Fentanyl Withdrawal Symptoms (Page 38)
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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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REPORT

I posted but they said they had to review it.

WTF
A long post too.

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Yep the doc that did my epidurals a few yrs ago said you could only have three in a year. So unless the rules have changed I would be checking that out.

Hugs,
'chelle

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Nanny, I thought you were not supposed to have more than 3 shots a year? I even forgot that rule until reading your post. Maybe that is just a hippy Santa Cruz thing. One epi doc in San Fran said less than the amt of cortisone on chic pocs as a child is used. Typo city today. I my heads throbbing and my 18 yr old freaking cat "so ck" is harassing me. As for our dic lol doc's I think it's just really mean to take a best as possible functioning drug with someone like us in excruciating chronic pain away is just MEAN or ignorant. Make sure you are sane "as much as possible under circumstance" clean and pretty "ladies" "shaved" men before seeing your doctors. That's all he knows about you. Even though my doctor says he never shaves for me either. Blah Blah I know but the last sentence is correct. Cancel if you can't put on your straight face.

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It was some New England something pharm and just one form? Of a steroid I had bucane? Similar to lidocaine so sometimes else got me. I feel horrible for 150mcg man you should be able to go down to 125 with 12mcg added with no problems. I assume you two have Valium? And something else for breakthrough pain. I feel horrible for you. Somedays I feel like we need a dr that makes house calls 24/7 not that they always know the answers either.
Prayers and wishes for a safe recovery. If someone else says chamomile tea and yoga will fix ya ill help you smack em. Also find the foil who said it is better to have loved and loss and we'll put them together.

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Jadzeer,
STOP PANICING!
You are causing yourself to have anxiety you do not need.
How much do you weigh??
After all these years your body has adapted to this drug very well.
Do you take more meds to sleep?
Tell me what they are?

Recently they put me on 150 after my hip surgery.
I went from 75mcq/hr per 72 hrs to 150 in one day.

I DID NOT DIE IN MY SLEEP.

What has happened that makes you think this?
Did you have shortness of breath, inability to get conscious, sluggishness ?

SHANNON,
Check in, woman. Did you fall into the ocean or overdose on CA brownies? LOL

CHELLE,
If your regular doc is in IN, tell him whole story. Type it up before you go in so you miss nothing. Someday you may need meds. Be prepared. Glad to see that fighting spirit!

EPIDURALS EVERY MONTH!!
WTF! As I understand an epi works for a few hours. You keep jabbing needles into a spine and sooner or later you are going to damage something is what I think!
Have you looked up this doctors rating on the web? Though there is new legislation coming out in 2013 that will mandate that ALL doctors FACTS AND FIGURES are public, right now the two best sites are Healthgrades.com and a blog on Angie's List.

We have to be our own best advocates.

For those going through withdrawal: take a long hot shower, sit in a hot tub, have someone put their arms around you, download calming nature sounds to your device and zone out, sit in the sun, sleep, watch HAPPY TV, smile,
OR
PUT THE PATCH BACK ON.

And start another day.

Or
Go to the ER.

Don't just SUFFER.

I am with you all.
Your Angel

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I hate being on Fentanyl. Been on it about 5yrs. I'm on 150mcg an hour. I am scared to go to sleep sometimes as I fear I wont wake up.
If I change late I go into vile witdrawals, restless arms & legs, pain, fidgeting etc, etc.
I tried cutting down by 2.5mcg an hour but couldnt cope.
So scared it will kill me one day.

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By the way Angel I'm glad you went back on the 75's if that is what helps your pain. Believe me I would not be coming off if my doc wasn't making me. I fought to hard 6 yrs ago to get a med that worked and I have been functioning well on it. I have an occassional flair up when I over do it, but for the most part I have been pretty stable. Still in pain, but tolerable....nothing like it was before fentanyl. I take Topamax too...it helps with nerve pain. I used to take Effexor which is now Pristiq...yrs ago. It helped very little. Cymbalta helped more. I think they put me on just about everything they had then....LOL.

Good luck to you.

Hugs,
'chelle

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Angel, I am going to my regular doctor on the 9th to have him look at all of my MRI scans. I used to work with him and trust he will tell me the truth. Unfortunately this is a Worker's Comp injury and they make me go to doctor's in KY. I don't think they will let me go to an IN doc....my reg doc is in IN. If he tells me there is still damage there (which I know there is) then I will fight WC for a 2nd opinion (and he can help recommend another doc).

