Fentanyl Withdrawal Symptoms (Page 71)
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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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lots of impingemnet and fusions etc and tendency to crumble and need things replaced still in my forties play the piano and use a powerchair for more than one block outing,morphine 3 years 100mg x3 p(in the form of Kadian)was very effective but the doctor decided it was time for Fentanyl so I tried to do everything exactly as instructed but the sides of the patches alwasy curl up and I tried surgical tape and that doesn't work.I wake up sick and find the patches half off or somewhere else.VERY DANGEROUS I KNOW!Whatt o do??TY

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Tessie-- ok I still am awake, Ive been reading and reading!!! I cant stop!! I dont feel so all alone , thanks to all of your posts! Please keep posting everyone, I need to tell you all I am a christian and I through these last really BAD 4 years I feel like ERIN and alot of you that these patches stole so much of my life , my 3 boys 13,6,&3 yrs .The most precious gift God has given me and I lost 4 yrs of each of their lives if not more!!! I cry because although u all share that it can be done , i can eventually beat this , I need to say I'm weak and I have pushed God from my world and let this sh*ttY drug rule me. I was at 25mcgs for 2 days and I felt like taking my life, but as I told my wonderful husband I didnt have the guts to . Terrible , I know. I have been on 600Effexor also and dropped to 300 and about 4days ago stopped all together, I had a full blown hystorectomy in 2008 andwas blaming some recent symptoms on it.Took Premerin, I do agree if you are on other meds with Fentanyl they make it that much harder to get clean.kicked out evrything but the fentanyl, really hurting now, I am going to pray for each of you to NEVER GIVE UP!! I like to thank you all again for reading mine and writing ur posts!

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Mary just read yours and yes you are experiencing the terrible withdraw that goes along with this deadly drug. I say deadly beacause I cant even cout how the symptoms leave us feeling out of control of our own body, wanting to feel happy, calm , and instead the symptoms have increased as trying to ween I find myself getting worse , so Im at a stand still and at 50mcgs fentanyl I sympathize and ask where to go from here. For example , it's almost 4 am unless I drown myself with 4-5 sleeping pills/night I cant sleep. Fentanyl is huge on causing insomnia,or restless sleep. Prayers to you all.

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Well, as i sit here with tears in my eyes, I now feel like Im not alone. I want to share with you all who are in disstress as I. In the last 14 years (age22 then)after suffering from a back pain after giving birth to my 1st child. I was talked into a triple lamonectomy surgury @ age 28 as I prayed would cure my chronic pain. After an extensive surgery I was imediately given morphine in the hospitol and to go home Percicets and upon return checkups to the sergeon9more drugs), he informed me to give myself at least 2yrs till full recovery from pain symptoms that always follow surgery like this. Young , I was 28@ time of surgery suffered, with pain prior for 6 years on and off Percicet was drug of choice (given by dr.) the Dr.s seemed to write scipts out w/out blinking.I upped dossage after dossage till after giving birth to my 2nd child I added to my drug addictions ,adderol,vicodin,xanex,valume,and pretty much whatever they would proscrbe(dr.s)or I could get!!! I was able to ween myself off of most all those pretty easily by myself as I was to have my 2nd child.9months of torture with severe back pain I forced myself for the babys sake to go drug-free! Immediately after i seeked all kinds of help for pain ,management centers ,chiropractics,healers, massage,herbs you name it I tried it! Well, as I tell you all this I am getting to the worst part , as i had numerous challenges as we all do I had a few other illnesses and was told that I no longer could have anymore children. So with that I immediately did whatever it took , in my mind to relieve pain . Shockingly , yes you guessed it I became pregnant, But I was allready severely addicted I found myself pregnant and scared to death I was addicted to vicodin and anywhere between 11-14 550's per day with other s. I immediatelysought advice to my shock i was told to take 150mcg of fentenol every72hrs, that it was safer for me to go through my pregnancy on such a strong drug ! After research with Hershey Medical drs. that I may add had no experience dealing with such a drug being used during pregnancy. So Immediately they lowered my dose and basically I was a ginny pig and I fear my childs life because Drs just dont really care who they are hurting when little or no research is done and they are writing prescriptions out to anyone. Needless to say now in 2010 I am suffering from painful, withdraw I have begun to ween myself from the fentenol I had my new family dr. write me out a 25mcg scrip. and decided to wear 2 at a time from 75mcg and then I could lower to 25. Just here in the last 2 weeks I removed a patch trying to get to just 25mcg /3 days , as I did this I began to experience 10x the side effects that I have been experiencing durring the last few months commind down. I thought I could handdle this alone , I havehad feelings increase in wanting to commit suicide,hiding away from people depressed, anxiety,jitters,severe hot to cold sweats and not at night . It has consumed me and for any of you thinking of FENTENAL think twice !! I am so scared because at this point I am searching for help and maybe just maybe in the process stop someone from getting on the fentenal patch and save a life.

