Fentanyl Patch Withdrawal Symptoms And Duration (Page 8) (Top voted first)

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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We did get better with time. Thanks for all the replies and help.

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Definitely spreading the word however it doesn't seem to make a difference.

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The restless legs are definately major withdrawl symptom from going off fentynal. My doc gave me 4/10mg methodone for 4 to 5 days ea time I went down a dose of fentynal. This made the withdrawls go away completely. And by only taking 3 or 4 methodone for 4 or 5 days, I had no with! Rawl from that. I did dose the methodone so I took 5 the first day, four the second three the 3 & 4 days 2 the next two days and one the last day.It was a miracle. I also tried benzos, like 8 mg/ 3 x a day for 2 days, then 6 mg/3 x a day, then 4 mg/3 x a day then 3mg 3 x a day then 2mg 3 x a day then 1 mg 3 x a day the 1 mg 2x a day for 3 days then 1 mg a day for'a month.This w pepto, a sleeping pill at night, immodium and tylenol and naproxen 2 x a day really lightened up things to tolerable. Of couse did nothing but sleep, soak in hot bath and lay in bed for a week......

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Thank you, thank you!!!
You all have been such a help. My dr. had her office up and close so my new dr. won't write for my old 75 fentenyal patches. I have gone from that to 50 for a month now 37 and next month 25. My pain hasn't been bad but hot flashes are terrible and inablity to sleep a bear. I thank the Lord only have restless legs occassionaly. My I take an anit-depression med but sometimes feel terrified about going back to the terrible pain that caused me to try serious try to take my life a goodly number of times.
Interesting is that my pain hasn't increased with the reduction. I always had a 3 or 4 on the pain scale while on the 75mg. Please those of you that put in a good word for me and I will do the same for all of you. A fellow sufferer one day at a time

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I got stuck at 25 dosage of fentanyl and was in constant agitation. Dr prescribed pramipexole for restless legs and I had to use marihuana to help me sleep. Finally after 3 months of no improvement I asked to be switched over to hydrocodone at same dosage as fentanyl. Life is easier BUT because I was so sick from withdrawal which took me a full year to get to 25 (got to 12 last Aug but so sick Dr increased fentanyl back to 25). I got to point where I couldn't tolerate fentanyl at all so hydrocodone took away withdrawal symptoms and I have morphine for breakthru pain which I have daily now due to weakness of my back muscles. If I walk too long, my back flares up; if I stay in pool too long my whole body flares like a furnace with pain. Now I have medical prescription for marihuana and it helps but makes me too sleepy yet for daytime usage.
I was interested in the methadone withdrawal assist. My pain clinic Dr recommended that method but my GP didn't like to use it. Doctors know too little about Fentanyl withdrawal.

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Hi to you all,
Still here and getting very very nervous about the next reduction from 37 to 25. The sweating is terrible andy suggetions? Still can't sleep most nights but the leg problems don't seem to bad. Had a day that I thought I was going to go nuts though. I agree that Drs can make you feel as though you are a drugie. I'm going to be 70 so I don't party !!!
You all know that my thouughts and prayers are coming your way.

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Thank you! I know how you feel these patches are great when they work but trying to come off of them is hell. I agree doctors need to do more research on this drug! If doctors had to go through the withdraws from these they would only give them to cancer patients that are going to die. The drug companies need to come up with a drug that reverses the withdraws from these. We asked for help from our doctors not to have them think we are druggies. I got a drug panel once through my doctor that was crazy! Good luck to you I too need to get off these was going to go to rehab but would have to wait 2 months. I might wait till the fall!

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I went for a year on fentanyl 100mcg while it was the dumbest thing ever I just went cold turkey after 7 days. It was the worse I have ever experienced in my life and will no longer take any thing stronger than Advil. my pain is still there but I am happy to be off of the patches. I now felt normal and did not experience restless legs

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I was also told by every medical professional except my pharmacist to NOT read things on the Internet. "Too much false information" they said. What did they know? They weren't the one going through withdrawals; I had more up-to-date info than them!!! I was very upset but said not a word...after all what was I going to do if I upset my doctor? GE and I have since had a much better relationship....I think he went to a seminar on chronic pain management. He is a truly nice man trying his best but still 'learning' the effects of this drug. Fentanyl was only used in dying patients for many years. I started using it in the early 2000's as nothing else worked. Here I am at 70 and 'nothing else works' .

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My problem with the withdrawal is not being able to sleep. The patches do not kill the pain, they just reduce it. Am trying to get off the stuff, but very hard to do. Take 50 mgs every three days, not being able to sleep is the big problem. Any help will be appreciated.