I feel so bad for those of you that are in so much pain and going through much worse withdrawl than me. Everybody hang in there we will get through this. I don't know about the rest of you but I refuse to let this get best of me and let this pain management doc and the government determine what the rest of my life will be like. I definetely won't take it laying down.

Hugs to everyone,
'chelle

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Hey all, this has been one heck of a week for me...lets just say I have not had 5 hours of sleep since last Sunday night and not sat down for very long since then also. On top of that, I was elected to take my teen grandchildren to the homecoming game and then to the dance afterwords. I am so tired and hurting so bad right now that I know I won't get any sleep tonight. I have been reading up on all of the post that has been posted since I last got on here and I'm so glad to see that everyone is doing somewhat better (I hope). I have an appointment with a pain doctor on the 26th of this month and I don't know if I should keep it or not. This doctor requires you to have an epidural before he will even write me any pain meds and that is the only way he will write is if you have the epi's, no if's, and's, or but's about it. Once a month an epidural, then you get pain meds. Skip a month of the shots and you don't get any pain meds. So, I'm a little scared about going to him. But he takes both of my insurances and it doesn't cost me a penny. But, all them shots are not so good for you, I don't think....And this is the doc that had me messed up on the Fentanyl patches. I will not, and will refuse to go back on them now that I have not had one on me since December of last year. I never want to go through that again. That was worse than the pain that I was having. And the pain was, and still is, hell...Well, I am so tired right now that I will finish this in the am. Just know that I am praying for all and hoping that you can find some relief. I know what you all are going through and I feel so for you. hugs and kisses to all....

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We have lots of new people so I will just say
HI Y'ALL,
Chelle, my husband wants you to go over the state line and find a doctor. Is that possible?? That whole state is in an uproar about pain meds. Try finding a pain management clinic. They seem to be the only ones who want or are able to fill out and meet all the paperwork and guidelines.

We all had better hope the craziness in Kentucky doesn't spread. Or not a one of us will be getting any relief.

Shannon, you have the right to get a copy of that last lumbar puncture from the hospital. In there should be the series and ID# of the injection fluid they used. See if it is a match to the corrupted stuff. YOU need to know.
Take what you can from each day, hon.

Lilred4, I hear you.

I am now on week one off antidepressants. Amen. Doctors just threw them at me.
To them if you are in pain you must also be depressed. I am not.

Kudos to everyone in pain who survives one hour and can still smile. Churchill said, " When the going gets tough, the tough get going. "

Believe it. We are tough.

Just Do It!

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Wow sounds like you are worse off then me. I was so worried about being off in 11 days after being on 75mcg for 6yrs. Hang in there. If it gets to bad, go to the hospital. People have had siezures or heart attacks during withdrawl from fentanyl. At least you have the percocets....those should help some. When i finish my last 25mcg patch on the 9th I'm done....doc says he isn't giving me anything. I think I have decided I'll leave that patch on until it comes off. Then we'll just see how I am pain wise. If I'm hurting then I'll fight for a second opinion.

Hang in there. I'll be thinking about you and keep you in my prayers.

Hugs,
'chelle

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Hi all. I was on the fentanyl patch for about 6 or 7 years and I recently had to come off it cold turkey. I couldn't find anyone that would give me a new prescription for it. I put my last one on last Saturday and was due to change it this past Tuesday, but couldn't. So I am only in my third day and am going through I guess mild withdrawal. The only thing that is REALLY a pain is my legs. Restless and sometimes painful. I went to a clinic on Wednesday and the nurse practitioner said that percoset might help get me through. So I have been taking 1- 5-325 every 6 hours and that helps a lot. Unless I take it at night a little before bed time and then I have trouble sleeping. If I don't take it a little before bed then I can't even think about going to sleep because within 30 minutes the restless leg kicks in. I was just so tired of taking that patch. I was on the 75 every 48 hours to begin with but then I moved to a different state and that doctor changed it to every 72 hours and I would start going through withdrawals that last couldn't wait until I could put on a new patch. I thought I would only go through this for a few day to a week...now after reading almost all these posts, I am afraid that this will last a lot longer than I'd hoped.
Praise to all of you who are way past me in the w/d department and are almost back to "normal".

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Shannon-I did not go down on the patches, I was on the 75 and just wore. Them longer than every otherday.. I never went for the lower patch I just increased the time between changing them. I honestly did not feel anything but the hot flashes and then would get chills but once I started on the herbal Relaxx it helped me almost immediately.. I don't really see a big increase in pain without the fentanyl. My feeling is 9 years straight my body just got used to it.I have a high tolerence to pain so when it get really bad I do go to bed if I am able to.. I can't sit or stand long in one position but I will have chronic pain forever been told..so I just am trying to live my life as active as I can ...trying to not get defeated and give into the pain..

