Fentanyl Withdrawal Symptoms (Page 61)

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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There is hope I was on 100mcg patches for 4 years and as soon as I has my hip replacement I wanted off them. I reduced by 25 mcgs every 5 days and I knew I would suffer but I was determined. It WAS pure hell but I was off them in 16 days and haven't looked back. The world is in colour again instead of monochrome and although I still have big pain I am handling it so much better and I am LIVING again. Persevere there is life at the end of it!!!

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I was on the 75 mg patches. I decreased for awhile and been off them for a year now and won't ever look back either. I have pain, but I'll live with the pain instead of the patches. I was determined too!

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Depending on your metabolism, find the opioid that you know from past experience to be the easiest to kick. For me, that would be Oxycodone IR. Of course, it will be different for different people. I started out at 125mcs of #150 FTD, 5/d and tapered down by 25 mcgs to 100 mcs every 60 days while taking #120 mgs of Oxy IR 30s at 4/d. 60 days later I tapered down to 75 mcgs of FTD with 90 mcgs, #3 cut in half, of Oxy IR 30s. That was followed by 50 mcgs of FTD at 5/d and 5/d of oxy IR 10 mgs at 5/d. 2 months later it was 25mccgs of 25 FTD at 4/d and 4/d of Oxy IR at 10 p/d. The final break was 4/d of 12.5 FTD and 3/d of Oxy 10mgs 2months later. I am still on 4/d of Oxy IR 10mg p/d after 1 year of FTD free.

This is a lonnnng regimen but it worked. I suffered only slightly and have no cravings for FTD. The whole trick is the "every two month" break along with the use of oxyIR. This keeps those restless legs to a minimum aNd the cravings to almost zero. The hardest part, of course, is finding a Dr. to Rx you the proper scripts. I wish you the best of luck and the least of pain . . . Q

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You might try between 4-8 mg of loperamide (this is also called Immodium). I have no idea why it worked, but it took away my withdrawal symptoms when NOTHING else would. It was a miracle.

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They are 12.5s not 13.5s,

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I have been on the fentanyl patch for ten years for severe neck and back pain and i can tell you it is obvious you are widthdrawing the amount that you were on compared to now tells me that the side effects are severe and the doctor should be checking on you every week this drug is the most powerful and i can tell you from experience that you should be careful and make sure you have someone to look in on you i nearly died a couple of times and i was alone when i tried to kick it cold turkey i mean cold turkey i take 150 every two days and i can swear too you that it is a drug that pretty much will stay in your brain for a long long time.It is synthetic and that is why you are experiencing these effects.Good luck to you seriously.I wish i could get off too but when pain is unbearable and the only other option is the hospital.Well don't go their because to be honest they look at you and the downright ugliness that they give you is truly a downer.Many people are pretty much on it for life and rehabilitation with intense monitoring and phsych help is almost always needed because your thought pattern on this drug is different trust me i have been their I'm on Workers Comp and u think they would help ya right.I'm serious if you still have urges and sweats months later then you know what i say is true ..Good luck to you and GOD speed cause i wish i had never ever touched this pain killer

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Hello, Is the Suboxone replacing Fentynal? Did it stop your withdrawal and if so, can you come off the Suboxone? I am on Fentynal 100 for 4 yrs and I want to come off it , but I am too scared. Please help. Thank you

