Fentanyl Withdrawal Symptoms (Page 83) (Top voted first)

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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@ PAULA & DAUGHTER DISTRESS:
PAULA, in reading your last post I'm assuming you're still on patch, ONE problem is that when you drop dosage on these patches it isn't like dropping dosage on Vicodin or even a immediate release Morphine (at least it wasn't for me and what I've learned from rehab docs,etc.,) It is so much stronger than anything out there, THEN you have to factor in the 72 hour system release problem, which EVEN after you take off your last patch you really don't have the FULL blown withdrawals til 3 days after removing patch ( I HAVE FOUND THERE HAS BEEN A DIFFERENCE IN BRANDS OF PATCHES HOWEVER) anyway for me and others I've talked to the WORST of patch withdrawals for me was 7-10 days from the time I took patch off until I FINALLY could sleep and then I was still weak and shaky for quite awhile. PAULA I was finally told at seven days when I went to ER cuz of no sleep, going crazy, etc., that the benzo's like xanax, valium, etc can really help and I was already on these but was trying to cold turkey everything, when I went back on the benzo's it helped greatly with the withdrawals and sleep, you can't mentally cope with no REM sleep. I've now been off the patches for about six months and feel so much better, let me define better, YES I still have PAIN, I have chosen to deal with it via other means, holistic approaches, lidocaine rubs, bengay rubs, heat and cold therapies, etc, I want to be able to mentally be there for my children and family even if physically its painful. THAT being said DAUGHTER...there is NO WAY you mother could or should cold turkey patch...in my opinion. There are OTHER Slow Release Opiates out there that are much safer and cause much less confussion with older people that I have had experience with and seen firsthand, my grandfather was 83 and paralyzed and they had him on the 100 mcg patch and poor grandma was 80 on the 50 mcg patch and trying to take care of him..dangerous, we did have to put her in a rehab/detox place and she didn't completely quit meds they just got her off the patch and some other medications and onto a SR morphine tablet which was much much better for her. I don't mean to scare you but grandpa was in a hospital bed at his home while grandma was in medical place and he leaned over his hospital bed which was in his home to untangle some cords (home health nurse in other room) and ended up loosing consciousness, nurse found him later but he passed away in hospital due to an anurism (probably from being head down for awhile they think) because this patch makes you so tired and incoherent and just out of it. My Opinion about your mom, she's older, she needs to be comfortable, there are other alternatives. That being said my body was Physically Addicted to the patch as I had been on it for 5 years or so, once I got it out of my system I can take or leave pain medications, meaning, I CHOOSE whether I want to be mentally involved with my family at a present time or if I am in too much physical pain I will take an immediate release pain pill (vicodan, percocet) and sleep for a few hours and then be clear and able to deal with things better, NEVER pain free but theres a choice to be made...by saying I take the pain pill occasionally I would say in the last 2 months I have probably only taken three pain pills. I do still have to take xanax occasionally for anxiety and stress as anxiety and stress makes my conditions (and any if you read up) much worse. LOVE and HUGS to all. I pray daily for all who are in pain both physically and/or mentally and I do know God hears and cares. If any of this doesn't make sense feel free to ask ?? sometimes my fingers don't keep up with the brain.

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I would like to say congratulations on getting off fentanyl. What you are going through is withdrawals, the rocking, twitching legs(restless leg), total insomnia, not to mention pain, depression, the list goes on and on. It has taken about 3 months for most of the symptoms to ease to a tolerable level. I still fill withdrawals daily but for the most part most of the bad stuff is gone EXCEPT the insomnia, I am still getting between 3 and 4 hours a night sleep which is better than 2 hours. Things will get better it is going to take a long time. When weird things happen most are symptoms of withdrawals. Going off fentanyl is said to be the hardest drug to get off. I started last August and the other day I ask my husband "do you think I will ever feel good again?". Please let me know how things are going, I do care.

