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Fentanyl Withdrawals - how long do they last Cold Turkey?

I've been on a Fentanyl patch for the past 9 years. I went from 175mcg/hr down to 12.5 mcgs then 5 days ago I stopped cold turkey.  I don't take any other drugs except for my blood pressure meds.
The withdrawals have been BRUTAL!   I mean the most horrific thing I have even gone through.  When will this stop?  At night the minute I start to fall asleep it's like a demon takes over my body and I jerk and jump, twist and shout all night long - I get up and down out of bed, I exercise and even lift weights to try and stop the demon - but nothing works.  I haven't slept for more than 20 minutes at one time any night since stopping.  I'm scared!  I will choose not to live if I have to go back on Fentanyl but I can't take much more of these withdrawals.  
When can I expect the withdrawals to end and how long does it take to get back to my normal self with no effects whatsoever of the Fentanyl?  I seriously need help!  
Thank you
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Avatar universal
I have taken fentanyl many times except I was iving it. It is a horrfic drug. Def one of the harder opoids to come off and I commend you on your courage and ambition to get off it. Like any other opiate you will not sleep for awhile and that is for me one of the worst parts. I love love love my sleep. I didnt sleep for 10 days straight in rehab coming off heroin and I thought i was going crazy. I was hallucinating so bad and id lay in bed at night and watch the ceilings crawling with bugs. I would def. look into buying hylands restless leg at your local pharmacy its OTC and works great for restless legs. I know what u mean with the legs and nothing helps really but I did get some relief from walking. If your not sleeping u may as well get up and go for a little walk around the block. U gotta wear yourself out and youlll eventually sleep. The mind is going 90mph right now and is thinking and conspiring agasint you to figure out how to get more drugs into your body. Do NOT fall for the demons tricks. This too shall pass. You are at day 5 and that is HUGE. Ur not turning around now promise me that. U just got to ride it out a few more days i promise you youll start to sleep within a day or two not 10 hour beauty sleep but a few hours. Anything you can get. I would pass out for like 10 mins here or there and somtimes u are so tired u dont realize u are actually sleeping. It starts slow but it will come back until one day u just crash. Until then hang tight and keep yourself occupied. Ur battling one of the hardest drugs to come off. And u did it ct. Commend yourself becuz ur no baby thats for sure. U should be proud of yourself and treat yourself to a smoothie. I just had one yum there awsome when u cant get much else down. And eat good fresh foods and veggies and stay HYDRATED. Trust me i used to not eat or drink and u feel 10x worse when u dont drink alot of water. Plus water is the way u flush out the toxins other than sweating its all u got. If u can get to a sauna that helps alot too it speeds up your detox and thats what u need. Take hot showers and listen to good music. Are you taking the thomas recipe? If not i would start now its not too late. Hang in there bud I know u can do it your so close! And your right life isnt anything on drugs! iTS not reality!
Helpful - 1
Avatar universal
I have been on the patches for over 10 years.  I can deal with the restless legs and lack of sleep.  Has anyone experinced terrible stomach pain?  I'm going to ask my primary care doctor to help me.  That pain is so bad I just want to die.  I can't take it.  I didn't know they were this bad either.  Why don't doctor's warn people about this stuff?
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
I can only give you my experience, which you may not like but my situation is very different. I,m in Australia am 52 and have been opiate dependent for 32 yrs. For the last 6-7 yrs I,ve been intravenousely using fentanyl and started going cold turkey 26 days ago. 5 days ago I got 2 hrs sleep. then none for 2 days then last night got 6 straight hrs. HEAVEN !!!!!!! I got to the point of thoughts of suicide it was getting that hard. But I,m still here and fighting. After the sleep I have a much clearer mind . It was a bit of a mess up there after sleep deprevation I can tell you. The body is still very weak but I think I,m on the home straight, got to be close by now surely. I can eat more and more each day and the diarea has stopped. Could,nt sneeze without you know< off to loo. I want to return to society, I,ve had to hide my addiction for so long I just need to start again. Its been a very lonely wasted 32YRS of my life. I wouldn't wish it on anyone. I wish I"d manned up long before know. My son was burnt to death in house fire at babysitters 32 yrs ago and my spiral into addiction began then and I,ve never been able to dig my self out for any decent amount of time.  Anyway, what I,m trying to say to you is life is worth the effort. Hang in there, don't let the evil monkey win. If I can do it so you can you. I sincerely wish you the very best and offer you every ounce of the little bit of strength that I can spare. Life is a precious gift, don't waste a moment. I did and regret it awfully but I,m not dead yet so plan to make the very best of the yrs ahead as a normal functioning human being. yours sincerely, Stocky
