Fentanyl Withdrawal Symptoms (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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hell yes! your suffering from withdrawal! it always amazes me that doctors always overlook the horrible withdrawal effects that opiates cause to the body! its outrageous to think that you or anyone should have to suffer from the terrible effects of physical dope sickness, no different than a heroin addict off of the street! DOCTORS OVERLOOK THIS S*** BECAUSE THEY NEVER HAVE EMPATHY, OR TIME TO TRUELY UNDERSTAND THEIR PATIENTS ISSUES, BUT BOY IF YOU MISS YOUR COPAY OR YOU DONT HAVE YOUR INSURANCE CARD, THEN YOUVE GOT THEIR ATTENTION! the sad thing is, since your going through withdrawals you have to contact your doctor who will take his time returning your call, if he or she does at all! i went through this same thing and i had to get some valium from a friend as my doc wasnt even returning calls! you need to get a benzo in your system to help you sleep, and to minimize your irritability! valium, xanax, ativan all will help you withdrawal and titrate down. good luck!

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I want to thank everyone for their advice and help. At the time of my original post, I was unable to find the symptoms anywhere on the internet that I was experiencing so I wasn't sure if they were related to the decrease in the med or another issue entirely. I'm happy and very grateful to say that I am Fentanyl Free and had I known up front how horrible this medicine was I never would have listened to the doctor and went on it. Once he told me that I could have died when I didn't have a patch for 3 days and that if a pet just licked a used patch it could die, I was like this is some bad stuff and wanted off ASAP. (I was on vacation and thought it was packed in suitcase, ended up going to Emergency Room for a patch. Doctor yelled at me and said I was irresponsible). Anyway, thanks all and I'm glad it's all behind me. Any suggestions for pain management medication????? - after I was off Fentanyl they put me on Kadian which I am no longer taking and just gave up on the doctor's office. I'm not taking anything for pain b/c listening to the doctor scares me....

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Yes, that can be caused by withdrawal, you probably jumped down in dosage a little too fast. This med is very, very strong, 80 times stronger than Morphine and it has a half-life of 17 hours, so that means once you take off the patch, it takes 17 hours until it has dwindled to 50% off the full dose in your body, then it slows and actually takes 3 or 4 days before it is all out of your system. So if you tried to go lower too fast, you are going to get withdrawal symptoms.

Ideally, you should step down to the next lower dosage at least a week apart, and most doctor's recommend at least 2 weeks apart, so your body can adequately expel the higher amount, get the new dosage in, and adjust to that one for a period of time before lowering again.

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Fentanyl Withdrawal Symptoms
I have been on fentanyal for 10 years, first dosage 25mg to 200mg. I'm being treated for Multiple Myeloma. I am now in remission for 3 years. for the last 18 months I have been on other meds with Fentanyl, clonazepam 1mg 2 a day, vicodin 2 tabs every 4-6 hours but I always took one never more than 3 to 4 tabs a day mostly 3 (Hydroco/apap 5-500mg, methodone 3-a day 10mg and carbamazepin chw 100mg which gave me problems and after 6 week I stop taking it. I take my meds less so that I can function,, but over the last 4 months I wanted to stop the fentanyl so I start reducing my dosage by the time limit I would keep my patches on 4 days so on Sundays I could go to church. Then I would put on one patch then 2 days later I would put on another until my body got use to just 100 mg. Of course I didn't tell my doctor what I was doing . I started withdraws after two week of the patch weening after a while I could not stand it so I put on the two 100mg patches, and told my doctor I wanted to be weened of and could I have 50mg patches with the 100mg. So I started it again using 150mg for about three weeks then to 100mg it was still to much to so but I was determine to reduce my dosage. I continued with my other meds exept the carbamazepin.
Now I am down to 50mg and I had a doctor appt. and she blew her top when she saw me. I had lost 35lbs. She put me on 75mg and I went home and put one on I was still going thur withdrawals and then I started vomiting and diarrhea and sweating, again. I put on the second patch after 3 days. I got worse after a day I took the patch off. I felt weak and my heart was pounding so hard. Then I prayed after all I am a Christian. I prayed to my Father God and Lord and Savior Jesus Christ to help me through this because this is his daughter and my soul belongs to Him. I put this issue in your hands. the heavy pounding stop and I was able to sleep for 9 hours.That was on 6/18/2009 and I have not put on another patch it has been about 17 days without a patch. I don't recommend this way but I found this to be my way because of my faith. Fentanyl will never enter this body again. I don't know what how my doctor is going to react to this because she called me to see how I was doing and I didn't tell her what I did, she gave me a phone number of the doctor that was covering for her while she is on vacation. I was 5 days off when she called. I am not completely out but I am eating up and doing chores. I am still going through sweats from time to time. I am 58 years old and they are not hot flash. I still praying.