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Dear someone that got off the Fentanly. I am where u were. I have just put my first 50 mcg.F Patch, 3 days ago and time to change it again. I was a 75mcg, before that and they had changed the brand and my body was eat up everywhere that I had to put it and was running out of places when it was time to change it. I am not going to lie at all and say that I haven't experienced the trembling and the cold/hot sweaty feeling and wonder..Can I do this? The trembling that is in your whole body, it is like RLS, but everywhere.I know that I can do thsi and I have been taking this med. for a total of 4 yr. now. It started w/the 25mcg '07, then in '08 late in that yr., it was 50mcg, and in eary in '10 the doc moved me up to 75mcg, when all I wanted to do was up the breakthrough meds..not change my patch dosage...I just didn't want to go up on the patch. I knew that one day, I would have to come off.
I have had just a constant quiver the past few days after I changed it from a 75 to 50 and THIS IS HORRIBLE..BUT I CAN DO THIS..I keep telling myself that and it helps my mind to accept it. I am shaking while tryinig to type, but I must say that I still have my herniated disks..in my back,all three of them..THAT ARE KILLING ME, but taking more of breakthrough..I feel like defeating the purpose, but at least the FENTANYL would be gone..I PRAY. They won't do anything about my herniated disks. They just ignore it and give me meds..I DON'T want. I just want surgery to get them fixed and NEVER, EVER have to take this med. again and I won't ONCE I ever get it out...that is.
I know my doc was happy when I told him of what I wanted to do.. Heck, he even shook my hand. He did notice that my heart had been racing while I was there and I hadn't even changed anything yet. My heart has been acting up the past 2-3 wks. with a episode like anxiety and that makes me even more afraid of going through this, but it has to be done. I don't want to have to depend on this...for one day, I might not have it. I just feel eventually this medication will be ruled out for terminally ill patients alone and 4 anyone else that would be bad, but this stuff..IT IS THAT BAD. I never realized how until the past 3 days of this shaky quivering non-ending coldness or hotness. IT is awful, but I want to stop having to depend on it to relieve my pain. I will just have to suffer more, that is until I can get the surgery done. I think sometimes, I may be a little premature in doing it until after the surgery, but I am not getting anywhere. Maybe soon this new Doc(NS) that I am trying to get in with will perform surgery to fix my C5-C6 that was messed up in '06, that caused all of this in the first place. I know also they have found T8-T9 herniated, T10-T11 herniated with hypertrophy. I can't stand for long periods, maybe 10-20 min. then my back is on fire and the pain is like someone stabbing you or leaving an axe in it. SO, I usually am in bed for most of my day, but I do make myself get up and move. Heck, I even go outside to set 10 or more minutes a day for some Sunshine. It is hard, but if I have made it okay for the first 3 days without the higher dosage..wouldn't that make me through the first round or do I have more to suffer??? I just wanted to say that your words have moved me and made me to wonder if I made the right choice with me having 3 disks herniations left behind to deal with. Do I have more of the shaking to come? I am suppose to change this 50mcg tonight after 3:00 am, but am going to get into tub around midnight to move the time up some. I don't like to change it that late in the morning and with me shaky, I thought it might help me a little. What do you think? I could try to wait until 6:00am but think it would be better to change early than late on this one. OHH okay, that is all I can think of right now..shaking is hard to type with ...:)) <3 Karen
I have never abused my patch. I put it on like it says and it has helped my pain, but little did I think of the consequinces of getting off.

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you are going thru withdarwl I went from a 100 to a 75 after 10 years and I don,t feel good the other night I was twithing and kicking my feet in bed I had to get up and put a new patch on after only 2 days I know how you feel hang in there you need clonidine it is a blood pressure pill used for withdrawl ask your doctor for it good luck

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the mylan brand, ok i will do that. Again i thank you both for the info. I just had surgery two weeks ago wednesday so was on the morphine pump machine as well as my patches while in hospital. Then when i got out of the hospital i was put on 20mg morphine pills along eith my fentanyl patches so the last 2 weeks i think i have been going through some minor withdrawl symptoms from weening of the pump and pills. i am starting to feel a bit better now. i see my doc on wed so i think i will get my patches lowered then and then lower maybe every 2 weeks or so. just dont know what non narcotic pain relievers i could take for when the real pain starts to come through, any suggestions

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Hi Etieanne ibam 32 days fentynal free now but still getting withdrawal mainly a fuzzyness in my head. Im still weak and find it difficult to do anything. But i agree with you the charges are sutle and slow and iknow i am better bit by bit. Its weird. My pain is settliing although im still taking solpidol and bruffen. Evenings are the worse but nothing like it was when first stopped the patch i was screaming in pain needed oramorph non of that now thank god. I am glad i went cold turkey however its not for everyone, or the faint hearted its b...dy hard i had no choice because of the azathiprine. Good luck to anyone who tries but b careful
Fentynel is a very dangerous drug. Hazel

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Hey all...Hope this finds everyone in a better mood...(what a joke, right). No, it must be something about the moons or sun or stupidity on my part but I'm in a depression also. I went to a new doctor and whew did he load me down with meds and test, test, test. Have to have operation tomorrow. But all is good. Bahahaha. I have been running so much that for today I'm just laying around taking in the crap that goes with teens not having their way(with ear plugs,thank you). Dread tomorrow but I will make it ok. Glad to see everyone still alive and kicking and able to post. Love all and see ya later....hugs and kisses....Good to see you back Shannon...