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Me too! I went to Emergency for severe agitation and breakthru pain. The emergency room doctor treated me like it was my fault that I was having such a problem. He said 'you are supposed to be withdrawing; I can't go against your doctor's wishes--you just have to accept this. He phone my Dr and then talked to me kindly, gave me some meds to calm the agitation. I felt humiliated and talked down to. Thank goodness fentanyl is almost out of my system but I have read complete eradication can take up to a year.

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Day 4. Well, I removed my last patch on Sunday night at 8pm. w/d started near midnight with sweating and pin pricks all over. By 5:30am I was sweating profusely, restless legs and arms in constant motion, sneezing, watering eyes, yawning constantly, reached 25 on COWS and took 2mg subutex (NOT SUBOXONE), I know I could've taken it sooner given the absence of naloxone but I waited to follow a detox recipe I found online that seems to have worked for others repeatedly with success. I did not feel much better after a couple hours, took another 1mg, and repeated, my legs finally relaxed at 8mg (I had hoped to stabilize at a lower dose, but it just didn't happen). Day 2, 3 and 4 I took 4mg in the am, and another 4 about twelve hours later. I still have some sweating, but nothing like I know it should be. Lack of energy is still present but I'm feeling good just knowing I'll not put another patch on. Tomorrow (well, today) I will begin to taper down by cutting 1mg off both daily doses and maintaining for four days to allow for the half life to catch up and determine if I experience w/d from the cut, if not, then proceed again. Wish me luck!

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Yes those do sound like fentanyl withdrawal symptoms. Fentanyl should not be used for short term pain management. The doctor should be understanding as it sounds like he used this medication improperly. I hope your better soon.

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hang in there I was on patches for 12 years and slowly tapered and swapped to morphine s r. Now reducing that.There is hope if we persevere through the suffering I believe.

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I have RLS and at times when I've missed changing my Fentanyl Patch I too had bad RLS symptoms. However, I've suffered with it for over 30 years. I'm not sure whether the Fentanyl helps suppress the restless leg (and when my level drops it gets worse) but I seldom have the RLS when my Fentanyl is as normal levels.
As far as helping the restless legs symptoms, what works for me is to clench my calves as tightly as I can then wrap them tightly in Ace Bandage or Sport Tape.

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Thank you so much for your post here...it has been so helpful...I'm weening off a 50 mcg patch and Im having most of the symtoms you posted here which my doctor didn't warn me about..I also have some mental disorders so I have been sitting here wondering what medication is making me feel this way and has actually triggered my other issues which has in turn been effecting my relationship...I didn't know what was wrong with me but now I do and thank you so very much

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I'm over a month free of the 50mcg patches and I haven't felt this good in years. Starting with subutex then switching to suboxone after a few days and quickly tapering off altogether was the best way to do this as painlessly as possible. Wishing everyone here strength!

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I am 31. I have a past opiate addiction I was a homeless opiate patient. I got jumped, broken ribs. I got a lacerated kidney and liver, here is the ice on the cake. I had developed two not one abscess on my kidney. well a staph infection in my blood. also I also have diabetes. two months of hell get out with a script for fentanyl 100mcg 10 of them and oxycodine 20 mg 90 also 90 other five mg instant release. well two weeks and nine days till I see a doctor, i am living with a good women. I cant fill script can't afford it. $160 and change burned through pills in a days withdrawing bad fear of losing the only good thing I have in my life April is her name she has three kids and took me in. I am honest to her with my use. am I always going to be in pain? can a guy climb out of a pit so deep? but I see the light in her. I want to die the depression is so intense. I can't use that junk here, rather be homeless struggling then bringing drugs into a home. I prayed almost every day and promised myself I would give anything up for dear lord Jesus. I pray in your fathers name for help. I am thankful for everything you have brought me from living on cold street to a warm home with a loving girlfriend. god I can't go any further without your help. no shame looking for advice only one person in the United States has my name. even the homeless junkies want to hear my life and struggle from addiction first time withdrawing I quit for four years. you only learn from someone who has been through it. no one will understand who has not been through withdrawal. I quit too many times to count good luck just know someone has it worse then you. try to think of other people then yourself. I dont care what people think or be to ashamed to seek help. you are stronger than ever to admit defeat you will relapse if your poor or middle class or rich. we are only human. we make mistakes and never learn from taking time to listen to others struggles. it gets worse if you have a house, kids, spouse, family. keep using and you will lose them all as you lose yourself and all you want is someone to care. Look in the mirror. That's who you need to care for before it's too late.

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I have been there with fentanyl but was able to afford to patches to taper slowly but I could not have done it without NA..
Praying for you.

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How long did you taper with Suboxone and what was the starting dose please?

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