Fentanyl Withdrawal Symptoms (Page 77)
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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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If I Would Have Known: Just taper slowly...I went from 50mcg every 72 hrs. to 25mcg every 72 hrs for at least 3 weeks! then got 12mcg patch and did it for 72hrs for a whole month. then folded it and went for another 2-3 weeks at 6mcg per hr. It's not easy having all the nerve feeling happen at once. I was numbed for 4 years total, including using the oxycodone for the first 3 yrs or more. It does start to get better. I have been off all opioids since Aug 6 and still have restless legs at night. some sleeplessness too. but maybe I have actual damage to nerves...who knows how poisonous that stuff is. Hang in there and be patient.You will feel better.

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If I Would Of Known: I'm sure you're having a hard time with withdrawal if you've been using 2 patches (50 mcg total) instead of 1, as I was. I was bedridden after lumbar spine surgery, so wasn't functioning much anyway.

As I wrote previously, I took Benadryl every 6 hours for the itching. It made me a little sleepy, which was a good thing. I also take 4 capsules of 5-HTP (similar to tryptophan; available at many places that sell vitamins) at bedtime, which helps with twitchy legs. So does massage--even if you have to do it yourself.

A few days into withdrawal, I was REALLY tempted to cut a patch in half and taper off slowly. But I resisted & was OK after 2 weeks. However, that's just my experience. Since you were at a higher dose for a longer period of time, it's going to take more time to wean yourself off the fentanyl. Consult with your doctor. Good luck.

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Jenny ......did u go cold turkey after the one 25 patch ...what withdrawl did u have ? and you said it lasted 2 weeks..how did u manage to function??

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I never said i was only in withdrawl for thre days.I said after 3 days of hell .i put 2 25 patches back on .now my doctor wants me to do 1-25 and -1-10 for 3 days and then 1-25 for 3 days and then down from there .i have never felt so mych torture in my life .It is really hard when u do not have any support .i really feel like Iam going crazy .......have people really died from the withdrawl....

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Thanks, Rose & Tessie. My pain is manageable with Celebrex (200 mg 2x day), a nightly dose of 1 Flexaril tab (can't remember if it's 5 or 10 mg) and frozen gelpacks.

I couldn't tolerate any oral opiates, which is why I was on Fentanyl. I have the Lidoderm patches and they do numb the pain, but Lidocaine makes me so speedy that I feel as though my heart will explode. And forget about sleeping!

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THANKS TONS!! Big Ben!!! That's what I needed to hear!! I didn't know there was a rub, I shoulda had stock in icy hot, aspercreme, ben gay, etc for the last 25 years, I'd be rich off myself!! FYI there is an RX anti-inflammatory patch, called flector, lasts twelve hours but you can only put one on, might help with your back, no narcotics just goes thru skin its like the icy hot soft white patches, also there are RX lidocaine patches because I have some nerve damage in hip from arthritis I get radiating pain down right leg, this numbs from the top and kinda works its ways down, again only topical, no narcotics!! You guys are awesome, Pat I don't think you left anyone out and I have a brother who can totally relate to you. You gotta do for you and have a clear head. Pat is right. Jenny, Maui Girl, BIg Ben, and others she mentioned are all thinking correct and level headed for the circumstances!!! We SHOULD ALL BE PROUD OF OURSELVES!! thanks for the continued help and support. Ben and Jenny if you want info on these alternative topical stuff let me know, I didn't have exact maker, dosages, etc right by me. Have a GOOD DAY every one!! My quote for the day WHAT DOESN'T KILL YOU MAKES YOU STRONGER AND BETTER!!! HANG IN. LOVE AND PRAYERS, TESSIE

