Fentanyl Withdrawal Symptoms (Page 67)
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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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I've had severe spinal pain for a while (~1 year) and it started being diagnosed properly and fixed as of July 2010. The pain itself is being resolved now and I'm pretty sure I can live without the opiates I was put on in July.

At the time I decided I had to stop, last week, I was on about 120mg of oxycodone/oxymorphone. The pill usage was out of control for me, so my doctor I think (wisely) put me on the 50mcg fentanyl patch ~30 hours ago. I am supposed to use this for 2 weeks (5 patches) and then switch to 25mcg and then after that I guess I keep switching down. This method of tapering works for me, for now. The meds I take for my spinal condition make me very nauseous so most of the opioids I've taken has gotten thrown up but I can't tell what my actual daily dosage was.

I am reading all these horror stories but I do hope I can have a smooth taper. My goal is to get off the opiods period. The fentanyl patch has its benefit when it comes to pain but like any other synthetic opiod, it's a two edged sword.

I'm also taking the gabapentin which seems to help.

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day 22 Fentanyl free.. did anyone else have problems getting their blood pressure under control. My husbands bp is still spiking 160/110 has be the highest and thats with clonidine on board. Ringing in the head and short zaps where he feels like he's gonna pass out. It seems like he takes 2 steps forward and 1 step back. Still 0-4 hours if we are luck of sleep and that is with ambein on board. Seems like the vitimans helped and the acupuncture has helped as well. He still can't drive all that well.. Doctor won't return our calls since he wrote him a letter asking why he let him go so high on the stuff and didn't keep us on a schedule better. I just don't want him to go through all this and then stroke out on me.

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I just took myself off 150mcg fentanyl. 3yrs at 150mcg, then 2 weeks at 100mcg, then cold turkey just 3 days ago. It is very tough. Shakes, sneezing, terrific body aches. I have only slept 2 or 3 hrs of the last 72. I think I got it whipped though. Feeling a little better withdrawal-wise, but the chronic back pain is still there. Hang in there....good luck to all

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Thank you so much, 3DayRider. You've really calmed me down. I was beginning to think that a nightmare withdrawal was inevitable. It occurred to me, too, that people who have a relatively easy time withdrawing from Fentanyl don't necessarily have any incentive to seek out a Fentanyl withdrawal board! The cross-section of people most likely to be here are those who are going through (and have been through) hell and are either seeking advice and support or are thoughtful enough to share their advice and support with others who might be going through the kind of hell that they did. I'm grateful to everyone who has posted, but awfully glad I found you here!

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Pme, you can do it! Sounds to me like you have your head on straight and every reason to get this done....for your wife and daughter as much as for yourself. Hang in there. If you just persist, it will get better, in my case it took 4 to 5 weeks before I realized that I wasn't feeling horrible any more. Let us know how we can support you.

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Hello everyone. I am on day 3 without fentanyl or lortab or lyrica, 50 mcg patches 2 x 7.5 painkillers and 50 mg 3 a day on the lyrica. I have been on ever increasing doses of this stuff since a bad construction incident 5 years ago. I had to close my business in Aug 08 exactly one week before my daughter was born now two years later my wife was notified that our insurance was gonna triple at the same time she was returning to full time school to be a radiologist. Well that was all at the beginning of summer and I had a great pain control doc that really worked with me as much as he could, Since July I have been trying to turn to the VA for help. I do have a war time injury that qualifies me for a small disability. Tinninutis and hearing loss also it was the Army that first found my diabetes. So its always been the VA taking care of that (its impossible to get any type of insurance in this state with so much as a funny looking birthmark). Anyway I would have sworn my first day would end in suicide by the time I was making my daughter breakfast. My sister rescued me with (of all things) cannabis. She has a prescription so the only wrong was a little sharing and my brains still in my head. Sunday my second day was a hallucigenic nightmare as I refused even my sisters help. I was able to get Xanax from the local VA hospital, once my wife started screaming that I was gonna off myself without help (graphically and loudly). And that brings me to today although at first I didnt think I was ever gonna sleep. Sevaral trips to the benadryl and xanax bottles finally worked. This morning I actually woke up and thought for the first time I might get this done after all. But I have gotten slower and more jumpy with each passing moment. I can't take the xanax bcause the wife is in school and the lil girl needs someone to keep her safe, fed, and entertained. The wife may kill me tonite.. I introduced her to a fishing pole and a lead weight to try and 'catch her toys' Anyway thank all of you for advice, encouragment, and generally reassurance it can be done.

