Taper Down From 50mcg Fentanyl Patch To 25mcg Withdrawal Help (Page 3) (Top voted first)

So, I'm in a big big dilemma. For my own security and well being, I MUST come off my Fentanyl transdermal patch. I've Been using 50mcg/72 hours for about 6 mths straight. I have 3 of the 50mcg patches left and 4 of the 25mcg to help me taper off. I will no longer be using them anymore, just Norcos or oxymorphone IR. I'm absolutely terrified of withdrawals. My doc who put me on them has No idea what it's like to come off like this. Can someone please tell me if and how bad the withdrawals from going down that much will affect me? I can not take any benzos (Ativan, xanax, etc). I have come off the oxymorph about 75% in the last 2 mths. I'm literally freaking out. Again, I'm terrified but HAVE to do this for at least another 7 months. Any help would be appreciated. Or experience/reassurance. Thanks again. BTW- I'll add, all of my RX are legal and prescribed by the same doc and NOT misused.

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You are going to be a GREAT mom as you are already caring so much for your little one by posting your question. I hope that this will help ease your worry.

Specific Anesthetic Agents (source: openanesthesia.org)

All inhalational agents and most intravenous agents used by anesthesiologists will cross the placenta – inhalational agents cause very little fetal depression if used at < 1 MAC and delivery occurs within 10 mins of induction. Thiopental, propofol, benzodiazepines, and ketamine all cross the placenta, although only benzodiazepines are noted to produce significant fetal effects. Opiates all cross the placenta to some extent (amount is variable) – from a respiratory standpoint, newborns are most sensitive to maternal morphine. Fentanyl appears to be safe if given at < 1 ucg/kg. Convert your weight to kg and that number should represent how much Fentanyl is safe for your baby according to this formula. For example, if you weigh 150lbs, that would equal 68kg and you would be fine to take 68 microcentigrams (mcg/hr) of Fentanyl which, at that level, would be the 50mcg/hr patch. Epidural opiates produce minimal effects. Ephedrine, B-blockers, vasodilators, metoclopramide, and atropine cross the placenta, although glycopyrrolate (which also does not pass the blood-brain barrier) does not.

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Hi Holly, Well done! I know how you feel. I fell and had x2 spinal surgery so I could walk within x3 months under a year ago. In hospital I collapsed non responsive. toxicology full resus ccu 10 days. Morphine was up to 130. Left hospital 70 now down to 12. And panadine oesto 6/24. The odd oxy contin prn. Did it by 70 50 37 12. It was hellish. Walk get as active as you can. Holly, diet, fresh salad, veggies, soup, fruit. I seem to have more neuropathic pain if I eat junk food. Sounds silly but thats how it seems to be. top up vitamins, sleep. You have come a long way and your doc sounds like he/she wont let you down. I have Tiezies disease. cheers G

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Holly! I had EXACTLY the same problems! Along with the foggy brain, the constipation was horrible, and believed it was only time before it killed me. I'm also in the same boat concerning what am I to do now since I still have the pain, but no pain meds. Well, I got in touch with Dr. Norm Shealy, the guy who invented the TENS Unit. He's helped me with supplements, and other advice for managing the pain. Also, have you ever heard of a PEMF device? I also use one of those daily. Google both Dr. Shealy and PEMF for more info. Dr. Oz did a show on the device, the book PEMF - The Fifth Element of Health, by Bryant Meyers is also a big help to understand what a PEMF device is, does and why. I have recently celebrated one year of being off the heavy meds! Yes I still have pain, but my photographic/genic memory is slowly coming back! I'll never use that crap again. Good to see your still around, Georgie-I'll be praying for all of you!

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Hi W, good post. Yes I am here And pleased to be. I read others and think I am lucky. The surgery was successful but have some neuralgia. Hey I can walk and drive short distances. I won't be returning to duty after 36 years. Still doors close, doors open. I am trying to get it together I have to relax music therapy. I hold my self at "attention". May I ask what do you do to relax. Confrontation and threat of life also bring back memory pain especially with the tiezies. I dont sleep much have to see mo next week spiking low grade temps think the LFTs are off again.

