Oxycodone Vs Fentanyl Withdrawals (Top voted first)

I have just switched from oxycodone to fentanyl patches. I will be withdrawing from them following sugery. any suggestions as to which is easier to withdraw from? Thanks!!!

REPLY

REPORT

i have been on fentanyl for a long time. prior to this was on a bunch of oxycodone. to give you an idea i was taking anywhere to 3 or 4 of the 80s per day and 5 or 6 of the Roxi 30s per day... i have stopped that cold turkey and i can tell you that it was like being in heaven compared to fentanyl withdrawl. although i hear fentanyl withdrawl is MUCH shorter i dont know... never made it past the end of day 2. best of luck to you. fentanyl works better for pain but if you plan on getting off real soon id stick with the oxy. let me know how it goes!

REPLY

Was this helpful? 14

No brainer: Fentanyl is by far the worst withdrawal I've ever experienced. My ex, who is a recovered Heroin addict (now taking Suboxone, but never experienced chronic pain such as myself--she "played" and is doing fine on Suboxone after shooting H and Dilaudid).

She compared Fentanyl to the closest thing to Heroin withdrawal -- except it can last up to 6-8 weeks.

I experienced it myself. While I never did Heroin, an almost-fatal car crash left me with herniated discs from L2-S1 (mid-lower back down to my butt-bone, with shooting radicupathic pain down my left leg, leaving searing pain down my back, leg and constant numbness in my thigh).

An Osteopath in NC put me on 100mcg Fentanyl patches, one every three days, and Oxycodone 30mg HCL for breakthrough.

Problems with the Fentanyl were immediate. Day 1 was a relief; no pain. By the middle of Day 2, pain was excruciating, and more often than not, the patch would fall off / peel off my skin (even switching spots) before the third day even began. The impossible-to-find Oxycodone (also called Roxicodone) meant IF and WHEN I *did* manage to find it, I would usually not get them for breakthrough pain until sometimes weeks after the script was written -- so every three days I found myself in a day of pure HELL of Fentanyl withdrawal.

Eventually, I moved to Florida and lost my insurance due to the disability causing a loss of my job. Florida is notorious for "pill mills" and now apparently has a cap on the GRAMS of Oxycodone allowed to be dispensed in the state.

Final thought:

Six weeks of Fentanyl withdrawal is unlike anything I've ever felt. How did I end up in that situation? After informing my N.C. doctor that I was losing my job, he prescribed THREE MONTHS worth of both medications. So I thought I hit paydirt coming home with #90 Oxycodone HCL 30mg (x3 months = #270 pills) and THREE MONTHS of Fentanyl, ten per month (3 days per patch), so 30 patches of Fentanyl.

Needless to say, I ran out within 6 weeks, since the patches fell off contantly and I popped those Oxys to make up for the pain. I didn't think ahead.

So I found myself with almost two months of no meds, and it can be 6-8 weeks of the WORST WITHDRAWAL of LIFE coming off Fentanyl -- it's synthetic heroin, strong enough to be made into candy for cancer patient pain.

Day 3: Oxycodone withdrawal was comparable to Oxycontin, within a week I had survived...

But the Fentanyl withdrawal can last up to two months, and day 3 - I woke up that morning covered in my own vomit and diarrhea. Went to the ER begging for anything to calm the symptoms, put me on a waiting list for Suboxone which saved my life.

Still have the pain, but Fentanyl is a killer W/D. Don't even play with that chemical hell. Trust me, I wished I was dead.

REPLY

Was this helpful? 13

Yes I can offer you some suggestion's because I went through the same thing a few year's back. First you need to go out and get some "Cal/Mag", it's a liquid in a quart bottle and it replace's your bodies calcium and magnesium real quick and get a bottle of this in a vitamin. All pain meds. rob our bodies of these two rapidly, that's what makes you hurt sooooo bad when the medication is wearing off so this is real important. Second only wear your patch 12hours on and 12hours off, do this for 3 day's then reduce the mg's by 25mg's and do this for 3 day's until you're off the med. Caution, you'll have some pretty weird mood swing's, mostly depression, it's strang I know but pain med's. make us numb to emotion's when taking at high dose's. My worst was coming down from 160mg of Methadone a day to 40mg a day, (my choice). "Do Not" stop all at once, you'll not only get real sick but you can die from that,,, like a dumb ass I did that for 3 day's (160mg down to 0mg) my wife had to take me to the emergency room, lol. Funny now but oh no not then, lol. I hope this help's you and God bless! Thank you,

