NEED HELP !!!!! First time withdrawal- IN HELL !!! PLEASE < PLEASE HELP !!

[newone58]

Please , please help. I was prescribed fentanyl 25 mcg patch 1 yr and 9 months ago for chronic bone pain. Lost 130 plus pounds in 1 year and went downhill physically, emotionally and every way.
I went off the patch myself on 9.21.12, and it has been PURE HELL ever since.
My  pain doctor - a licensed physician- refused to even see me on how to detox. Told me to go home, take 4 Vicodin a day, and 4 xanax a day and that was it.
I do not know what to expect! I am under  care of primary care doctor who knows my medicine detox regime, but I am suffering from HORRIBLE ANXIETY. Literally cannot sleep, sit sit, etc. I pace around 24/7 unless asleep. IS THIS NORMAL??  Does anyone know the stages of when this ANXIETY HELL, as well as the physical symptoms will subside??
I REALLY, REALLY need help !! I am ISOLATED, no one to talk to, and the pain doc is not helping me at all !!
I am having to do this ALONE, with no one who know what I am going through. What is Normal in Fentanyl detox?
How long will this HELL LAST?? Anyone know?
Please, please help !  I am at the end of the barrel here.
God BLESS anyone who will help .

[newone58]

Thank you  ALL SO MUCH !!! This is so helpful. So, I am on day 20 . It is getting better. Had food poisoning and diverticulitis over the weekend- and that was SHEER HELL . But , took lots of water and hydrated, and cleaned out- it helped by Monday AM.

I know I did not get into this overnight, and it will take time to ease up. I think my body is trying so hard to get used to the very, very low dose of vicodin that is trying to pick up the w/d slack. But, the xanax is helping to do what it needs to do and getting more sleep- THANK GOD.

One of the HARDEST things is learning how to be HUMAN again. Just keeping up with regular eating, bathing, moving around, trying to talk to people, that is so overwhelming, especially with the PHYSICAL symptoms of coming off that demon patch. I HAD NO IDEA that that POWERFUL drug had soooo much control over me for so long. It just crept up and took over. A part of me honestly did not know it was even happening. I feel into an AWFUL rut of not living my life at all !!!

so, the process starts to become HUMAN AGAIN. That in itself is scary.

Add to the issue that I cannot get to PCP to help answer all my questions about HOW LONG this is going to take, and it makes it worse.

PLEASE KEEP POSTING if anyone knows about HOW LONG it takes to start to feel SOMEWHAT HUMAN AGAIN????  in w/d.

All of you are wonderful and GOD BLESS YOU ALL for all the excellent advice.  LOVE to all, and hope to hear from You ALL SOON!

[snowflake24]

I just wanted to see how you were doing.....it does seem as if the withdrawals have subsided a bit for you. that is good. I haven't taken my methadone in almost two days, but it takes around 3 days after you stop taking it to begin feeling the withdrawal.

[newone58]

Thank you so much!! Right now, I am experiencing really bad nausea, for the first time and I am 17 days off patch. I have some zofran and took 1/2 a few hours ago, slept about an hour.
DO you have any ideas that may help the nausea go away??? I am sooo afraid of throwing up. a Morbid fear of that.
trying to eat each time I take the meds , just something with bread and protein in it.

Please , Please HELP if you have any ideas!!

Noticed I also have more flu like symptoms than before. Is this also part of the process?/ ALL of your advice is SO HELPFUL.
GOD BLESS!!

[haftahussle]

just looked up withdrawal symptoms and nausea is listed for fentanyl.  you poor thing.  it sounds awful..hope you feel better soon.

[Jimmy1975]

I see you all ready got many answers and that's wonderful ! I will only add that trust us when we tell you that you will be fine in time . We all have gone threw what you are to one extreme or the other and it ***** ! But I promise you  that you will wake up one morning and you  will jump for joy as it will be gone ! I Trust us ..Jimmy

[marycarmel]

I sent you a pm earlier and hope you got it.  I'm having a few computer issues myself.  I wish there was a timeline for you but everyone is different.  I had a very hard time with it but this board helped me tremendously (and a big shout out to Vicki; my angel!!!)  She put up with relentless questions from me.

I still personally think that the Vicodin you're taking isn't helping and if you dumped them you'd be no worse off.  They don't even compare to Fentanyl.  Can your primary care doc help?  I know you don't trust your pain doc and I don't blame you.  I'm still suspicious of pain docs, though I do trust my primary care and she has been immensely helpful to me.

The imodium may help some of the withdrawal symptoms as well.  Also, have you tried the Valerian Root for anxiety?  It worked fairly well for me, though it has a terrible smell when you open the bottle but thankfully no bad taste.

You will get through this.  Try working it a minute at a time if you have to and try not to look at the big picture.  I know it's hard to do.  Any pool or jacuzzi near you?  I think that would help the anxiety as well as some of the withdrawal symptoms.

Doctors need to be more forthcoming about all drugs when prescribing them but I was never told how tough Fentanyl would be to come off.