Fentanyl Patch Withdrawal Symptoms And Duration (Page 2)
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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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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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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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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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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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Sounds like a long journey -congratulations. It requires a willingness to suffer.

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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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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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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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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 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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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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Sharon. I know exactly how you are suffering. I was taken off Fentanyl too quickly, suffered terrible withdrawal problems. I went to see another doctor who was staggered that my first doctor had taken me off the Fentanyl so quickly. So gave me Diazapam, plus Pramipexole for the restless legs. Within two days I started to feel better. Hope this helps, Roy

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Sharon... About your fentanyl patches... It's illegal for him to stop your opiates cold turkey. People across the nation are suing their doctors and medical clinics... Now... To deal with the withdrawal which is most important right now. Reply to this and I will be alerted. The sooner the better, I assure you I will help you through this and its 100% legal. I'll be checking my email regularly.
If necessary go to the emergency room. I can't tell you they'll give you fentanyl patches or the mcg but you do need to be monitored bcuz what your doctor has done has put you at serious risk and the more medical evidence of what you're going through as well as the risks the better. This is why it is illegal! Once we get you over the worst part I will still be available to you to point you in the direction of how to increase his malpractice insurance dramatically!

Regardless of the reason or reasons for cutting you off with no taper has absolutely nothing to do with harm he has caused you!
Chronic pain patients absolutely need to come together to cease this war against us. If I were you I would go to the emergency room after you go to your local head shop and buy something called Kratom... You want red md or red bali, red meang da... Considering the dose of the fentanyl you will need good quality and unfortunately the head shop doesn't sell the best and it is expensive but you're going to need to dose about every 2 hours. Get the Kratom on those opioid receptors sooner rather than later so I'd buy it and take my first dose before going to the emergency room depending on where you are in the withdrawal. You need a good and trusted, caring vendor.

Good news is that although the patches are 72 hour pain relievers they do last up to 5 days. This is why there are such strict procedures on disposal of old patches. There is still medication left in the patch. You can slower your detox some... In the meantime look up Kratom on YouTube. But please do not purchase from Google regardless of the reviews... I know people who have come out the other side of fentanyl, methadone, suboxone, all of them with little to no withdrawal but you have to get ready. You also need Imodium or lopermide, this is an anti diarrheal and it is also an opiate and works in the stomach as an opiate. You need to be put in contact with people who have gone through what is happening to you now. You absolutely can walk through and away from this.

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Hi. Im 49 yrs old been on fentanyl patches with the gel 100mcg. My dr. Stopped me cold turkey. Been on it for 2 yrs .im needing to know when the withdrawals start. I have been sick at my stomach and a major headache since taking it off. I was suppose to put a new one on in its place today. Plz help

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Thank you I am now on 25 patch and still feeling sick. I won't give up until I'm clean of this awful drug. Why oh why don't doctors tell you what's in store for you if you stop taking this drug.

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Alice, ur going to go nuts and maybe suicidal. Well I was. Try going to a Na meeting or aa meeting, they help. As long as u don't touch it again ur ok but as soon as I take one it's non stop and have to do a 2 week detox every time. It's so hard to get off. My back's f****d up also. That's what started me from 50mcg a day to 1000mcg a day at my worst. It's like a living HELL.

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I am sure it is withdrawal problem that is causing your restless legs. Ask him to prescribe PRAMIPEXOLE. I know how you are suffering because I have just come out of 2 days ago and I feel fine. It's hard I know, but it will pass. I also found that a hot bath helps with the aches and also the Restless Legs. Good luck. I would be interested knowing how you get on. Another thing that my doctor prescribed for me was Diazapam and that also helped. Regards. Roy

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It's withdrawal. Try suboxone. I've been struggling for 3 years at 10 100mcg a day. It was the worst feeling and I detoxed and had paws for so long (60 days) and can't feel my skin or fingers. I wish I never tried. I probably spent over 3 million on that and treatment centers (13 of them); and I got kicked out of them all.

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I'm also withdrawing from fentynal. I'm down fro 50 to 37. Having stomach cramps and nausea. Sleeping a lot. Very anxious and I'm alone and have no one to talk to. I may have jumped into a conversation. I'm just looking for some help.

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The writer who is having restless legs after tapering off Fentanyl, should as his doctor to put him on Pramipexole. I have been suffering with restless legs for many years and Pramipexole works 80% of the time

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