Fentanyl Withdrawal Symptoms (Page 31) (Top voted first)

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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Joe: I did a home withdrawal from Fentynal. I reduced
the patch in size every 4 days. Now I know they say don't cut it. But, let me tell you it worked like a charm. I was on the 100's So I cut them in half, then 4 days later
in 1/4's, then lower and lower until there was nothing. I was a little uncomfortable, but not near as bad as getting
off oxycontin. I wish I could say I am totally free of all
this type of medication, but I have had a two level fusion
with rods, bonegraft and cage and am now taking 20mg oxycontin 2 times daily and 10/325 percoset as needed
for break through pain. I also have mixed connective tissue disease....But, I intend when the fusion is healed
to try and get off these two drugs also. Best of luck
to you and don't let anyone tell you, you can't cut Fentynal into pieces and detox that way, because I am living proof that it can be done...

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Hey Sharon, Are you saying that the oxycotin was worse than the Fentanyl?? I have took oxycotin before but not enough to help me. But the Fentanyl seemed to be alot stronger. I wish someone out there would let me know just what I'm getting in to by taking the Suboxone and if it is hard to get off.

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Wow nutty nanny, I think all of us are strong when it comes to our health and trying to do what makes us feel better. When I read what you've been through you also give me encouragement. So we help each other.
JOE, b4 you start cutting patches do something for me,
Read up on what you decide to do and talk to any pharmacist they'll give you good advise and do what will make you feel better. Pain sucks no matter how you look at it and I think all of us prefer being oxy and fenytenal free than living like zombies.
Cold turkey worked for me but the patch took a minimum of six weeks and the oxy drugs took 2 weeks for me. But it just depends on The person.
I cried all the time b4 I found this site and the folks here make me strong. So hang in there and whatever you do keep reading and stay strong.

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Thank you so much for all of your replies. Its been about 30 hours since I took my patch off and have been taking my percocet and I am achy and a little uncomfortable but are dealing... I heard someone talk about fentanyl taking 18 hours to be at its half life after you remove it. Does anyone know exactly what that means?

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Nutty Nanny: I have been off and on oxycontin for years. Having said that, I did a cold turkey withdrawal
from the oxycontin and I thought it was awful. I shook, and felt sick terrible pain for at least a week. Also couldn't sleep, but then after about a week it was gone.
So I do think the oxycontin was worse than the Fentynal
only because I just quit the oxycontin. It was during the
time when it was almost impossible to find and my ins
wouldn't pay for the brand name. Now they will pay for
the brand name. Go figure. Best of luck to you...

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I was where you were at! Pain, aches, and couldn't sleep from it. I still have pain but the norcos don't help. SO, I had a friend get me a "brownie" 1 dose? Don't eat the whole thing!!!!! It was 3 days ago an I'm still stoned! Anyways, it worked like a charm! If you know anyone with a "card" tell them your problems an it will be not as horrible. I've never been a fan until now. An I am tired ALL day but no pain. If your like me, after the fentenyl is out of your system, then the percacet or norcos will work again. I HOPE! GL

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LOL, same happened to me before Christmas and the day after surgery. It was expensive. Murphys law. Now, after my Dr chewed them out I get 100mg til 2020 lol. I don't need that much now!

Good Luck to you!

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Hello and thank ALL of you for your posts. They've been very helpful and insightful.