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I too was put on fentanyl for chronic pain. Until I read this site I didn't realize how much of an issue the drug was. I also then researched. My own story was that I went from 25 to 50 to 75 for about a month -- then I found this info. I took off a patch for an MRI and never put one back on (with my doctor's knowledge). It has been tough but after 3 days, touch wood, I'm actually feeling reasonable and far better than before -- all I did was sleep with the 75. Always take medical advice about stopping any medication but for me, just being strong willed worked as well as keeping on schedule with my other pain medications, drinking plenty of water and eating healthy. I suppose only being on it for a month helped too. THANK YOU ALL FOR THE WARNING and the encouragement in your messages to refuse this medication. Good luck. STAND STRONG!

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Just wanted to give support to veryone dealind with this!! I have now been patch free for about 2 1/2 months and can't believe the difference in my brain & well-being!! I put the last patch on Dec 16 after 4 yrs of them!! I was on 150mcg for 3 yrs & weedled down to 50 and then stopped for good!! It sucked for awhile but it was definiyely worth it!!! I no longer take ibuprofen or any pain med, seems I was getting pain from the patch somehow!! I will be getting a knee replacement soon & there is no way on the planet I will let them drug me again! I am allergic to everything else so it will be very hard, but not going to go through that again!! IT CAN BE DONE< STAY STRONG & GET OFF< IT IS SO MUCH BRIGHTER & HAPPIER WITHOUT THE PATCH!!
I AM! I CAN! I WILL!!

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fentanly this is a really bad drug i had a dreaful time getting my self free of it night sweats, rocking back and forward sleepless nights i thought i was going insane each day get a bit better stick with it all of you

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You are right Pat!!! Do you know what the docs told me it was ORIGINALLY made for......TERMINALLY ILL CANCER PATIENTS and the only way I'd ever put another one on is if I was gonna die with IT ON!!! They are awful!! My cousin and brother who have tried everything, legal and NOT, heroin, cocaine, fentanyl, everything say they'd rather cold turkey heroin that come off these *&^% patches. Don't ever try em!! Good luck to all of you. Sounds like everyone is doing pretty good right now. Hang in there everyone!!

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That goes to show how addicting Fentanyl is Erin was on it for only 6 weeks and went through Hell..I just want to add that if anyone goes to your doctor and he/she tries to give you fentanyl for anything but horrific pain, I would be scared to death and say give me anything but that..And this is coming from a 30+ year heroin addict..That fentanyl scares me

Pat

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I want to thank everyone for your suggestions, support and prayers.. He is doing MUCH better now. I am pretty sure the hallucinations he was having was due to sleep deprivation. Monday night he finally fell into a deep sleep and slept for 14 hours. He woke up Tuesday and the hallucinations were completely gone. His appetite is back (with a vengeance) and he feeling better. He is still having chills and night sweats and is very weak but I think the worst of it is over. I think in hind site he wishes he had gotten a doctor's help with getting off that horrible drug, but it's too late for that now. He is off it and on the mend. From now on, he will just stick to Vicodan for his pain. He has been disabled for 12 years due to a broken back and has been on one pain control med or another all that time. He has taken Vicodan in the past and has no troubles with it. No addiction problems at all, no trouble getting off of it when he wants. He was on the patch for over a year. Vicodan is much safer for him.