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I was on 50 mcg patches for a little over a year. When I wanted to get off them I ask my doctor about it and he backed me off to 25 mcg. I used those for a month and then the second month I cut the 25's into three pieces and wore each peace for the recommended dosage of 72 hrs. I had actually been forced to go about 6 days without any patches due to lack of funds before starting the 25's and then cutting those into thirds. The nervousness and recklessness having to go cold turkey for those few days was unbearable the 4-5-6th day. I almost checked myself into the emergency room. Having to go through that withdrawal period was what prompted me to get off the patches. I never want to be that reliant on a drug, especially a narcotic drug. I actually posted on this msg board hoping for help during that brief cold turkey attempt. This is a highly addictive drug, after reading the posts here it reinforces my opinion that doctors who prescribe this drug need to be very upfront about it's possible addictive traits and symptoms. I think many doctors for what ever reason(s) just assume that all patients are aware of these things. The good news is that in my case it only took 1 month of going from 50's to 25's and another 4-5 wks of using a third of the 25's in order to get off them completely. In addition to the patches my doctor had also been subscribing me Norco for break-through pain control. During the time I was using the patches I was taking 2-4 tablets a day. They are the weakest ones available I believe 5-325mg meaning the hydrocodone was only 5 mgs. During the tapering off period I needed to take 6-8 of them a day and now after a month of being off the patches completely I'm taking 4-6 Norco tablets a day. This worked out pretty well for me. I had one very mild episode of the nervousness and restlessness about a week after being off the patches all together, but that was it. So for those just starting to face the withdrawal problems rest assured that you will make it through and there IS lite at the end of the tunnel. I know those who have taken much larger doses and for much longer periods of time than I did have and will suffer more severe withdrawal than I did. But never the less it is possible to get through it. My suggestion is that you be upfront and honest with your physician about how your feeling and why and simply insist that he help you get through it with what ever medication(s) it takes. Even point your doctor to msg boards like these and other resources showing the extremity some people go through coming off this drug. We are living in a time where doctors are under the microscope more than ever by federal regulators for prescribing these types of drugs. Simply because there have been so many cases of real drug addicts abusing this drug and others who don't heed to the warnings of using this drug and drinking alcohol etc. thus resulting in death and or severe injury. This is sad and it makes it harder for some doctors and their patients to get these kinds of drugs when truly needed. But as with anything else in this world honesty and being up front with your doctor about the problems your having is the best way to go. And if that doctor doesn't give you what you need then go see another one and keep going to others until you find one who will help you, however that ends up being.

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Wow, I almosted died coming off a morphine pump. Then they put me on Fentynal? I am so scared now. I did not know it was 80xs stronger. Now, I am afraid to come off it, but I am going to get help to get off this drug. Thanks to all of you. God Bless!

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Ok I have been on durgesic patches for almost eleven years and never went ove 75 mch but at every 48 hours there has been a few times I've asked my doctor to take me off them so everytime she has tried to just replace the fentanyl with morphine and she never gave me the right dosage so I would end up right back on them so now here we go again this time I went down two 75 s every 72 hours month later 50 every 48 hours month later to every 72 hours still taking Percocet 10/325 mg , 2 at a time when needed now she has me on opana 30 s twice a day for two weeks to see how I'm doing and I tell you I'm in pain I'm freezing cold I have restless legs and am so tired I don't have the energy to even move , when it gets close to time to take opana I feel like I have to gasp for air I even took some diet pills they give by script to stay awake and I'm still tired please help I go back on the 21st I think I'm gonna ask her to raise the opana for the pain but I do not want to be on the patches anymore...please any info would be appreciated. To top it off I'm camping with my husband and grand daughter

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Gil, you're right, there are a lot of scary things about fentanyl or FTD but coming off of it for me was not as hard as others have written about. That's not because they're exaggerating it's because everybody has a different metabolism and will react differently to the W/Ds. I was on 125 mcg 48/72 hrs for 5 years and I kicked it without too much pain so it is possible. I just did it real slowly, 25 mcg every 2 months but first getting back to 72 hrs and that was the hard part. It hurt mostly from my pain coming back not the W/Ds. I have inoperable cancer that is gonna get me later or sooner, PCa, and the pain from it and the therapy is tremendous. I just went through 3 days of hell without my current meds to see where my pain level baseline is now . . . WOW, I had no idea. But I just want to tell you that for some of us it is possible to change meds from FTD to something else . . . I like/my body likes Oxycodone30mgs 8 a day, prn. They keep the pain at a bearable level so I can function instead of curling up into a ball like I was w/out them. I don't know what causes your pain but it's gotta be nasty to get Rxed FTD> God Bless and don't let yourself worry too much . . . Q

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Fentynal rewires your brain receptors and depending on how long you have been on Fentynal, your withdrawal symptoms will vary from each patient. I suggest you take Diazepam 5mg on Fentynal 25, then down to 1 mg after for several months. Gabapentin 300mg can also stop the firing of your nerves and calm your body down. Taking antidepressants can make certain people feel worse. Drink lots of water to clean your system and prevent dehydration. Hang in there. Do things that calm you. No caffeine Good luck.

