Fentanyl Patch Withdrawal Symptoms And Duration (Page 15)

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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The only thing my dr. Gave me was percocet and requip. Had them before and they r like taking a baby aspirin to me. So i guess i need to find another dr. Thanks so much Roy

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I am presently going through withdrawals from titration get from 50 msg Fentynal patch to 25msg, and now 12 msg and have terrible restless leg in the evening but I take an OTC Homeopathic called "Restfull Legs"...3 under my tongue...and within about 10 minutes the RLS is completely gone. I recommend it completely.

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I agree with you, it looks very much like withdrawal problems. It will last a few weeks unless you get some help. Ask your doctor for Pramipexole for the restless legs and Diazapam for all the other problems. If your doctor tell you that it is not withdrawal problems then I suggest you change your doctor, that's what I did. Good luck Roy

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I just wanted to update. I am fentanyl free! I did it. Just over 3 weeks now. It hasn't been easy. Hell actually. I am still on 20 to 30mg of Oxycontin daily. I have had awful issues even tapering as slowly as I did. It really is unimaginable what you go through with this. I am still not great. I have restless leg but only in my right leg (left one suffered recent damage after another stroke). I am so happy the sweating has reduced almost to nil. I still have insomnia but have had for about 6 years. I have days where withdrawals are still nasty but only if I don't take the Oxycontin on time. I will start reducing it too shortly. I will remain on the smallest amount I can to try and help with the pain. My pain levels have increased terribly. It gets overwhelming and I am trying to get by but not managing well a lot of days.The relentless fatigue I had for months on end is starting to ease a little. I can at least get up now for more than an hour. I still rest throughout the day but that is normal with the CFS etc. I am not eating a lot but what I do eat is pretty healthy. I've had lots of infections, viruses etc lately. The Dr thinks my immunity is worse at the moment. I have immune deficiency so will try and manage as best I can. I want to say that even though it's been horrendous I am glad I've finally done it. For those who have been left without by Dr's I hope you can find someone to help you. I was left without numerous times and know how hard it can be. I'm so glad to tell you there is light at the end of the tunnel. Support is really important. It takes so much strength to get through each day early on but it is possible. I know I am going to feel better a little more each week. Pain levels are my real issue now but I needed to be as drug free as possible, at least for a while. Still challenges to face but taking it one minute at a time.

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My Story:
About a year and a half ago my Dr. quit! I had been on the 75 mcg patches for 8 years. For pain that didn't require that drug IMO.. No Dr. at my (lifetime) clinic would write the prescription for more.
PANIC TIME:
I was basically a shut in from this evil drug!
I ended up at the Pain Clinic that had actually started me on them before my former MD took over writing the scripts.
Long story shorter.. They were awesome at the Pain Clinic.
They dropped me from 75's to 62.5 mcgs for 2 months, 50 mcgs for 2 months, 36.5 mcgs 2 months, 25 mcgs 2 months. Here they added 1200 gabapentin a day and wow did that help! Now it was 12 mcgs 2 months (this was my most difficult drop) I refused any WD medication though..
Next step was supposed to be Zero plus Hydrocodone. I knew it would be bad so i cut them down and did the last stages my way as many people have!
I'm done with Fentanyl I take half a 325/5 Hydrocodone on occasion for pain never daily! I do believe the Gabapentin is what made this all possible!
I'm at 1600 mgs gabapentin 500 mg Magnum and 1/2 a xanax 4 times a day.
I did a lot of telling myself (Mind over Matter) for some reason it helped!
If i can do it.. ANYONE can! I was 60 when I started this and feel better at 61 then i did at 50!
Good luck to anyone who has just started this scary journey.. Hang in there.. This drug is bad and everyone will have to come off it soon!
You all can do it.. It wasn't as horrible as i thought.
Just do it your way!

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Gabapentin completely stopped my restless leg and insomnia was gone.. I swear by this stuff. I think it saved me from a lot of WD symptoms!

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Sounds like a long journey -congratulations. It requires a willingness to suffer.

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Get over the counter "Restful Legs"... You can get it at most drug stores as well as Walmart, Target, and Walgreens. It really does work.

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I too take fentanyl 75 mcg patch. Im WD ing every 48 hours because its not lasting 72 hrs. Its pure hell. My dr want increase to 48 hrs i told her to send me somewhere thst will treat me

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Yvonne u have restless leg syndrom. I know this because i have it. Ask ur doctor for requip or merapex. Thats what i take and it helps. My legs are so bad with it that they would nearly make me come off the bed at nights jumping and jerking. I hope this helps u.

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Sorry i don't quite understand. Do you mean the patch isn't lasting you 72 hrs so you need to change it every 48?

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You can also take potassium for the restless legs.

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If those who are in red states would pay attention to what members of Congress continue to give insurance companies and their CPA's the power to act as doctors, they might not have these problems. Quit putting health care in the hands of Republicans. Vote for the other choices. All the worst parts of Obamacare came about through demands from Republicans as the legislation was negotiated and written. This includes denying Medicare the ability to negotiate prices with drug companies. The Democrats yielded to Republicans on many restrictions that hurt consumers/patients in an effort to make it a bipartisan bill. Then, no Republicans voted for the bill. Not one.

