Fentanyl Patch Withdrawal Symptoms And Duration (Page 12)
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i have post surgical lower back pain. was in 50 mcg patch and had side effects and so decided to wean off. i finished with the 12 mcg patch a week ago and am still suffering from periodic nausea, irritability, daily joint and muscle pain, but the worst is the consistent restless legs. it is driving me crazy. my doctor says that is not withdrawal. is he right? i don't think so. if it is withdrawal, what can i do about it and how long will it last? i am going crazy.

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I also have sever n I mean sever Fibro n RA plus on top of that I have CPS n Addison's along with illness with my stomach n colon n all that's connected to my colon . I've been on Fentanyl 75 for over 10 years. My great n loving RA doctor retired. He had even started a Fibro clinic in Chapel Hill NC but of course all his hard work was forgetten n they closed it. I've bounced from doctor to doctor trying to find a compassiate one but yet to do so . The 1 I'm seeing will not give me my patches she says she doesn't use them for my pain n referred me to a PAIN CLINIC but gave me enough to last till I could get in. They were rude n uncaring. I live in so bad pain even with the patch that if it wasn't for my faith in God I wouldn't be here. At this Pain Clinic I was told they don't prescribe my patches for my pain. She told me to just GET OFF OF THEM. How can I just get off them, I take no other pain meds n I have only 5 patches left n I'm scared of what going cold turkey on them will do to me. PLEASE ADVISE ME IF YOU HAVE ANY IDEAS. As it is I'm n bed 24/7 due to my back it's has very bad pain I think from where I had to have a mass removed n he had to dig it out from under my shoulder blade. It wasn't long after that I have had sever pain between my shoulder blades so bad I would lay down n scream in a pillow. This pain has been going on for over 2 years. Now THE PAIN CLINIC won't give me my patches. I'm in such a depression now that I go weeks n don't even bath. I have just about given up. I read how bad the withdrawals are n I have a pain attack. I've lost all faith in the medical field. If anyone has an advice please let me know. I'm desperately begging. I hate taking even an aspirin must less a bunch of pills . Please let me know If u have any advice. Also please keep me in your prayers. I know God is still in control.

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it is most definitely withdrawal symptoms. These doctors read things in a book and have no idea what people are going through.all they know is what they read in a book. my advice go to an addiction specialist. They can give you a low dose of methadone decreasing it daily and you'll suffer no Effects at all. Don't pay any attention to people he tell you that withdrawals will not kill you they will

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I have had the 'creepy crawlies' that you mention. I've had them because of withdrawal and now I have them just because I have restless legs syndrome. The is a medicine that for me, gives complete relief. It's called Pramipexole. It is a drug for Parkinsons disease (which I don't have) and is prescribed off label for restless legs syndrome. Without this I would not sleep. I urge you to talk to your doctor about this med.

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I was prescribed the Fentanyl patch five years ago for a rare autoimmune disease that literally destroys your shoulder and hip and thigh muscles. The highest I've ever gone is 100mcg. For the first two years I was in heaven. No pain. But something else started happening. Yes, it numbed the pain but it also numbed every other emotion. No libido. No desire to be with friends or family. No desire to do anything but lay in bed and watch television. I would dose off in the middle of a conversation. I was also on very serious DMARDS which caused me to throw up, lose hair, etc. And like most of you, there were several times I lost a patch, or put one on too soon, etc. and ended up in withdrawals until I could get the new script from my PM doc. The worst withdrawals EVER. Three months ago I went into remission and immediately made the decision to come off the patch. I weaned down from 50, to 25, to 12.5, to Norco 5 in about six weeks total. I am now at the three week mark and down to 1/2 Norco 5 twice a day. I still feel terrible. The worst has passed, the creepy crawlies, can.t be still, the sweats and chills, the urge to jump, stretch, jerk, the sneezing, yawning, watery eyes, and the smell of it coming through my pores are for the most part over. But the pain in my legs and back are killing me, Nothing helps and I have tried everything recommended on this site. I still have no energy and I'm soooo depressed. My legs feel like they're encased in cement. The one thing that helped the restless creepy crawlies was Lyrica. I had to take a very high dose and it literally turned me into a drunken zombie for three days but at least I could sleep. Clonidine for the sweats. Trazadone to help with sleep, too. But some nights nothing worked, I was wide awake, twitching and jerking still but exhausted and just zoinked out of my head while doing it. If you can get a muscle relaxer and something like Klonopin, those help too. But the sad truth is, you just have to get through the worst of it. And it is hell. I've started walking and lifting very light weights. My doctor said it might take three to six months before all of the withdrawals go away. If you have any other option, do not start the Fentanyl patch. It is a hellish roller coaster ride I NEVER want to get on again.

