Fentanyl Withdrawal Symptoms (Page 79)

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 Stephen,

You've got email brother sounds like that LE was a rookie they are usually not that stupid but I'll tell you the LA State Troopers have it down. I drive Jetta's, had one of the last fast 6's they built and sure enough you pass one of em when they first got laser (had it before Texas) and they pull you over. So go figure. I'm a tall blonde, they would have me ALWAYS I swear ALWAYS get out of the car and chat. I finally figured it out; he could get a better look at my legs and ass that way go figure.

Thanks for exchanging information. I literally had one physician a really great doctor for 10 years. He died unexpectedly then they sent me to the famous guy out in California the past five years. Suddenly the comp i****s got involved and that is a danger signal. Prior to the current loss of physician my medications were running $25,000 a month; I am probably lucky I always put aside for a situation (this one is super bad) because currently (due to the P450 only patches and liquid I could take 100 Dilaudid together and they'd be out of me in less than 15 minutes goes for long acting pills as well) because I doubt anyone could write for me at that level now.

It all comes down to Odumma, it started with a plan to up the price of narcotics when he got in and it played out. I won against Comp on August 19, 2015 they still have not given me a panel and they went to appeal not because a full Commission will approve what they want because the longer (they think it's illegal to abuse a RN in Texas an extraditable felony and I'd love to put them in a cage with Bubba they would not know where they come from what to do and would not get bail either) for attempted murder if you look at my records.

In the meantime I know I hated that drug when I first went on it but my physician was going to get me on that drug and it did help the structural part of my injury (blown discs and nerve root compression) for the RSD and those disorders the Oxy's always worked on that end. They finally got me straight, I was just about 80 pounds and five foot nine, pain was ending my life and am now a good old 126 pounds and Odumma's full force is on it's way.

People think its the insurance companies. HELL NO, the drug manufacturers keep drugs on the market that cause permanent damage for they'd rather put aside a billion in legal settlements and keep selling it for the profit ratio is still with settlements over 2 billion a year. I could tell you a lot about which drugs many of you take that carry those headers. They also hire PHD sales people and they market the drugs in the doctor's offices throw out samples and the physicians are not trained like some of us in biochemistry so they prescribe these drugs; many of the anti seizure drugs which have been used for bipolar (suicides occurred many thousands in fact) and then you have weight gain, depression, and rebound seizures in folks who never had seizures.

I might have to go over to SSA again. I do not trust the witch who screwed up that bit of business. This local office is literally for those black birds that crap all over your windows in Port Arthur; this place is a cess pool I tell you when I divorced the first husband I went to West Texas (Midland) and stayed with a private pilot I knew out that way but over here, hell no. I do like Houston though.

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Hop,

No one misunderstood you. I can literally die at this level. I have progressed to Central Pain Syndrome, and as a professional nurse and published researcher I was all about the progressive effort to use opioids (before my huge injury as well) to treat pain.

1. It allowed MORE people to attempt work.
2. It kept families together; less divorce rate for example.
3. Out of all prescribed and OT drugs overall opioids are the safest.

So I was two months into my injury put on LA medication I was able to walk again. Meaning Workers Comp (not in Texas just so ya'll know) did this and I have a 100% medical award for life. My injury is catastrophic and then I was with this most famous dude in California the last five years; prior to that I outlived Joel Hochman in Houston, TX a really great specialist as well. Dr. Famous did the swab evaluation on me (300 others were in the study as well) and only 2 came back with a P450 that only hits 3% of the population I am an ultra rapid opioid metabolizer. Finding this out kept me on the patches which Dr. H. started me on many years ago I tried to go off once when I was on lower dosage and forget it you do not want to know what occurred it was ugly. I never figured I'd be off PM for we scientifically proved the point.

Hop no one in this lovely country is getting what you are right now; they are literally forcing physicians to think (its not a regulation but the FDA never did a mandate like this) that they have 3 months (I had 4 weeks not 3 months) to taper patients down so that they total level or morphine equivalent has to be no more than 120 mg.

Why did they do this? OVERDOSE DEATHS ON PRESCRIPTION MEDICATIONS.

Here's the butt kicker the people who OD and die are NOT PRESCRIBED our medications and who is paying; 99.9% of those who require pain management to live. When you come in here sounding like you came out of a doctor in 1995 when this was starting to take on good publicity in 2015 people are upset PLUS this post was to give support to those who have to come off Duragesic. When you do it is pure hell there is nothing like it day 3 makes you want to commit suicide and day 10 (just in a taper of 25 mcg every 7 to 10 days) is 100 x worse then 3. You are so sick and spent by day 3 what do you do?

