how much longer is this hell of Fentanyl Cold Turkey?

well today is either day 8 or 9 for me off of all my pain meds (cant remeber the details other than i was pushing on deaths door). which included but not limited to: 75mcg Fentanyl Patch every 48 hours, Oxycodone/APAP 10/325 perscribed dose of 4x daily cold turkey... ive been on perscription medication for almost 2 years with never more than a 3 day im going to try and quit, and off i go to buy pills... so whith that being said doc started me on an even a MUCH more addicting and a MUCH more powerful drug.. o boy.. yea for me right!!!?? ha.. if i had only knwon then...
        i really do have chronic spine condition.. mutiple herniated disks and sergeon told me i need a multi layer lumbar fusion..i also have spinal stenosis and facet joint syndrome. i say the only time you should go with a fusion is when shopping Ford dealer!! especially 2 of them in my lumbar spine. so on the 18th or19th i took my patch off . i honestly couldnt tell you because for the next days ran together because they were taking me to a hell i had never seen before... being an IV drug user from the age of 12 years old, running the streets stealing robbing, not going to sleep for days addicted to Meth in winter months so windy so cold i couldnt even feel my hands crawling down a churches outside steps to get out of the freezing wind. all that was like being in Heaven compared to cold turkey fentanly. i fell hopeless... little did i know that now 26 years old i would be slave to a drug my doc gave me like HERE YA GO!! that is so much worse in EVERY way i would rather go through those previous bottoms 110x over.  i didnt ask for it, he didnt tell me anything about it, he just seemed to be mad that his 3 epidural steriod injuections didnt work,  me and my wife paid 500 dollars for out of pocket for improved my pain by 0%.
             well i never have been able to quit drugs before because it took me to be in a cell with no choice but to let go... prior to this i had been clean off of EVERYTHING for over 5 years. when my back pain started my quality of life shifted from active uplifting, fullfilled, no reason to add a chemical. to omg i gotta go to the hospital! i am blessed with beautiful wife and baby daughter that i love more than life and are very close.  
              now that you know at least a lil bout me... i am on day 9 i think,,, i went 5 days without not even 1 little wink of sleep. it was so bad... going back and knowing what was happening i would have got up and moved around, i slept on couch (still am) because my wife needs her sleep cause she works and its not worth it to both be sleep deprived. i still can not sleep and this RLS and my whole body feel like something is burning my bones. ive lost 15lbs since i cant eat at all, why even bother. already had thrown up bile from taking a bite of a cracker!!! 10 min later i was still gagging. those first few nights i remember praying god to let my mind rest and im ready to go on from this world... thats why im here.. im strong... i have a will to live. i can do this if i find somebody who has shared my living HELL, it took a long time to even frind a place that had any people that even sounded close to what i was going through
        everything i had read was day 4 and 5 you are good and out of the woods of the physical part... well im here to tell you by far the end of this journey is a long ways off,,, i cant use my medication like im suposed to... today i have accepted im going to have to find a new way to ease my pain. i just think i really might die getting there!!!!! i have hep c and ive been taking a shitload of norco and perc and vicoden over the last couple years. WAY more than i shoulda. my last bloodwork done was showing i was having liver problems.
          i had thought i was done with the worst of this? knowing my poor wife and 2 year old daughter watching daddy hurt so bad is real messed up for me. but i AM willing to die to get off these NOW if thats what ends up happening. right now when i am upright my spine feels like its on fire, when i lay down my skin is crawaling all over with the worst anxiety. i cant stand the way that feels. after so long without a wink of sleep who knows what is going to be next. i have been taking imodium (immodium) AD and sipping bottles of water. thats about it on a regular basis. i have memory loss so bad i dont kow what im doing or saying half the time... i feel like im never going to get to the other side of this NASTY drug!!!! i still have only forced myself to eat a couple soft fruits and a couple fish sticks, so after the 9 day mark what is there to do?? i was not prepared for just how bad this was going to be.  im trying to keep a positive attitude. my daugher keeps me grounded.. i can NOT mess with my family with any more to this drug that dont even to get you high.  this is one hella of a price to pay for not getting high. ive heard that many people never get off... this has been the most difficult thing i have ever done. please pray for my wife a child, as they are the worst victims in this mess.  i havent gone to the dr yet for any sleeping aids. dont know if i will... but ive already decided im not going to my pain management apt on the 29th for more patches... thats for SURE!!!!!! never again!!!!! wish me luck as i am going through some pretty haunting times. so hard to keep going and trust it will be

[marycarmel]

Oh boy.  I wish you had posted before going CT from Fentanyl.  It is a brutal drug to get off.  My doctors didn't want me to come off.  I was on 75 mcg ever 48 hours and also had 45mg of oxycodone ever 4hours,and 90 mg.Cymbalta,10mg Ambien, 1 mg Ativan.  I also had been on oxycontin, morphine both er and ir and probably more.