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Yes, it's withdrawal! I am on 75mcg patches and when I'm running low the restless leg is how it starts for me, then my chest and if full strength withdrawal, diarrhea will be horrible. I s*** all over myself and in my sister's house, it was horrible.

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The restless legs is definitely a sign of withdrawal from fentanyl. I am still using the dreaded drug and if I am overdue to change a patch by a few hours the restless legs kick in. Restless isn't the best word because they literally jump all over as if no longer connected to the rest of my body. Good luck on weaning yourself off of the fentanyl. It is the best thing for you to do. I tried but my doctor just switched out other meds. I had an awful time. The symptoms got worse with each passing day. I have one year left until retirement. When I retire I will wean myself off with close supervision. I need to finish the last year t ocollect my pension. I could not function at all when I tried to stop the fentanyl.

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The pain management doctors need to understand that those of us with chronic pain are not abusers of opiates. But now the CDC has made us the enemy. A government agency' guidelines are not the Ten Commandments nor should any Doctor be afraid of the CDC, they ain't Congress and have no power to enact laws. I live in a neighborhood infested with drug dealers. They have stolen my medication on more than one occasion. People say move, but I am on only peanuts of Social Security Disability. Law enforcement here lets these people continue to do what they do, and now I am being punished for where I live. I have chronic pain every single day and was put on a Suboxone patch. It does not help my pain! The immediate release opiates helped my pain, but I was cold turkeyed off my oxycodone and was given this Bustrans 10mcg Transdermal Patch. It isn't helping my pain. I'm having withdrawal symptoms too. These doctors are not judges! They may be seeing something that may scare them more than the CDC! It is called a legal case claiming deliberate negligence in regards to my medical needs, and violation of due process of law in having penalized my health treatment based upon my victimization. I am so tired of hurting and scared doctors.

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Ur doctor is wrong! Have him lput on a patch, the d/c and c how he or she feels. My opinion, talk to a drug rehab person, they truly know!!

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Yes it is I have been on 150 mg for about 15 years trying last 8 to find someone to get me off them was told they think I need it. Now with new laws I was forced from 150 5 days later 75 5 days 50 5 more 12.5 now I know what the restless leg thing you speak of is indeed fentanyl withdraw I haven't slept in 5 days Dr's don't help in fear of being charged this is pure hell and the Dr's don't care.

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I was on the Fentanyl lozenges or “lollipops” for 15+ years for CRPS, a very severe chronic neurological pain syndrome. I just changed insurance, to Medicare, and they refused to pay for the medicine because it is for cancer patients and I don’t have cancer. So what? My syndrome rates higher on the McGill Pain Scale than almost every other thing and there are a lot of drugs used for different things than their original label use. Anyway, between that, a limited formulary for several reasons, and my doctor's office making a mistake, after 15+ years with the most recent dose being 400 mcg 3 x a day, I was left completely without, going cold turkey. It’s been about a month now and my pain is out of control. My doc gave me oxycodone and I already took Morphine but the Fentanyl was my short acting med that helped when I couldn’t take the pain anymore. My emotions are out of control- highs and lows and anger and happy, crazy dreams when I do sleep, I don’t have energy (I haven’t showered in like a month), I go back and forth between diarrhea and constipation, but for me the worst part is the sugar cravings. I want something sweet at all times. Before I was never like this, didn’t like chocolate, ate an avocado a day, rather salty than sweet but now I can’t eat regular food, just junk and I’m gaining weight fast. Does anyone know what to do to help this? Oh and now I’m on what my doctor calls a withdrawal cocktail- Bentyl 10 mg every 8 hours, Atarax 25 mg every 8 hours and a Clonidine patch. I was already on Xanax and Lunesta and Mirapex. I just want my life back. May not have been able to do much before but now I just lay in bed when I’m not shopping for sweets.

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Re: Beverley W. (# 8)

I know the feeling your having. My Dr never warned me of the effects of fentanyl, I have been on 150mg for last 7 years started out with 50 mg 10 years before that. Over last 2 years I tried to get my pain management Dr to put me somewhere to get off them because I was having problems with them, the worst was not having bowel movements for a month at a time no matter what I took, even the stuff they give you before a surgery didn't work. I was passing out on toilet because I was so backed up ut was pressing on my diaphragm making me pass out. Er visit did no good they just sent me home saying I would go eventually, never even checked me. After 2 attempts asking Dr to take me off and was told he thought I needed them. Well then the new laws came in. He closed his practice left me with 5 50s and 5 25s and 5 12.5s.. No monitoring Its been 3 months I still can't get any energy couldn't sleep until a Dr did give me Seraquil it does make you sleep even a 10mg. The restless legs and feeling like something is crawling under my skin took a month to die down although I still have some. No Dr will help I'm alone in this and been pure hell. I can't do anything Dr's think I'm a junkie I guess even though I stood by my contract never ask for early refill count was always right was also on 6 10/325 hydrocodone per day. That went to. It's been 3 months still can't sleep without Seraquil no energy sore muscles. I think the feeling under my skin is nerves waking up again because fentanyl attaches to nerve endings. Called maker of patch and was told they should have monitored me because what they did was dangerous. I just want a quality of life to enjoy my wife and grandchildren, was also told by company that after being on them so long its been known to cause an adrenal insufficiency.

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