I've just lost my cobra and with Fentanyl on my "plate" looks like NO insurance company will write me "much " of a policy. Degenerative Disk Disease, and two failed back surgerys...they're not dying to pick me up, needless to say. That said, Fentanyl is pricing up out of pocket about a thou a month, maybe a bit of savings from my AARP card, but all in all, i'm looking at tossing the Pharmacy the lion's share of my monthly income for these patches. I'm on 100mcg every other day, with 25's for those times when that isn't cutting it. Vicodin 7.5s for break thru, which luckily is only really in the evenings or after a hard day at work. Work for ME of late is only consistent of rebuilding a foreclosed house I recently purchased and it's slow going do in NO small part to the fact that I'm only good for about 4 or 5 hours of "medium" hard labor before everything starts to hurt. Neuropathy in my feet grows ever worse and I'm trying to be VERY cognizant of my back, the pain level, etc, so as NOT the herniate anything else. But I gotta keep movin' or I'll die. I agree with every poster who said "distraction" is a great pain reliever. Morphine is NOT. Never did a thing for my pain, just made me stupid. Can't take any anti-inflammatories, or my stomach just combusts. Neurontin, Lyrica...I was like a labotomy patient. Couldn't think, talk, move. I was inert. Can't take it. SO...can't afford the patches anymore, but they've been my savior for many years. Kept me moving and living. I'm terrified by what i've read here in regards to what I have to look forward to with the withdrawl symptoms. I wouldn't mind exchanging that for something less expensive if anyone has any suggestions as to what that might be? I'm gleening so far,...Oxy? Never really wanted to do the up and down with PILLS again, cuz you're always either on your way TO pain relief or on your way OUT of pain relief. And the time IN pain relief as always very short. I don't feel i have a choice anymore. I need off'a these things. Seeing my Dr. next week and will begin the process. I'm interested to know what you all think of the oxy as an alternative pain reliever?? With or without vicodin?Starting at 100 every other day, how long do you 'all think it'll take? Either way, it'll empty what little savings I have JUSt to pay my way thru to the end of withdrawl. I look forward to, and appreciate any and all advice those who've lived thru it can give me.

Thanks again for all of these posts (as frightening as some of them were) at least I know WHAT i have to "look forward to" and forewarned is forearmed, right?

Best of luck to us all!!

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Is anyone taking anything for pain that isn't addictive ?
If so please advise. I can only take so many hot baths a day.

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I can't get out of bed! The aches and pain are killing me too. I bought an inverstion table. Got a massage. But I need one 3 times a day! But can't afford it. 800 mg of ibprophen an Valium if your dr will give you some.

Massage really helped for me! But I was restless while on the high dose. But I was functioning very well under a very bad situation

good luck. How much longer is what I want to know! Day 5

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I tried Valium I was a mess. I couldn't think or sleep. I take ambian to sleep but I think that makes me forgetful. I'm so glad I don't drink alcohol I would be an alcoholic.
Oh Shannon, I was getting a massage every week but it's not cheap and it's only helpful for a few hours. I don't mind the hours of relief but I can no longer work Making it difficult to afford the massages.
I tried the brownies. I got paranoid and I too was tires a lot. Didn't like that feeling but it did help with the pain I guess. I was so high I felt nothing.
One thing for sure I'm not giving up.
Keep posting it's therapeutic.

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Et!!!! I felt not as achey but I was a zombie for 3 days from that brownie! Lol I don't know what's worse, free rent for a month for 3-4 massages daily, an must be avail at that 2-4 am wakening from the pain. I'll ring a bell. Lol I can't imagine who would respond to that ad on craigslist! Lol, I'll keep the pain! An keep an eye on that big yummy but scary brOwnie! Good luck! How much longer!

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Mary, believe it or not I think your 25mg dose is to high with the restlessness so that being combined with the withdrawal from this drug just go slow. I pray you have a knowledgeable pain Mgmt dr. At least we don't feel as bad as we did when we had to start taking this! Remember that pain and this is nothing in comparison.
Good Luck! If you have alot of money get massaged daily!!! Good luck!

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I'm really scared right now... I have lost 72lbs in 3 months and just went and weighed and saw that I lost 8lbs in just the last 5 days. I guess its time to go back to the cancer doctor. My spleen is enlarged and the doctor said this was a sign of lukemia. Everyone that prays please start praying for me. I will be getting blood work monday and I'm hoping my cancer(one of the three kinds) is not flaring back up....I know one thing though, I will not go back on the patch but I'm going to haft to have something for pain. The Suboxone don't help too good for pain and I'm hurting way down in my bones. maybe it's just this cold weather and my friend Authritis and not cancer. I'm also out of my Ambian and you see what time it is...I am usualy in bed by 10p.m......maybe I need to try them brownies ya'll are talking about....LOL Oh, it sure feels good to laugh again, its been so long....LOL

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LoL, really. Anything right now. If your pain is horrific then you have to take something do your quality of life doesn't "stink" AS bad. Keep that brownie close by. I wish they did'nt taste so damn good!