REPLY

Was this helpful? 9

I have to say that withdrawing from Fentanyl was the hardest thing I ever had to do!! It lasted for over a month, but I did it cold turkey!! The sweating and cold flashes are brutal. The nausea is horrible too!! Weaning yourself like the last user described is a much better alternative!!! I took a lot of hot baths. And tried to stay calm. Burning incense. Sleeping. Breathing slow. Doing things that made me stay calm and relaxed as possible. I was only able to eat yogurt and Popsicles. Stock up on things that will make you stay calm... I watched the entire series of mad men while I laid in bed and felt like crap. I spent a lot of time at the beach too .. I wish you the best,

REPLY

Was this helpful? 6

I was on the fentanyl patch patch for a lengthy period of time ... starting with the lowest dosage, and working my way up to 100 ... I went through HORRIBLE withdrawl as my doctor weened me off it ... and was finally able to get rid of it once and for all. The "herky jerkys" and other withdrawl symptoms were just God awful !!! Glad to be off that and now am taking Percocet (Oxycodone 10/325 generic) 4 to 5 times a day. The weird effects I get from that don't even compare to the patch. Funny how a little "piece of tape with some meds in it" can create such havoc in the body. I think I'd rather live with the pain than have to go through what I went through on the fentanyl patch.

REPLY

Was this helpful? 5

I have had two back surgeries the due to a dr.doing an epidural on me he went punching the cather around my back and busted more discs in my back he was being trained by the pain center I was going to and had to have a blood patch done to my spine and couldn't feel my legs or walk so I had to have emergency surgery and the surgeon had to fuse my back together with cadaver bones and plates and screws.I freaked out because I couldn't feel or walk so after the surgery they put me on the fentyl patch and I think it workd better and did not go.through withdrawl at all but then I had half my rightvlung taken out and still remained on them slong with a breakthrough pain killer percer#10 after all.that I was dgnosed with breast cancr on the otherside on the left side and have had no problem.withbthe fentyl patch me personally the pain patch helps better thanbthe mefs you were on.Give it tme to build u in your.system and you will see a difference.

REPLY

Was this helpful? 5

I am getting ready to switch from oxycontin 40mg 2xd (weaned from 3xd w/no problem) to fentanyl patch 25mcg/hr and also have oxycodone 15mg IR q4h prn for breakthrough pain, which I use sparingly. Was wondering, on the day I switch, since it takes time for the fentanyl to build up in your system, should I begin at the same time I take my last oxycontin tablet or not? My doctor is not helpful, even told me to wean off my oxycontin by breaking them in half, which is not recommended. I have been a pharmacy tech for 32 years and have a substantial knowledge base.

REPLY

Was this helpful? 5

Well, the Fentanyl is actually much stronger than the Oxycodone, a 0.025mg dosage of it is equal to 5mgs of Oxycodone, so it is going to be the harder one to withdraw from, if it is stopped abruptly.

However, the other fact of relevance is how long you will be using it. If it is only for a short period of time, them the withdrawals may not be too rough, though they may still be annoying.

https:/­/­rxchat.com/­wiki/­Oxycodone/­

https:/­/­rxchat.com/­wiki/­Fentanyl/­

Has your doctor provided you with any advice?

REPLY

Was this helpful? 9

I have been on the fentanyl 75 mcg for 3 years. I told my doc abot 6 months ago that I did not like them so she tried to switch me to oxycotin 30mg time release every 12 hours. It wasnt great, so I went back on the fentanyl.
I have since moved and cant find a doctor that will work with me. Time for withdrawals. I FEAR the fentanyl withdrawals.
Can I go back to the oxycotin 30's for about a week (thats about the supply I have) and ease the withdrawals?
It makes sense to me, the oxy's will help with coming off the fentanyl and the oxy withdrawal hopefully wont be too bad since its only a week.
Please, any thoughts?