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Hi all! I am on fentanyl now 25mcg.The reason is -is because I had surgery in Oct. and was precribed way too much percocet! When I stopped I went through major withdrawal!!! I was told it was because I developed an opiate dependence and now needed Fetanyl to get me through withdrawl. Now I want off Fentanyl!!!I tried taking off the patch for a few days and felt like death! So...put another back on. Felt better in a few hours...but I want to stop this cycle of drugs,etc. and the doc. doesn't think I am important enough to warrant a return phone call?!? HELP!!!!!!

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After the patch is removed, it takes 17 hours or more for a 50 percent decrease in serum fentanyl concentrations. If you are planning to discontinue use of Duragesic, a gradual dosage decrease is recommended since it is not known what dose level the drug may be discontinued without producing the signs and symptoms of abrupt fentanyl withdrawal.

Do not stop taking Duragesic without first checking with your doctor. Regular use will produce physical dependency in a few weeks which can lead to severe withdrawal if use is suddenly stopped. This can generally be avoided by reducing the dose gradually over a period of time before stopping treatment completely.

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Man - I am totally freaked out after reading some of the people's horror stories. I am on 10/325 Hydro's and 50mcg Fentanyl every 48 hours. My insurance company cut off my prescription coverage out the blue, so here I am reading to see how I can get through the lack of medication without killing myself. I have about a month worth of Fentanyl left to ween myself off. Doesn't sound like that is enough time.

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THIS SOUNDS ALOT LIKE WITHDRAWL. PLEASE LET YOUR DOCTOR HELP YOU HE CAN ALSO GIVE YOU OTHER MEDS TO HELP WITH THE AWFUL WITHDRAWAL.GETTING OFF THIS MED IS VERY HARD, SOUNDS LIKE YOUR CUTTING DOWN WAY TO QUICK. PLEASE BE CAREFUL DRIVING-ETC. GOD SPEED

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I too am weaning off of the fentanyl patch. I went from 50 to 25 every 2 days and then too every 3 days and in a few days I will go to every 4 days and if it is real bad the doctor will go to the 12.5 patch for 2 weeks. I too have had some withdrawl while going through this but I want off of the patch so bad that it will be worth it. I had horrible side effects and it has been a nightmare for me. Good luck too you and let us know how you are doing

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Kris,

I know how you feel. Please read the other posts that gave a lot of information. You should wean yourself off slowly. Is there another doctor in the practice or a nurse practioner that you can talk to? My doctor was the same way but the nurse practioner was sympathetic and helpful.

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this is my 8 month of recovery. All my medication I took was by prescription by my doctor and I took it as prescribed, for chronic pain. But anyone will develope a tolerance/ addiction believe me. I was on vicodin 12 a day, 5mg/325 for eight years,Fentanyl 75mg pathch every 72 hours, Xanax 0.5 3x day ambien 10mg if anyone is trying to get off these medication you need to be an advocate for medical detox don't do it on your own push for 10 days plus when you leave you must go to a supportive environment my detox took about 40 days and it was hell be careful, do not be alone ask for help. It will not work by yourself I thought I could do it also. I share my story because I felt so alone. I did research on my own after 8 years of going to the doctor and finally being told I have nerve damage. I am know on neurontin 400mg 3x aday the quality of my life has improved so much please be an advocate and research yourself, anyone else on neurontin and how is it working for you.

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Im scared I was taking 50 mgs of fentanyl and percocet. Workers comp. stopped my doctors visits and my perscribtions.without giving me any warning. im also staying in a shelter i have no insurance and i dont want to go through all this with people i dont really know. but i have no one to help me,and the pain in my back is aweful and i need some pain relief. Man this sucks

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Hi Again. Well today I spoke with my Dr. and told me that 25mcg. w/d symptoms were psychological and referred me to a pain mgmt. dr. I called them and they cant see me until 1/28. They said I have to remain on the patch until they see me, and if I try to ween or even stop I could get very ill or potentially have a heart attack. They were also shocked to hear that they prescribed fetanyl as a weening method from percocet??? What a mess this all has become
Thanks for listenening!!!!