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. I am in N Carolina, and my mother got help from foundation called CHRONIC DISEASES, who payed for her expensive eye injections. Another suggestion is to look up ur disorder and she if they can help. I to been trying to come down/off of a 15 year use of fentanyl patches. I was doing a 150 mgs every 48 hrs, and being I am only able to use name brand. (Duragesic) at 6 boxes a month for a rare disease called Ehlers Danlos, I know how lucky I am to have Medicare & Medicaid. I hate to see people suffer or go with-out bc of financial reasons. I hope this helps and wish you the best with everything...

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How long I have. Been on fentaynl 50 to 75 and soma. Alprolozam as well as hydro codone and soma I stopped cold turkey 9 days ago still having horrible metallic taste

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Last week, I read something about a doctor saying to get off the patch cold turkey please don't do it . I try that please don't. Trust me I know I went through it.

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brown eyed girl-I got off 50mg fentanyl patches (3-4yrs ont them) by pain mgmt. I also took 10mg valium 2xday. First, dr gave me 5 25mg patches-then a month of 100mg tramadol, now 2 50mg time released tramadol for a month--so I've been completely off the patches since May 8th, 2014!!! I have abotched tknee replmt. You sound like you'll probably need some type of pain meds, but I thought I'd share what my dr did to me. Good luck to you--I'm rooting for u :)

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..im starting to eat a little too.

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Gail3052,
Thanks for the encouragement. I took my last oxy on the 20th. and I am doing o.k.
Pretty much hot flashes are the most troublesome. Tuesday was really rough on me almost took one but made it through. - so glad I did. - I am tired too. I didn't sleep tue. night but slept last night o.k. I hope that once I get this done and start the fentynal wean that I can do as well. Does it take as long as six months to wean off of fentynal? I go to pain dr. on the 30th Thanks again for the encouragement.

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To Brown Eyed Girl--Good luck to you--I know it's going to be a rough journey, but you CAN DO IT. I wish you the best of luck and if you're unable to completely get off everything, at least you'll be lessening your doseages. HANG IN THERE :)

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I am coming off oxycodone. NO FUN! I came off methadone last winter. And I also want to come off of the fentanyl patch. I'm on 100mcg patch every 72 hrs. So not looking forward to it. I took my last 7.5 mg oxycodone sun. eve . Yesterday was soooooooooooo bad and this afternoon I almost started up again. Bu, I hung tough.
I am a paraplegic and have been disabled for 41 yrs. since I was 11. I have been suffering from chronic pain since 1985. I am so sick of pain meds. (narcotics). I don't know if I can live with out them, but I sure want to try. I want off of everything and to start over. I hate the wd's : anxiety and depression and nausea and pain. Everyone here is so nice and helpful. Has anyone tried the product w/d ease?
I haven't been able to eat enough...........I hope that I can get through this and get some relief.

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Do I ever know how do feel. I have been on this merry go round for the las ten year plus and am trying to find the answer. I do pray a lot for relief but don't find it coming to me not so often. I am starting to have some more pinched nerve issues in the back again and am seeing a neurosurgeon for help once again. God please help me, please i pray in your name, Jahova help me....

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Lisa, I am glad you found something that helps you and takes care of the restless legs. I am so grateful and surprised that I don't have to take anything and don't have it happening to me. I couldn't have been more surprised when it didn't happen. Slow withdrawal worked for me. The only thing I take is Valium. I have a prescription for 30 5 mg pills per month. That really isn't a lot to me. I have taken Valium on and off for years and never had any type of addiction problem with it as it doesn't stop pain and it can make me feel sleepy and just really tired so I only take if I have anxiety, which I admit I am a bit prone to. I worry too much I think and am a bit of a hiper person. Still just don't like to take them very often. Pain pills on the other hand I fell in love with. They make you feel better and take away the pain. It's easy to abusive them as the more you take the more you need until your in trouble if the doctor keeps giving them to you in stronger and stronger doses which this doctor seemed happy to do for me. I think he got himself in some real trouble for his prescribing too.