Physicians don't really get it so you are left in the nightmare of what Duragesic does on your own. I've done it and know and yet I normally should be on the two highest BRAND amounts (80 count EACH) monthly. I sure as hell am not right now. But in tapering when I went down by 75 mcg at a time (try that people I have balls somewhere) I literally went to renal failure. Since Comp had already f***** my Dr. Famous and he threw 30 of the out of state patients out due to California regulations I was left on my own and under Odumma don't try to go to an ER for help. I hate hospitals and my Comp tried to send me to an ER I've fought this for 10 months (won) but still have no physician.

HOP I traveled from East Texas for five years north of California I had to. Perhaps you should share your physician with me; I'd love to meet him or her :)

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That is hilarious response .,..80 times stronger then morphine ?
Morphine nearly killed me , these patches of witch I varied between 35 to 100 did nothing to control my pain...
My deliverance came through a completely different manner ,,,,
I had been suffering for many years unable to eat anything and skeleton looking like,,,,
As much as I loved my husband and my mother and I knew I would destroy their hearts if I died ...at the good old age of 40 .....I sought out way out of relentless pain .....
Then I was saved ,....and completely healed , gained weight ....and free of these drugs as well ...

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Ok Elle white- you have our attention. What did you do to control your chronic pain? Everyone reading these posts certainly wants to know.....please don't disappoint us.

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P450, Texas must be a terrible state to live in. I don't know who DR. FAMOUS is and I think that is a prerequisite for communicating with many of you. I am just a regular person with chronic pain due to a many illnesses. I haven't tried to stop the Fentanyl but I hope to as soon as I can retire. I am not living a great life but I work and function minimally beyond those hours. I am confused by much of what I read. I don't understand why I feel pressured by everyone to discontinue the pain medication if it is working. I do not abuse the medication but I do understand that I could not function without it. I am not going to experiment with withdrawal for "the hell of it" because I understand it would be hell. I have a goal- to retire and collect my pension. At that time I will check into a facility if necessary to get off all medications or reduce them to the lowest level that allows me to get out of bed in the morning. I know if I forget to put on the patch I get terrible restless legs. My legs kick in the air non-stop, I have anxiety, sweats and chills. I don't want to imagine what I will face when I do try to eliminate these medications because I don't want my life cut short by renal failure or some other disease caused by these meds. I don't know who Dr. FEELGOOD is either, someone else referred to that person. I live far from TX and honestly I am glad because I am beginning to think the medical system in your state is a "hot mess" as the young people would say. I think I may just remove myself from all of this because I feel people are judging me in a negative manner and I am not sure why. I am doing what is necessary to survive right now. I was bedridden and could not afford to hire attorneys to try to get me disability. The fentanyl has allowed me to continue working and I am "seeing the light at the end of the tunnel". Is it that people are angry that I was able to survive and put some pieces of my shattered life back together? Or is it that there are huge discrepancies across state lines regarding the dispensing of pain medications? I am not sure but I feel crazy enough on my own without becoming fodder for others to chew on and spit out everytime I post something hoping to help others in similar situations.

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HOP,

I was born in Jersey. I am not a born southerner but am a proud Texan.

Northeast used to have the best medical care, you have more painers up north coming to me for help and they won't get it, you have more shut downs up there then anywhere.

You might have some doctor who is willing to play God but the minute his license is on the line you will be dumped; like I said Dr. Famous used to work the DEA and 30 of us were just pissed on.

Try what I said so you are prepared. Just stagger one patch for six hours so you know what it will be like. This post is about withdrawal.

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I have been using the 25mcg/hr fentanyl patch for about 16 months. when it was prescribed, I had no idea what I was getting into. After forgetting, yes, forgetting to get my refill last week, I went five days instead of the normal three without a new patch. I didn't expect the withdrawals I was hit with. I did some reading, and wow, this is not a medication I want to continue. I saw my physician yesterday and asked to come off of the fentanyl, and go back to something not quite so potent. He refused, saying that the opiates were all the same. This man has been rude, talked down to me while standing over me, told me that I couldn't possibly be having the pain I was complaining of, and humiliated me. I just can't go back there. I have been compliant even through a bilateral mastectomy when I was told that there was no reason for extra pain medicine following my surgery. I don't know how I got through that. The pain was crazy.