Cindy

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PAT- Glad to hear u feel a bit better, let us know about the test!
CINDY- Please get him to an ER or his doctor NOW!!! When I had to go cold turkey because of an allergic reaction to the generic & insurance took 9 days to OK it!! I was in agony & was taken to the ER who said it was very dangerous to go cold turkey, it can cause seizures & death!!
They also sent me home without anything & told me if I had any more serious problems to let them know!! Jerks!! Thank-goodness I survived that & am Fentanyl free for a month now!!
Congratulations to anyone who has made the choice to bear with it & get off!!! I can honestly say I actually have 80% LESS pain now than when I was on it!!!

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Cindy, how long was he on patch? I did have some weird what I term kinda out of ordinary feelings, thoughts, said stuff to my husband that didn't make sense or he didn't understand HOWEVER, I did notice and do know that I ended up in ER because I had tried to quit other medications as well, if he's on any other meds YOU HAVE TO MONITOR THEM REALLY CAREFULLY because with the fentanyl withdrawal you go through a hypersensitive mode and any little change in other meds can really mess you up, mentally and physically. I do know from the rehab doc as I stated in previous post that the patch, especially the Sandoz one which is based in alcohol and is the one that can't be cut, it has gel like stuff inside it, stays in your system up to 27 days. Also what you have to remember is that AFTER REMOVING PATCH the stuff is STILL IN SYSTEM FOR 72 HOURS, although you have withdrawal symptoms during the 72 hours, they got worse for me after the 72 hours as it was finally gone and then full blown withdrawals hit and last for about another 5 days, by that I mean 5 BAD days.....after that it got SLOWLY better but I really can say I didn't feel semi ok or normal until after about 12-15 days after FIRST TAKING OFF PATCH. That being said, it gets worse before better, maybe if he knows this he will talk to doctor. I wanted off this horrible patch and pain meds, however, the others are right about valium and or xanax helping with the sleeplessness, spasms, etc,. Hope this makes and helps, keep us informed. Praying for you, Tessie.

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Hi Cindy. Can I please tell you that I am currently tapering from 100mcg Fentanyl patch. I have only been on the Fentanyl patch for 6 months. I tried to be strong and rip it off and say no more. It was a huge mistake. I never in a million years expected the WD's to be how they were. I haven't ever abused any substance in my life. So I just thought that I could get rid of it. Well, I was so wrong. My body is physically addicted to it, even if my brain is not. So I ran to my doctor and told him how I wanted off of the drug, and we could find something else for my pain. Well, the only thing is the taper takes awhile. My doctor told me to not ever just throw my body into withdrawls either. I mean he did say, the wd's won't kill you, but you would be causing yourself such unnecessary pain. So please have him speak to his okay? Hope all goes well. Hugs~

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Hi Cindy..This is the classic case where people say opiate WD can't kill a person..I don't want to scare you, but your husband has to get to a doctor NOW..The symtems you are describing ARE NOT NORMAL..He needs his doctor to decide if he needs medication or possibly a few days in the hospital. Although I have never taken fentanyl I am a chronic pain sufferer who has become addicted to opiates..I have gone through WD's B4 as well as most of my friends and this isn't normal..Please make him see his doctor if not for him, then ask him to do it for you..Let us know how he is doing
Pat

