Fentanyl Withdrawal Symptoms
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Updated
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.
Nobody should wean themselves off of Fentanyl without the aid and instruction of a pain Dr. Only your pain doc knows what other meds you are on and in what dose and for how long. Do not follow the direction of a stranger who has no idea what other meds you are on. That could be catastrophic.
Re: Verwon (# 1)
Not entirely accurate. Going from 25mcg to none is really hard. Most pain docs will supplement the lower dose of Fentanyl with another weaker opioid that is reduced pretty quickly which lengthens the taper a bit. People may still experience withdrawal symptoms for weeks or months in a mild form.
Re: Little David (# 20)
You won't get withdrawal after 96 hours
Re: Lou (# 1668)
Ask you Pain dr-GP for temporary Volume or xanax, the will help the restlessness-sleeplessness at end of going off! It only takes a week & down to 12.5 shldnt be to hard as long as u dont worry or think about it & one if these meds Will help for that week-2 to get used to Normal again. Also keep on for 4 days instead if 3 (Ive done for years), theres still enough medication left to help u go off. I think youll be fine though, thats the lowest u can go on patches & look how far u went down. Hope this helps, I’m coming from experience, except for going completely off!
I had 2 Major accidents (ppl died-ive had so many surgerys, yet cant help my back-spine!
I went from 200mcgrms to 75. I went down in 50’s, forget the 25 & 12.5’s, with No Problems! Along w/actique 1,200 mcgrms x4 boxes, but Never filled more then 1, breakthrough pain (dont hv anymore). However going down brought on a new pain I didnt know what was, went got MRI’s, sent for PETScan & found inoperable cervical myolomalacia (spinal cord giving out), along w/inoperable mass on all but 1 disc. The rest if my back has also been inoperable for years & is Racked (every disc-ruptured, 4-5mm Hurrniations- severe degeneration), so My Pain is Horrific & I cant find a dr that knows how to treat! I wish i never took Myself Down (B4 Opioid Crises), I Dont want to feel this! Also comes w/term life (horrible way to go if look it up), along w/at anytime depending on how fast it grows (they dont know), I can hv a brain aneurysm due to mass pushing on spinal cord! I loved the patches, dont like being high (dont drink either), I make them last for 4 days instead of 3 & that might help you, too as u got down... GOD Speed! You'll be Fine!!
Re: maureen (# 1390)
Hi. I’m down to 12mc Fentanyl, how bad is the withdrawal if I stop?? I came down from 75mc slowly, but now I want to stop completely. I’m very scared , If I take oxycodone will this help me??
Re: vernawhaley (# 6)
I don’t know why you are being told to extend the patch for 4 days. After 72 hours it no longer releases the medication because it has been used. I was on a 48 hour dosing which I had to extend to 72 hours. I can do 60 hours comfortably. I am not sure why your doctor would recommend waiting 4 days because that will bring on full blown withdrawal. I have gone from 75 to 50 but in between I did 50 with a 12 to give a middle dosage. Next I will step down from 50 to 37 by using 25 and 12. Even with the slow taper I have terrible anxiety, restlessness, and sweats. Good luck to you.
Re: k9-mom (# 2)
Hi. Ive been lowering mine since july & it's now jan..starting dose was 125 now down to 25 been taking it for 13 yrs at this strength. Ive been doing it very slow going down by 12 every month. Ive had no major withdrawals and believe me im proud of myself. I went to my pharmacy asked their opinion and so then took that to my dr that wanted to jolt me down fast. Slow is the way to go.
Greetings to you, I’ve been going through that weaning phase and I must tell you me and my doctor have tried different things to help with the weaning off the patches. And here is what seems to be working for me. 10mg Methadone, And 10mg oxycodone k-56 red color pill. My first two days were kind of sluggish with headaches but after those two days no chills of any kind, just constipation, so we added Leness to help with the stool thing. It seems to be a great combination. But you have to have a doctor that will listen to you..