Also how was your last jump off the fentynal? I will try it in a couple of months as I am going on holiday. In Australia the govt are ceasing authority for long term patients to have opioids. The patient has to see the pharmacy every day for methadone along with the illegals.they have to go into rehab..public. not a pretty stigma. I am not one because of physical inability to take oral meds. (Liver). It frightened me enough to get it down quick.especially being deceased 4-5min. My concern is how the genuine cases going to cope. I have a hand tens unit and its great. we are coming into winter here and I feel the cold evenings this too brings pain. praise God I am alive to feel it. Take care regards G

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I put mine on my back, just below the collarbone, where it's nice and flat. I hold the patch with backing still attached in my hands to warm it to body temp. My fiancé puts it on my absolutely clean and dry skin, then presses the patch to my skin with his palm to really help it stick. Then he puts a 4"x 4 1/4" sheet of Tegaderm over it, as close to centered as possible. We sometimes use Skin Prep wipes to make them stick even better.

I've never lost one, and I sweat in S. Louisiana.

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John, IT WILL PASS! But, not to bullsh*t you, it won't be easy or fun. It WILL be easier than going cold turkey-did that with the patch twice (per Dr. orders) and it about ruined me. Also, since being off all my pain meds, I've realized something important...I still have pain! (yeah....no sh*t) Like what the hell was I thinking would happen? But I'm getting my mind back slowly and I'm no longer frikken wasting away. John, I'm praying for you to get through this, YOU CAN and must! and Pinky-I'm praying for you too. I'm without words for you, dear. I pray for your babies good health and for yours!

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Thanks W. I went to a meeting last night and got the same message. Give my body a chance to get back to normal and the thinking to change. It is just the pain takes over my whole existence. If I am vertical the pain increases steadily. If I am horizontal the pain is still there but not increasing. I have no peace of mind when in pain like this. I got through yesterday so I can get through today. I am 74 and wonder if there is time to get back to normal. Thanks for you encouragement. Encouragement from others really helps me out of my own negativity.

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Due to the FDEA, Federal & state government all patients are being called in to be given a step down schedule. Currently I'm prescribed 157 75 microgram patch (the kind without the gel) and 112 10-325 norc ever 28 days, gabepentim, 15 genetic ambien 10 mg,.& 28 3mg xr. My taper program is 8 weeks with the patch and Vicodin... The final result will be 50m mg patches, and no norci/Vicodin... I think the patch will be fine but having rheumatoid & osteo arthritis, a benign brain tumor which leads to massive migraines, anklosing spondylitis, & a Jody of other issues including a severe anxiety disorder (3mg xr Xanex 1x a day and agoraphobia (I very rarely leave my condo.. Sometimes 2-3 weeks a month. I am fortunate to be seeing a new Rhumatologist in June & I need the Vic's (am going to request an oxy long lasting RX) because when I "flare quite a number of times a month and if I continue using Vic I'm seriously considering an early exit... This decision I've not made lightly and thought that is my ony escaping my excruciating pain in almost every single time I flare I'm literally out of my mind in such intolerable pain.) rhum, anxiety, angry, feel hopeless and cannot live like this much longer. I'm beyond furious the bean/pill counters have the audicity to demand we severely lower our "life threshing" narcotic RX 's..LET THE DR DO WHATS RIGHT"!! Now let's all sit back.. Many chronic or fatilly patients are going to by god turn to obtaining narcotics via other means bc the supply will be so low, just mark my words.. I'm no Dr or in the the medical field.. Im a retired finternstuonal flight attendant.

On another note do any of you use or are familiar with kratom? If so, I'd appreciate your input.

Last resort I can make the 8 hr drive & get 2-2-2s.

Thank for reading and any response is appreciated!