Helpful - 0
2 Comments
I&#39;m from UK I&#39;ve been on these dreaded patches for 6 whole years and they&#39;ve controlled my life my body wants more so I&#39;m in double pain and my doctor doesn&#39;t understand nobody apart from the uses of these demon patches knows how much control they have I lost my life in the ambulance due to being a day late with my patches good job I was in the ambulance at the Time now I have copd which I know is down to the patches my doctor dropped me from 75mg to 50 mg which was elegal if I didn&#39;t have the pregablin and oxinorm to top it up still had the light symptoms of rattle my 47 with a death sentence thanks to the patches good luck guys and dont forget it was these patches that killed the late PRINCE rip xxx peace and love fellow addicts legal ones
Ive never done fentanyl thank god! But i was addicted to using heroin intravenously for 5 years and the withdrawals were hell everytime so i always went back. I cant imagine what the fentanyl wds feel like. I realized that tramadol helpees immensely with opiate wds and its a lighter opiate than methadone and subs. Also i had to get on cymbalta antidepressant which helped wonders for happiness and sleeping. All your dopamine and seratonium and gabba is depleted. Cymbalta and tramadol for the emotional and physical withdrwals saved me.
Avatar universal
Hi everyone, I've been taking 25mg fentanyl patches for 9 months. I had an op Wednesday for the pain of the disc and I haven't renewed my patch since. It's only Saturday , I feel dreadful, the restless legs is the worst thing, how long will this terrible feeling last? I feel like I can't breathe
Fran
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
I'm on 50mcg of fentanyl and was on vicodin 15mg until last Friday.  I quit the vicodin CT and thought I could get off the fentanyl too.  But after day 2 of no fentanyl I couldn't sleep and had RLS so I put the fentanyl patch back on.  Today I'm reading all these posts and now I will get off the fentanyl but I'll not do it CT.  I plan to ask my Dr to jump me down to the 25's for what ever period of time needed then the 12.5's then nothing.  But I'll take others advice about the mirapex and suboxone.  I just don't think my family Dr. will be up on this though.  Hopefully he'll refer me to a specialist.  I had no idea fentanyl was this bad or I would never have started it.  Two years ago or so I cut off xanax CT and it was the worst month and a half of my life.  Hopefully, with the right Dr this will be easier.
Helpful - 0
1 Comments
If you find the withdrawal to much for you suboxone is a good alternative, if you've read my recent post early today you"ll realize how long it can take. Suboxone is an opiate blocker, A friend of mine went from methadone to suboxone with excellent results. It not only holds you it blocks any other opiates getting thru, closes the door if that makes sense. So relapses become pointless, as nothing happens. the change from one opiate to the suboxone can be a little uncomfortable but only for about 4 hrs then it takes control. Removes a lot of the urge to use others things as well which makes life easier if you don't have a nasty little monkey in your ear. My friend came off the subby"s about 3 yrs ago after been reduced slowly over a yr. She said said she barely noticed a thing, they gave her a placebo for 6 wks , then told her what they"d done and she has been clean ever since. Ask your Dr for a referral. you wont regret it. I wish you the best of luck. ajstocky...
Avatar universal
Well it's day 7 off fentanyl now still week couldn't sleep ether for about 6 days the I got some valiums and some resterrals I sleep about 10 hours felling better but still **** I was doing 5 100 ml patches a day and some of my dreams were like I was battling for my soul but I figure the worst is done to who ever trying to quit do it it and worth it and I wish u the best but let me worn u it ain't easy it's gonna take everything u got but i hope u can do it believe me when I say its a fight for your soul
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
I replied
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
I have been detoxing my way down forom 37mcg every 2 days. Stretched it over 6 weeks to where as of Thursday was taking 19 mcg Every 3 days I was cutting the patch. Finally decided after seeing my general prac doctor to just go cold turkey never mnd the 12mcg. I'm on say 2 and can't believe the intensity of restless legs. It's driving me nuts. I was hoping for a 3 Day detox and then back to work after Labor Day. I don't see that happening after reading all these posts. I can't stand this. But I do not want the patch on anymore.
Helpful - 0
1926359 tn?1331588139
Hi There and Welcome to the Forum-

