Fentanyl Withdrawal Symptoms (Page 39)

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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Good to hear because I'm going up from 87mcg to 100 again till after my surgery. I'm hoping to speed it up so I can be back on my feet again. Did you wean down or just stop!

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Shannon, thee is nothing worse than the Fentanyl patches, but when you take one 30mg oxy and then two 30mg oxys then it goes up to 4 30 mg oxys and ect. till I was taking 8 of them just to feel anything. Tha is when it gets bad. Now, I am down to 4 10mgs of lortab and trying to get back to my Suboxone doctor. There is nothing better for withdrawals then Suboxone, to me. You are not sick and it does help with the pain. Not as good help as the pain pills but it help me have a decent life. And I didn't have to take 3 of them a day like my doctor wanted me to take. I could take just one in the morning when I got up and 20 minutes later, I was feeling good. I did find 3 Subs this morning, searching for my meds and shouted with joy. I popped that thing under my tounge so fast. Now, I'm not sick. I have enough to make it for a few days and this will be my break that I needed to get my crap together to get back to the right way of doing things. I also am searching for you email that I got from you last to get back in touch with you. This 57 year old is not above making mistakes as with other people. We all do that. We just have to learn to take one day at a time and try to maintain the best we can. I love you dearly and missed talking to you. It was the best therapy.....to everyone that is going through crap right now, talk it out, it helps so much. No one can go through life without making mistakes and just because you do does not mean that you can't learn from them. Peace to all and I hope all is doing well. Esp. you Shannon.....will see you in an email....

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UFC, how did you do that without withdrawals?? Anything I can learn, I take to heart and try. Withdrawals are for the birds, cause I can't handle them so well. Shannon, just read the last post I posted and I think I'm due a new typing thingy. Whatever you call a keyboard. It sure is leaving some letters out or my typing is getting faster then my mind......lol. both, probably. And my spelling is crap, hope you could make sense of it all....love ya....

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I went down every month monitored by my doc until I was back down to 25mcg,then after that he put me on 40mg oxy er,I should have mentioned that ,that I didnt do it cold turkey but it got me off the patches,and when i had no insurance I couldnt believe the price for the oxy 40 er and 15 ir so I asked him to prescribe me what he thought was the cheapest and now I am on 100mg MS conitn generic which you probably know is morphine sulfate and for breakthrough pain 30mg morphine sulfate ir.I have degenerative disc disease and 2 bulging discs and artritis on my spine and was a plumber all my life so digging by hand and bending up and down,and lifting tubs, toilets,setting pipe,and setting pipes on undergrounds before the slabs were poured took its toll on me for 33 years all new plumbing construction,worked as long as I can with the meds but now it is up to the younger guys,but they got it easy,machines for digging,plastic pipe instead of the old cast iron and then the copper drain pipes also,heavy ,plastic tubs and pipes.So now at my age even with the meds it doesnt help.Sorry for my life story but I had to slwly ween and get off it and on something not so depending as to cause withdrawls.You have to take as prescribed or forget it you will be addicted and you dont want to go there.UFC

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Hello All,
Angel here again.
Finding this blog saved me. Anyone who responds, I thank you so much for sharing every moment, issue and tip about withdrawing from Fentanyl patches or chronic pain.
I so want to get out of this bed.
Hard to imagine that when I was 16 I modeled for Ford. Fast life. I've had a magic life.
I guess we can't ever run faster than our DNA. My family's long history of auto immune diseases has given me a spine so diseased by arthritis that my spinal doctor won't show me the x-rays anymore. But I still strap on my 4 inch heels.
I was diagnosed with Fibro after having mononucleosis at 42. That year both parents died within 5 months of each other. My grief and the pain started me on being in bed. Docs threw drugs at me. I got addicted to up to 16 Vicodin daily, clonezepam, Soma, washed with Ritalin(an upper).
I lost myself for 2years and left my bed only when I had to. Family did intervention. Off I went to get clean at Betty Ford's.
Diagnosed with Lupus.
Did well though, with a great therapist, until I hit 50.
Long story made short: because I am naive and told Rheumotologist about addiction, he will not give me pills.
I had to put a patch back on because the pharmacy says you can code (stop breathing ) or have heart attack by going cold turkey.
They think I should get off the Pristiq first as fatigue is top side effect.
But I called doctor for 50 mcq/hr patches anyway.