REPLY

Was this helpful? 5

You should never go off any medicine by yourself always have help from your doctor or you may end up dying.I am sure any doctor if you had been seeing them for quite a few years knows thay your blood pressure and your heart rate can either go up or down and either way you could have killed yourself.

REPLY

Was this helpful? 4

Dependacies and side effects.
I was on oxicontin 20 mg x 3 per day, got 4 to 5 hrs of physical activities and paid the price every morning being awokin by the pain...it was a price I was willing to pay. Then comes the "switch" over to the oxy neo's 2 x 30 per day, doesnt cover the pain, physical activity down to 1 to 2 hrs (and paying for it with large doses of pain) so try hydromorphine 6mg x 2 daily (ext release) with 2x 2mg of same(inst release) for breakthru, quit that 6 mg within a week, dont need the "high" for 2 hrs then directly into pain shortly after (garbage I told doc.)went back to the "neo's", O our trillium med plan I need a EPA that states from my doctor that I have tried alternative drugs for 3 months to keep recieving funding for the neo's after feb 2013, so we try a fentanyl patch 12 mcg/h, put on at 3pm, had rough night sleep got up at usual time , 5am had to take a 2mg hydromorphine(headache over left eye) and was good till about the 24 hr mark(from applying patch) Then all "weirded out" headache (that never went away) layed down for a bit, got up checked for pulse hard to find, was up from my normal 62-62 bpm to a whopping 85. Ran down to drug store checked blood pressure and heart rate it say's 82 bpm, BP was 153/105..usually (average) 120/75 I am diabetic and since being switched to the neo's have gained 15 lbs, which puts me 10lbs overweight.
Question is my heart rate/blood pressure because of the lack of oxy, or a bad reaction to the new drug, or combination of both?
Will this subside?
This is written 40 hrs after patch applied, headache coming on and I am still, anxious/nervous and weirded out.
I have to drive 25km to check my BP...so no ideal where at this moment where that sits..but not prone to headaches...feels like eyes are gonna pop!

REPLY

Was this helpful? 4

Shouldnt b as hard as Fent WD at all but ur taper, cuttung in half is a bit fast to me. Taper more slowly

REPLY

Was this helpful? 2

I'm currently going through withdrawals from Fentanyl patches. I would not recommend them. I have been a chronic pain sufferer for many years and have taken many different meds that I have ended up discontinuing due to the fact that I hate taking meds usually because of their side-effects. Nothing has been as difficult to stop as these fentanyl patches... I was only on 12 mcg/hr (which is the lowest dose) for 3 months but it's still bad. There's no real way to ween off of them since they are in patch form. Cutting them in half does not work. They still distribute the same amount of medicine every hour, the patch just simply runs out faster since half is missing. Putting on another patch will just make you start over from square one. The only thing that has made this process bearable is that my Dr prescribed me Clonidine & Xanax to help with the withdrawal symptoms. The drawback of those meds is that they make you very sleepy... So taking them during the day makes it a bit difficult to function but it's better than dealing with the restlessness, anxiety, irritability and that "crawling out of your skin" feeling. You might still end up with diarrhea or vomiting which are other common withdrawal effects. I'd say stick with pill forms when it comes to opioids or narcotics, because at least then you can ween gradually and ease yourself off the meds, which will greatly decrease the likelihood of experiencing these absolutely awful withdrawal symptoms.

REPLY

Was this helpful? 2

My son passed away after overdosing on fentanyl. I wish they would take that s*** off the planet. I saved his life twice. The third time was fatal.

REPLY

Was this helpful? 2

No question....oxy. Do not use Fentanyl if you can at all avoid it.

REPLY

Was this helpful? 2

Ron, Thank you for the reply.

I am glad you have had good experiences where I have not. No two people, places or problems are the same. I got mixed up in a group that held a sincere belief that doctors were the problem and no part of the solution. They used the AA book to find support for the notion that we as Humans are helpless pathetic creatures whose only salvation was in divine intervention and that only the suffering of cold turkey withdrawal could repent our sins.

It was a bad choice on my part. Needless to say, it caused great suffering and did not work.

By chance, while complaining to all that would hear me, I found a doctor who did help. He did a nerve conduction study and found massive nerve damage in both arms and a collapsed spine at c3-5 resulting from an airplane crash years earlier (yup, some people survive even those).