I tapered off the Fentanyl and it was hell. I can't imagine going CT off it.  It took me a year to taper off all they had me on and I was in mild to moderate withdrawal the entire time.  Is there any way you can get your doctor to put you on a different narcotic and then taper from that?  It's still not easy but will be much easier than what you're going through.

Fentanyl stores in your fat cells and takes a long time to get off.  Personally,Ithink it's a terrible drug and really should only be used in very severe cases and for end of life pain.

Check out the Thomas Recipe.There are some supplements you can get relief from some of them.  Hylands Restful Legs is fabulous. Also, Melatonin, Alleteril for sleep is a big help.  A huge help is to stay extremely hydrated, especially if you've been vomiting.  

Message me if you have any questions.  Best of luck.

[Pat1956100]

I am not familiar with fentanyl patches but i have heard they are hard to withdraw from.  Someone will come on soon who is familiar with them.  I used a ton of percocets  and oxy's and whatever else I could get my hands on.  I am starting day 3 clean.  I was up to 10 but thought I would like to risk my life a little more for a couple of weeks.  If you keep posting or wait for a reply there will be someone who can help you and your wonderful family.
This is a great forum and we are all addicts who either want help or want to help others.
Stay Strong. You have 8 clean days and it can only get better.  Good job.

[Pat1956100]

Also there is something called Highland Restless Legs that is really good for that.

[fent_ct_or_die]

yeah... ive read lots of info on the subject. it takes a LONG time. People that have withdrawal from H and they have done these patches say the patches take way longer, and are quite a bit more insane! how are they giving this stuff out like candy... i knew it wasnt going to be a cake walk but DAMN this is crazy!!!

[Pat1956100]

Are you feeling any better or is it still brutal?

[fent_ct_or_die]

its still pretty damn brutal... although it is not AS bad as the freaky day 1, 2, 3... those i really did think i was going to die. now i just wish i was... make any sense?

[fent_ct_or_die]

good luck with your detox as well!!! thank you!! but if there is some way we can trade id be pretty open to that!! lol... not to take oxy lightly, cause that can be a good one too... quit now so you dont end up with a tolerance like mine... best of luck to you!!!!

[Pat1956100]

Yes, I understand.  It is hell to come off of and from what I have read you should wean off of it but too late now.  Search the forum for fentanyl patches.  There are lots of posts in the pain managment forum but look for the ones on substance abuse to get an idea on how long it will take.
I am so sorry for everything you have been through and really think you can do this. You sound like you are very strong.  Good luck.

[Pat1956100]

I hope someone comes on and posts who has had experience with fentanyl.  I know there are some.  Keep posting if you don't get an anwer.  People are happy to help if they're not sleeping.

[gnarly_1]

HI fentanyl is a tuff nut to crack but it is doable .....you should be threw the worst of it I can relate I came off methadone and never thought it would be over just give it a bit more time although I have never been on it I have followed the storys of many members who have and what your going threw is pritty much the norm hang in there keep posting for support your in my prayers for your whole family good luck and God bless........Gnarly

[marycarmel]

Oh boy.  I wish you had posted before going CT from Fentanyl.  It is a brutal drug to get off.  My doctors didn't want me to come off.  I was on 75 mcg ever 48 hours and also had 45mg of oxycodone ever 4hours,and 90 mg.Cymbalta,10mg Ambien, 1 mg Ativan.  I also had been on oxycontin, morphine both er and ir and probably more.

I tapered off the Fentanyl and it was hell. I can't imagine going CT off it.  It took me a year to taper off all they had me on and I was in mild to moderate withdrawal the entire time.  Is there any way you can get your doctor to put you on a different narcotic and then taper from that?  It's still not easy but will be much easier than what you're going through.

Fentanyl stores in your fat cells and takes a long time to get off.  Personally,Ithink it's a terrible drug and really should only be used in very severe cases and for end of life pain.

Check out the Thomas Recipe.There are some supplements you can get relief from some of them.  Hylands Restful Legs is fabulous. Also, Melatonin, Alleteril for sleep is a big help.  A huge help is to stay extremely hydrated, especially if you've been vomiting.  