Can you tell me more about drug you use called Suboxone. Is that spelled right??

Thanks from Angel

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Shannon,
Thanks for responding !!
I posted off the last persons post and since I am new here I have no idea how this works. So read the other post from me too, okay? It tells a bit of my story.

I had sweats, body rocks, voices.... You name it. So I threw on a blasted patch again. Plus the return to the reality of PAIN blew my mind. I had forgotten. I am a chronic pain sufferer. Things are easing.

I have a huge Art Fair in 2 weeks. Have to produce the goods; no time for withdrawal.

When is there ever a good time, heh? Guess I will maintain for another 2 weeks. I feel like I'm copping out. But realities have to be faced.

So much pain vs being drugged

What's a girl to do some days.

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Nanny, I'll find your email and send something so you'll have mine again. You put it best before when you mentioned your only an addict when there is no verafiable pain. I can not move or even walk without the patch and oxy for the SEVERE breakthrough pain. I know when I've healed or starting to after surgery because I feel high or woozy. Hate that feeling. I was so close to being almost off then one day fresh off the table pain. I knew right away. MRI confirmed. UFC, we have the same injuries to a tee! Buldges so bad my nerves are outside my spine and being pushed. ANGEL, sounds like your either on too much or too little and an addict is someone who has NO injuries or chronic deseases. Take just enough to function the best you can with the crappy hand that's been dealt to you! If you are not as lucky as UFC with out the withdrawal and need to wean down try adding the 12mcg's with every 25 mcg drop. I hope this is my last surgery as its the last and lowest on my spine. Doc says injurys post surgery goes up. Lucky for me it's going down because it's the last disc in line. Good Luck. Every injury and body is different and how it responds is what I've learned. I feel I'm just screwed! If this fails I don't know what is next.

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Oh Shannon, I'm such a dummy at times.....Why are you having surgery again for. Hope it helps and it's the last of the lot for you. I know it would take an act of congress to get me back on the table if it comes to my back. Any other area of my body....yeah, ok, no problem, but not my back....I'm an addict, plain and simple, even though I have verifiable pain, (I do have cancer), but I also carry the addictive gene that makes me want more than the average person, or so they say. That makes me so mad too....Why make something so addictive that makes you feel so much better??? I'm better today, can't promise you tomorrow, but today I feel better. And I didn't use yesterday...

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Angel, Suboxone is a drug that doctors give for withdrawals and I went on it when I was coming off 75 mg patch. I couldn't handle all the withdrawals and the pain at the same time so this helped me regain my life back, decently....but, I've been through so much that any sign of pain scares me. I don't want to hurt. It helps wih the pain, somewhat. It's really all you make of it. I just know it helped me and now that I have backslid, it's helping, again....hope this helps...

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I have not posted here in a long time, but I check it frequently.
Do not be so quick to judge yourselves, I know withdrawal hurts and does not feel good, in fact in one week I am going to see my doc about an increase of the dosage, I'm still on the 50/mcg patch and they are not cutting it anymore, also I refuse to get the two spine fusions this early in my life. Don't forget though that we have daily pain, without the meds I would have no life no job, I would not even be able to play with my kids.
Don't let media and other people judge you, you are not out getting high for a weekend rave, we have chronic pain. We are not addicted, but unfortunately we have become dependent, these things are not your fault. I know without the patch I would have lost my mind and everything. I am open with my doc about the side affects, but I also am glad there is something to deal with the pain because therapy and injections weren't enough anymore.
Sorry for being long winded, but please don't beat yourselves up.