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Hello everyone, just checking in and updating you. Today I started my 25mcg patches, not feeling very well. Having more pain in my low back and right leg. Also having more signs of withdrawl....very tired, shakey, having heart palpitations, feel like i could have full fledge panic attack at anytime, having abdominal cramping. Trying to just keep on schedule with my Bi-polar meds and sleep during the day as much as I can. So far I'm still working at night. The baby I take care of sleeps all night so it's just a matter of watching here vitals, feeding her, giving her a couple of meds, and of course making sure her diaper is dry....I really have an easy job thanfully. I work tonight then I get a night off.

Good luck to all of you out there in the same boat as me. Hang in there.

Hugs,
'chelle

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Shannon- yes I am a female and older than you.I am also allergic to asprin, and sulfur, iodine, so I have to be careful what meds I take which is basically nothing.. Other than calcium, and juice plus which I have taken for years nothing else. I try to continue my life and after seeing the latest news on the injection with steroids and the problem that is spreading wont be getting any for awhile. Meningitis, from tainted drug..

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Ty B, and Angle I posted you a Letter about your great opportunity and how awsome it is going to be. So much good as well as something to keep your mind off your pain! Yay! I am so excited for you. I don't know why it didnt post. I think after entering the numbers and it was saved I hit my browser back button to see if I had missed something or someone and that's why it didnt post. Hope your doing well and looking foward to that site and pic. I'll ask Nanny for the info.
Take care all.

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Try hard to relax and go w/ it!!! Mentally.tell itself u ok, keep very busy,read, tidy, putz around. Remember this is.very difficult to do.....GOOD FOR U...KEEP UP THE GREAT WORK, IT WILL GET BETTER...EXERCISE, SWEAT!!!!
BEQU.

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Lil, I'm guessing your a female also? I've had the hot flashes on and off for about a year or so now at age 42. I thought it was pre menopause but the hot n cold flashes I got after the injections were non stop and WAy different I think I'll try the relax too. It's for hot flashes? If you want to try the anti inflammation omega XL and mention my name you get a free bottle and a $40 ck if you refer Someone too. I've been on it a week so I need more time I don't suffer the withdrawal like others do either. Knock on wood. But I taper down different than most. I should ask my dr if he can get massages paid for as they sure do help but adds up.

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Shannon- I believe my body just got use to it after so many years. I also have a high tolerence to pain and medication, I really did not feel withdrawals that I noticed. I use to get horrible hot flashes but now my acupuncture dr gave me a herbal called Relaxx extract. I see you can buy them online. I take 8 tiny pills twice a day. It's worked they are gone.. Inexpensive too. I am dealing with the pain without the fentanyl, also trying no ambien, since they are saying can cause dementia.

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Dear Reverend,
If anyone has trouble keeping the patches on this is a common problem.
Here is the best solution.

The company 3 M sells in most pharmacies "Tegaderm Film". This is, as it states on the cardboard package, "a Transparent Film Dressing Frame Style". Buy the 4 x 4 3/4 inch size.
It looks like Saran Wrap. You first put on your patch and remember to activate the glue by holding it with a warm hand for 30 seconds. The Film goes over the patch. I GUARANTEE you will never loose a patch again!
The film lets air through but keeps out water.

Shannon, I am back on 75 and happy to be here. No pain, no withdrawal. I am almost off both Pristiq and Prozac and go to see psychiatrist tomorrow. He may not be happy. Too bad. Those antidepressants drove me over the edge.
I think of you all every day and look for a posting with glee.

Thanks for the words of support.
I was physically and horribly verbally abused as a child by my alcoholic father. This Foundation stands for the end to child abuse. It is a huge job. I was Hillary Rodham Clinton's campaign manager in my state in 2008 when she ran for president. I met and talked with her, President Clinton and had a lunch with Ann Lewis, Hill's best friend and the head of Emily's List. The Democratic Party in my state wanted to back me in a run for the Senate. I refused. I really hate politics.

I have accepted the position but have great fear that I will fall apart on the road somewhere.

Don't leave me. I need all of your support. But don't tell anyone about me, okay? You are my secret best friends.
I have to go and find a picture they can post on the web and Facebook.

Maybe I shouldn't take this but start a foundation for chronic pain sufferers.

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