Fentanyl Withdrawals Or My Heart?
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My question is that I have titrated down from 75mcg to 50 and had some times that were NOT fun, I must say, but I figured that was going to happen.
What is the problem and my Question to all of ur, is: Do u jave problems with ur heart rate, at all because of just titrating(going down or up on a medicine)???? IT is going crazy up and down..IT is anxiety..I know,well, I THINK, but I have just gone down one dosage and don't understand WHY it is still doing it after 20 days or do I just need more time..HOW LONG?? And how long will it take me to get this heart rate issue gone? Should I attempt to get it out faster? I know, that isn't much time when u write it down, but I can't get up or walk around because , my HR, gets up there and just resting it goes up and has gone up to 108..just lying in bed. WOW..DO u think it is actually my heart because I can't exert myself, but I don't know because my VEINS in my body are going crazy. THEY BURN. IT is like it runs down a veing..the burning. I can understand shaking,weakness, but burning..oh, and the numbness..MY WHOLE LEFT SIDE GOES COMPLETELY NUMB and my face,in my left cheek, feels like it was shot w/NOVACANE..I thought, I was having a stroke..no joke..Like someone stuck me with a huge dose of NOVACANE, in my whole body or something. I know, that one the signs for MS is one side of the body getting completely numb and I even have a lesion in my brain..hmm...that they call a venous angioma..WRONG..the CORRECT term 4 it is a DVA, (" Developemental Venous Anomaly"). This is from Neuroradiologists, in Germany. THey detail everything and u can find this info, but it is hard...somewhat it has taken me 2 yrs and finally just type in the correct words, to get it.( scribd.. this is the sites name and it is under Intracranial Vascular Malormations) I might have other issues other than getting off of the FENTANYL patch?
Doc gave me a Beta-BLocker to take,but haven't taken any. SHOULD I? I don't know because I hate taking med., I can't be me..it is like I am a zombie or something already and fjust want to be rid of ANY meds that I have to take..Yesterday, I took my Gabapentin(gen. 4 Neurontin) and I forgot to take it until 9:30 later that night. I am wondering if not taking it right could be causing my heart to act up, but I don't know? I have heard that Gab.has some cause 4 making some heart probs..I don't know that 4 sure, but wondering why this heart stuff is happening to me.
Hey, I wish ALL of u the best and keep fighting it. I do know that it takes a strong person to get OFF and I am not even there yet...hehe, but I will be and I thank Paige that hs repied, she is really strong to do what she has done..GET OFF IN 48 hrs. WOW
I just hope the next step won't be as bad. I have heard that going from the 75 down to 50mcg is one of the toughest ones. Take care ALL and God Bless each and everyone of u, 4 doing it:))))<3 Karen

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13

Get some help from the doctor. Please My wonderful son passed away from lack of oxegen due to a fentenyl overdose.
Please don't play with this drug.

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12

Hi,
This is only my opinion and would recommend to contact your Dr. about this. First off, I assume you normally have a higher than normal heart rate hence the beta-blocker - I have the same issue and as explained to me a ""Beefy heart muscle" can cause problems later in life and the beta-blocker is suppose to lower you bp/heart rate to normal ranges. If you are a smoker and/or a big coffee/soda drinker can contribute to this, so reduce your intake. Anxiety is a contributor and you may be causing more stress, worrying about your heart making it sound worst, or in your mind freaking out over something minor making the symptoms worst than it really is - I only say this b/c I too, am guilty of it. As for the numbness, I would place my finger on nerve issues hence why are suppose to take the gabapentin - I am also prescribed this medication and first hand can say that this is a miracle drug for nerve pain - Take your medications, It sucks, I know how you feel about pills but sometimes we have to accept that we have something wrong, we need the medications so we can try to live a normal life like a healthy person. Now yes you will experience elevated heart rates, higher anxiety during with drawls but I would say this would be way more common going cold turkey or next to nothing, you reduced it by half and its over 20 days - This has nothing to do with with drawls, I would say you would of felt kind of crappy for maybe a week tops, but your body would have been adjusted to the new opiate levels by 7 days . An easy way to prove that it has nothing to do with with drawl symptoms is to go back to your original dose and monitor your body that day after dosing. I suggest you to purchase a blood pressure/heart rate monitor from walmart for 25-80 USD, Monitor your vitals after laying down for a good 15 minutes w/ eyes closed, slow/deep relaxing breaths, then after 5 minutes stand up take vitals breathing normally. If you are a nicotine user, take vitals after using, 30 minutes after using, 1 hr after using - Take vitals after no caffeine use for a couple hrs, again after use. Be sure to write down every vital you take so you can provide this info to Dr. - Take potassium which is great to regulate you bp - Lastly, if you take anxiety medication take vitals before/after taking meds.. I pray everything is okay and I think it isn't a serious heart condition - Just make sure you take control of your medical/health, document your health so your Dr. can diagnose you/treat you correctly.

