Fentanyl Withdrawal Symptoms (Page 19)

I'm trying to wean myself off the Fentanyl patch. I went from 75 micro-gms to 50 now I'm on 25. Having a problem and not sure it is related to the decrease in the med. It's been 20 days on the 25 micro-gm and I'm going crazy. I need to keep rocking, moving in any way b/c my body is very restless. Is this a symptom of withdrawal and what do I do? I cannot take it any more.

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Sorry, I am just reading this ENTIRE thread and wanted to correct some misinformation AFAIK (or pretty sure). One is that the patches are not consistent with tapering off because they provide a steady stream of drug to your body. On the contrary, this helps tapering off much the way an extended release form of a drug helps taper off better than an immediate release form, by smoothing out the ups and downs, and by building a reservoir of drug in your system at any given time so you generally are dealing with steady state kinetics and it's more like a ramp down than steps down (until the very last patch is removed)--the steepness is about the same. As people have said, you may not even notice WD for 72 hours, which is because the drug has built up in your system and that's a good thing, so you just don't drop off a cliff which you'd get from short acting oral usage, as you go down dosages.

But stopping 120mg of oxycodone equivalent (25mcg patch) even with a 72 hour ramp down abruptly is still dealing with a huge cliff when you get to the point your body realises no more drug is going to be supplied to it. While one wouldn't do it with the oxycodone, one shouldn't do it with the 25 mcg patches either. In this sense, the patches can be misleading since you're no longer taking so many pills (in my case, every few hours), that you may think getting off them might be a lot easier than getting off an equivalent amount of pills, but there's no reason for that.

Again, a big difference I see is between long term vs. short term usage of the patch. My comments in general are limited to short term use (few to several weeks).

On day 8 of the 50mcg patch now. I've now gotten the patches to stick 48/49/66 hours thusfar (looks like I'll be taking showers every 72 hours).

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Keng52, how's it going if you're still reading this?

Sonja: The oxycontin is an extended (sustained) form of oxycodone and they're almost always a better way of getting off opiods provided you don't have trouble with overpopping pills (which I do; hey, I even drink too much coke). Gabapentin may be your friend during WDs; I upped my dose my a bit when I shifted from my pills to the patch and had very minor troubles but I've been very good with the patch (on the other hand, see previous sentence about being able to pop pills easily :).

2cor, 3day: I see you guys are almost done with your (or yours') tapers. It's great you're hanging around to help us newbies.

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Everyone seems to be on small doses. I have been on fentanyl for 13 years. My dosage was 225 mcg every 36 hours. I started my cutback 3months ago and I am now down to 100 mcg but the withdrawals are extreme from severe freezing cold sweats to on fire with body shakes. My pain is getting worse and I am getting quite worried. Does anyone have any solutions.

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Cyndib, it seems your taper is going too fast. You should slow it down a bit and/or augment it with pills (which I can't do). 225mcg/hour is a huge amount of fentanyl to come off from in a short span of 3 months. That would seem to resemble a dependence that'd take a year to come off. If you're not stabilising at a lower dose, no point in going down since you'll just get worse.

I myself stabilised onto a 25mcg from a 50mcg patch with no problems for 7 days but then realised my pain hadn't gone away yet and I am going to try something in between 25mcg and 50mcg. I do want to be off opiods and I can't comply well with a pill taper but I can with a patch taper.

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Well guys we are day 43 off fentanyl.. and I can't believe we are still having problems.. the zapping in the brain, ringing in the ears and only 4-5 hours of sleep and thats with ambien. I am starting to wonder if this is ever gonna end. Not to mention his pain is still there but after the pain for fentanyl withdrawal he says this pain is way more manageable. You don't know true pain till have you to get off the junk. Oh and did I mention our doctor who had him on the junk dropped us.. after we confronted him about how he was over prescribing. We got a copy from the pharmacy and realize by him refilling them early all the time just how much of this crap he was taking. Yeah not good. Hope you guys are doing better. Praying things will get back to a normal someday..