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Angel and Nanny, we are so in the same boat. Now i have crps? Pre mature arthritus in my backa and Is from the injections. I cant take those anti depeessants but i really need to get a grip on this crying. I hate mean ppl. Heaven is so not ready for us and hells affraid we will take over. I just ordered from a late nite informational this really good Omega 3 its supposed to be a great and beast quality. It will help with inflamation and my embarassing bouts with crying. It supposed to help with emotions, clarity and severe pain including nerve. Its so bad i cry infront of strangers doctors and ppl that really do not like me its embarassing I get 90 day money back a free bottle and a friend gets the same deal plus a $40 ck uf a friend tries it too. Even my 18 yr old cat can take it. Google rds? And crps? Thats what i think we all have some form of. Feel ok today so no brownie coma needed tonight :) take care everyone don't just "hang" in there feel better have a drink and i hope eveeyones mood feels better. Im sorry i havent emailed you but im either sleeping or laying down I GARDENED a bit yesterday :) lifes simple pleasures as rare as they are. We are stronger than the hypocrites that really dont understand or give a crap because belittling abd putting others down makes far to many ppl feel superior lol superior to a bed ridden pill popping lady with no life and very few friends. Friendship takes nurturing, time, and some lucidity. I have time just no substance in the time i have Im lonely......random strangers are the best. A recent poll said over 85% would rather have 100 aquaintances than one genuine friend. Seriously? How vain are we really?

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Shannon and Ladies of the Club,
Darling, I am campaigning day and night for the next 4 days. I am so afraid. I get lots of political calls because I was Hillary Rodham Clinton's Wisconsin manager in her bid for the Democratic Presidential seat in 2008. Yes, I did meet the President

I will be gone for days now.

I love you all and will be thinking about you.

I am not sure how I am going to drag my body around this much pain and damn fatigue.
But I have to do it.
God help me please.

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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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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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pls i need to bee pregnant but husband is always away during my ovulation. i sees my period every 28 days in the month, pls introduce me to a tab that i will take to enable me see my period now so that in the next two weeks my husband will be back, i shall be in my ovulation.

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Greeting!
One year ago I posted to this forum routinely on all the subjects we know so well: pain, Fentanyl patches, doses, how to obtain the prescription, withdrawal, insurance, new legislation, side effects and the one great debate. The great debate always was, will be and is today: should I be on this medication?

I have spinal RA, Fibromyalgia and Lupus. Eight years ago a 75 mcg Fentanyl patch was slapped on me. For eight years, every 72 hours, I have slapped another on.

Until 11 days ago.... I went CT.

I believe every person has the right to be pain free.

BUT
FENTANYL has robbed me of eight years of life.

A recent report in the U.K. published that it was harder to withdraw from Fentanyl than H or cocaine; although Fentanyl does not leave the permanent damage that the latter two drugs do to the body.

For the last eight years I have been in bed. Yes, really..... in the bed staring at the same wall too drugged to get up and take care of myself, my house or live my life.

Ask yourself this? Are you pain free? I'll bet the answer is a negative.

I truly believed I could not survive without the patch. I blogged here for over 18 months daily. I am going to use a different name now. But some enterprising person could easily figure out by my style of writing who I am.

Here is the truth: you are a junkie on Fentanyl addicted to a powerful opiate. There are some batches of the patches that have been tampered with and some of the active drug has been removed. When you put one on and get no relief, you found a tampered patch. Legislation, like Bill One, is being pushed by someone. Fentanyl is going to become harder and harder to procure. Your body will want more drug to give you the same relief over time. The hole you are falling into is long and dark.

Please, think.

Thanks for listening.

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you hit it right on the head. Have expierence everthing you said. It's all about the money these doctors don't seem to care anymore. Let's see how many co-pays we can get today

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Shelby, congrats on your ongoing success! If it gets too tough, i've heard of a product called Withdrawal Ease. Google it. I definitely will order this when I begin my withdraw after my hip surgery. It has MANY success stories and contains vitamins and herbs..NO drugs!