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I had to withdraw from oxycodone and several other pain meds. I always suffered through restless legs. My doctor prescribed Pramipexole .25 mg tablets, 1 at bedtime and it has completely gotten rid of the restless leg syndrome. I still suffer from restless legs if I don't take this med, but taking it faithfully I have no problems.

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I took my last 15 mg morphine pill on Monday night at 10 pm and I was so afraid that I was going to have to suffer the horrible dreaded restless legs and all that. It is Thursday morning at 9 am and so far I am doing pretty darn fine. No restless legs. A few minor symptoms like some running to the bathroom as going off pills does the opposite of the constipation they cause. I was at 240 mg per day of Oxy at my worst (prescription). When coming down from those too fast at first I had some miserable restless legs that left me pacing and climbing in and out of a warm bath and just climbing the walls. So, I was scared of stopping completely because of those experiences. I got put on the 50 Fent and stayed there for months and then they finally decided to finish weaning me off. I asked to be switched back to pills because I thought the jump to a 25 Fent would be to much and with the pills we went down slower, sometimes 2 weeks at one level sometimes for 1 month. I'm still hoping no symptoms will come up, but I feel fairly confident I have finished with my addiction. Do I miss them? Yes. My back hurts a lot this morning and I would like a pill, but instead I will try other things and take some over the counter pills. It is nice not to be scared of running out of pills and always needing the doctor to prescribe and I wish you all good luck. It can be done and if it is slow it would seem without to much misery. Of course I know many of you have worse pain than me and harder to manage. So good luck to all of you.

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Thanks God I found all you wonderful people. Trying so hard to stop using the Fentanyl patch. Since Dec. 2014 after my brain surgery. Yesterday I went down to 12. So miserable. I am not able to eat since Dec. constantly in horrible pain not able to sleep. The Doctors don't know what else to do. I read all your comments. Thank you god bless all.

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I wonder if my side effects will get worse when I drop from a 25mcg/h to 12.5mcg/h. I have so much back pain again that I worry what to use when in awful withdrawals. My family suggest giving withdrawal a break until end of summer as my summer fun has been nil so far.

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It's hard to believe some doctors can be so stupid. Of course withdrawal from opiate drugs causes HORRIBLE restless legs. It is the symptom I fear the most. I have had a few doses of it when running low and on high doses of oxy and thought I was going to go nuts till I could get some more pills. I went from the 50 Fent patch withdrawing with morphine pills. I was down to 2 15 mg and now supposed to be 1 per day. I broke my foot and it was so painful and I didn't make it to the doctor for 4 days as it happened late on a Thursday and I didn't go to the doctor on Friday hoping it was just hurt and I wouldn't need to. It swelled up and turned black and blue so I went and had to have surgery (3 weeks ago) to put some screws in and a plate. I blew it with my pills and the surgeon only gave me 30 7 1/2 oxy. That barely made up for the ones I had taken when in a lot of pain with my foot already. Anyway, I am going to run out before I am supposed to and I think maybe I won't even go back to the pain clinic anymore. The doctor there will just say too bad, so why bother. I think it's time to bite the bullet and just stop. I hope it isn't too bad now that I am down to 1 15 per day. I would prefer to have gone all the way down to taking just a 5 mg per day first, but I am almost out and I just don't think there is any choice. Wish me luck everyone.

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I am withdrawing too and my physician doesn't think the restless legs are withdrawal but I do!!!! I have come down from 75 (15 yrs) to 25 and at 25 I am having a ghastly time. Diarrhea, vomiting , high blood pressure spike and god awful restless legs. My physician gave me a drug called Pramipexile ( a Parkinson drug) and it helps but likely needs to be stronger as I still cannot sleep well. I also take clonazepam for my nerves which are jumpy as all get out! I was told by emergency physician that the lower dose I reach the more difficult withdrawal becomes. Brain chemistry after fifteen years has a lot of changing to do. I wish you well!!! If I can help write me back. My daughter is a Dr of Pharmacy so knows her drugs .exceptionally well.

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