Post Acute Withdrawal Symptoms From Fentanyl

Aloha from Hawaii- this is my 6th week off fentanyl patch 100mg and breakthrough oxy 40mg day for several years. Also was on Valium. So, I went through a medical detox, but still have the following symptoms and I hope they aren't permanent:

- hand tremors
- T.M.J. ( tension in jaws)
- stoned feeling
- electricity - tension running through my body, twitching, spasms
- insomnia

Any body know if I am doomed?

Maui Girl

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I am trying to handle going off 25mg fentanyl patches on my own. My doctor wants me to continue using them. My quality of life was going down hill. She had me change patches every 48 hrs and it seemed my body was sucking most of it out in 24 and I was sleeping alll the time. It has been a week since I had a patch on and the withdrawal is hell. Cold, hot, nervous, body jerks and shakes and full of anxiety. How long will this last? Anyone know? I was on them for 4 years due to repeated rotator cuff surgeries (5)

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Hi Jasmine
my acute detox was about two weeks! It's hard, about the same as a bad flu. Eat brown rice, cooked fresh veggies, a little fish or chicken. A cup of tea will have a paradoxal dggect and calm you. Try avoiding sugar and no alcohol!!!! It's a lot easier than detox from Benzos! Good luck! Life is better without the meds...listen or read books by Pema Choldren or other mindfulness practioners. Let us know hoe u r . Maui Girl. Three months off 100 mg patch, 80 mg oxycodone and Valium My doctor was nuts letting my tolerance build to that level!

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Thanks for your encouragement, I needed it this morning. I'm not sleeping and the spasms and chills are getting me down. I'll keep you posted. Thank you

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Hi Jasmine
the chills should be gone in a week or so ... Be happy they aren't Hot Flashes!!!! How did it go today? Aloha from Maui Girl

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PAWS which means post acute withdrawls happens AFTER physical withdrawl. Some people never get PAWS, some people have them a few week, months or even years. A few people like me never are lucky enough to have relief from PAWS..I was on opiates for 30+ years w/o any break so my endorphines just don't work anymore. PAWS has nothing to do with physical WD's, it is mostly mental. Depression, lethargy, feeling of doom, and for me finally a suicide attemt. I was clean from all drugs for several years and I was so unhappy that I tried to end my life. I am on methadone maintenence today because I can't function w/o opiates. Don't worry though, unless you have been an addict for many years you most likely will get over it within 3-6 months. Just listen to your body.If you are still sick after months of being clean, talk to your doctor. I can't tell you what he/she will suggest, but if symtems dont go away, do wait to get help like I did. I almost died because I was told Its all in your head

Pat

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Yes, this type of thing is normal if you have been on high doses of opiates for a long period of time, many people go through it.

When I stopped pain management medictions, cold turkey, it took several months for these type of symptoms to finally wear off.

You may also experience rebound pain.

If you are having severe problems stopping the medication or dealing with the withdrawal symptoms, you may wish to consult with your doctor or consider the possibility of Suboxone treatment.

You can learn more about that at:

Suboxone.com Click Here

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I am now 5 weeks without my patches. I still do not sleep and my legs twitch and run when evening comes. My blood pressure has shot up and my resting heart rate is 105. Any ideas. Thank you so much.

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Hi Jasmine, Hang in there! It will pass. Progressive relaxation , where u tightened and hold each muscle group for a few moments, then release with a big out breath, will help. Sleep will come back, too. Avoid sleeping pills if you want natural sleep to return. I use melatonin drops from health food store. Benadryll is ok, just not every night. R u exercising? Can you swim some where? This is a process, know u will be better for it. Aloha from Maui Girl- 4 plus months off opiates and benzos and taking it day by day...