It sounds like you've been on quite the journey and we'd all love to support you!
Please start your own thread by going to the right upper side of your screen and clicking on Ask A Question.  This is an old thread you are commenting on and not likely that you'll get the same support.

Bless,
Lu
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
I was reading all the posts,,,i have scoliosis, degenerative disc disease, fibromyalgia, sciatia, and the list goes on and on,,,pain  and surgery on my disc,,,L4-5.....I have been on fentanyl patches for about 8 years, I was on 75mcg, then I requested to go down to 50mcg, stayed on that for months because I let FEAR rule me,,,,,then I decided to reduce to 25mcg, because I wanted my life back, and did not want FEAR to rule my life anymore, I was on 24mcg for 2 months, then went off last week cold turkey ,,,,,had a lot of pain , restless leg syndrome, etc,,,,now I am into day 5 and am sleeping but have a lot of diarreah, no appetite, but did not have one before either,,,,i am going to never put on another fentanyl patch or take any other drug that has terrible withdrawal symptoms,,,,i take extra strength advil ,,,2 every 4 hours and doxepin to help me sleep at night, what little sleep I am getting helps,,,,going today to get vitamins and something with electrolytes in it,,,,hot water helps as well,,,,,i hope you are ready,,,you will know when you have had enough!,,,just do it,,,,for you,,,,don't let fear run your life or a drug ever again,,,take your life back, you only live once,,,,god bless
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
I was reading all the posts,,,i have scoliosis, degenerative disc disease, fibromyalgia, sciatia, and the list goes on and on,,,pain  and surgery on my disc,,,L4-5.....I have been on fentanyl patches for about 8 years, I was on 75mcg, then I requested to go down to 50mcg, stayed on that for months because I let FEAR rule me,,,,,then I decided to reduce to 25mcg, because I wanted my life back, and did not want FEAR to rule my life anymore, I was on 24mcg for 2 months, then went off last week cold turkey ,,,,,had a lot of pain , restless leg syndrome, etc,,,,now I am into day 5 and am sleeping but have a lot of diarreah, no appetite, but did not have one before either,,,,i am going to never put on another fentanyl patch or take any other drug that has terrible withdrawal symptoms,,,,i take extra strength advil ,,,2 every 4 hours and doxepin to help me sleep at night, what little sleep I am getting helps,,,,going today to get vitamins and something with electrolytes in it,,,,hot water helps as well,,,,,i hope you are ready,,,you will know when you have had enough!,,,just do it,,,,for you,,,,don't let fear run your life or a drug ever again,,,take your life back, you only live once,,,,god bless
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
I was reading all the posts,,,i have scoliosis, degenerative disc disease, fibromyalgia, sciatia, and the list goes on and on,,,pain  and surgery on my disc,,,L4-5.....I have been on fentanyl patches for about 8 years, I was on 75mcg, then I requested to go down to 50mcg, stayed on that for months because I let FEAR rule me,,,,,then I decided to reduce to 25mcg, because I wanted my life back, and did not want FEAR to rule my life anymore, I was on 24mcg for 2 months, then went off last week cold turkey ,,,,,had a lot of pain , restless leg syndrome, etc,,,,now I am into day 5 and am sleeping but have a lot of diarreah, no appetite, but did not have one before either,,,,i am going to never put on another fentanyl patch or take any other drug that has terrible withdrawal symptoms,,,,i take extra strength advil ,,,2 every 4 hours and doxepin to help me sleep at night, what little sleep I am getting helps,,,,going today to get vitamins and something with electrolytes in it,,,,hot water helps as well,,,,,i hope you are ready,,,you will know when you have had enough!,,,just do it,,,,for you,,,,don't let fear run your life or a drug ever again,,,take your life back, you only live once,,,,god bless
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
reading all of these reports is scarry stuff, I fractured 4 vert in my upper spine in early March this year and hospitalised for the pain, put on Targin made no difference to the level of pain and Drs had gradually increased to 50mgs of Fentanyl, starting reading these posts and realised what a terrible situation I was commiting myself to. On 13th June decided to go CT'did not tell my GP for about 10 days he thought I should resume but I was determined to continue with the CT. I ended up feeling so nauseated, legs would not keep still, could not and still can't get a good sleep taking Temaze every night, latest  problem is my scalp,head,nape are covered in itch and its driving me mad, looking on net for solution Hope you are feeling better as each day passes, The Lord will continue to help JBS Downunder
Helpful - 0
9258244 tn?1402972453
Sir......I'm curious as to how you are doing on your withdrawal from the Fentanyl? I too am starting to get off of this wicked stuff!
Helpful - 0
9258244 tn?1402972453
Reading your post has given me more determination and hope that I can do this. I have been on Fentanyl 25mcg for over a year. Three months ago i went to my Dr and told him to reduce me. I went done to 12.5 mcg. It was only supposed to be for two months ...." he said." I want off this crap. I expect RL, sleepless nights, etc, but I'm so ready!
Helpful - 0
1926359 tn?1331588139
This is a very old thread.  If you want to get some support for yourself please click on post a question and start your own thread so that we can help you through this okay?
Lu
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
I too am going from 175 and dr. Keeps reducing each mt.im down to 100 the next dose will be first time just doing 100 I feel bad with all the symptoms can you tell me what to expect with further decreasing.thanks for any help u can give.the restless legs and agitation is back any ideas for them
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
Amiga, as bad as it is, just think, there are some poor idiots out here (like me) that haven't even started getting off yet. I want to soooo bad but reading things like this just make me delay even longer. plus my wife HATES meds and cannot stand me doing wds. even when I am out of the patches, she hates it! but I can sure understand that! good luck, I am looking to you for help so plz don't let me (or you) down ! may God bless you.
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
Amiga, as bad as it is, just think, there are some poor idiots out here (like me) that haven't even started getting off yet. I want to soooo bad but reading things like this just make me delay even longer. plus my wife HATES meds and cannot stand me doing wds. even when I am out of the patches, she hates it! but I can sure understand that! good luck, I am looking to you for help so plz don't let me (or you) down ! may God bless you.
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
I just finished reading your post and my experience is very similar to yours. I was looking for answers as to whether I should just hang tight (I am on day 7 with no Fentanyl after 8 years and weaning from 100) or if my pain just required I deal with the fatigue, lack of motivation & isolation that come with Fentanyl. I was considering going to pick up patches at the pharmacy and have now changed my mind, I have come this far and once the withdrawal aches are gone I am convinced I will manage my pain with other methods. Thanks so much for the motivation, let's hope that my pain can stay at a 5 or less:)
I can't believe all this sneezing is from withdrawal - here I was looking for what I was allergic to!
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
I can't thank all of you enough for your help!  I've been on the 12mcg patch down from 25 for about a week now and have been going through all of the things mentioned in this thread.