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This is to everyone...I just want to let all of you know that I only share things that I have been through myself..I would never give anyone my suggestions or an opinion unless I have been there myself, I don't go on about a friend of a friend told me how bad this can be or how easy this willl be. Sure, when one of my best friends committed suicide I had to share that, but other than that, I have been through everything you have I have been on opiates since 1974. first as a chronic pain sufferer then as an addict/ chronic pain sufferer, When I see BS, I call it, that is just how I am..I can tell you one thing, if you have been on opiates for a very long time, and you want to be off of medication, after you talk with your doctor, listen to Jenny, Tessie, Maui Girl,Happy girl. And I hope I didn't leave anyone out..If you want to learn how live drug free these ladies have done a good job, It is true that WD's are Hell when done CT and believe me, unless you haven't been on opiates for a long time the WD's will not be long gone in 12 days of course unless you are taking other opiates and there is nothing wrong with that if you are taking them as prescribed..I just don't want anyone to suffer because of someone saying that this is a piece of cake, it isn't a piece of cake. When someone is on a long acting opiate such as methadone and fentanyl the drug is still in the body 12 days after stopping.. This is a hard road and if you are committed to it, I applaude you, but please don't listen to someone telling you it is in your head. Talk to your doctor, read up on dependence/ and or addiction because they are really 2 different things..And listen to the advice of the people who have been here a long time. They have knowledge, they care, and it proves they are sincere because they are still posting...Rose are you still here?? I hope you are ok!!!!!

Pat

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Jenny, I think # 144 is a troll..I have gone through WD's many times and the LAST thing on my mind would be masterbation, and hus/her WD's lasted a whole 3 days?? If only it were that easy..Looks like you are doing pretty good Jenny!!! My thoughts are with you

Pat

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If I Would Of Known, talk to your doctor or pharmacist right away. If they can't help, call the manufacturer of the patches you're using. DO NOT CUT the patches unless you're positive that they're the Mylan strips. If you cut into a gel patch, the dosage dump could kill you. Really.

I found Benadryl (1 pill every 6 hrs) helpful for the wakefulness, itching & twitching I suffered when I stopped using 25mcg patches after one month. If you're taking other meds, read the fine print & check with your pharmacist before taking Benadryl. (And never mix it with alcohol; ugly things can happen.) It took 2 weeks off fentanyl till I started feeling like myself again.

Get professional help. You don't have to go through this alone.

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please ,,help with withwral symtems.i would like to hear honest and best way ,Im on 2- 25 patches.for 3 days 72hrs.then i will do 1- 25 and i will cut a 25 in half .then 72 hours i will do ame..the next 72 i will only put 1 25 .then in 72 i will put 1/2 of 25 thn cold ..should that work....i didnt know how powerful these were and that you can sell on street ..what would peoply pay for these .i guess the fat is people are loosing there homes to by this crap ..if they really neededit wouldnt the dc subscribe .....i tryed before cold tyrkey and lasted 3 days ..the withdrawl was ooooo bad ...someone said beforwe on the post that they had to mastubate 6 times aday to hep with jidders ..has that happened to anybody else ..please forward any positve help ..i feel like im going crazy ...i would not have gone on this if my doctor would of explained

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Big Ben, Have you quit everything or just the Fentanyl?? I feel that your post was directed at me concering a friend of a friend..I have gone through opiate withdrawl many times. So I am speaking from experience. Now, if you are taking all of your meds except the fentantyl that is why you feel ok. but if you quit everything and are feeling as good as you claim you are, then you haven't even begun true WD's yet. Take this from a chronic pain sufferer who has been on opiates since 1972. And no, not EVERYONE can do this. You are giving out medical advice that can hurt people. U can share your experiences but you have no right to tell people that going CT is a snap...What about people who have died from WD's in jail? What about people who have seen no other way than to kill themselves. Stop talking for everyone.Speak for yourself only..And Please let everyone know if you have quit all drugs. I know in Canada you can buy codeine OTC, 12 days off of everything. You haven't felt anything yet.And BTW, why weren't you dreaming? Opiates don't have anything to do with dreams. And sorry for your heart problems but I am very curious, what opiates cause your heart to fail?? I haven't ever heard that unless you had a bad heart to begin with

Pat

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Tessie, I'm sorry to hear you have stomach problems on top of everything else, that sucks big time ! But have you tried VOLTAREN EMULGEL ? It's a gel, sort of like Rub A535 or BENGAY, but with non-steroid anti-inflammatory properties. It's the only type of rub that helps me. It's Voltaren but in a gel version. Try it, it's surprising how it helps ! You can look it up at WWW.VOLTAREN.COM. And its available over the counter ! Look it up !