At any rate, I'd like to know the best way to dose myself down off of the 25mcg patch. I have 12 patches left, and I just don't want to suffer any longer under this man's abusive "care." I'd, quite frankly, rather hurt.

Is it better to extend the length of time I wear the patches, or cut back to half a patch? Please be as specific as possible. I'm so sick of this whole situation, I'm almost willing to go cold turkey.

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To 1564: Hilarious? It's far from that. Actually, fentanyl is 100 x more potent than morphine. Morphine is prescribed by the milligram, fentanyl is prescribed by the microgram. In order to take fentanyl, you have to already be opiate tolerant. A little too much fentanyl, you don't wake up again. There's nothing hilarious about any of this. It's not funny to have some quack-ass Doctor take control of your life and not explain to you what he's actually doing to you by prescribing this stuff. I trusted doctors until now. I'll never trust another one to have my interests in mind while making decisions about my treatment. Right now, my life is hell because of fentanyl....just 25 little mcg/hr.

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Fed Up,

You need to go back. This drug is poison and I've been on it for 20 years.

Is 25 mcg//hour your normal dosage?

I may be in and out today. Withdrawal becomes WORSE, day 3 is worse than day 1 and day 10 you want to die. Whether or not the physician is being a s*** head or not he is the only one who can work you down. I believe they make a 12.5 mcg/hour patch as well and after going through that procedure (is the cancer controlled) possible chemotherapy, I'd like you NOT to suffer this way.

Do you have a cancer physician? If so please turn to him or her for help as well.

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HOP,

Read my post carefully. I have several systems in court. Dr. Famous is in California.

I had to travel there 5 years and now 30 of us 10 months ago were just booted out to die. I can die. I have Central Pain Syndrome among another 400 disorders since my injury.

I was born and raised in Jersey.

Texas has the best health care in America today, that is where all the famous people are sent to our facilities now; no longer does Rutgers, Boston, and others carry the torch, we do.

If you are still having those side effects from Duragesic it is going to be a hellish withdrawal. I had horrid side effects too and was kept on it.

I would hate to see your doctor decide to get with the FDA regulations and cut his patients off or worse drop dead like Dr. H. did. Due to Workers Comp literally following me and I've won but still have no physician, long story. I will not give out actual names here.

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HOP,

You are posting where people who realize the drug is dangerous, and were forced due to a physician obeying FDA mandates and your physician will too. This is all due to ODUMMA. It began with shortages driving the drug costs up almost 8 years ago. It was all set up; remember he of all wanted our chronically ill people to die, not get medical treatment. In fact physicians are being paid INCENTIVES NOW if they stop treatment of certain chronic diseases.

You are not exempt by being in a certain state. Louisiana was included in the recent DEA drug bust which included Alabama where normal doctors treat chronic pain. so there are lots of pill mills, and cash pays. If a physician treating pain takes cash now they will stop they will be targeted by the DEA.

They all must have a DEA number as soon as the DEA gets a go ahead with the 120 mg. morphine equivalent level (I'd say less than a year) you will be cut back too if not cut off. Don't think a job gives you immunity. I tried to work in between on SSDI and now I'm fighting these f***s and I've been disabled for years.

Further you do not need a lawyer to get SSDI. If you are disabled you need to fulfill mental and physical; those in intractable pain are depressed that is a start.

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P450, I misunderstood. I will try this week-end. You are right that I have been dumped by other docs; suddenly refusing my insurance because it doesn't pay as much as others. Point taken. Good luck!!!

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HOP,

You know what I like you because you remind me of myself although I learned many years ago every time I tried the pain got worse---perhaps its the DNA (P450) and I just can't do it then to have SSA turn on me the local branch WHO never gets involved, these f***ers cannot even spell when you are asked "what disorders" and you say stenosis for example oh my Gawd.