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To all of you trying to quit fentanyl, here's my story. I quit fentanyl and oxycodone after being on it for 7 years. I quit Oct. 17, 2011 and I am still having withdraw symptoms. I did not go down in dosage like I should have. The thing doctors do not tell you until after the fact is that this drug builds up in your liver and they can not tell how long it will take for this to clear out. After stopping fentanyl I hurt REAL BAD. After a couple of months the pain had gradually decreased till it was tolerable. I truly believe the pain medication intensified the pain. I live with pain everyday. I hurt less than I did on fentanyl. It's not easy and the withdraws are creepy but with loving support you can quit. You would not have been able to tell me this when I was on it. I got to the point where I was mentally and physically stressed out and I knew my body could not take it anymore. Good luck to all of you who want to quit. I hope you make it. It's a whole different world.

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Hello Shannon,dont let the pain get you to the point of helplesness.It is hard and I worked Plumbing construction for 33 yearsand after about ten is when the pain started getting to me.Went for an MRI and they found the problems.I was put on my meds and as the pain got worse the Meds I was given got stronger.I still worked with the pain and the meds,the meds carried me through but also your mind plays a big part of what you can do or not want to do.Obviously as I got older the body starts breaking down and that is what made the decision for me that it is time to give up trying to work with the meds helping to carry me through.Get what you can out of life and dont worry about what is going to happen later down the line.God has his plan for everybody and it is what it is.Worrying just makes it worse mentally and also painfully on yourself.So do what you can do,prayer is powerful and things might not go as bad as you think.I hope you get the best you can get out of life,one day we will all be out of pain and in a better place than this.God Bless you.UFC

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I have a close and PErSONAL relationship with God whoever we perceive him to be. He knows the second coming of Christ is going to be the best day of my life. I see my surgeon Again today and I hope this is my last surgery. The epiderals worked until it didn't . I'm so sick of being sick and tired and bed ridden. No end in sight and I'm not sure what the right thing to do is. I have no one now due to this pain. I can't even go out. I wish you all luck in managing your pain. I think NO I know even my dr is suck of me now... I know I'm not an addict as an addict gets high and due to my extream pain I only get partial relief. I hate feeling high. Maybe a feeling of europhia but what gives you that? Lol

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GREAT POINTS:
1) We have diseases that cause extreme pain.
2) it has been scientifically proven that unless you get adequate relief, pain spirals out of control, requiring larger doses of meds to get it manageable.
3) Long term out of control pain leads to fatigue, depression, anger, hopelessness, loss of perspective, diminished life style, relationship issues, loss of income.....well, I think you all know this and more.
4) Most of us are not addicts but were given these meds without a full discussion of their physically addictive power and the hell our bodies would need to go through should we need to stop.
5) Fentanyl causes depression in every user due to how it works. ( per Pharmacist ).
6) Fentanyl is listed as the strongest pain killer. We are both lucky( as someone pointed out) and victims because it exists.
7) Shannon, back surgeries are a chance. I worked in Medicine for 26 years. Every time a surgeon opens you there is a chance he will destroy good nerves. Can you tell me what is your problem?? Have you tried AFA where they pinpoint a nerve by MRIs and then destroy the place causing the pain by high frequency radio waves? I will not let them start on my back.

Well the doctor agreed to a 50 patch. Should I call back and ask for Suboxone?

Or just see what happens?

Gosh, I'm so glad to have all of you.

I am guessing we all wonder some days why God is testing us this way. What are we to learn?

I have a favorite book called: IF THIS IS LIFE THEN THESE ARE THE RULES. Rule One says:" You are given only one body in this life. It is yours from birth until death. It is the longest lasting relationship you will have.

You can love or hate it, abuse or overuse it, pamper or praise it but it's the only one you have. The best life reflects a good relationship with it: no smoking or alcoholism, exercise and low weight, sleep and low stress, stimuli, feeling loved and having pleasure.

I recommend praising it each day. It is miraculous. "

I think about the body God gave me a lot.