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My husband is trying to get off the fentanyl patch too. He has been without the patch for 7 days. He is experiencing a feeling of his skin being on fire all over his body. Has anyone else had that withdrawal symptom?

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2cor129, I'm really sorry to hear this. My only thought is that the taper down or coming off was done too fast. Has he tried benzodiazepenes? This is a very common thing to do. People also try diphenydramine and/or hydroxyzine. So clonidine, hydroxyzine, a benzo, and perhaps even gabapentin.

I myself tried to go down from 50mcg/hr to 25mcg/hr and I was okay for about 4-5 days (since I had built up to a steady state with the 50mcg/hr patch) and suddenly the WD hit (since I had been sleeping) and I felt very dizzy, and couldn't walk, and started throwing up and felt like I was going to die (horrible feeling). My first experience ever with real opiate WD. So I slapped on a higher dose patch and in 30 minutes it started to subside and in 2-3 hours I was feeling better.

So, went to the doc, and he suggested dropping down by 12.5mcg/hr to 37.5mcg/hr, gave me hydroxyzine for anxiety (I didn't use it). I then did the drop, took some extra gabapentin, and there was no problems whatsoever that I can think of. I'm now on a steady state of 37.5mcg/hr.

The only experience for me has been that my pain was indeed serious and 37.5mcg/hr is barely controlling it. I'm now contemplating what to do (if I should go back or if I should stay down and tough it out though the pain affects my spine and I start to walk poorly and it curves my spine).

Worried Wife, if your husband came off the patch without a taper, it's very likely he is going to feel miserable for a few days at least. The skin being on fire is one of the ways WD can manifest. Basically your body is thinking that something really important (like food) is being deprived from it and/or something really bad is happening to it. So it's reacting that way.

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Worried Wife -- tell your husband to hang in there -- it is a tough battle. I am on day 10 of going cold turkey (20 months at 25 mcg and the last 2 at 50 mcg.) If he can get a prescription of Valium or Alprozolam for the skin on fire -- it may help. As Virgil above stated -- I had to use Clonidine from time to time to help control the rolling hot flashes.

I don't fault my doctor for putting my on the patch -- it gave me almost two years of quality of life (if you can call it that). But I do fault him for not having a plan to take me off the patch.

I don't know if it will help, but I've been trying to eat foods that will boost my serotonin levels as I am going through withdrawal. At day 10 -- I am past most of the physical effects -- but I am having trouble mentally engaging back into life. So I am eating eggs, taking Omega 3, eating lot's of vegetables, and whey protein. Will it work? I will let you know in about 2 weeks if I seem to be getting some emotion (good emotion that is) and a eagerness to reengage life.

It is rough -- and many people have posted several other medications that are used to get people through it. Do not be afraid to find a detox councilor and give them a call.

More to follow and my prayers to all those above going through the same issues.

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We are coaches & patient advocates for those that are disabled and/or have had extreme pain issues. There are many OTC drugs that can ruin lives more than being on a minimal amount of fentanyl. If the right dosage is given, even for cancer patients, they can function close to normal as possible among family & friends. We worry that too many people believe any addiction is bad. Please, find people that deal with pain management & have not only empathy, but have been in similar circumstances. Pallative care is important for the chronically ill no matter what level. It is even cheaper & safer for many if monitored regularly. With computers & 24/7 phone contact with medical staff--we no longer have to suffer unbearable pain. While we still look for new ways to help those that fall thru the cracks, we can work together in finding ways to exchange our stories, ways we deal with pain, how our spouses & doctors can help us thru the worst times. We would like more input from people that are living a more normal life while being medicated, even on the various pain patches.

