Using Fentanyl To Get Off Methadone (Page 2)

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I have been on Methadone for about 5 years. I had an addiction to oxycontin and the went on methadone to quit. My highest dose was 120mg and I have managed to wean myself down to 17mg. The problem is I am having a really hard time getting off of it. Doing some reading I have learned that methadone is one of the worst for trying to quit. I have a perscription for 12mcg/h fentanyl for back pain which I havent been using but was thinking about quiting the methadone and using the patch instead so when I eventually drop it the withdraws won't be as bad. Has anyone tried this? is 12mcg enough? Any other thoughts or advice?

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21

You have no clue buddy fentanyl is the second most powerful drug on the market. It accounts for the most accidental, first time deaths. It's all in how you administer it. My father has been using it for anesthesia for 30 plus years. I can't remember the name on the strongest... it's like 10 time stronger then fentanyl. He know more about it than any of us op-heads, lol! Do you just make you info up/guess? This can be some deadly s***. Don't give deadly advice, especially when you don't understand the drug!!!

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22

You really need a higher dose to keep you from withdrawls,I learned that the hard way.

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23

Want to go from 100th Fenton all to methadone because it no longer working.wen 100th to to 14 ml methadon. Now cut to 50 and haven't increased method on having sweats and cramps and morepain

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24

When I went thru methadone withdrawal, it was the worst. The first time, someone narc'd on me for dr. shopping so I was cut off cold turkey for about 2 weeks and was still going thru hell. Then I found a doc. But the 2nd time...my doc wanted me on suboxone and I had no idea what it was. Apparently neither did he. He told me to stop taking my methadone on Friday and come see him on monday. I did, and he gave me an 8 mg suboxone, which I put under my tongue and immediately went into straight up unbelievable withdrawals! I had convulsions so bad I knocked my 2 front teeth out. I took off all my clothes off and walked through his office....I s*** in his trash cans. I would NEVER do anything like this normally - NEVER and was so embarrassed later. But he almost killed me. But hey ...I got free from methadone and I'm so glad. Now I've got other problems, like fentanyl. I'm new to this drug and am taking it as directed. I need to say tho - I was taking 10 - 15, 10 mg of methadone daily for years when all that went down. Just be careful and good luck!!!

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25

I am going through the same thing. Got up to 160mg of methadone down to 80mg then my doctor split town got divorced and left pattients hanging. I am having bad dt's waiting to find a doc but have 12mcg fentanyl patches too. Did it help your symptoms? I am truthfully scared and trying to find a doctor to get off it all or get my back/neck fixed surgically. My question, did this work for you?
Thank you.

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26

I think it is possibly a bit low on the dose side,but you are on a low methadone dose. {edited for safety} You need to wear them for 72 hours then change. It will take a month to 6 weeks before the worst methadone withdrawal symptoms are over,however you may feel very sluggish for up to 6 months.

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27

No Fentanyl. 100mcgs is 100xs stronger than heroin. Use Lyrica and then taper down. Life experience.

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28

I can go from checking two 75 Mc patches of fentynal right to like 60 - 80 MG methadone with no w/d whatsoever. The dones are a God send. I stay on those for a couple days then switch back to boring 120 MG of morphine. But at least I'm not sick.
Then it all starts over again. The cycle starts. I wish I could get off all this but I'm hugely afraid of going through the w/d again.
I do know tho that you can go in that order and not get sick.
I stay on the morphine for about 2 weeks, bored outta my mind then it's time to fill my scripts again.
I hope I helped you figure something out.

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29

In my opinion, I would take the fent. You can't stop taking drugs like that. Lifetime experience. The true honesty would be, once you find a new doc, if you will be asking fent or methadone.

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30

Too many STRUCTURAL problems...knee replacement FAILED..NEEDS REPLACING...left rotator..Torn..right just replaced..both hips and both knees replaced...back and neck 10 pain... need fusing, etc..... 20mg 25mcg. Fentanyl...NO RELIEF!!!!

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31

12.5mcg is the lowest dosage of fentanyl. I was taking 10-12 5/325 percs for a year. A Dr put me on 25mcg fentanyl with NO pills. I was extremely pensive but what choice did I have?

Like a miracle, by the end of the day, my patch kicked in. No pain whatsoever, no withdrawals from the pills (THAT freaked me out because I was expecting them) and no "euphoria." Hey, I love a good euphoric feeling as much as anyone, but coming off that feeling bites. My Dr called it 'The Rollercoaster', being on pain pills.

This week (Jul 2016) my new Dr upped me to 50mcg. Until the VA sends the 50s, I use two 25s per his order.

Aside, How I dispose of the used patches is my choice.

So stick with your patch, but with the dosage of pills you were on, 12.5mcg was prescribed either because your Dr was new to fentanyl, had been in trouble with the DEA, or was plain ignorant. I don't know what, why, where etc your pain exists. But knowing how much pain meds you were taking, at least 25 if not 50mcg should have been your jumping off point. Best of luck from Colorado.

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32

Yo i agree totally and have some good indica buds around so you can take the esge off at first. Im on day 4 of 90mg of methadone a day now im on 50mcg fentenyl patch changing it every 4 days just to make them last and im feeling great.

