Fentanyl Patch Withdrawal Symptoms (Top voted first)

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I have been on the 100 mg patch and Percocet for my Crohns and Colitis for years. Last week I went cold turkey on my own recognizance. I had my 2nd colostomy surgery which elevated my pain mostly, hence quitting. I am having insomnia and terrible joint pain but never had I been more clairvoyant in years. I take Advil for my back and work out 4 days a week which helps sweat the toxins out. Exercise releases natural endorphins which are like a synthetic morphine so my specialist says. Its up to each individual to face their own truth. When you're ready to quit, you know. I wouldn't advise you to do what I did but that's always been my personality. I quit smoking this way as well. Its not for everyone. Good luck all. After the storm comes the sunshine, TRUST ME!

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11

I was on Fentanyl Patches 100mg for over a yr. for 3 herniated disc, mid and low back pain, genetic hemochromatosis and endometrioses. I also suffer from PTSD. I never would have used Fentanyl if I knew how strong it was. I did all PT they asked me too, no surgery and weaned myself off the patches after having radial ablation surgery on my mid back hernias. I went so slow weaning off even then my Dr. thought I did it too fast. I was cutting my flat patches down lil by lil. I went down 10mgs a time then in the end jumped off at 5mgs. I still had withdrawals. After 48hrs I had the absolutely worst night ever. Sneezing, shaking, internal vibrations, uncontrollable freezing and then burning and hives so bad I thought my eyeballs were itching out of my head. My Dr. explained to expect this & I am very determined and stubborn & the patches took away my life that I desperately wanted back. I had No energy whatsoever even quit my job. I pushed past the 48hrs & Dr. gave me Klonapin for anxiety and a low dose of Percocet 4xs day for pain. I am soo much better & soo proud of myself. My husband held me through it all & even wanted me to put another low dose patch on. I just kept saying my mantra " I can do all things thru Christ who strengthens me," he said it with me and prayed for me. I never even tried drugs in High School so I prefer if I can go the PT and exercise route with B-12 and nutrition if at all possible this will work for me.

Thank God I had these patches when I needed them. I couldn't even lie down with mid thoracic and lower back pain so bad for two yrs. WE bought a temperoedic mattress (a Godsend for me) an electric blanket and slept with a heating pad on low with icy hot on me.Also started 20mg 1x daily with Prozac which helped me tremendously with the back pain for the better! :} God Bless you all you can do anything you put your mind too if you want it bad enough!. I used oral Benadryl and hydrocortisone crème 1% for the hives and itching that at times you couldn't even see a rash but woke me up at night and drove me to the edge of insanity. Swimming also helped in the latter part of PT. Hope this helps even one person then my pain will have been pain with a purpose! Much Love and Healing to all!! :} Everyone's journey is different and this is just my experience and is what worked for me! Best of Luck!!

JR. I will be glad to answer any questions and support you in any way that I can. e-mail below! :} {edited for privacy}

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4

Yes I can say kudos, however my story is a little different, I live in a small town very small !!!, My sons car was stolen and my 100mcg patches were in the car, I had some norco and other meds in the car when it was stolen, I took some old methadone and i also had an old rx for morphine I my doc decided to test me and guess what, she stripped me from my meds, and I have a bad degenerative disc disease, I want back on my patches and no other doc in town will take me on as a patient I am not ready to stop my pain meds and really need help to get another doc to help me with this, I thought doctors signed an oath to do no harm, well I am harmed if anyone has any advise please help me.., I am suposed to write a letter to my doc asking her to take me back on as a patient, and sign a new contract but i cannot even get her to call me back, I really need help now very uncomfortable and that might be because I was not ready to get off of the meds. thank you painful in Janesville.

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5

Hi, I know what you are going though, having been admitted as an emergency to hospital was put on morphine liquid fo a fortnight,then I came home on Fentanyl patches, I decided to come off them as they made me feel so spaced out,BIG mistake i have had sweats,cannot sleep get intensely hot throw off all bedding then get cold then hot again,I get weepy for the silliest things,legs ache,BUT I am determined to do it been off them for 5 days now and cannot say its any easier but am trying to be upbeat and think in another 5 days I should be possibly there,my DOc was no help so had to do it alone,so be brave all of you it can be done just believe in your own inner strength.

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7

Omg how u must be suffering....go to your Dr..tell them to give u a duff med to wean off or to use permanatley, I feel your pain !!
The withdrawal that you suffer is much worse than the pain although then you have both to deal with which is quite unbearable, I see why some people just take their lives!!

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8

Im off morphine completely and utterly all withdrawal symptoms have gone and I feel normal again took me good month before I felt I was winning so all of you who want to get off morphine patches etc be brave you'll get there in the end.

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20

The doctor ought to be sharply condemned for doing that to you. You filed a report when the vehicle was stolen? That ought to be enough.
Some doctors go on huge power trips, and you need a new doctor. One that judgmental and rigid ought not to be allowed to practice medicine. Going without those medication could have done real damage to you..............I am too disgusted for words. I have doctors in my own family, and if one acted like yours...........I don't know what I would say.... You need a new doctor. If worse comes to worse, contact one who will listen to you........You don't need such a judgmental jerk in your life.....I have too many related to me, and if they acted like that, I would have a lot to say to them.................Good luck to you. Take care and let us all know how it works out for you.

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21

I'm glad you're still with us. Cold turkey w such meds can be deadly.

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3

Hi . This is really unheard of. Kudos to you. Is there anything else u used to help.


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12

Hi, I would like to talk to you about your Crohn's & use of pain medication! I've had Crohn's for @ 15 yrs & usually can tolerate the pain or combat it w hydrocodone, but lately it's been unbearable & I've gone to fentanyl patches. My Dr's aren't very willing to prescribe narcotics for it, which leaves me in a great deal of pain & unable to function/work/enjoy my kids etc. Any advice? I'm getting sooo frustrated with dr's not understanding that I need relief!!

