Fentanyl Withdrawal Symptoms (Page 47)

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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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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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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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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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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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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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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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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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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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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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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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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I posted but they said they had to review it.

WTF
A long post too.

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Ha Ha, told you Angel, happened to me too! Good luck retyping it all if you can conjure up the strength again. We can wait til day 2 of 3. That's my best, sane day of the 3-4. I'll take 1 1/2 good days on than no good days off. BTW a good replacement sleeping aid to ambian is some euro natural "night rest" Stuff i got on amazon or eBay for $8 for 30 or 60 and says just take one. Says an hour before but takes 2-3 hrs to wk and then your OUT! Not addictive and not groggy WHEN u wake. No am job no prob

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Melatonin is ok for sleep...not addictive...just don't take too much. It will backfire and cause insomnia. Usually they say 1-3mg to sleep any more will keep you awake. I have Halcion but I try not to take it since I have to get up and go pick up the boys from school. Getting home at 9-10am then having to have them picked up by 4 or 5 is just not long enough to get it out of my system to drive.

Hugs,
'chelle

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Ya, I think it's that and metonine and opposite effect is mentioned. That's happened to me with Tylenol pm and the next day is a b**** on that with no sleep. Definitely don't go to the docs like that lol

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Lol, I can call a doc a dic (sp ck) but a day a female dog after Tylenol pm and no sleep and it won't get posted. Oh well

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Hey all, I was so messed up in my back when I got up I could not even sit straight. I had to prop up in bed and be waited on. I refuse to go through another week like this past week. I don't know what the laws are about the shots in your back, but the shots that this doctor gives me goes in a hole in the bone about one inch above my anus and the needle is about 14-16 inches long. I can't think of what they call it, something called (caudle) or something. But they said they were allowed to be injected more. I don't know and I wish I did. I really don't want to do this but even the doctor that gives me my suboxone said I needed something stronger with all that is wrong with me. Oh yeah, my heart doctor took me off of my coumadin. Eh, I just had a blood clot under my arm next to my heart about 3 months ago,,,,OK....what is up with him doing that??? I thought I was suppose to stay on that with the history of all the blood clots I have had in my lungs and other places...It is starting to turn cold now and this hurts my bones and joints so bad that I guess I have to go with the shots every month. I just can't make my mind up on this and it's just around the corner when I have to go...Now, how is everyone doing this morning?? Angel it ts 10:30 am now at my house, is it ok to give you a call at this time? I don't know the time difference from Alabama to where you are at...My daughter wants me to go cook her some spaghetti and meat sauce, they think I am the only one that can make it the best...lol...but I sure don't feel like standing even that long. Hope everyone is ok today. Stay strong and if you are going through withdrawal and it is getting bad, get something to help you through it cause that is hell in itself, other than the pain that your going through...love and kisses to all. Know that I am praying for everyone that the days will not be long that you have to go through all this crap....

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Dear NN ,
You are EST. So at 10:30 am it is 9:30 am my time on Sunday. Right now it's about 3:30 pm. You can call 414-719-7085. I will keep my cell on me.

Babe, I want you to take a regular aspirin (325mg) twice a day for those blood clots. Aspirin will not let your platelets clump. This is what starts clots. Also it is just good practice for everyone our age to take an aspirin a day.

Have to make this short. I don't know why they are reviewing my posts.

Hugs to all,
I read twice a day.
Angel

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NANNY, how old is the "but you make it so gud" mommy! I'm mad at her already. She better be in GRADE school! Kids are so lazy! What the... Blood clots and with your pain.. Was the proper dose of fentynal that bad? I am bed ridden without it. I'm taking it as long as I need it and I can get it prescribed. I just looked at an MRI from Jan 4th and I had fluid going up my spine abd into my brain then. Did ANY of my 3 Doctors even look at it??? Geeze, It looks like I'm not the only one with Freaking water on the brain! I'm taking the aspirin too. I feel like random strangers or an elite few are nicer and more caring than all those people we have called friends and Family? I haven't gone anywhere for 2? Months and no friends come over unless I scream at them too. As for that Spag :-p mail me some frozen sauce. I can't even stand and do dishes for more than 3-5 min without hurting. My favorite is putting the leftovers on toast and broil cheese on top for breakfast. It really is better the next day. Hope your all sleeping well by now.
Shannon

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Shannon and NN et all,
NN, Shannon was being sarcastic. I thought it was pretty funny ( you rant well, Shannon ).

She makes good points. Take care of your health first. But sometimes when you are busy doing it for special loved people like family, you can forget the f***ing pain for a minute or two.

Shannon, you are too alone. Please, call me. We can talk anytime. Also, to anyone here is my email: xxxxx@xxx {edited for privacy}

I am very careful not to open emails from unknowns. Give me yours if you want a response.

Have my first meeting as Director at 11 am. I am putting out a call. I am looking for a Director for Rainbird in every state. If YOU or if you know someone who would be interested, contact me.

Good thing this is a voice conference. I haven't slept in two days. Back pain rotating down legs and hot pins in feet. I look horrid but they can not see.

Lilred4, how's it going today?

Men, how are you fairing?

Hugs,
Angel

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