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Sonja, Your doctor sounds like he knows what he's doing and is giving you good advice. The only thing is, I would try to stay away from the oxycontin because it is so addictive. Try oxycodone or percocet instead, or at least discuss it with the doc. His plan for tapering sounds reasonable to me. There is no pleasant way to get of the Fentanyl, but he's right, it's certainly not life-threatening! I worked the entire time I was having withdrawal symptoms, but I work at home and can take a little nap if I need to. I also did some traveling for work and it was okay. I really don't think you need to be in a detox facility, in terms of my own experience with withdrawal. But it's great to have some emotional support, like a good friend or a significant other who you can lean on and who will put up with your moods! Good luck, it sounds like you are doing this the right way.

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Okay, I've read most of the comments to this post -- and now I'm really frightened. :(

I've been taking 75 mg (up from 50, then 63 mg) Fentanyl every 48 hours for about a year now to treat chronic pain from peripheral neuropathy. The side fx have gotten so bad that my pain doc and I have decided that I should get off Fentanyl and try a different 24/7opiate -- probably oxycontin or methadone. He's given me scrip for the 63 mg dose, and I'm to come back in two and a half weeks. At that time, he wants to switch to 50 mg. and start me on the other opiate -- and then at a time yet to be designated, drop the Fentanyl completely. He says that withdrawal will be somewhat uncomfortable to extremely uncomfortable, but not life-threatening, and that from what he's seen, withdrawal will not be more severe doing it this way than it would be from tapering the Fentanyl over time.

Reading your experiences, I get the impression that tapering would be a better plan -- and that the doc's estimate of 4-7 days for withdrawal symptoms is ridiculous. I'm really scared re: the latter. I have to work. Can you work while you're in withdrawal? For those of you who work, how long did you need to be off work? I can take a week of leave if necessary, but not more.

I'm also concerned because I'm already ON so many other drugs and I don't know whether they will help or hurt me in withdrawal. Notably, I take Lyrica (max dose), Cymbalta (same), Lamotrigine (low dose) for my neuropathic pain, plus oxycodone for breakthrough pain. Already taking Ambien to address insomnia caused by some of these.

Also, can I do this at home, or should I push to have him send me to a detox facility?

Any advice or words of encouragement would be much appreciated!

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Thanks for the info guys really 4-5 weeks, but can you function before that? like work? do you still have pain or just the restlessness? On day four but it seems like this morning was one of the worst yet?? Why do doctors put you one this stuff if they aren't gonna help you off??

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2cor129, In my case it took about 4 or 5 weeks for the worst of the symptoms to go away and to start feeling like my normal self again. I think it would not have been so hard if my doctor had weaned me off of it more gradually, instead of phasing out over just 6 days. It is now about 4 months since I have used the Fentanyl patch and I still have some muscle twitching and rocking back and forth, but only when lying in bed at night. I can put up with that since I feel so much better overall. I hope your husband doesn't suffer too much but it is worth it to get off the patch.

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2cor129
It can last a few days or a few months is different for everyone. Im going on 4 or 5 weeks off the stuff and its hell. Im tired alll the time and my joints ack, mostly in my legs. I dealing with it by useing OTC stuff like Tylenol and Motrin and caffine. I wish I never had these patches its the worst. I wich I had a better response for you but I'm still going through the withdrawal myself...