I honestly was thinking that this was all in my head!  Waking up flipping and flopping all around the bed because I can't get comfortable.  Like an idiot I wanted to quit all of the drugs that I'm taking and so I let my Ambien and Prozac prescriptions lapse (I had to see the doc to continue) so I'm out of all of those and have been for a week or so.

Dealing with suicidal thoughts and wicked withdrawals I seriously wouldn't recommend this on my worst enemy.  I'm going to take the advice here and weed off of it slowly, it was really dumb to try to quit taking 2 medications (Prozac and Ambien) while simultaneously stepping down from 25mcg to 12mch Fentanyl patches.

I have some Percocets and Zanaflex and left over Robaxin that have been a big help but in the Name of Christ Jesus I will break this thing!  I'm going back to the doc on Monday to see if I can get my Prozac and Ambien renewed.  

Thanks to each of you for your stories, they have been an inspiration to me and I know now that I'm not alone!
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
please take it from me a surviving pill addict with 5 diseases. You have to go cold turkey, cuz the disgusting and horrible feelings you get from the medicine and then have to replace that from another drug... just look into an herb, and try to be strong minded. I am a nurse, so I have seen many situations, and cold turkey is the worst, but it is the only way to go if you never want to take another drug again, it will stick in your mind forever, and you will want to vomit when you think about putting **** in your body, it has been 2 years and sometimes I vomit now taking just over the counter meds, because of the withdrawals I went through, be strong headed and you will feel like a human being again once your off of everything.
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
Dear AmigaMaria, You should try a 4 day soboxyn detox.  It got me off herion.  I started of course with perccet then moved onto heroin.  For five years i stayed a slave to heroin until soboxyn came along.  I did not go on the maintenance as they wanted me to.  I just did a four day detox and believe me I could not believe that the only withdrawal was being a little cold and body aches and they only lasted for three days.  I slept, no ebby jeebies (as I call the restless leg syndrome) no diarrhea and no vomiting.  
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
Well folks, the doc wanted me to wait until today to start the suboxone, he said if I am not in withdrawals when I start it that it will put me into withdrawals. I was already off my patch for 24 hours when I saw him yesterday, they told me to take it off the day before my appt. Theres something about the suboxone and how it takes over the opiate receptors and kicks out the fentanyl ( or other opiates ) . Anyway the withdrawals hit me harder last night at about hour 33 since I took off the fentanyl patch and I took the first suboxone. The ones prescribed for me are a film that you put under your tongue and you cant swallow for 15 minutes while it absorbs into your system.  But wow, the withdrawals went away so fast !  Only problem I had was I couldn't sleep, was in a half awake state most of the night but I would take that over the muscle spasms, chills and runs I was experiencing from the fentanyl withdrawal.
My goal is two weeks , To stabilize off the fentanyl then begin to wean off the suboxone slowly. I'll update as things progress but wanted to share this info for anyone considering suboxone as a detox option from fentanyl.
Helpful - 0
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