Message me if you have any questions.  Best of luck.

[fent_ct_or_die]

Yeah bro... I went to sleep after I vented last night I passed out! It was AWESOME. I felt so much better.  Yeah I feel better now that I'm got some Z's!!!! Hell yeah. **** YOU FENTANYL!  You can't hold me

[DeliriousNomad68]

Way to go bro!! You have a great attitude , which WILL get you through this!

[fent_ct_or_die]

thank you so much for your post... Fentanyl really ISN'T no JOKE... For real. its living hell for sure... its like how close can u get to deat without actually dying??? detox from Fentanyl CT. lol. its a wild ride... my wife just informed me its actually been 11 days now. holy crap... i lost some time somewhere. whew eeee... today im shaky, bad back pain... heart still fast.. cant stand or sit up very long... i have been FORCING myself to walk and that helps i think. i went to bed after my walk and posted this... i was just SO exausted. i went to bed. slepts 5 or 6 hours of solid deep sleep!!!! OMG... it helped so so much. drove to starbucks and got my first cup of coffee in 10 days or so and was able to even drink it!! (normal day i make espresso 3 or 4 times a day. didnt get caffine head ache though which was interesting, but if there was one more bad pain i dont think id be typing this today) no matter how many times i brush my teeth i have the most god awful taste in my mouth. ***** but i can deal with that, anxiety level came down a LOT after good sleep. my wife says thank you because she has no idea what its like to be me right now and i dont even know any other REAL opiate addicts. i had nobody till i came here. i needed to hear that it IS possible to do this deal without it killing me or i deciding to kill myself. how tragic this is not even mentioned when perscribed to you. i would have told the doctor to shove that scriped up his ***!!! but hey.. i had read a few places that the patch was a bad withdrawal but short. failed to mention that was if smoked or the suckers for FAST acting!! lol... i feel retarded because i should have known better!! duh. i will keep you guys posted on my progress... are you stable on your taper right now?? if fent is stored in fat-cells i should be good... i lost em all the past 11 days of the strenous cardio exersise i was doing flopping on my couch. lol  good luck to you!! god speed

[fent_ct_or_die]

thank you. if you dont have the right mindset or it so wont work. im pretty strong but this broke me. i really did want to give up... im just glad i held on to my ***. i only kept throwing up the first couple days, and it was hell cause no food and dry heaving for like 10 min. it was very hard to not to pass out cause it was EXAUSTING. sweat was pouring off me like all pores turned on like water hoses. i was like o no!!!... not doing that again. then wife MADE me eat some watermellon the next day and omg... there it went again. so it sucked but i just didnt even TRY to eat again for a few days. but i didnt die i just almost lost 20 pounds as of today. i didnt have that much to lose. lol.  

[kme17]

I completely agree .. doc are giving this $hit out like candy!. Its beyond me whymore docs dont just come to sites like this n realize what they r doing! Pill mills. To me thats any PM doc. Did you see that poem on the soical forum? Swear if i was a doc id post it in every room of my building!

[sadness413]

i understand your anger but doctors perscribe  the pain meds just for that specific reason they do not give to anybody to get high...and people that have to be on them long time u eventually get hook the doctors do not have anything else to give for severe pain but narcotics what are they to do?there are alot of doctors that if they had something that could relive severe pain other then narcotic they would things are just so unfair...

[angeldust44]

hi there im on day 17 of my fentanyl patches withdrawal and i feel so much better than i did my first week or so , i have lost so many days and i went cold turkey, the RL was so bad i was up and down like a yoyo and i could not sleep i was so exhausted....i came off it as i nearly died on my birthday with acid inhalation and the like and woke up choking, i was rushed into hospital and i realised something had to change, i have severe ME and fibro pain is chronic but id rather put up with the pain than take another patch, i am left with brain fog and exhaustion at present and an underlying nervous feeling but its getting better, hang in there it does get better.... hot baths, thomas recipe and lots of bananas did it for me i have a great hubby and daughter who helped heaps... but coming off is not for the faint hearted or is going CT .... good luck and hang in there

[marycarmel]

The brain fog will go away.  I was on a lot of different narcotics for several chronic pain issues but Fentanyl caused me a lot of short-term memory loss.  I still haven't got it back to where it was before but it's much better.  Fibromyalgia shouldn't be  with Fentanyl (or really any narcotic.)  I've actually found the fibro is best controlled with certain exercises and diet.  Fentanyl is so hard to come off.  I never could have done it CT.