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11

I hurt my back in 2008- no idea how. I've been on Percocet since then and currently am on 10/325 and have been on the Fetanyl patch too. I asked to move down from 75 to 50. I experience restless legs and my body is twitchy. I can get myself down to one Percocet and then off but I'm scared off the patch. Any ideas? Can my doctor be the only help? I notice the pain clinic really didn't want to take my milligram down but I insisted. Thank you please help me kick these!

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10

Anyone tried or heard of Kratom?

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9

Thanks Dan, Mighty Kind of you. I am doing amazingly well, compared to what I have read. Slept 7 HOURS Wed. night, just one last night. But the nervousness is lessening. I finally got my Xanax refilled, after my doctor drug his feet for 8 days (that's 38 days to get a 30 day refill, and I've been on them for 20 years). He couldn't care less what happens to me, so I'm toughing it out. The pain is AWFUL now, I grabbed a bottle of regular tylenol on your recommendation, and a bottle of icy-Hot. I am heading out on a four day journey/camp on one of my Harley-Davidsons, and the vibration seems to help a LOT.
I plan to change Doctors before next month; IS there a specialist of some kind I could see that would be more in touch with the long term pain issues (and perhaps would treat me like a human instead of a Dog)? I will keep you and Karen posted on my progress, it HAS been a rough road, but it's only day 10. I think I got "lucky", but as my last 2 surgeons said, I seem to have an unusually high pain tolerance. Just used to it, after 27 surgery's is all I can figure. Thanks again for your concern. I hope you are doing well (Karen too, if she reads this one), and as I said, I will keep you posted on progress. I take my PC with me, so if anyone needs to talk, I'm around, it sure helps a LOT.
God Bless, and have a Happy Holiday, Stooo ; )

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8

Thanks Dan, Mighty Kind of you. I am doing amazingly well, compared to what I have read. Slept 7 HOURS Wed. night, just one last night. But the nervousness is lessening. I finally got my Xanax refilled, after my doctor drug his feet for 8 days (that's 38 days to get a 30 day refill, and I've been on them for 20 years). He couldn't care less what happens to me, so I'm toughing it out. The pain is AWFUL now, I grabbed a bottle of regular tylenol on your recommendation, and a bottle of icy-Hot. I am heading out on a four day journey/camp on one of my Harley-Davidsons, and the vibration seems to help a LOT.
I plan to change Doctors before next month; IS there a specialist of some kind I could see that would be more in touch with the long term pain issues (and perhaps would treat me like a human instead of a Dog)? I will keep you and Karen posted on my progress, it HAS been a rough road, but it's only day 10. I think I got "lucky", but as my last 2 surgeons said, I seem to have an unusually high pain tolerance. Just used to it, after 27 surgery's is all I can figure. Thanks again for your concern. I hope you are doing well (Karen too, if she reads this one), and as I said, I will keep you posted on progress. I take my PC with me, so if anyone needs to talk, I'm around, it sure helps a LOT.
God Bless, and Happy Holiday, Stooo ; )

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7

Stoo, sorry to post a couple of days later but let me tell you that getting off the patch can be done. I was on the 75's for almost four years and also taking over 200 Vicodin for spinal stenosis and knee pain. I quit the Vicodin cold turkey but the patch was a different story. My PCP had to wean me off starting with the 50's for a couple of weeks, the 25's for about ten days and then the 12's for about a week. I have been off all drugs for almost a month but the first couple of weeks were not fun. Insomnia, restless legs, no energy and of course the pain. I found that taking Tylenol in the morning and at night helped with mixing in a Aleve around noon. At this point I only take four Tylenol per day which is amazing considering I was popping 12 Vicodin per day just a couple of months ago.

Getting off the patch can be done but you need to get your PCP or pain doctor involved so they can help you. If they say no and tell you it's up to you to do this, tell them that most detox centers will not take you due to the patch was given in a script by your doctor and it's up to the doctor to wean you off the meds. It can be done and once you are off, then go back and visit your PCP about some sort of new plan to help with the pain. You might just have to get back on Vicodin or Oxycodone but if you only take a few per day then you can manage and I have been told the risk of getting addicted again would be next to none.

Good luck.