Good Luck to you
I feel like I'm dying today from pain.

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I'm hoping it's just the weather. People keep telling me to move to Arizona. It's 500 degrees there and I do t do well sizzling. Lol.
I think I'll battle through this and keep smiling with tears in my eyes.
Nuttynanny you've been through a lot and I will put u in
my prayers.
About those brownies, I think it's time for a bake sale :)
Just let me know when and where.
Perhaps brownie cupcakes or a brownie souffle. Ummmm sounds interesting. Ok, party at my house.

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Hey, I wanted to reply because I think, I have been going through, what u have been talking @, but not dx'd yet..MON, they get to work on me.
The Docs just found out that my Cortisol and Prolactin level is LOW and that the appointment that I had been trying to get with the Endocrinologist back in OCT.( 6 mos.wait)...just turned into MON. WOW...the Docs must have some idea of what is going on, if they are getting me in that fast. I have never had a Doc call me to make an appt. b4..:s
I hope that I don't have any tumor, but if u type in Cortisol and Prolactin deficiency...u get pituitary tumor or disease...Scary.
I just know that I have taken Fentanyl, since '07 and really wish they could take me off. I take Norco, Neurontin, Lasix(inflammation or BP..I don't know),Xanax for the spasms/tremors. ...toooo much!!
I don't see how, I am going to be able to go down another notch and off the Fentanyl..I already went from 75mcg to 50mcg, but stopped after that, because the pain from my back is just too bad and I can't get up to walk around.(4 disk herniations with Hypertropy=whatever that is...I know, it is "H".)
I really wish, I didn't have to take a "D" thing! ~sigh~
I wondered, if u would mind telling me some of ur experience of the Luekemis with me, so I could get some idea of what I am looking at. If, u would just give me ur symptoms..k? Thanks, take care and wish all of u..the best.:D.. and I understand @ the brownie, but don't have any.: P
I must say that I tried it once and IT does help, to not drown in a SEA of PAIN and feel alive...again.:)

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Hey Skeet65!! I started first just losing weight and since I had breast cancer and malignant melanoma several times since 2000 the doctors wanted to do a scan on my stomach to see if it had spead. Well, then I started to run 104.9% temp all the time and was admitted to the hospital 9 times with alot of nasea and hurting everywhere. They kept telling me I was catching the flu over and over. But when the results of the scan came back it showed that my spleen was enlarged. So, I had to have blood work done. I have lost so much weight and now my blood pressure is staying real high (which scares the crap out of me). I don't want to stroke out but as sick as I have been, the docs said that I have to be really careful with my heart and with my pressure. But that's all I can tell you right now. I have to be at the doctor monday and tuesday so I will let you know then. Good luck with your test and hope that its not any kind of cancer. I have found out later in life that the pleasures I partaked on in my younger life has caused considerable damage to my body parts. Wish I had known.......

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Et an skeet, I've got the crock pot an butter but no mix. I live in ca so it pretty much grows wild in everyone's backyard here. Atty's, doctors, finance advisors (duh) I'd hate to have their Job right now. So anyways if you can make it to Santa Cruz well eat brOwnies until we feel human for a min. Then the aftermath feeling like zombies for days lol. It will be a nice break from the storm.
Good Luck to all of you! This too shall pass! BUT WHEN??? Day 8? I'm loosing count. Oh ya get a script for lidocaine patches!!! They are great!

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Hey Shannon and Nuttynanny:)
It is too bad that I am not in CA with u guys...no, I am in AR.: P..yeppers, where it is not in our backyards...and better not be, but It is a shame, for it did work that one time..IT made me forget @ how bad the pain was. IF that is however possible to do, but it would be a good way to not live with the pain.:))
U guys might have to put up with me here, for a little while, until I make up my mind on what to do. The Docs are going to try and figure out what this stuff is that has me..but I know, we compare because I can tell by just reading ur comments...we are really a lot alike, in a lot of ways.:)
I really feel so much pain in my body and know, that u guys do too. IT is a horrible thing that we experience, but it will be alright..one way or the other.
I can't wait until Mon..BUT, then again...I am afraid.
The Docs, finally get started on me then...trying to get me back to be me. Take care all and God Bless.:))<3

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