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Maui Girl, PAWS doesn't always go away..Unless you are a medical doctor I suggest that you let the professionals give out the medical advuce and you just be here for support. You mean well, but yout advice can be dangerous/ No layman has the right to tell someone who is going through WD's what kind of medication to take whether it is OTC or by a presription. No one should take anything not even melatonin w/o their doctors ok...What works for you can hurt another person.Verwon has the best advice, if anyone is having too hard of a time, please ask your doctor about suboxone, it just may save your life..The website he posted is a great site...Thanks Verwon!!!

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Here we are 8 weeks out. I am having a bad depression problem inspite of my prozac. My legs still jerk bad at night and I don't sleep. Nothing seems to work. My stomach is upset most of the time so can't eat much. I had a couple weeks when things seemed good except for the sleep. Now I am down and it is an effort to move. Is this just normal after being on the fentanyl so long? Thanks for everyone's support. Jasmine.

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Hi Jasmine! Be strong, you'll get through it! My friend in Maui did and you will too.
Do you have a health care provider that is available to reassure you?
Goggle Dr. Heather Ashton about anti depressents and benzos. They can be a help or not.... You will feel joy again!

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Jasmine..8 weeks is a long time to be worse off than b4..Please call your own doctor and see what he/she recommends. The moderator on here has said to a few people going through PAWS that if it gets too bad go to the suboxone site and ask youre doctor to help you find someone who can prescribe it. Hula Girl is wrong, not everyone can get through this w/o help. Some people die from depression PAWS is nothing for some people but life thretening for others...I almost died because of it. Most of the people here are not medical doctors they cant just say It will be ok If I were an attorney I would sue them if any of my clients died because of their poor advice...Please call your doctor....
Pat

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Hula Honey..Have you been through the Hell of WD B4?? Have you been through PAWS?? If you have, I am glad you are through it, but if you haven't you have no right to give out advice to anyone going through this because your girlfriend claims she did. In the first place PAWS has no time limit. It can last for days weeks or years. How do you know that Jasmine will find joy again. What you are saying can be very dangerous for a person going through a fight for their life. Quit giving medical advice. BTW, this is not about benzos leave the benzo doctor out of this and stick to the facts... You all have a lot of nerve talking like doctors..I smell lawsuits if anyone dies from your advice
Pat

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Thanks for the information. Do you think this would be a good time to kick the prozac. I have been on antidepressants for 17 years since I lost my 23 yr old daughter. My resting heart rate is 90 to 110 and even with 40 mg lisinpril blood pressure is 160 over 90 It is nice to have someone to talk to. My dr isn't good to discuss with as she wanted me to stay on the fentanyl.

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Hi Jasmine, Support, not medical advise is what I can give, as Ms. Pat kindly voiced.
The advice is to find your tribe- if u can't talk to your doc, maybe another person who has been through it. IF you want to go the pharma route, there are drugs. IF you are able, there are many other ways to deal with the pain of withdrawal and the pain of the original injury that got you here.
I can only tell you that I didn't want to spend my live on patches and pills. It is 5 months now, since I got off my medications. Oxy, fen 100mg /72 , ADs,klonopin, neurotin, baclifin, and I am now tappering from metoprolol . My bl pressure runs 130/125 over75/80- pretty normal for a 58 year old.
I am a health professional- exercise specialist- and a nutritionist. I swim for my back injury. I distract , practice mindfulness, complain(!) to my friends, sing, and dance to bring joy back into MY life. It is a part of the symptoms to feel lifeless, I have been advised by my counselors. You are responsible for bringing it back, they said.
You have had some bad knocks in life, true! My heart breaks just thinking about losing a child! And rotator cuff injuries are painful.
I lost my husband of 15 years by being in the fog of drugged existence. I have a very unsure future, newly single, not able to workmore than a few hours a week, and still in PAWS with both opiate, anti depressant, and Valium.
And yet, I can say, I am free of the need to medicate myself to avoid physical and emotional pain. Some people don't want to or can't be without their chemical aids. But if u are not one of those people, hang out with others that are trying to live in harmony with their natural selves. I believe in your strenght to get through this! Sending you and all who suffer aloha and wishes for peace in your heart and body.