My first doctor who I had for 10 years Dr. Joel Hochman was encouraging he wanted us to get new roles in life he wanted to become empowered. When I ended up with Dr. Famous I did not meet the rules; you must have a family member come with you, he expects you to stay in a hotel for 3 days at a time every month your first 5 or 6 months. WHO THE F has that money? Who, not me? Does that mean he caters only to the rich? Well he charges a flat $200 no matter how many days but not to give away more new friend I will just say to dump 30 of us from out of state, and then my dirty comp employer gets him back and the new treatment plan is after 20 years of not paying mileage meaning I am flying to both these guys for all that time I had to to try to work; I do executive nursing (CNO or DON) I'd get fired in a month for the pain on ALL THAT MEDICATION would still deteriorate me, but if you're not present you do not get medication and you lose your medical award....You get what I've been living with.

People who are feeling either horrific from withdrawal from Duragesic because they were addicts and abused the drug, their physicians are a**holes and know nothing of prolonged withdrawal that can cause you to have a myocardial infarction or cerebral vascular event just let these people suffer or cut them off when it takes or has taken me (and put me in kidney failure) 10 months to cut from 8 patches a day to the paltry amount I'm on now and that is ONLY DUE TO ME putting aside 10% for several years, or worse the current government CONTROL of the medical industry.

Like I said I was born in Jersey, I cannot be bad; grew up there, and first husband was from up north. I used to be a Yankee too; but we have the best care in the world in Texas; but HOP the withdrawal from this is ongoing. Instead of feeling better say on day 3 you are WORSE, by day 10 with a 25 mcg/hour TAPER over 7 to 10 days you want to kill yourself. The physical and emotional death you suffer coming down off this s*** is unbelievable; Duragesic and Methadone (created by Hitler's scientists in the 30's for they had a shortage of poppy) are the WORST drugs to try to get off of.

I've posted a load of posts. So you see if you go to home page scroll down a ways I usually post on 90% of the top posts. This one is on withdrawal but you know God may have wanted to help you by posting on this one :)

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P450,

Yes, the 25mcg/hr is my normal dosage. I had never been to a pain clinic before this and I didn't know what it meant when I agreed to use the patches. Now I have a tolerance to the dose, but would much prefer to try something less "lethal." He took me straight from oxy's, 10mgs tid to this. I don't understand why he didn't try some other combination first. It does keep me going back month after month though.

My cancer is under control and I didn't need chemo, thank goodness! I do have an oncologist, and a primary care physician too. Someone IS going to help me get off of this stuff! I was stunned when my dr at the pain clinic refused to do anything. He basically let me know that I lived in his world now. SMH. He's a different breed alright, pompous and arrogant. Never been treated like this before. I agree that I probably need to continue my appts there. I certainly don't want to piss him off and get kicked out of his program.

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P450, we may be more alike than I originally thought. Will check out earlier posts you submitted. I wanted to see an out of state Dr that required a 1 month visit. He had a "deal" with a local hotel. Pain management guru that almost guarantees to end your need for meds after treatment. Couldn't get into program over summer. Have to work Sept-June. Of course no insurance accepted. Worst of all, my daughter is a RN in his practice. I see 4 Drs. 2 do not accept my insurance. I have multiple diagnoses but as I said have managed to continue working. The challenge is getting bigger as I finally approach the home stretch. I didn't realize this forum was about withdrawal. I thought it was general postings about Fentanyl. The system has failed me, I realize this. I just wanted to keep going until retirement. I have a grandchild now. I love to go to the park with him even though it exhausts me. I am afraid of getting off fentanyl even though it is my goal. If I am late in applying patch, restless legs are insane. Literally jumping all over the place. The sweats and chills are unbearable. I know these symptoms are only the beginning. Have considered going to rehab but I am not an addict just a naive person tricked into believing medication could solve my pain problems and give me some kind of life back. If it's as bad as you say, not sure I can do it. My husband doesn't have the patience, my kids are grown and out of the house. Can't risk their judgemental thinking or I could lose visits with my grandchild. So I will read your posts, sorry for the misunderstandings but I was brainwashed like so many others.

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P450, the depression was bad several years ago. Pain management has improved my state of mind. Truthfully I should have applied for disability several years ago. It's harder to qualify now than it was then. Everyone is turned down initially and then you have to try again. Making it through until payments start is scary. If I could finish and get my pension I would be much better off financially. If I am cut off from medications suddenly that will never happen. Several years ago, my primary care, MD Osteopath was questioned by FEDS and lost ability to prescribe pain medication. That's how I wound up with 4 different doctors, one being pain management. The rules are constantly changing without warning. It's scary for people that depend on doctors to have any quality of life.