I am beautiful, am Mensa and can create.
I love, am grateful, can give.
I can see, hear, taste, smell and imagine.
I am alive.
There is always hope, new discoveries in medicine, and I am young and strong-willed.

There are new friends to help.

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Thanks, wheeler!
Wise words.
We do cut ourselves up. It's a bad habit to blame yourself first.
Americans want perfection in everything. Well, our bodies are perfect for us. I try to think of myself as not SICK but chemically unique. LOL

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Angel, Ty for the encouraging words. One of the 2 nerve blocks did work but my 3rd unfixed disc being the last in line is also too far out to be manupliated back in. He said after my previous discoectomy that he couldn't believe it because outa all the ppl that have had done what I did only 12 ppl in 10 years experience what happened to me. So worst than worst case scenario. He doesn't speak laymen (sp ck?) terms very well but I got the just of things. I wish I could show you my MRI and pics if my nerve block procedures. Nanny is good try to get my email from her. I BALLED today so discouraged. Enough about me. And my mouth dropped too when I heard the second comMing of Christ I quoted. It was me being a horrible Sunday Christian. I apologize. I think that was rude of me. I remember first hearing it and was.., never mind. I hope you all sleep pain free and well.

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Cheers Shannon,
Remember you are talking to a chick who laid in agony this past winter waiting for a hip replacement. There were some days I was really glad my husband doesn't own a gun. It was beyond pain to agony, hon.

But here I am pain free from that.

Remember and have faith that miracles happen. I'm not just blowing smoke.

I looked up discectomy. It was used in "Degenerative Disc Disorder".
Is this your problem?

WOW! The pain symptoms are huge and awful, hon.

It kept repeating " the condition is chronically and significantly painful and can greatly affect the quality of one's life. " sounds like an understatement !!!

There were 12 other surgical or treatment options listed on Wikipedia for a disc like yours. Take a look.

Have you ever thought of going up to Mayo for a second opinion ??

I just want you to know you are not alone. My email is xxxxx@xxx {edited for privacy} of you want to take it private.

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Angel.......I just read the "great points" post that you posted and, all I can say is WOW.....I loved every word it said and gave new meaning to how I perceive my body and how I will learn to take care of my body like the points said. I never looked at a body and life like that before, and to tell you the truth, I should because I was taught as a child that your body is Gods Holy Temple. It was never put in plain english quite like this before and I am one that has to have plain english. I went right after I read it and copied it and printed out on notepad. It's 3:22 am and I'm wide awake after I read that. I need that book and I will not quit searching untill I find it. Thank you so much......again thank you...

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Dear NN,
I have been reading all your posts.

You are a very strong woman !! I feel you speak negatively about yourself way too much. Every word that comes out of our mouths, our own brain processes as truth. For instance, as a model, we were taught to only say superlative things ("You're stunning, one in a million, beauty is your name, etc. ) it's positive speak for the brain and IT WORKED. Imagine being a little town girl and then suddenly you have to walk nearly naked down the runways of Italy in 3 months.

I can tell you it's the same now. I just had a total right hip replacement 5 weeks ago. In 10 days I was walking steps and wearing my beloved high heels. How? I work after surgery and "told" my new hip I loved it, it belonged and all I asked is that it help me to dance again....a thing I love and had not been able to do for 14 months (this is code for another thing I love, if you catch my drift. LOL)
It worked, NN!

I'm here for you!
Never give up, promise yourself.
Hugs,
Angel

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Just coming off Fentanyl patches 100mcg after 4 years. Very very excited after 4 yrs of just not being myself! Had a hip replacement 6 weeks ago and the success of this op in relieving my pain meant my auto immune system shut down due to the large dose of Fentanyl in my system. I was sweating, shaking, freezing hands and SO fatigued. Coming down 25 mg every 6 days - down to 25mg in a couple of days. I must admit this has been one of the hardest things I have ever had to do, but I was suffering so much anyway - the ends justify the means.

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