If your Dr. says that your leg twitching has nothing to do with fentanyl (opiate/opioid) withdrawals, he is a brand new and still learning Dr. trying to sound smart on a topic he is not familiar with. Leg twitching is definitely part of the withdrawal symptoms of opiates-and the only sure-fire way to stop it "FAST" and move on with your life is to "WORKOUT" if possible! I have found jogging on the beach or in the hot hot desert that I can fend off withdrawals in 3 days! Just think of it like your chasing those demons that you know are on their way to your doorstep! Or you can act and think like your out running those same "OLD HAS BEEN" demons that are slow after all this time... Whatever works for you psychological will work for you physically. I personally guarantee it! Jogging or running I've found over the years is the easiest form of getting your natural brain restoration of endorphins to start working again. Because without it, your misery will outlast you, and you are 99% likely to give in and relapse to escape the misery another day, thinking you'll find another answer to your dilemma when there's only the one sure way to get past it with the least amount of misery. That will make you so thankful and that you realized that you have it within you to overcome the magic of the scepter, but not without utilizing your brain power literally. And those who would disagree are out to sell you magical swampland in the Anza-Borrego desert!! I will debate anyone who disagrees. And those who are disabled in a way that that type of exercise cannot be done. Then the concern of addiction is lowered substantially to make you more comfortable. Now if that is a concern for the person in this position, there's always an option in the types of exercise that will work in the said ways, and are not hard to find with a "little" guidance and with a lot more desire to achieve this well known fix, but has a high popularity with avoidance by those who want an even easier way out, but a lot more unhealthy way also... Thanx for reading! Good luck and take heed... Because it is NO JOKE!
I agree with the on person who said you may have down too fast, any powerful drug med has a lasting effect on our body that last a bit, but you may have skipping steps, go back to the 37, because dropping 25 points is to bitof a drop for the fentanyl.. I am weaning off my patches as well but I taking it slow. Even though I I get chills when it’s time to change my my patch. But you be very careful..
Re: dwight doolan (# 4)
Geez, I was on 200 am down to 25. 12 is next. I'm the one that's having back and head sweats. What I've read from ya'll sounds like that is the cause. I wonder how long it will take to get back to normal. ?????
Hello first I'm so sorry you are experiencing this, I understand the experience you are describing, is there an increase in pain that goes along with this? Is it possible it may be hyperalgesia? Something maybe worth discussing with your doc.
Good luck and gentle hugs to you.
Mary, congratulations on the great work you have done reducing from 75 to 25 mcg. The restlessness probably is a result of withdrawal. Maybe there is something you can take temporarily to help calm you. There are many natural remedies. Check with the doctor first. Again, you are doing great. Be proud of this huge accomplishment. Keep us posted.
Re: Oz (# 1656)
This could be my reply almost verbatim. The smell does stop - for me it was at the two week mark. All I know is that the fentanyl stopped working and I am very glad to not becreliant on it. Give me cannabis products any day. They work way better.
Yes, this is part of the withdrawal process. If you live in a state that has legalized marijuana, I suggest going into a good store. The people behind the counter are knowledgable and can point to helpful edibles. If not, I had my doctor prescribe a non-narcotic anti-anxiety med called Hydroxazine. It works very well in crushing that need to move and stretch by relaxing the body. The first few times you take it you might be drowsy but it doesn’t knock me out and it works. Some people are also successful with Lyrica or Nortryptaline.
Re: mary (# 8)
Look into LDN. My integrative dr prescribes it. Most reg drs won't. You can call a compounding pharmacy and ask if they can tell you what drs in area prescribe it.
Re: TygerLily (# 183)
Yep. It’s the fentanyl. I have been on it for pain and am switching to a non-opiate and cannabis products. Right now, my body is expressing this funky chemical gross smell that is driving me and my partner crazy. Shower a lot and change the sheets a lot. It is worse at night when you sweat. I understand it stops as soon as the fentanyl is all gone from your body. Anything that smells like this should not be in your body.
Hi my name is John and I was just recently put on pain meds 9 months ago my family Dr put me on oxycodone ,10mg six a day so then she sent me to see a surgeon and the surgeon said i didn't need surgery thank God but said i would need pain management with use of meds and shots so I went to pain center check me out said come back in a week so i did he going to me I m addicted so I m not at all so call my family Dr the one that put me on pain meds told me to come in Thursday morning so I go there i walk in Dr comes in sit down and says i can't give you pills any more she said i was a addicted to wow really so I just left there but in the middle of the two Dr appointment i had fallen so call pain management Dr to see i should go to ER at the time of the ER visit i was weening down off the oxycodone so ER doctor needed a pee sample so I gave one Dr comes back to me and says to me u really don't have enough oxycodone in u i know i m on the way weening down so I told him y i was coming off them so he said let me call your pain Dr ok np pain Dr Tell me and the ER doctor that it's ok to put me on fentanyl patches so I got them now he calls me a addicted along with the Dr that put me on the meds but a 75mgc patch and it's has got me hurting more now than I have ever been all kinda side effects.
I have been on the patch for well over 5 years and trying to get off of it myself. Thank goodnees for valium that's what got me through.
Am i fixin' to withdrawal from my 25mcg fentanyl patch? In 4 days, I'll be 5 days without the patch, but get my refill that day. I was on the 25mcg patch and three 15mg oxycodone (for 1 month) and I denied oxycodone at my last apt, to up my patch & switch to percocet.
Is fentanyl and oxcycodone withdrawal the same? Will the Percocet help? Because all I have is that and neurontin.
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