im on it he feels i should get use to the pain and stop this cold turky but im afraid i tryed once and was in so muchbpain i couldent even walk it was like being pairalised again i dont now what to do cause i dont whant to go though that again was pairlaized neck down when i got most back from therpey the oain was to much what to do

REPLY

Was this helpful? 0

It is never safe or advisable to go off medication cold turkey. No doctor should suggest this method. You need to slowly decrease the amount of Fentanyl you are taking. Many doctors would give another prescription to help with the withdrawal symptoms. Please do not go off this medication cold turkey. You will have many unpleasant reactions and could have seizures. Your first responsibility is to your children. If your doctor does not have a plan for you, get a new doctor and turn him in because he deserves to lose his license. He took an oath to do no harm. Please tell me what happens. I will be praying for you and your family.

REPLY

Was this helpful? 0

Talk to ur doc about stopping fentanyl ( I was able to go cold turkey but I was the acception to the rule ) ur doc can take u off fentanyl by stepping up down and i hear stepping down is the safest way ( after I went cold turkey my doc wanted to kill me i didn't know that I could have had a stroke from it but I like I said I was the acception to the rule , because I didn't have any withdrawal symptoms just slightl headache and that was it ) but unless ur mentally strong enough don't try cold turkey

REPLY

Was this helpful? 0

Bridget if I was u ( my doctor told me this after I went cold turkey off fentanyl ) ask him get u tramadol ( tramadol is a non habit forming drug unless u take to much for to long ) then something for anxiety and a good sleeping pills. Do they try cold turkey of ly a very few can do that . Ur doc will help u just ask

REPLY

Was this helpful? 0

I'm on two 100mcg patches now for 8 plus years, and honestly want to get off them but my doctor says it's a bad idea because of all my neck, back and knee surgeries.... I saw a doctor a few yrs ago and he prescribed suboxone and told me to take it when I couldn't stand withdrawl anymore. WELL, what I thought was withdrawl wasn't I guess and I took the suboxone and took more every 45 mins if withdrawl didn't seem to getter easier, and it got worse. In fact I started punching walls scaring my wife and kids, and then my body just started to tremor, leg started flopping out of control and was rushed to hospital and the e.r doctor was a b****, she left me flopping on the stretcher like a fish out of water then started giving me s*** about an hour later. I asked for Neurontin, and she sat at bottom of my bed taunting me with the pill, til my mom finally told her we were going to report her for leaving me suffering like this. The doctor didn't read my file and labeled me as a junkie, instead of someone who almost lost their life in an industrial accident over 10 years ago and was under doctor care with all my medications! My reasoning for even attempting to go off fentanyl, oxycodone and morphine was because I was tired of popping pills, and the patches would be falling off due to profuse sweating all the time. Anyway long story short doctors and some friends I know who stopped their meds said the Neurontin helps with the withdrawal. Idk if this is true or not, but I guess my main question is I want to get off these meds badly, and suboxone scares the crap out of me because it put me into acute withdrawl and almost killed me, and as I said b4 my doctor doesn't want me to stop taking and neither do 2 other doctors I've seen, but I want to know where my pain level is, and I can't find that out if I'm on all this medication. So I really need help on how to wean myself off these meds. What makes it so hard I think is its like I have an endless supply of meds at my disposal at any time and out of habit "bad habit I may say" it's like I'm popping like pez. HELP ME SOMEONE. I'M AT MY WITS END AND JUST WANNA BE MEDICATION FREE AND NOT IN WITHDRAWAL SEVERELY. A friend of mine said that Subutex would work. Is that in the same family as Suboxone? Thx in advance if anyone can help me!!! {edited for privacy}

REPLY

Was this helpful? 0

With the kids and the responsibilities that come along with that. By no means should you go cold turkey. And you need to make sure your doctor understands that. Not trying to scare you, Fentanyl withdrawal is bad. Both physically and mentally. Stay hydrated is one of the main things. Make sure that if you start to feel you are at the point you can't tolerate the withdrawals, that you contact your doctor as soon as possible. I will be rooting for you.

REPLY

Was this helpful? 0

The Wife and I were in a bad motorcycle accident, They re attached her Leg took the muscles from her stomach to rebuild them. for 6 years now she has been on the fentanyl patches , we weaned her off the Oxy's after the 1st year. and now shes on norco 10's and the 50 mg fentanyl patch. since it is next to impossible to find a pharmacy that will dispense them she want's to get off of them, She hasn't had a patch on for 12 days. How long can we expect the withdraws to last from the fentanyl patches. and when this is done. would that be a good time to try and get her off the Norcos?. We can't find Pain Management doctors around here.

REPLY

Was this helpful? 0

Ray you can get off fentanyl cold turkey but it helps if you can contact a doctor to give you tramadol (i went cold turkey but didn't have any problems) and after I did I told my doctor, that's when he told me I should have told him I wanted off as he would have put me on tramadol for pain and withdrawal symptoms and would have gave me something for the anxiety. He told me that, that is what he gives all his patients for fentanyl withdrawal and it works.

REPLY

Was this helpful? 0

You are an amazing person for even trying this. I started taking fentanyl recreationally, not good, then I couldn't get it anymore so I went to illicit drugs. I took fentanyl for 8 years and then illicit drugs for 3. It was Hell. I had to change my life. I'm 48 with 4 kids and 8 grandbabys, so I put myself in a methadone clinc. Methadone clinics got a bad rep from people who don't know about fentanyl. It can kill u really quick. Don't risk it. I took metadone for two years. I started at 25mg and worked up to the withdrawals, quit, got to 110 for one year, that's what they recommend. Then I started to go down in my mgs slooowly. Don't hurry it or your life you r dealing with here. I'm glad to say it took two years and I finished my treatment in two weeks. I hope this is helpful. I feel great. Good luck. Prayers and wishes go out to u. You can do this. It's not easy at first but it gets better every day.

REPLY

Was this helpful? 0

Definitely can not go cold turkey esp with fentanyl I tried it twice and ended up in hospital going thru acute withdrawl

REPLY

Was this helpful? 0

Guys, I've been on about 1-2 mg of Suboxone a day for about 2 years. Since the dosage is so low, is it possible to q...

1 REPLY

So, this is my situation. I was on Fentanyl 75, and oxycodone 15 for breakthrough pain.my pain stems from a bad back whi...

6 REPLIES

I Have been on these pill a year. I. Weigh 206-210. Now, I am at 229, very disgusting. I am going to quit taking them to...

1 REPLY

I have run out of my prescription for Atorvastatin and had decided to start eating healthier and excercising. Unfortunat...

1 REPLY

Hello all! I first posted on here about 5 days ago. I said I'd be back to give you guys an update to how I was feeli...

3 REPLIES

I have been on norco 10-325 for 5 years and take 2 to 5 per day. What would be a good schedule to us to taper off and qu...

1 REPLY

My doctor told me last Thursday a UA came back with low values of meds in my system. I only ever used the meds as prescr...

6 REPLIES

Seven years of back pain with long history of muscle relaxant and more recently oxycodone and lorazepam. Docs finally di...

15 REPLIES

Have taken my Prescriptions to Walgreens called walmart and Cvs and not only do they not carry the dose they wont fill t...

7 REPLIES

Can I stop taking clor con 10 cold turkey if my potassium level is now normal? My kidneys are not functioning up to par ...

2 REPLIES