12 surgeries latter I could function but only on the patches, gabapentin and oral pain drugs. The 12 steppers convinced me I was simply a fool and by joining with them I would be cured.

I am happy to hear that there are programs that help. That does not change my view that I see indications of multi drug addiction in this forum. That is a sever medical emergency and no AA style program can handle the biological meltdown of a cold turkey treatment.

That was the point I was trying to make. If you, in the darkest nights, even think you may suffer from multi drug addiction, get medical help on an emergency basis.

Anyway ... thanks for taking the time to read my opinion - right or wrong.

REPLY

Was this helpful? 2

Fentenyl is hard to detox from. I got off ativan,was taking 3 1mg pills daily for 6 years. I thought I was going to die, mental craving was out of my mind. The physical, ETEREME RESTLESS LEGS, cramping was terrible, lots of lower back pain. It all lasted about 3 weeks, with the worst lasting about 4 to 5 days.
I am soooo thankful that is behind me. The last 10 days I have gone CT off 25mg fentalyn patch, been using it for about 18 months. It has been hard, night sweats shakes, depression, feeling of hopeless, helpless, so glad
Thankful I am beginning to feel better, thinking is much clearer, I have cleaned kitchen, done laundry, everything going seems better in a clean house.
I still an addiction of about 100 to 120 MG of oxycodone to get off of. I am going to let myself level out and rest a while before taking on the oxy. I am planning on cutting back very slowly, maybe from 120 MG to 110mg, them on down slowly. Does anyone have any ideas? I hesitate to go with suboxone, I am afraid that is one more I will have to get off of, does anyone have ideas on this??
My heart goes out to everyone that is in bondage to pain meds, ativan, or pain patches.I was just sure there was an easy, painless way to wd,but there is not. I am pretty sure there are easier ways than CT but I am tired of having to be worried if Dr. Is going great to change his mind from month to the next and not renew subscription. I am just tired of being additional Ted.
I have been told I will always have to have pain meds I am going to try to go back till tramadol when this is all over.
Thanks for listening to me, I would appreciate very much.

REPLY

Was this helpful? 2

Omg this was not a good report. The Fent patch works good, I am on a lower dose.
25mcg, im trying to reduce the oxy use, so im going thru it now. I was useing more oxys than needed, And it is fearful, but I know God rather me have faith than fear.
Ugggggg It is sucking already, but I just dont know why the Fentanyl patch does not override the oxy with easing the WD.

REPLY

Was this helpful? 5

I changed the same way and did not have any withdrawl from oxycode to fentyanyl and the patch helped better just be sure o changeevery 72 hours.The patch helps pain better.

REPLY

Was this helpful? 2

When I first tried fentanyl patches after years of oral meds I found they only worked for 2 days not the 3 they are supposed to last. My doctor switched my prescription to every 2 days, and said it was relatively common for it to only last for 2. Sometimes it doesn't even seem to last for the full 2 days.

REPLY

Was this helpful? 1

I take up to 3, 30 mg a day of oxycodone. I'm trying to stop but don't want to get sick. To start off, if I take...

3 REPLIES

I have been prescribed oxycodone 30 MG's for about 4 years 1 to 2 a day. I decided on the 11th of this month enough ...

34 REPLIES

I was wondering if anyone might help. I have been off my pain meds for 30 days now. I was taking about 320mg of oxycodon...

7 REPLIES

I have been in pain management for years, lost my doctor along with other patients, and primary won't fill or says s...

299 REPLIES

Is is possible to have withdrawals from hydrocodone, even though I am now taking oxycodone? Bad sleep, short of breath, ...

9 REPLIES

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 figure...

13 REPLIES

After my patches were taken on a beach trip mith several families, I am currently on day 9 ofwithdrawals. Exhaustion, ca...

5 REPLIES

I'm being weaned off of 25mcg of fentanyl patches. The doctor gave me five 12.5 patches to wean me off of the 25mcg ...

2 REPLIES

I was on liquid Methadone for chronic pain for years and while on waiting list to switch to a new Pain center, I was wea...

6 REPLIES

I knocked about 2 weeks worth of dilaudid down my sink by accident when I was brushing my teeth yesterday morning. I sav...

2 REPLIES