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BigBen, you're the example of what could have gone wrong with me! I had a herniated disc between L4 & L5 that was pinching the sciatic nerve. Fortunately that was fixed (I hope) with microsurgery, cutting off the herniation and the arthritic spurs on 3 vertebrae that were pressing on the discs.

Had my first P-T session this morning and as a result am in bed with one ice pack under me and another wrapped around the top of my left thigh. (My 13-lb cat is draped under my left arm, with one paw resting on the base of my thumb.)

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Big Ben Thats GREAT!! I'm now 21 days out and Feel GREAT!! ALTHOUGH there are differences in chronic pain conditions COMBINED with medical conditions that create more problems for some than others. Pat is exactly right about the medical profession and Rose AND IT SUCKS!!! I'm working on becoming completely drug free like Jenny and You Ben even with my Chronic Rheumatoid ARthritis, Lupus, Fibromyalgia, Badly in need of a knee replacement, and HUGE family history of DEPRESSION. The Xanax or Benzo's do help certain people. I won't touch a Narcotic Again BUT I ALSO HAD A GASTRIC BLEED, which means all the advil, Volteran, and wonderful anti-inflammatories out there I CANT TAKE, they DO actually work BETTER than the narcotics but if you have a bad stomach you're between a rock and a hard place. My two cents worth is tho, I have decided I would go through another stomach surgery before I take a narcotic again but that is my personal feelings, I'll take the Voltaren like stuff if I have to which does work Great for Chronic Pain if you want to be narcotic free, and If I have stomach problems again I'll have to have another surgery, but it's better for me than to live in the mental fog or narcotics. HAVING SAID THAT PAT AND ROSE, I have a brother who has the artritis, lupus and other stuff that is doing very well and successful on the methadone and/or suboxone stuff because people are dealing with all kinds of different problems!!!! My hats off to all you out there who have quit and feel great!! All of you who are still struggling, don't give up there is hope, there are answers and my prayers are with you all! The Lord God is mindful of Every Sparrow that falls, how much more then does he love and care about us his own children. I don't care what religion you are if you believe in a God you know this is TRUE. LOVE AND PRAYERS TO ALL!! GOOD LUCK!!

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...And try to move around as much as you can. Do any activity you can. I know it's hard and you don't feel like anything, but once you start moving, your brain focuses on something else than that damn pain ! The more you move, the more you'll want to move and you'll feel lots better !

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Oh and one last thing...my pain comes from a scyatic nerve damaged beyond saving and 2 herniated discs that I had to have removed 6 months ago. I now have two 4-inch pins screwed to 3 vertebras with 2 screws each in L4-L5-S1. Pain has been part of my life for years now. To help with the pain and restlessness that I feel since I stopped taking fentanyl patches, I only take Robax Platinum and rub my back with Voltaren Emulgel. You can find both of then over the counter without prescription. Robax Platinum has a muscle relaxant & analgesic while the Voltaren gel has an anti-inflammatory. None of then used to help me when I wal using fentanyl...but now that I'm not anymore, they helped me get thru the withdrawl. It's worth the try, no ? Worked for me ! Good luck !....Bigben44.

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Congratulations, BigBen! It's so wonderful to feel like one's old self again. I'm amazed you could get off the patch so quickly, considering how long you were using it, and at such a high dose. Kudos to you for toughing out the withdrawal symptoms.

