I AM SCARED AND NEED HELP TO GET OFF THE PATCH

[iwantoff]

i have been on the fentanyl patch for 4mths now because of chronic pain. i started at 12.5 then within a month i was up'd to 37.5
i still have chronic pain and a lot a breakthru pain for which i take tylenol 3 and clonazepam (for spasms).

i want to stop the patch because it does not work for me .... can i stop cold turkey ... so far i have got myself down to 25 and am prepared to drop to 12.5 but what process would i follow .. how many 12 patches would i apply before stopping completely.

i need help and advice ... has anyone gone thru something similar

I AM NEW TO THIS AND THIS THE 3RD TIME I POST ... I REALLY NEED HELP ... I AM LITERALLY ALL OVER THE BOARD

[flmagi]

Sounds like you have a good plan. I know there are others on the forum, who have dealt with the patch. Hopefully they'll be around to help you. Be patient, it may take a few hours.

[iwantoff]

THANX FOR YOUR REPLY - BUT THE PATCH CANNOT BE CUT OR ALTERED IN ANY WAY OTHERWISE IT WOULD RELEASE THE FULL DOSE INTO THE SYSTEM AS OPPOSED TO TIMED RELEASED ... TO DO SO WOULD BE OVERDOSE OR DEATH.

12.5 IS THE SMALLEST DOSE WHICH IS WHY I WANT TO GO TO THAT DOSAGE NEXT AND THEN OFF COMPLETELY.
MY QUESTION IS GETTING OFF AFTER THE 12.5 ...

AFTER FURTHER THOUGHT, MY PLAN IS TO GO TO 12.5 X 2 DAYS THEN 12.5 X 3DAY X 2 REPEATS THEN 12.5 X 4 DAYS THEN 5 THEN OFF COMPLETELY.
I AM HOPING THIS WORKS BUT WOULD LIKE TO HEAR FROM ANYONE WHO HAS GONE THRU THIS OR SIMILAR

[flmagi]

I'm sorry but I really don't know much about the patches, but is there the possiblility of cutting the patches down so you can taper even further than 12.5? There may be no way to avoid some of the withdrawal effects after stopping completly. Hopefully someone who is more familiar with the patches will answer soon.
Good luck to you.

[iwantoff]

...... I MEANT TO ADD THIS .....

WHAT WOULD BE THE PROCESS, ... DOES ANYONE HAVE INSIGHT ON THIS OR HAVE GONE THRU A SIMILAR SITUATION. I HAVE ONLY BEEN ON THE MED FOR 4 MTHS, I DO NOT FEEL ADDICTED BUT FEAR THE MAJOR HEBEJEBEES IF I DID DO IT COLD TURKEY AFTER TAPERING DOWN TO THE 12.5 PATCH ....

[iwantoff]

NO I HAVE NOT TALKED TO MY DOCTOR ... HE DOES NOT UNDERSTAND OR BELIEVE IN CHRONIC PAIN AND WHEN I TOLD THAT THE PAIN  REGIME HE WAS PX WAS NOT WORKING, AND ASKED FOR SOMETHING STRONGER SUCH AS FENTANYL, HE GAVE A 12MTH SCRIPT WITH NO F/U AND SENT  ME PACKING - HOW IS THAT FOR CARING.

WHEN I WENT TO SEE HIM FOR THE SPASM MED AND T3 HE GOT MAD, WROTE A SCRIPT AND LEFT THE ROOM -- I AM LOOKING AT CHANGING DOCTORS - HE MAKES ME FEEL WORSE AND I DO NOT WANT TO ASK HIIM FOR HELP BECAUSE HE WOULD SAY DO IT COLD TURKEY WITH THE I HOPE U SUFFER ATTITUDE.

I AM REALLY NOT WANTING TO DO THIS COLD TURKEY WHICH IS WHY I HAVE DECIDED TO TAPER. SO FAR SO GOOD - I HAD A HEADACHE AND A SOME JITTERS, HOT FLASHES (NO DIFFERENT THAN MENOPAUSE) WHEN I DECREASED FROM 37.5 TO 25 BUT EXPECT THIS FROM WHAT I HAVE READ. MY ONLY QUESTION WAS WHEN I REDUCE TO THE 12.5 HOW LONG BEFORE I CAN JUST STOP.

WHAT WOULD BE THE PROCESS, ... DOES ANYONE HAVE INSIGHT ON THIS OR HAVE GONE THRU A SIMILAR SITUATION. I HAVE ONLY BEEN ON THE MED FOR 4 MTHS, I DO NOT FEEL ADDICTED BUT FEAR THE MAJOR HEBEJEBEES IF I DID DO IT COLD TURKEY

[GA Guy]

I think most of the people here will tell you the same thing. You really need to talk to your doctor about this. Fentanyl is one heck of a drug to cold turkey from, and any taper sould be done under a doctor's care. Have you mentioned this to him?