Weaning off 12mcg Fentanyl Patch

[hipichk]

Hi. I was prescribed Fentanyl Patches for severe osteoarthritis,rheumatoid arth. and degenerative disc disease. the Dr. wanted to put me on 50`s but I refused and he put me on 25`s. The 25`s made me so sick he decreased them to 12`s. I have had serious sweats and nausea from the beginning but have had some pain relief. I talked to the Dr. about the side effects and he basically ridiculed me about it. I stopped going to him and now my family practice dr prescribes them. I really want to get off these patches. I also take Darvocet N 100 for the pain. Can anyone tell me how to wean off these patches? Any help would  be very appreciated. Thanks, Hipichk

[DTiam]

If your patches are the type that look similar to a bandaid,  they have like a tan outside and silver under the adhesive they can be cut.

[hipichk]

Thank you for your prompt and kind response. I have never participated in any kind of web based forum but when I read the questions and comments I felt "safe" enough to try to participate. After living in an abusive marriage for 34 yrs(divorced now) I am still a little "gunshy". Your kindness is very encouraging.I WILL speak to my Dr. re: weaning. Thanks Again! Hipichk

[Jacqui805]

I weaned off of 200 mcg of Fentanyl over the course of many months.  I weaned down 25 mcg each month.  In January of 2008, I went down to the 25 mcg patches and went into full-blown withdrawl.  I hung in there on 'em for two out of the intended four weeks and then just reasoned that there was no sense in being on them for the last two weeks and then going to the 12's, since I was already in the w/d process.  I was pretty much out of the danger of having seizures or anything so I just bit it and stopped.  

I'm not sure what YOU should do since you're already on the lowest dose of the patch that I'M aware of.  As with any medication like this, withdrawl can be stopped by switching to another med. like it (another opiate, opioid med.).  That being said, you should be asking your doctor for help in coming off of the patch.  It is HE who is prescribing it for you, and it should be HE who helps to get you off.  He could opt for another narcotic medication by calculating an equianalgesic dose, or he could opt for another narcotic medication at a lower calculated dose and then going from there.  You WILL go into w/d with anything less than what you are on, but it is possible that either a lower strength med. or med. of a different classification altogether, could help ease the w/d s/s (ie, Xanax or Clonidine, Klonopin).  No matter what though, you WILL experience withdrawal.  Your w/d COULD be mild, I really wouldn't know, as my dose was so much higher.  Your experience will be unique to you, as is your medical history.  As such, I really think you should be asking your doctor...as it is, no matter what you decide, if it's to take another medication, you will need to get that from HIM anyway.  

I wish you the best of luck with it, and if you have any questions with the Fentanyl, or you need help in getting through w/d, just ask.  

Jacqui

[worried878]

There are a few people here who have stopped the patch....a friend of mine did...i do know u can not cut them in half or anything...being a nurse i have seen a patient overdose from doing that..the easiest way may be to have your doctor prescribe something in pill form to ease any withdrawal and then taper off of those..as there is really no way to wean off of that dose of fentanyl patch as it is the weakest one,,,at least I have not heard of a weaker dose patch than the 12.5 mcg patch..darvacet would not be a strong enough narcotic to really help much...do be careful with the darvacet tho as it has al;ot of tylenol in it...good luck to you..have you discussed this with your doctor?