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I keep reading that everyone is having withdrawls as they wean down off fentanyl? is this true? the restless legs, flu like symptoms full body pain?? my husband went cold turkey off 200mcg/48 patches we put his last ones on tuesday and these are all the symptoms he is experiencing. so are you telling me he would have had them anyways if he would have weaning like I wanted him too?? Just wondering? Does anyone know how many days to expect to be like this? And when do I start the timer from? would it be the 48hr mark or the 72 since that is what patches are suppose to be?? thanks for any help you can give. its a real nightmare and thats with the meds the doctor gave to help.

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Spyder - you're in my prayers buddy. May you harness the strength to make it through this difficult time so that you can emerge in good health!

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In October of 2006 I was performing my duties as a Police Officer and following all the rules of the road to a T. It was pouring rain and all the bars were letting out. I had just got finished backing up another buddy on a vehicle investigation. As I was driving away, I came to a busy intersection off the highway with a gas station on one corner and a night club on the other. The light was red and I was stopped. A minivan pulled out of the gas station behind me with no lights on. Even though it was pouring, I got out of my car and ran back to her's to tell her. She was very grateful. The light for us had already turned green and had been about ten seconds. Running back to my cruiser, I could see that opposing traffic had already stopped at their red light. I got in my vehicle and started across the intersection. Next Thing I know I wake up in the hospital with my family, friends and some of my co-workers around me. A drunk driver was doing 80 through all the lights off the highway and T-Boned me. I almost died, my guardian angel was with me that night (something I thank God for everyday). Long story short; Every disc in my neck except one is bulging or herniated. Every disc in my Thoracic from my neck down to my waist (except two) either bulging or herniated. And from being crushed under the wheel and the computer going into my lower back I ruptured one disc in my lumbar and herniated two others. I received nerve damage to my pelvis and spine (As a man its so hard to not have working sexual parts anymore cause of nerve damage. She took away my life and eventually after so many years of not being able to please my spouse, she took my marriage too). After a long time of endless pain and therapy etc. I was able to return to my job and do what made me happy (helping others). Unfortunately that came with a price. I never had to take any drugs in my life except migraine medication. I was a perfect example of fitness and health. I lost 40 lbs and it took me four years to gain back 25 and keep it. I started on Percocet 5mg, Flexeril 10 mg and Lorazepam 1mg so i could sleep. Years later I went from trying never to take the Percs cause of my job to taking 12 - 15 of the 10 mg ones a day. In addition a bunch of other drugs as new problems would arise. Dosages and strengths went up as the years progressed. This past year, struggling with someone who tried to stab someone, I re-injured my back again and had to return to the hospital again. Now they tell me my spine has holes in it and is falling apart and its only gonna get worse unless I have some type of successful surgical intervention. The city who fights these doctors says surgery is unnecessary because my spine is a disease and I returned to work the first time before it was diagnosed. Even though all these doctors and medical lawyers showed my past and how this can happen from traumatic impact from a near fatal auto accident. Now i don't know if i will ever be able to return to the job I love and I am only 28!

Anyways They sent me to this horrible doctor who says to me that he is surprised i am even walking my spine is in such bad shape. He says I need to be on a long acting narcotic and NSAID. Even after telling him I can't take NSAIDS because I ruined my digestive tract with all that medication and Tylenol, he was still happy to perscribe naprosyn anyway. Telling him I took about 100 - 130 mg of Oxycodone a day he says I need to be on the patch and sends me away with a 25 mcg patches to change every three days and appointment for more epidurals. I wanted to SCREAM and he said have faith in my plan. At this point I had tried everything so i figured what the hell? PAIN unbelievable more than necessary pain. How about I paged him and left messages for on a Tuesday and he gets back to me on Friday and tells me that it didn't seem to be an emergency. He asked what the problem was. I told him I didn't sleep in days because of pain. He tells me to take Motrin and he'll see me for the injections the following Tuesday. Don't take Percocet because your under contract and that's his plan. I got the injections... more pain (i knew that already) Saw him for a follow up and walking on a cane and asked for BT Medication he said he only deals with Fetanyl and if I didn't like it I could go back to my own Physician (how understanding). Well I did. My own Doctor was furious. He was like is this guy an idiot? This s--t kills people in their sleep. I went through one of the worst weeks of my life. I wouldn't wish that kind of pain on anyone.