Ki
Portland, OR
{edited for privacy}

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My pain clinic started me off with 50mg of Fentanyl Patches and had me change the patch every 48 hours they told me, for my illness. This was back in 2004. Now 13 years later 2017 I'm still on the 50mg patch however, I stopped changing my patch every 48 hours to every 3 days. Then I slowly went from 3 day change to 4 days. Now I'm changing my patch every 7-8 days. I'm having no withdrawals at all. The reason I decided to do this? Because, of the epidemic of the Government wanting to stop the doctors from giving out any pain medication to patients that have any type of ongoing pain illness. Instead of one day I would have to stop everything all together? I decided to do this myself so I won't have to go through HUGE withdrawals if the time came to have to stop. (You just never know with the Government). They did it to all who are suffering with illness of pain in Massachusetts & other States. My sister who's extremely ill is bed ridden and not one doctor will give her anything for her illness's! When I was changing my patch every 48 hours, and if I missed a day of changing my patch on that second night? I would have bad withdrawals. So, I knew this drug was going to be horrible if I had to suddenly stop. This is why I weaned off this drug myself. All I did is: each week, I would wear the patch & make it last one more day for another week. Then when it came time to change my patch? I would keep the old patch on in the beginning, (when I started weaning off) and put a new patch on my other upper arm and started off doing this and it worked. Now I only use instead of 4 Patches per-Month from 15 patches per-Month. I use 1 patch per-week or longer. I didn't rush doing this. I took my time and weaned off accordingly and it really worked. I don't get any withdrawals. If you find you may have to get off your patches? Slowly make your patch stay on longer and put a new patch on somewhere else you wear your patches, then take the old one off the next day. And wear your new one for a longer period and keep going like this until you feel your ready to go without the patch all together. Any strong medication you are taking can be done using the same method. Take less and less. If you don't abuse narcotic medication? You shouldn't have trouble weening off the medication slowly. If you abuse and take more then you should take? You will find it much harder to ween yourself off any narcotic meds. I hope this method works good for those of you who want to get off a narcotic or who need to get off. Keep reading articles in the news about what your State is doing about narcotic drugs and what your doctor's have to abide by with the laws of the Government. If all else fails, talk with your Doctor on how to wean off without withdrawals. God Bless You All!

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I like it way of going down on the patches but I have a question for u. I started, by my own decision, to go off the patches. One of the reasons was the opiad epidemic (woke me up enough to get my butt moving), but I mainly did it for myself and my son. I didn't want to wake up one morning to see my son had found a way to get into my lockbox, he's resourceful, and get a hold of my patches. 14yrs I have been on this medication. The one thing I didn't see was, other than yours, anyone dating they wanted to do it for themselves. I've found that the mental mindset u have when u go into this period is the most important thing in the world. No matter what u do ur body is going to detox. It sucks but that's life. Wo that feeling what is to stop u from running back to this medication the moment things get to rough or u hurt to bad. Family support is worth more than the support of ur doctor any day. My doctor told me I'd be running back to her to take me back up but still I'm going down. I've faced withdrawal before, but the one thing that caught me off guard was the anxiety attacks. I've never experienced such horrible anxiety. No where have I seen one person admit to this. I was prepared to feel like crap, but not the horrible feeling of panic and anxiety that came out of no where whenever it felt like it. I still have 2 more drops to go but by 9/23 I'll be off this poison for good. I can think clearer, function better, I'm losing weight, have energy. I can keep up with my toddler and wear him out now. All this keeps me going. If anyone wants to succeed in going off these meds all I can say is this. Do it for urself. Don't do it because of insurance or because someone is making u. Do it for u. You're family and wanting ur life back. Have a support system outside of your doctor in place. Believe in yourself. Use ur breakthrough meds. There's no harm in that. Keep busy, I can't stress that enough. Walk, use a fidget spinner, read a book, anything to keep busy. And take it a day at a time. Days 1-6 are hell but the rest of the month gets better. There's a light at the end of this. Ur life.

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I don't have any other option as my doc won't give me more patches.
I put on a 25mcg patch Monday night and was fine yesterday. This AM I started to WD a little
I guess this is the end results..