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Thanks for your support. My main thing is not being able to sleep. I think I could face the day if I could only rest. This afternoon the legs have started running and am very tired. I have no fear of ever putting a patch on again. I will never go through the hell of withdrawal again. I need energy and to feel like I am worth something. Thanks for the support.

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It sucks, not sleeping. I had restless leg syndrome for about 10 weeks, to compare. What are you doing to promote sleep? I found help with the links at yahoo. benzo support site- a different drug p, yes, but a lot of the same withdrawal freak-a-thins!!! We women have survived without a lot of sleep being mothers... Maybe naps or just being grateful to rest will help you get a little less stressed about it. I listened to a lot of music and books on tape the first few months. You are not alone in this, take heart.

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I'm still on Vicaprophen to handle the shoulder pain. Usually 4 per day. It doesn't help with the sleep but makes the pain controllable. I'll check back next week and see how things are going. Thanks again for listening and helping. I'm 66 so age is not on my side.

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Pat, you're aware that suboxone is a VERY powerful opiate, right? People who want to be clean and not live in a drug induced haze anymore don't want to get on sub, it's the devil. The w/d from Sub is NOT fun, be there done that. You want PAWS from Hell. I am on over 6 months clean and I am still not back to normal. Please don't tell people to go on maintnece like yourself.

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DOES ANYONE STILL HAVE LEG PAIN 8 WEEKS OFF OPIATE ABUSE OF ALMOST THREE YEARS ? IT'S HELL LEGS LOCK UP AND HURT CONSTANTLY AND IT'S BRINGING ME DOWN EVEN MORE ):

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Re: Maui Girl (# 2)

I was on 125 mcg Fentanyl for 4 years with 10/325 Percocets ( 6 per day )for breakthrough pain ! Went through rapid detox at a cost of $7k ! I'm 7 months after detox and now in the Post acute withdrawal phase , this can last a year or 2 from what the medical field is telling me ! It's been absolute hell , bad insomnia, burning in all my extremities, ringing in my ears , nausea , and just a overall feeling of not being well and the list goes on and on !

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Re: Jasmine (# 10)
Just reading time post, obviously I just found out about it. I have leg/muscle tightness at night. It's referred as Restless Leg Syndrome, among other things. I found if I drink a little bit of pickle juice, it takes them away. Hope this helps.

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I'm now on day 29...yesterday I cut 1/3 off a 50mcg mylan matrix patch and have 20 hours left to reach my 48 hrs. on what is essentially a 37.5mcg patch. Feeling a little defeated, but I have to do this for my son. The cure for my misery is just 15 feet away - I have no idea how I will do this as the days wear on. I read about people going through Fentanyl withdrawals for two weeks and I freak.

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Seems you forget that trusting so-called "medical professionals" is what got us in this terrible dilemma. I'm looking forward to the living hell described here, as I'm a 6 yr 50mcg + patient. Rid myself of Ativan and that was 18 days of horror... Doctors can't prescribe what they know so little about, be dismissive of patients who feel the real threat of death in the doctor's hand - either to give or withhold meds.

This s*** sucks, as the best I've done this month is reduce 15 patches a month to 12, and it is going to be terrible - I know - having suffered several nightmarish days when I had to make a 2 day patch last 5 days.

It's almost indescribable, but you end up counting the misery in terms of seconds, not hours or days.

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All what you are describing is benzo withdrawal and opiate withdrawal.The electric symptoms are the benzos.Didn't you taper off Valuim???2mg a month is the best and safe way.The cold sweats,nausea cramps is the Fentanyl.....be very careful with the valuim..best wishes John

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All what you are describing is benzo (valuim) withdrawal and opiate withdrawal.The electric symptoms and jaw tension is the valuim.Didn't you taper off Valuim???

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YOUR FENTANYL 100 PATCH CONTAINS ONLY 16.5 MGS OF ACTIVE INGREDIENT. DO READ THE NOTE FOR PATIENTS. IT IS NOT 100MGS OF MORPHINE!!!

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