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Fed Up,

For your benefit continue with him and stockpile we can work this out somehow or another. Further you should have had a morphine PUMP with the breast surgery PLUS your patches acute pain is not the same as chronic. You will have a rough time nonetheless if I do not get a physician soon I will die due to the new FDA rules my famous physician from California let 30 out of state clients go cold. Since I have 100% medical award for comp for life (am a professional nurse) and must keep some of my business quiet since they are now sending private investigators and nearly killed me a few months ago intentionally long long story.

My good news is they are reinstating my SSDI since WC did not pay my transport for over 17 years I'd try to take Director of Nursing jobs get fired in a month or so due to my level now of Central Pain Syndrome which is terminal I can die at any time; the local SSA decided to deny me after all these years. I have had a rough time just got a letter today from Philadelphia and it looks like I am getting reinstated. At least for the provisional period from what I know they in 99.9% of cases keep you going if you ask for this process.

We can stockpile your 25's and I'd like you to talk to your other physicians. If I could go back and NEVER go on Duragesic I would; also if you are on brand it is better, there is MORE Fentanyl in those patches; the generics are allowed to do up to 47% LESS OPIOIDS.

I feel for you darlin' and like your strength.

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Hop,

I would be glad to become friends as I said I sense we share a lot.

Now just go to home and I post on the top 10 trending posts there are thousands of posts going on here. Because I'm a medical professional I just found this site looking for a link for pain specialists when my crap hit the fan. I've referred over 10,000 suicidal pain patients throughout the world since my injury--and I automatically started doing this here I have private pain support groups but put them into INERTIA since one of my adult daughters was killed in a MVA 3 years ago.

I too am a grandmother. I'm just thinking there may be some posts you would like that are people still on the patch and doing well but not a one of us on Duragesic remains without tolerance. The tolerance is immediate within 2 weeks you will face what reduction does. I learned the hard way in 2002 pre anterior cervical fusion I thought I'd cut back and just did it like you would with pills. OMG it was hell. And this was a mere 25 mcg/hour for every 7 to 10 days. I was so ill and so wasted out just reducing I wanted to die... But you were put on this post and will get some benefit from this one. Just saying. But in the next few days I must get a physician.

I was very pissed when the enemies from comp were emailing my famous physician in California that is where s*** hit the fan. Then he wanted to keep me but found he was reducing me to first generic (I am highly allergic to the glues and fillers on this generic all of them), and then only 5% my normal dosage which in all his scholarly writing would cause me death. So I fought like hell and also won on August 19, 2015 under the Commission against the Attorney General. But their game was to appeal thinking they do not have to pay in the interim it's all ILLEGAL they literally sent me to a QUACK flew me to another state who told me he was doing neuro diagnostics and had me inhale from a bottle I found out later when the driver picked me up in Houston and I was vomiting blood and bile (5 trash bags full) and he called the comp lady she said "dump her where she lives don't take her to the ER" they had tried to kill me.

Yes that is a bit along with me being on far too little medication of why I am in a mood or there abouts...

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Fed up if u want to get off fentanyl .. I got off C/D but when my doctpr found out what I did he told me if I would have told I wanted off he would have gave me a scrip for tramadol . Is what they use to help with w/d from fentanyl

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Stephen,

Ultram is a highly dangerous drug and a mixed agonist antagonist. It raises you to high seizure threshold; if you have cardiac or COPD issues you are taking a huge risk in particular during withdrawal--it does nothing for Fentanyl withdrawal other then cause other issues some of which are life threatening. Again you never mentioned where you wore your patch(s) because when you have good blood flow (mine are around my renal area and there is excellent blood flow there) there is no way in hell even on a 25 mcg/hour taper that you would not feel it. Now perhaps with the threat of a marriage miracles occur but if you talk to anyone on this drug for any period of consistency over 2 weeks they are deathly ill.

No chemistry or part of Ultram emulates any of the receptors that Fentanyl touches in the brain. In fact Fentanyl receptors are so specific your brain recognizes is and you could pop Oxycodone every hour and not get relief if you go off this drug cold. I again would not recommend any such action without a physician's approval.

Clonidine is used in general for withdrawal but if you are someone for example who runs low BP it's a risk and I've seen people use it when Dr. Hochman was alive to switch from one opioid to another.

Did you get flooded down where you are at? We are still handling high winds and flooding here. I even had to turn the heat on last night. Hope all is well Stephen but if that's what he gives to help with withdrawal you were safer doing it your way.

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