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I have been off fentanyl 75mcg for almost 48 hours now. Restless leg, sleeplessness, irritability. My Dr is unaware I've decided to go cold turkey. I don't feel so bad during the day. I do take hydrocodone for my pain. I'm assuming that is helping with the WD symptoms. I have the will to do this. The fentanyl is an awful drug for me. I started it a year ago at 25mcg. I'm over it. I hope the WD symptoms doesn't get any worse. Eventually I'll tell my Dr. I kicked oxycontin with no problems or side effects what so ever. Keeping my fingers crossed!

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Way to go shakes, I didn't have too much trouble with. subbing Oxycodone for Fent, I really think that's the way to go. I didn't bother to tell my doc either as he is really not all that involved in my pain med. I've got cancer and he's my oncologist, he lets me practically write my own RXs. I was up to 125 mugs at 72 hrs. but it Mede me feel like s***, all confused and shot reflexes. I even gave my wife my keys cause I didn't feel like I was ll that safe behind the wheel. Keep it up . . . Q

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Ok, here goes nothing... been on 100mcg's for 2 years. Life's dealt me some pretty harsh blows. I am Not ok pain wise nor am I happy to say the least. I need this drug for pain as much as I don't. I have never experience'd w/d until weaning down from this. Normally when I'm done, I'm just done! No problems! This is a whole different ball park for me. I don't know what to do. I can't get operated on again to fix ANY "errors" that have been made or I could end up even worse again!!! I am Severely depressed but can not take the anti's, they kinda work the opposite for me. Even in low doses. On them I can do the impossible. So, what to do... Believe it or not, I heard Imodium works well with the opiet receptors and w/d. My pharm says he heard the same but it will only work for a day or two. JERK, not what I wanted to hear. I too have oxy's for breakthrough but it doesn't do much. Suggestions?
Me

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Any Doctor who thinks they can ween a patient off of this powerful drug is an ahole it takes intense therapy and months i have been on it for 13 years and believe this my doctor told me to crash a plane on a deserted island good luck too all who take this detramental terrible addictive killer of pain in the ass

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The drug in Immodium that helps with withdrawal is actually loperamide, which you can buy at any drugstore, but at both Costco and Wal-Mart you can get large bottles of the stuff for under ten dollars. If taken in large dosages (40-80 mg) along with a potentiater like grapefruit juice, it can help greatly with fentanyl withdrawal. Go to a forum like Blue light, and search for loperamide, and you can get some great advise on using this for withdrawal symptoms. Loperamide is an opioid that is too large (on a molecular level) to cross the blood brain barrier into the central nervous system, but can easily be absorbed by opiate receptors elsewhere in the body.

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Thanks for this great response i live in Canada and i will be checking this out i hope they have it cause if it works i have some back up if i need to try and get a relief from shaking legs cold shoulders and puking as well as sneezing

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I posted a comment on the 19th. I haven't had a patch on since the 17th. Best move I ever made!!! I was on fentanyl for a year. Last dose was 75mcg I had taken for about 6 months. I'm happy to report I'm not sleeping all day (I did while on the patch) and i have NO further withdrawal symptoms. I'm 116 pounds and thought I'd be miserable with withdrawals for a long time. Actually, what I went through for a couple of days really wasn't all that bad considering. For all who are trying to stop this med good luck to you.

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Long Beach, Ty so much for you advise. I also have a lg bottle of gabapentin somewhere as well that I also hear may help. I stopped taking it because of the side effects but the withdrawal from this fent makes everything else seem like nothing in comparison. I have been off this for several weeks many times but the pain always brings me back. It is very difficult to see progress or lack there of on this. However I've noticed that if the pain is worse in the localized area than the wd's then... Ya, either way it doesn't look good.
Hope everyone is doing well or as well as possible.
Whatever

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