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I have been on fentanyl 25mcg for some time for spinal injury. I am coming off, and the withdrawal is quite painful and debilitating. My pain is still quite high, on top of the withdrawal. I am taking clonidine 0.1mg qid prn symptoms of withdrawal. This is tough, but I know I can do it. I chose to discontinue the fentanyl due to the depression it has caused. Any words of encouragement are appreciated as I go through this tough week. After all is said and done, I have more compassion and sympathy for my pain patients, any pharmacist or doctor should read my testimony and remember to treat their patients with sympathy. I use to think another drug addict young in my career. How ignorant I was, be thankful if you never have a severe chronic pain incident, but don't ever look down at those who do.

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Hey, more power to you for decreasing your dosage of this powerful drug! It will be hard in the begining, but you sound like someone who has the willpower and desire to achieve your goal. Don't give up too soon. Good luck

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Wow! I'm impressed with the degree of dosage decrease in the amount of time mentioned. I have been on 1/2 of my prescribed dose of 50mcg per hr.fentanyl patch (25mcg) for about a month. I will start the 12mcg this week. My doc is pleased that I'm getting off the dope. Ibuprophin 600 mg 3 x day is working pretty well to ease the pain from back issues. I'm hoping I will avoid the symptoms of withdrawal I've been reading about. I did have quite a bit of them when I cut the dose in 1/2. It lasted about 2 weeks. Sweats, twitchy legs, sleeplessness, moodiness, feeling cold and clamy, depression. I hope the worst is over.

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Sandra, I just want to encourage you...and empathize! I was on here alot while I was weaning myself off all of my meds. Come September I will have been Fentanyl free two years. I wore the patches for 8 years. I didnt do it like most people and drop 25 mcgs at a time. Thats too much. What I did was leave ( at first), a little of the backing to the patch on, where part of it never adhered to my skin. Every few patch changes I left more and more backing on, and less patch stuck to me. I used my oral opiates as normally. The doctors told me it would never work. ( I suggest theres no need for them to know). Its very gradual. Eventually I had such a small piece of actual patch stuck to my skin I had to tape the part with the backing still on to me to keep it on. At that point, I just left that part on until it was so dried up and crinkled it fell off. I never put another on. I did have weeks of horrible leg pain. I had to rub muscle rub on my legs and put tights on my legs to sleep. You wont escape the pain...some of it. The oral pain meds help, but I ran out eventually. You will escape the withdrawals that make so many give up the attempt. The doctors didnt believe it would work. It did. That was in September of '14. When I got my next script of hydrocodone filled, I started breaking them in half and taking less and less, and less often. By November I was off of those as well. Opiate rebound pain is the pain you feel when they wear off. We think its our pain from our condition but it isn't. Its the opiate receptors in our brain screaming for more opiates. Hence the need to wrap your arms around your knees and rock! Its much worse than the pain of our condition. Again, slow increasing drops. Wean. Im so glad to be free. I still have all my health problems and pain. Some days I wish I had something to take. Because Im actually working again. And cleaning all the time again. And grocery shopping. And mowing my yard with a push mower. Living again. Pain, yes. But not like the pain those meds cause. It can be done if you do it wisely. Slowly. Its so worth it.

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Mary how did you become fentanyl free by the way

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Wow like looking in a mirror, i just went through the same thing, i was on the patch for 5 yrs do to M.S. i tried getting my doctor to take me off it 2 yrs ago, he refused i also went from 75 down to 25 i couldn't sleep while on the 75's the smell of the morphine would come out of my pores, it sucked big time, i'm curious to why you were on it, that may explain the jumping movement M.S. is known for spastisaty would love to chat.

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I'm still hanging in there! My doc agreed to give me a supply of 12mcg fentanyl patches. I titrated down again, this time from 25mcg to 12 mcg and am having similar withdrawal symptoms as before: sweats, chills,aches,twitching legs, restlessness, sleeplessness. It's so awfull I want to hurry it up. It's been 8 days of basically 3 days each patch then change it and I'm going to wear one for 4 days then take it off completely. If it gets too bad, I'll put a new one on for a few hours, take it off, and so on for a day or 2, then try to stop completely. Don't give up! these powerful drugs are not worth loosing your life over! Let's get through this together!

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