Withdrawing from that crap I didn't sleep for four days! Today was the first day I slept. Thank god that is over. I WOULD NEVER WISH THAT ON ANYONE. My pharmacist tells me that Doctor is another happy money maker. Getting people addicted to the strongest s--t there is so they keep coming back. No compassion or empathy what so ever. If you find a right combination of something that works for you do it. If they every try to give you the patch, DON'T DO IT!

I guess all I can do now is pray and hope my surgery comes through and I can be happy again.

Thanks for listening everyone. It feels great to get it out sometimes to other people who understand.

~Spyder

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HEy do you want to sell ur patches
?? let me know .. $$

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Labrat454, try Tylenol. I take two 1,000 gram tablets two times daily, but you can take more than that as long as you are not also taking something else that contains the same active ingredient that's in Tylenol, which is acetominaphen (look on the label of any product to see what's in it). I'm not sure what the maximum safe daily dosage of Tylenol is, but you can Google that and find out. Good luck, hope this helps.

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I'm looking for any OTC anything to help with the withdrawal of Fentanyl 50mcg/hr. I have 2 spinal fusions and C6/C7 and L3/L4 plus a 2 cyst at my frontal temporal fosa that causes me extremely bad headaches. The biggest problem is the fentanyl causes severe sweeting that is affecting my job. I'm going to see how bad the headache are with OTC and just dealing with it but the withdrawal is getting bad. I lost my health insurance and had to cold turkey stop the fentanyl patch. I ache in my joints mostly knee's and feel completely exhausted daily. I have been off the fentanyl for a week now. I have been taking Excedrin, Ibuprofen, and Naproxen to try to get through this, and deal with the headaches, with very little change in the withdrawal symptoms. Anyone have any idea's on what OTC might help. Thanks...

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RossD, as far as I know you can't stop the side effects of Fentanyl unless you stop taking it. I don't know why you are taking it, so it's hard to say whether you could try to gradually wean yourself off of it and use other drugs and/or other methods to help with your pain. Getting off Fentanyl is a real horror show, but after about two months of no Fentanyl I am feeling much more like my normal self. In my case it was worth it to get off this drug, maybe you can do the same. Read what JustAnotherVictim posted on July 22 and what Momwire posted on Aug. 11. These two posts have a lot of good suggestions for coping. Mege246, you are really having a rough time and I don't know what to say. I would stay with your dad rather than go back to the city where there are so many temptations, and try to kick everything, including Fentanyl and methadone. It's a lot easier to say that than to do it, I know. But you seem like you have a lot of strength, and if you could find some kind of drug treatment program or facility that has some experience with your combination of issues, that would probably be very helpful. I wish you the best of luck and will be watching for your posts.

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hi, I am also on
fentanyl,it is a strong opiod i have exactly the same withdrawl problems 5 years of hell,my problem is ithe Doc has increased the patch to 2 days iI Leave it on because i was geting a tolerance to it .when the patch runs out i exeirance terrible withdrawl symptons ,loss oef r airh badly athrobing in all my muscles &bones and jumping all ouer the room .it is the most dangerous med i have ever used.Can anyone help me as howt oto rgtop these side effects please .why would the FDA APROVE IT IF IT HAS SO MANY HORIBLE WITHDRAWL SYMPONS.

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I do the same thing.. rock, my foot is constantly moving... when I was very sick with delirium tremens from alcoholism it was much the same.. Im pretty sure this is a sign of withdrawal as well... i just know i cant sleep and I am constantly twitching my foot. :P

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