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If I live another 10 years,how high of a dose will they be able to give me?I have digestive system issues as well as spine problems and a few unmentionables,too graphic today for me to say out loud, I now administer two patches at a time as was prescribed.One 100 mcg patch and one 50 mcg patch.Yes,150 mcg every 48 hours and it still hurts where my joints are deteriorating and where I had my cervical spine fused with 14mm screws and two plates between c-5 c-6 c-7 and other surgeries that were meant to fix some of the pain.
How high of a dose wil I need if I live another 10 years? TY

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I have been on the Fentanyl patch for over 5 years and before that there were too many medications (opiopids) to even mention. I made the decision a few months back to get off all of them. I am 55 and have been on opioids since a very serious almost life ending trauma when I was 8. My doctors were unhappy with my choice to end this plan to continue with meds but I wet from 75 mcg to 50 mcg in one month and then down to the 25 mcg for 3 weeks and now take 7.5/500 vicoden 2 tabs up to 6 tabs every 24 hours along with oxycodone instant release 15 mg every 4 hours to help me come off this patch. It has been 4 days and the withdrawals are hell. It isn't like I have a nurse bringing the needed meds on a schedule and night time is the worse part. Once I get the meds in my system when I get up in the morning the withdrawals start to slowly go away but now on night 4 I wake up sick, cramps, nausea, the whole works so I have to hit the oxycodone and Vicoden. This is barely working because they also had me on oxycontin 30 mg and 10 mg for breakthrough pain that I stopped a few weeks back. It is like having the flu constantly along with some of the really bad things that happen with withdrawal such as hallucinations, etc.
This SUCKS. I do have constant contact from my doctor who can only say good job, keep it up. I had heart surgery 2 months ago and also have a heart monitor in my chest so should any issue arise with my heart it will be noticed by those who monitor this thing via electronics but still these withdrawals I would NOT wish on my worse enemy. They are really bad and I just don't know what to do. It isn't like I need to go without sleep for weeks just to make sure that I fill myself with the meds to make sure they don't happen and then I need to ween of the meds they prescribed to help get me off this crazy patch.
HELP!

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I am trying to come off the patch as well and have started having seizures. Anyone else?

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doing the same.been 8 days.still feel bad.but doing better though god bless

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Hopefully you were on for only a short time. At the end of my fentanyl I was on 250mcg every 36 hours for 13 years. Yes, 13 years. It took me from august 10th till dec 15th to take myself down to 12 mcg. I have been going through hell since.2hours of sleep is a good night, a day without withdrawal would be perfect. You will start to feel better after a month or so. NASTY NASTY drug fentanyl is, the dr's don't tell you that it is one of the hardest drugs to go off. Good luck please keep me posted.

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I was on fentanyl for 13 years at the end I was on 250mcg every 36 hours. It took me four months to wean myself down enough to go off, so I have been going through he'll since. Please get off this drug while you can if possible. This drug was originally an end stage drug given to people who would never go off it. It is prescribed frequently now days, what they don't tell you is that it is one of the hardest drugs to go off. I had my 6 & 7 back surgeries last may(28th lifetime surgery I am 55). I got lucky and my dr was very concerned with the amount of fentanyl I was on and that is the only reason I survived the surgeries. It was enough to scare me into going off this drug. It really does bad stuff to the body. Good luck!