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6

Thanks for the kind words Karen, every bit helps. It’s day EIGHT, and I actually
slept over 2 hours last night, almost 6 in a row. I think I can see light at the end of the tunnel, or “dodged a bullet†as you said. I’m nervous all of the time, and I had Xanax to help w/ that, as I worked a stress job GT 12 hours/day for 25 years. But, as fate would have it, I just changed pharmacies, as the last one made mistakes every month. Seems they didn’t send the Rx to the new pharmacy for Xanax. The new pharmacy says to call the Doctor, HE says he needs a Fax from them, THEY say they are waiting on the Dr., etc. Meanwhile, I get more and more nervous, and the holiday weekend is approaching. Had plans to ride my Harley to a rally with some friends, but not if I feel like this. I’ve only been on the patch for about a year; first 25mg, then 50. I cannot imagine what would have happened long-term. My pain prevents me from walking much, just shopping is rough. Too soon to tell, but in the past several days the pain has not been unbearable. I’ve read that Fentanyl actually can make the pain seem worse. Time will tell, I will never go back to the patch. Am I possibly close to a recovery, or am I looking at weeks or months? I cannot believe my Doctor put me on Fentanyl, when all I asked for was ONE more pain pill a day, as I had before. Why change things when a person is doing well, as I was 18 months ago? I am beginning to think that most Doctors are sadists.
-Thanks for your help, Stooo : )

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5

Hey Stooo, I am so sorry 4 what u have been going through. I can relate, but I think u dodged a bullet here. I wouldn't get on the patch at all, if I had to go back. Of course, it does help with the pain. I started at 25mcg and it wasn't long that they had to bump me up to 50mcg. After a little while taking that one I was getting to experience more pain and asked my PCP of what should i do. He said that he would raise my patch.I just wanted to trade my pain medicine of Norco to maybe Percocette. Just a change bc my body was getting immune to what it is that I am still taking.
Fentanyl Patch is not to be taken lightly. After they went ahead and bumped my patch up, I decided to go back down and only had taken it 4 maybe,6-8 mos.,so I felt it wouldn't be so bad. IT was not fun,let me tell u not to use it, if u can do without it. NOT a good thing to start, unless u absloutely have to.. So, if I had the choice like u and could stand the pain, I would do without them.
I have to say that just the short time that I was taking the 75mcg, when they bumped me up...coming off or titrating down to the 50mcg has some wonderfully vivid memories to it. Don't use it, therefore, u won't have to experience those wd's. God bless always. Take care and if u need me to talk to, I am here.:)))

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4

I had a terrible traffic accident 3 yrs ago, and the head surgeon told me I'd regret it if I did not have my foot amputated. I did not. Also broke my back, pelvis, crushed my shoulder, etc. etc. I re-learned to walk against all odds, but my Doctors kept reducing my pain meds (oxycodone, 7.5/325, went from 6/day to 4/day to 3/day) until I couldn't do anything but lay around and watch TV. Last year I could take no more, and told my Dr. that I HAD to have more pain meds (I had resumed a somewhat "normal" life up to that point). He put me on the Fentanyl patch, first 25 then 50 mcg, which helped a little. Last weekend I was out in the sun, and had great difficulty breathing that night, probably due to the patch heating up, and the dose increasing. That Tue. AM I awoke struggling for air, and was scared to death. I read up on Fentanyl on the net, and immediatly took off the patch. Wow! I am going through all sorts of withdrawyl issues, as have been described on this discussion thread, seems like they come and go. From NO sleep to anxiety, racing heart, extreme body aches, fear, and of course, pain. It's been almost 5 days, and I've gone from sleeping all day to insomnia again. I will NOT put the patch back on.
My friends think I'm nuts.
My Dr. seems annoyed that I “need†pain meds, but they told me in the hospital 3 years ago that I’d be on them the rest of my life, and was doing quite well on 4 oxycodone/day, but they HAD to reduce the dose ONCE more. Now I have the issues with the patch. This is hell, just talking to someone in the same situation would help. It’s either Pain and insanity, or the patch it seems now. I am very strong willed, but feel I need help. -Stooo

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Yes, it could be caused from the withdrawal, however, in cases where your heart is concerned, it is always best not to assume and to see a doctor, just in case, since there are other things that can cause it, as well.

The reason that your doctor probably prescribed the Beta Blocker is to help your heart function and help keep your heart rate down, to keep you out of danger.

https:/­/­rxchat.com/­wiki/­Beta_blocker/­

Are there any other questions?

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2

Yea, it is definiately the withdrawals! the xanax and valium will help, but you have to be careful with that as well. Those have terrible withdrawals as well! I took gabapentin as well, but it did not do much for me! That is not what is causing you the problem! You are starting to ween off, but your body wants more and not less! Everything you mentioned happened to me as well when I was trying to get off. Do not be worried about it being something else. You can NOT DIE from opiate withdrawal, but you can from benzos like xanax and valium! It took a couple of weeks to feel better! How long were you on the patches for?

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One more question. Should I switch to Valuem for helping me get OFF the Fentanyl, instead of taking Xanax? When I get the shaky quivering feeling, that is what I take. It does work, but only take 1/4 or sometimes, just a 1/10....hehe.
I just pray 4 all of us 2 get this horrible stuff out of our systems:)))<3 Karen

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