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33

This dude knows what's up with the methadone. Soma really helps too. Benzos are great for withdrawal and definitely valuing because it has a longer half life.

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34

I've been reading through this thread & I wasn't going to comment but I just can't help myself. I was on Fentanyl for 10 years worked up to 75mcg every 48 hours plus allowed 2 10mg morphine tablets a day & taking
ambien to sleep. I had been with this pain doc for 10years. I had received blocks many times as well. I ended up losing my insurance so when I went in for my next appt guess what .. They had to let me go unless I wanted to pay $200 a visit so no way I could do that right! She my pain doc gave me a month taper on the Fentanyl ONLY and it was 50mcg every 72hours. Well I'm here to tell anyone who is getting off Fentanyl after being on it for some time it is pure HELL! Plus the morhine & ambien I was taking & she gave me no taper on those. All I had to use to help me was 0.5 mgs of Ativan I got from a family member who helped me through it. It was so painfu! This is what I dealt with no sleep for days , constantly needing to move, body convulsions, face twitching , legs & body cramps, rigors & my mind was crazy & I felt any minute I was going to loose it, vomiting, stomach cramps, chills , sweating, & I felt like any minute I was going to loose it!! This ALL went on for a solid 3 weeks but I still had issues afterwards with restless legs & sleeping & clear thinking & horrible anxiety! But I lived through it. I don't agree with using a narcotic to get off narcotics it makes no sense. The way I see it there's no way around withdrawal. It's gonna happen when you stop or taper any drug you have been using or abusing for even a short period off time. You simply have to hang on like crazy & be determined & go through it & then once you get through the physical withdraw there is the mind the mental & emotional stuff which was also difficult. I've been off Fentanyl for 3 years & I will never ever use it again. It was a very scary experience that I do not want to relieve ever again. Life is better without it. I'm definitely more active & more outgoing like I was before ever needing these meds. I had major nerve damage from a sever case of shingles & I still deal with the pain I just use other options to treat it. Good luck & God bless to those out there trying to get off this horrible drug!

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35

Hey you do what you gotta do. That means don't suffer ( for weeks months or years) trying to get off Methadone.
My pain doctor gave me 50 fent patches and Opana for BT to get off...been a week and legs burn at times but I wanted off now after only 3 months for chronic pain. Man I could run lift weights walk 5 miles...but something told me I would suffer years later...it is too powerful to quit!!! But even pain patients have limits and and not addicts.

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36

Former pro athlete, last 8 years, 6 bodyparts replaced!! 8/22/16 right knee revision of a MISDIAGNOSED surgeon report!!! Either way...200 mg oxycodone a day..25mcg. fentanyl...WAS on 4/20's methadone...when run out of others. Helluva NOT SO MERRY-GO-ROUND

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37

Ive been on fentayl patches for 10 +yrs was up to 200mg every three days I have weaned myself down to 50mg but now back up to 75mg due to reduceing my methadone which I take a lot for server spine problems and arthritis . I was told to stay on the methadone to kick the patches and then work on kicking the methadone .does anyone know if this is safe to do ? I am also on high dose of methadone . this is because of my past doctor who got me additive to these medication .now my new and great doctor is trying to help me and has done a great job but I always have doubt if any doctor knows what they are saying because when your in pain its a b#^&% and I don't like any withdrawls. doctor says I wont have that much withdraw because I am on methadone is this true?

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38

I think it depends on how your body breaks down and uses the medication. I have been on 10 mcg Fentanyl patches for 2 years, they do nothing for my pain. I had to use an old bottle of methadone when my doctor was put on leave, due to false allegations from a seeker. The methadone did not work the first time i tried to use it for my ER medication. But it works so well this time around that i am planning on asking my Dr to switch me to it and off of the Fentanyl patches. I hope you all have a pain free or low pain winter.

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39

Oops, they are 25mcg not 10
And I used 1 every 3 days.
They never helped my pain, and I had to quit cold turkey with nothing to substitute the beginning of September. I never had a withdrawal, sickness or anything. I only felt the what i felt the last 2 years, pain in my lower back, knees and neck.
If i didn't have the Oxycodone IR, I don't know what i would have done.

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40

you obviously don't get it. Cutting off your hand, slowly, over 6 months-with a dull rusting knife is less painful than coming off methadone. Tapering slowly is a very long process and most clinics consider 5mg decrease per week as AMA. At 80mg (relatively low at a clinic)-2-3mg drop/week takes nearly a year, and generally once they reach 20-30mg, they are not feeling well and often stop the taper, dragging it out even longer, or, they relapse because doses under 60-70mg do not provide the 'opiate blocking" that make it work. Patients are so mislead and completely set up for failure when encouraged to go inpatient to come off. Insurance might cover 14 or even 28 days if you're lucky. If you're on 100mg your taper is over 5mg/day. Many people don't even yet begin to experience the effects of withdrawal until they are sent home. LIQUID HANDCUFFS. Opiate withdrawal is a merry-go-round ride compared to methadone withdrawal.

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