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I want to wean off my patch!
Hi everyone. I am in early 30's and have neck, shoulder pain, and fibromyalgia. I also have depression and anxiety and panic disorder.
I am taking 25 mcg of Fentanyl for the last year. I am also on Soma 350mg for about 5 months, Norco 7.5/325 for about 2 and a half years, and Motrin. These are for my pain. I also take 1 mg of Xanax 4 times a day, but usually I will take 2mg when I feel very anxious and do it only twice a day. So I am taking my meds in the right quantity but not at the right times. I am on Nortryptiline before bed, and Phenergan 25 mcg for stomach upset do to my pain meds. Ok. I think that is about it for my list! :-)
Now here is my plan and I so scared. I have begged my doctor to take me off of my patch since I first started. He refuses. I had a hysterectomy and I sweat so badly that my medicine in my patch is not absorbed properly I guess. So a lot of the time I am grouchy and WD from that slightly. I am to wear the patch for 72 hours. It stops working after 48. My doc still doesn't care. Then I tell him that I am having blisters from the tape I am using from Mylan to keep the patch on and he said "There is nothing I can do." LIKE I OWE HIM A BIG FAVOR!
So, I try to just wean off of the patch. I wear the same one for 5 days and I feel like I am losing my mind, I can't function, I am sick to my stomach, tossing and turning, no sleep, clammy, sweaty, cold, hot, shaking. I tried to cut cold turkey, no use. I am on disability for mental health probs and let me tell you that WD don't help my mental health! Lol. Soooooo.....
This is my plan and please tell me if it should be altered in any way. I am not telling my doc about weaning off. I have read many of your ideas. I want to wean with out the WD. I am planning on this: I have mylan brand so I am able to cut it. I plan to do either 3/4 or 1/3 of my patch for about 2 weeks. I havent decided what is best. If I do 3/4, I am not going down enough, right? After those two weeks, I will cut my patch in half and wear the 12.5 mg of it for 2 days each patch for about 6 days, then go for each patch for 3 days a full 2 weeks. Maybe 3 weeks, depending on how I feel. Then after that, I will cut my patch into a third of the dose. Approx 7 or 8 mcg. That will be a 3 week deal as well. Then, I will cut the patch into 1/4 and do that for about 3 weeks. Then I will cut my patch into 1/8's and do it for 2 weeks like this:2 days on, one day off, 2 days on, one day off, 2 days on, one day off. THEN one day on, two days off, one day on, two days off, and then I should be done with no WD or very little WD. I plan to start on the 23rd of January, 2011, because I just put on a new patch. Waste not want not. Any recomendations. Please help me. I really want this for myself. You all take care and may God help you all with getting off this DOPE!

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Yes, this is the drug that people with terminal illness takes. I agree that if you do NOT have a terminal illness, please stay AWAY from Fentanyl! Or God help you if you are on it and want to get off!!!!
You are an inspiration! I can do it! WE all can do it!!!! It seems so impossible,but slow and steady wins the race!

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Hey guys, some of this is doable. I have gone from a 50mcg/hr dose to 37.5 to 25 to 12.5mcg/hr over the last 3.5 months and as 4 hours ago, I decided to take off my 12.5mcg hr and hopefully it's for the last time!

I barely felt any WDs at all during the my taper down but I was at each dose for 3-4 weeks and I had been using the patches and opiates for about 3-4 months prior. So this was a moderate duration of use (4 mos total for patches, 6 mos for opiates) and then a very slow taper.

I'm more worried about my last drop due to pain more than WD since my pain isn't well handled yet but I figure I can't keep using the opiates as a crutch the rest of my life and I should do something else. And sometimes the opiate pain reduction can become a vicious cycle as I think it was becoming with me and actually cause an increase in pain sensitivity and tolerance to opiates so it never would end if I kept going up, so I had to cut it down and perhaps even restart but I have to take a break now and I hope I can do it.

In terms of WDs, gabapentin timed properly is a life saver. Just build a tolerance to it and then take it just as you're about to experience WDs and you won't notice a thing (at least I didn't). Take high doses enough to inebriate you which won't cause any harm but will make you "forget" the WDs if they exist.

Anyways, please wish me luck on the last drop off which I think will be the hardest. I have some 12.5mcg/hr patches left in case things don't go well but I hope I don't need them!

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Dopesickalice, your plan will work if you stick with it! Good luck!

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hi , just wondering if i will encounter any problems traveling from australia to the u.s.a with my medication.i am prescribed 50 microgram patch every 48 hrs and have a four week holiday booked, any advice would be greatly appreciated

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