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15

I just stop 175 mg every 2days.have been on pain meds for 13 years,all of them, and have had enough!! (great job)

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18

I am taking fentanyl for chronic back pain. now my doctor has passed on and I'm having a hard time being able to make it two appointments due to the withdrawal. I cannot find another doctor soon enough in order to refill my script. what should I do?

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19

Report the doctor fist to your insurance as they always follow up. This is occurring too often and patients are just taking it, as if doctors words are gods. No one should ever go cold turkey or seizures can happen let alone the sickness that follows. All should taper slowly. I'm down to 4 mcg and will be off soon and still have withdrawal symptoms. Opiates fray our nervous system, so the nerves take time to heal also. Dr's should give calming agents to those who are weaning. If no Dr's to help, essential oils, homeopathic and herbal calmer is best. Accupuncture helps also as they can be specific to your needs.

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22

I need some relief from coming off of 100mg fentanyl patches. The withdrawals are terrible and I can't stand it

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23

Posters, do NOT ever go off Duragesic or Methadone cold turkey.

You run high risk for MI or CVA (myocardial infarction or heart attack and stroke), not to mention you will suffer mentally and physically in ways you will (if you live through without damage) you will never forgive or forget...

Day 3 you wish you were dead and day 10 is 100 x worse.

I've been on this medication for over 15 years and I cut back in 2002 by 25 mcg/hour (7 to 10 days I planned per cut back) and I crawled and wanted to die. Back then I was on lower dosages and more of a time spread. Due to my DNA (P450 ultra rapid metabolizer) I have been prescribed for years now daily change out and was on more than 8 patches per 24 hours (100's, 75's).

Also please note the FDA allows drug manufacturers of generics to veer as much as 47% LESS opioid (or more but more costs more) so you will find that is why generic patches put most into withdrawal.

Example:

100 mcg/hour Duragesic is 16.7 mg. Fentanyl
Watson is only 10 mg. Fentanyl
Mallinkroft is 11 mg. Fentanyl
75 mcg/hour Duragesic is 12.8 mg. Fentanyl

SO a 75 mcg/hour brand is HIGHER than 100 mcg/hour generic.

Aside from cutting back on a slow schedule and depending on your dosage it should be gentle the 7 to 10 day was brutal for me the first two weeks I went to 12 days because at the end I finally slept and lost RL and gagging nonstop not to mention skin crawling like bugs were attacking me...One of the tricks that became apparent is for example holding yourself to the full day or two days. If you are suffering to really manage this it's ok say one to two days during 10 (of cut back) to switch out early.

Since pills do not work for a P450 like me that is the only medication for LA other then the pump and trust me it might be worth the risk and LIQUID for short acting (oxycodone for me 500 mg/ 5 ml).

Please do not risk your life and remember many physicians are not really good about medications; that is not the focus in their training trust me. Professional nurses (I am one) and so forth end up knowing, doing, teaching and making sure the patients stay "ok."

Editor's note: We do not verify the credentials of our users and nothing stated in our forums is intended to be taken as medical advice.

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24

Mark there is no Duragesic 7.5 and Ultram is a mixed agonist antagonist which can precipitate withdrawal in those on regular opioids.

You would not be physically TOLERANT from Ultram to go to Duragesic, you'd likely OD and die.

So what were you really on?

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25

Do kot take NSAIDSWith crohns /colitis!! They can make you bleed and can cause a flare up. Wow. Scary stuff. Pls do not take it it ever again. Your GI should know this!
Also....others should know that quitting any opioid cold turkey and without a docs supervision is very dangerous. Pls look into Nsaids (ie: advil, ibuprofen, Aleve, Motrin, c elebrex. And especially naproxen!!) A d your Inflammatory bowel disease. Very risky and dangerous. Can cause severe and damaging Gi bleed!

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27

Hi Jon, I feel your pain. I am 100% disabled and have been on every pain pill known to man, now I have been on 75mg fentanyl every 48 hrs for 2.5 yrs. Yea they do help a little but I don't get anything for breakthrough pain and now I am having to start over with a new Dr.. I had a heart attack in 2010, I have degenerative disc disease, otheoarthritis etc. So I consume a little cannabis to help with the pain (works great) but new Dr won't write Anything until the lab shows No THC!!! I'm freaking out because I know I'm going to be in severe W/D, no sleep, eat, walk etc... This Sucks! Drs don't like to write the stuff that really helps me, like 40mg opana, 30mg oxycodone, and valium. I am a 55yr old married man who Needs help but can't find a dr that will help me because of the drug abusers ruining it for us that Really NEED the stuff. I'm in Ms.. My wife and I drive 3 hrs, 1 way, mthly, to be treated like a junkie and I only get the 75 mg patches.. Thank You for listening, any and all advice appreciated.

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31

The link to oils about pain management does not include or show information about it.

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2

I'm very glad to hear that things are going well for you.

Quitting such a potent narcotic cold turkey can be very tough, even if you weren't abusing it and were only using it as prescribed, so kudos to you.

I also sincerely hope that you continue to do well and that things continue to improve for you in the future.

Can you post back and keep us updated?

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9

A few years ago, I stopped smoking cold turkey. The way I did it was to have my first heart attack! Some voice asked if I smoked. I said no. The voice once again asked how long ago I had quit. "I don't know, what time is it?"

After smoking between 2 to 3 packs a day for almost 30 years, I just quit. Reason? PAIN. Nicotine damages heart cells. Congrats on your courage in quitting Fent the way you did. If I quit, I would not be able to walk because of the neuropathy in both feet.

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