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Hi Cindy, I'm no expert..I came here looking for help as well, and got lots of it from these wonderful people. Going cold turkey the way he did is really really hard! How long was he on this?? I was only on for about 6 weeks, and it took 8-10 days WITH some help from my doctor to get free of withdrawal. I found that taking some other type of opoiod when it got really bad (I used Hydromorphone but really anything will do in the opium class)helped, also taking some Valium really helped with the nervousness. He sounds stubborn (like I am) and probably won't want to do the recommended gradual easing off that most people prefer, so all I can do is wish you luck! I have not heard of hallucinations... but I am guessing this too will pass...hopefully sooner than later. Sorry that's all I can tell you....wait for Tessie & Meg..they are the real experts!!

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My husband was on Fenanyl 75 mg patch every 2 days. Last Sunday (a week ago) he put on his last patch and then decided to quit. So it wore off, and gradually the withdrawal symptoms started. Friday he started vomiting and cramping and that lasted until some time yesterday. But then the most disturbing symptom started. He is talking in his sleep....or maybe hallunicating. It's like he's awake...sometimes his eyes are open, but he is talking nonsense. Talking to people who are not there. It's normal stuff, like about his old job and hobbies, so it's not like he is having vivid dreams or anything. But this goes on all night and off and on during the day. Neither of us are getting any sleep. He won't go to the doctor. How long will this last? It's scary.

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Hi Squiwshy..I am sorry it took so long to get back to you, but I haven't spent too much time on my computer lately..I am getting what they call a P+T blood workup which they use to see what is going on with my dose...It screens me to see how fast I am metabilizing the methadone and will know if I need a higher dose..I was raised so I am feeling a bit better, but I want to know what is happenning with my body..I may have a flare up of my Hep B and that can cause it, but I don't want to guess I want to know,,Luckily they do the test free for the patients so I can get it done on Wednesday..I have to be there at 7am, they give me 1/2 of my dose, then I wait for 4 long hours and then I get the second blood test and they guve me the rest of my dose, then they will know what is going on,,I will keep you informed on how it goes,,I hope you are feeling much better !! Thanks for being so kind to me,,,,

Pat

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Meg, First of all CONGRATS!!! It feels good, doesn't it, well not all of it yet but it gets better I promise. Second, you're right about everyone being different and I have appreciated all the advice and support from everyone. I was really glad to find this forum and the support of such neat people!! Hope you keep doing well, it gets better and better with the legs and sleep and headaches and stuff....it did for me anyway. I saw a saying the other day can't remember exactly where but it said something to the fact of If life was supposed to be easy it wouldn't be so hard! Sounds kinda funny but I've learned a lot from the hard times, NOT THAT ID want em back but I'll keep the experience and knowledge and go on trying to be better every day. Love and support to all!!

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Glad to hear your withdrawal was so great, Release! First, this is my 3rd day of NO NARCOTICS! WAHOO!!!!

The one thing I am learning in this withdrawal process is that each and every one of us is DIFFERENT! We can share experience, strength and hope but none of us have another's answers! I did it slower than slow, going down 12mcg a month, starting at 75 and then only 2 weeks on 12 and have had insomnia, restless legs from he**, a headache for the last 5 days. I am getting through it, I am doing whatever it takes: sleeping alot, reading nonsense, not answering the phone and acknowledging I am a drug addict, that I can't put drugs or alcohol into my body without going into the insanity of addiction. So happy to be clean and sober today!

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I discovered a way to get off fentanyl without withdrawals!

I was taking about 40mg of oxycodone a day and was switched to fentanyl. I was on, at my highest dose, 50mcg of fentanyl with the patch changed every 72 hours.

Well, I went down to 32.5 and was on that dose for 2 weeks.

Then I was on the 25mcg for 2 weeks (not noticing any withdrawal symptoms at all)

Then I've been on 12mcg for about a month. With my last patch, I put it on, and just left it there for about 10 days.

I took it off and never had any withdrawal symptoms!

Slow and steady really wins the withdrawal race!

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