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Good luck Shelby and stay safe. I so admire your mental courage for trying the withdrawal and I am definitely getting the Withdrawal Ease product just because of the testimonials of people in our same boat who took it and seemed to get over wd's much much quicker and with less suffering.

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I recently came across this method of detoxing called the "Thomas Recipe" (which I have attached). After reading it and going over my recently failed attempt, I can see a lot of benefits following his recipe for dealing with withdrawals. Especially the lack of physical and mental energy which I found very hard to over come.

THOMAS RECIPE
If you can't take time off to detox, I recommend you follow a taper regimen using your drug of choice or suitable alternate -- the slower the taper, the better.
For the Recipe, You'll need:
1. Valium (or another benzodiazepine such as Klonopin, Librium, Ativan or Xanax). Of these, Valium and Klonopin are best suited for tapering since they come in tablet form. Librium is also an excellent detox benzo, but comes in capsules, making it hard to taper the dose. Ativan or Xanax should only be used if you can't get one of the others.
2. Imodium (over the counter, any drug or grocery store).
3. L-Tyrosine (500 mg caps) from the health food store.
4. Strong wide-spectrum mineral supplement with at least 100% RDA of Zinc, Phosphorus, Copper, Magnesium and Potassium (you may not find the potassium in the same supplement).
5. Vitamin B6 caps.
6. Access to hot baths or a Jacuzzi (or hot showers if that's all that's available).
How to use the recipe:
Start the vitamin/mineral supplement right away (or the first day you can keep it down), preferably with food. Potassium early in the detox is important to help relieve RLS (Restless Leg Syndrome). Bananas are a good source of potassium if you can't find a supplement for it.
Begin your detox with regular doses of Valium (or alternate benzo). Start with a dose high enough to produce sleep. Before you use any benzo, make sure you're aware of how often it can be safely taken. Different benzos have different dosing schedules. Taper your Valium dosage down after each day. The goal is to get through day 4, after which the worst WD symptoms will subside. You shouldn't need the Valium after day 4 or 5.
During detox, hit the hot bath or Jacuzzi as often as you need to for muscle aches. Don't underestimate the effectiveness of hot soaks. Spend the entire time, if necessary, in a hot bath. This simple method will alleviate what is for many the worst opiate WD symptom.
Use the Imodium aggressively to stop the runs. Take as much as you need, as often as you need it. Don't take it, however, if you don't need it.
At the end of the fourth day, you should be waking up from the Valium and experiencing the beginnings of the opiate WD malaise. Upon rising (empty stomach), take the L-Tyrosine. Try 2000 mgs, and scale up or down, depending on how you feel. You can take up to 4,000 mgs. Take the L-Tyrosine with B6 to help absorption. Wait about one hour before eating breakfast. The L-Tyrosine will give you a surge of physical and mental energy that will help counteract the malaise. You may continue to take it each morning for as long as it helps. If you find it gives you the "coffee jitters," consider lowering the dosage or discontinuing it altogether. Occasionally, L-Tyrosine can cause the runs. Unlike the runs from opiate WD, however, this effect of L-Tyrosine is mild and normally does not return after the first hour. Lowering the dosage may help.
Continue to take the vitamin/mineral supplement with breakfast.
As soon as you can force yourself to, get some mild exercise such as walking, cycling, swimming, etc. This will be hard at first, but will make you feel considerably better. Thomas

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Thank you for the input Shelby! Believe me, i'm no virgin to pain meds..off and on since '93 after my 1st shoulder surgery. Oddly two weeks following into recuperation, I was bitten by a brown recluse spider about six inches from surgical site. To this day and several surgeries later on shoulders, back, and now hip..my joints utterly kill me and have deteriorated. Curiously, i've had some of my drs believe the spider venom could be the culprit!
Good luck to you Nutty on your proceedure and Shelby, I hope your days are comfortable. I'll keep my new friends posted and visa versa!

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I've been on Fentanyl for about 7 years, and never. Not Once have I ever gotten high, or felt a buzz as you have explained fentanyl vs. Morphines' properties are more legitimate because it does not provide a " high"
I know we all want to defend, or perhaps promote our individual pain believing source, but giving some medicine more credibility by giving false information is quite silly. I personally never advocate fentanyl because I'm no doctor, and of course I hope that no one has the sort of pain that requires this strong of a medicine.

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Yeah some people copy n paste trying yo hawk stuff sometimes.

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