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Does any1 else have problems getting patch to stick and stay on, i am having nightmare lately getting them to stick and stay put, any ideas or where best place to stick them is??

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Methadond, 5 tabs a day for five days has worked for me, but about 8 mg a day for 5 to 6 days of ativan also helps. But if you take the methadone and sretch it out throughout the day for 5 days ygou wont feel any withdrawl at all. I too could not believe you had withdrawl just when I would go down a level. Good luck to you

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I've been on fentanyl 100mcg patch every 72 hours now for about 1 year over the last 3 months I have been going though hell, my body has got used to this and the patch isn't lasting 72 hours I need it changed every 48 hours but my doctor wont agree to this, the mood swings are unbearable shouting and screaming at anybody usually my poor wife I really need to get off these, I also take neurontin 2700mg per day I was thinking of cutting down the fentanyl with out telling my doctor but after reading some of the replys I have changed my mind I really don't know what to do, I have just been told the I am going for neromodulation for pain management has any one had this if so does it work and do you come of the fenanyl

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I am going from 100 to 50 mcg fent patch and I've been waiting for horrific w/d, on day 4 and still waiting. When does it start if it's going to? Thanks!

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It is the worst pain imaginable and at the same time you are physically and psychologically affected. I have been on 200mg for over six years and started cutting back by 25mg a month. I couldn't take the side effects and that is with Xanax. I am currently looking into checking into a facility to do a rapid detox or bring in more information medication wise to give to my doctor. They like to play god but have no idea the hell they have prescribed for you. There is an easier way to detox at home with the help of the right rx meds but like I said I am assuming my doctor is not educated enough.

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Today I started the new 25's. Was on the 50's for 2 months-this round. Was on the 50's for 6 months ending this past march, but couldn't stand the side effects. Then 2 weeks on methadone-bad idea-horrible effects. Then onto oxycontin-no dice there either. A few weeks later was prescribed ms contin. Took that for a month or so, also with side effects. Back to the patch. I can't stand the foggy brain, and other side effects. Was a time when the patches did their job, but no longer. My first experience with the patch was when my primary care Dr. prescribed 75's. When those lost their postitive effects, he told me just to stop using them. Talk about a baptism of fire...never WD from anything before until that week! When told, my current pain management Dr. looked pissed and expressed as much. I also have 2 norco's a day. So when I feel the 'jumpy legs' that's when I take a norco? Thank you all for sharing your stories-it really helps, let's me know I'm not alone...

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I am also on Fentanyl 50mcg and have been for about a year. I have told my doc they do not last three days but it's useless. I chose the patch because oxycontin was to hard on my digestive system so it was patch or nothing. Oh, neurostimulators surgically implanted NO THANKS

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When I read letters like this I cannot help but wonder WHY some people feel that they MUST get off a certain drug. Is it a mater of finances? Is it a matter that you feel that there is something morally wrong with using them? Are you afraid of a drug check?

I will more than likely be on Fentanyl for the rest of my life. I'm on 50 mcg/hr and have no problems with it except when my doctor leaves town and leaves me hanging for a new 'script.

Getting off of ANY opioid drug is more than likely going to give you some form of withdrawals; if you do not have to really quit, DON'T!

I am 73 years young and have to stay on them because I have peripheral neuropathy and will have it the rest of my life.

Fortunately for me, I am on Medicare Plus so I don't pay anywhere the retail price, but even the $45 co-pay is hurts because I'm n Social Security.

There are many articles on withdrawal. I'd rather bang my head into a wall over and over again than ever go through withdrawal again. I'm a heart and brain attack survivor and when I went into withdrawal, my heart was negatively affected. No biggie, I took a nitro and that was enough but don't get off of the drug unless you really have to or your pain has gone bye-bye.

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It is very common for the Fentanyl Duragesic patch to be "done" at 48 hours vs. 72. Perhaps you can find some articles to leave with your Dr. Some people are fine on the three day usage, there are some people who burn through their patch by 48 hours. I know this is an old thread but thought I'd reply anyhow. Best of luck.

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