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Hello again to everyone ! I have pretty good news for anyone who wants to quit the fentanyl patchs...It's been about 12 days since I quit cold turkey. I went from 150mcg/h for about 5 years ( + all the other meds ! ) down to 100mcg/h for about a month and then to 50mcg/h for another month...From there, I got up one morning and decided I had enough. I just stopped sticking this crap to my back. After about a dozen crappy days of pretty much every withdrawl symptom there is, I'm now feeling A LOT better. Only a bit of diziness and headache left. I feel like I'm finally getting my old life back ! My energy level is growing every day and I'm dreaming again ! My old self is peeking thru and it feels awesome. TRUST ME...IT'S WORTH EVERY DAY YOU'LL FEEL BAD WHEN YOU QUIT. I now know it's a lot worse THINKING about quitting, than it really is ACTUALLY QUITTING ! If you're thinking about getting off the fentanyl patch, don't listen to all the horror stories there is out there...IT'S REALLY NOT ALL THAT BAD. And I didn't hear this from the friend of a friend...I DID IT MYSELF ! Anybody can do it...just put your mind to it and don't give up...You'll be gratefull you stopped ! GOOD LUCK TO EVERYONE IN THIS SITUATION. AND REMEMBER...DON'T GIVE UP NO MATTER WHAT ! YOU WON'T REGRET IT !

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Hi Rose..That is the problem with the laws today, its ok for a doctor to keep giving you opiates for years, but when we reach out to them for help, even if they wanted to help, it is against the law for a regular internest to help you quit. It is either methadone, suboxone or CT. Not every doctor can give suboxone, and unless you can't live W/O opiates you wouldn't want to go to a methadone clinic. When my doctor cut me off of opiates many years ago and I reached out his exact words were I am too old for this s***. Opiates are wonderful drugs but they can turn on a person who is in chronic pain like a bolt of lightning..Bottom line is if a person is in chronic pain but can live W/O narcotics that would be the best thing, but realility is a lot of people can't live with the pain, so our choices aren't that great. I choose methadone because I can't live with the pain. From what I have learned on this one forum, if a doctor suggested fentanyl to me, I would run for the hills. that drug scares me just hearing about it. I really feel for anyone who is dependent on it..Rose one thing you may want to consider is a lot of methadone clinics also offer suboxone so if you live near a clinic give them a call. I know living in a small town must be hard, but don't give up...I just wanted to say that if you have panic attacks like I do, klonopin shouldn't be a problem for you as long as you take it as prescribed. I take xanax, luckily I only have to take it once in awhile, my husband has to take it everyday, but before he was prescribed xanax, he was homebound with his panic disorder. Without xanax, he wouldn't have a life today..However if you want to quit taking it that is your decision, but please have your doctor help you You can't just stop taking benzos..It is dangerous to quit CT...Good luck and I hope your news is good tomorrow!!
Pat

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Rose, sorry I didn't read your post careful the first time, If you have been on the klonepin long term....years, if you do have to cold turkey your patches (worst cast scenario) the rehab people I have been speaking with and the doctor my husband spoke with who prescribes the suboxone says If you have been taking fentanyl long term it can take 27 days to get out of your body, after you take off the patch. I have gone through all the same symptoms of trying to taper patch and I finally just quit because it prolonged the agony for me. I had four HELLACIOUS days/nights, running together but the klonepin can actually help, check with your doc but I found setting a timer to take the benzo exactly when needed was MORE HELP than the bottle of Oxycodone dr gave me to help me taper off patches, I took 2 or 3 out of the 50 pills he gave me but for me it was worse when I took them so I just quit, I quit everything tho and ended up in ER, keep your others meds exactly the same and don't miss and dose and try to find even a counselor from a rehab or detox place. DONT FEEL bad, these docs can prescribe this crap but then you go to them or to the ER Rooms and LEGALLY they can't help get you off it, ITS CRAZY STUPID!! Hang in there whatever you do don't quit everything, only patch. Good luck.

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