fentanyl withdrawal misery.. HOW LONG?????

[j1959]

I am on my sixth day without any fentanyl at all.  I have been on it for almost 5 YEARS.  I had a terrible car accident in 2003 and have been on as much as 75 mcg. every 48 hours.  I have been tapering down since about March of this year, and did the "cut the patch" thing (with MYLAN only) on the 25's for about a month and got it down to about a third of a patch for about 2 weeks and then nothing.  I am miserable.  My doctor has been very cooperative, she gave me clonapin, neurontin, but I still cannot sleep due to the restless legs.  I have absolutely no energy, am extremely depressed, feel like every bone in my body is broken and I don't feel like I am getting better.  From reading in this forum and other places on the internet, it sounds pretty bleak, like it could go on for weeks and weeks!  Is there anything else that I can do???  THIS *****!  My pain is back (I had 2 disc fusions, a shoulder surgery and a broken leg) but I will never go back on opiods so help me God.

[Tuckamore]

Welcome to the Pain Management Forum at MedHelp. I am so very sorry you are experiencing such pain and withdrawal symptoms. We have a great substance abuse community can that help you with the withdrawal questions. My understanding it is this is a long miserable process. Fentanyl can be a monster, withdrawal nightmare and take months of recovery.

Being a Pain Mgt Forum Member I am concerned about your pain and how you will deal with it. There are other pain medications but all that are really effective in general are the opiates.  If you aren't already I would get into a good Pain Managment Clinic. They do offer alternatives to opiates.

Also you may want to try different meds if the neurotin and clonapin are not effective. However I havce heard that the withdrawal from Fentayl is just a long tough one with not a lot of effective meds to ease to discomforts to any great degree. Again I would chat on the substance abuse forum.

Best of luck to you. You are certainly brave to go this route. Please keep in touch we are here for you. Others will post with more information and suggestions.

Take Care, Tuck
  

[sandee1818]

Tuckamore has given you some good advice. I am sorry your going through such pain but there will be a time when it will get better, just look forward and remember that.
The SA community can help with your withdrawal symptoms and we are here for you concerning your pain control and will help and support you any way we can:)

[mmartabq]

You're in a very similar place to mine. My pain began in '94, and I have been on the patches since early '04, but my pain doc was forced out of prescribing by the state board which is still too opiophobic. Anyway, I was at 1400 mcg/hr (that's not a typo - I had 14 patches on), and had three months to get down to zero (nobody was going to keep me at that dose, especially after the board's action).

I actually did far better than I ever thought possible. By the first week of September (about three months later), I was down to about 75 mcg/hr, and having less pain in general than I had for some time (largely on account of a rigorous new exercise program). However, I was suddenly in the throes of withdrawal, at first masked by the effects of a tetanus vaccine I'd just had.

I backed up to where I had not had withdrawal and slowed my remaining taper, but continued to get withdrawal, just not so severe. I was fortunate that I still had enough extra patches to allow this, but I found I could not function without adding in some short-acting meds to curb the withdrawal. This only delays the process, I know, but I didn't see a need to suffer while I figured out a longer-term plan.

(continued)

[mmartabq]

Continued from previous post:

Finally got to my PCP, who already knew I was tapering, and he is quite willing to help me taper more slowly. He was quite impressed by my progress and very happy for me. After discussing the few alternatives, I chose to try continuing my taper with patches, since changes in dose have such a slow response, and he wrote a script for more of them. I now plan to go from 50 mcg/hr to 6.25 mcg/hr (by cutting the Mylan patches) in smaller and smaller steps over the next 36 days, with six days between each change.

I don't expect to escape withdrawal completely, but I want to at least not deal with it before I am even done tapering. I also hope that this very slow progression will allow my body to at least partially adjust to the absence of fentanyl, making the final ordeal less intense and shorter. I also have time to plan for this better, preparing my family and workplace for it.

What remains to be seen is how my very high dose levels before and long time taking opioids affects the ultimate withdrawal. I went through this before, when I had been taking methadone for my pain, and that was true hell. Coming from a much lower dose and tapering down for a month still left me with six weeks of withdrawal before I could even work part-time and much longer than that to feel normal. However, I understand that methadone is one of the worst in this regard, on account of it's naturally long elimination half-life.

I could offer advice on managing some of the symptoms (e.g., hot baths, lots of fluids, distraction, etc.), but as for how long it will take, I wish I could tell you. Maybe it's essentially over for you already - I hope so. I have heard anything from a few days to several weeks (or months in one case, which I take with a grain of salt). The only thing I can say for sure is that the first days or even week are the worst and things gradually get better after and will continue to do so.

[Mollyrae]

Hello. I am wondering, I have never heard of such a high dose of Fentanyl. My Doctor and I have discussed the amount allowed by a Doctor and that is way out of the ball park. It sounds to me like the board shut him down for over prescribing. Also, how did you afford it. Insurance Companys will not pay for that much. There limit is 28 Patches per month via the Federal Governmenrt. I know they are very expensive. Mine cost me $244.00 per 14 for a month supply. Just wondering..............
Mollyrae

[Mollyrae]

The last comment was to: mmartabq.....Sorry forgot to address it.

[extrmeski]

Fentanyl is horrible stuff to get off of!  Personally I did it but it is he11.  The flu like symptoms last 10-12 days, then after that the depression, lack of energy etc.. can last anywhere between 6 to 12 months.  

[Tuckamore]

Hello J1959,

I admire your conviction to never use opiates again. I am sure you have your reasons but again I worry about the return of your CP. I do not want to sound negative but I can't help but wonder why you would chose to live with severe disabling CP?

You have not posted since your initial question. Please let us know how you are doing. I've been wondering how you are coming along. Tuck

[Tuckamore]

I am very concerned about your post. Do I understand you to say that you are going to CUT the Fentanyl patch? Please tell me I misunderstood your post.

You should not cut the patch or puncture it because of the way it works. There is a gel inside the patch which contains the medication. The patch works using your body heat to give you the sustained dose per hour for 3 days. If you cut it or puncture it, the gel gets out and you get a huge dose all at once. It could easily end your life. It doesn't matter what brand, they work essentially the same way. The difference is that some have a little pocket in the middle where the gel is (you can see the gel in these), some have a layer of it in the middle of the patch that you can't see. No physician would ever tell you to cut a patch; they would give you a lower dosage.

Please no one should ever cut a sustained release patch, just as you would never chew or crush a slow released medication. This can be VERY dangerous.

Tuck

[extrmeski]

it depends on what kind of patch it is.  The Mylan mfg has one that is just coated and can be cut.  Some of the other mfgs use the gell filled ones which cannot be cut.  When  I was detoxing from fentanyl patches I had the Mylan ones and cut them all the time.

[jollyman069]

i am by no means know anything about the patch.. i do know of two ppl in my area that cut the patch and for some reason they OD ed.. like i said i know nothing about the patch except seems like it is dangerous

[Tuckamore]

Bless you Brian. I stand corrected...I am learning so much tonight. The Mylan is the only fentanyl patch that you may cut...I am sorry for this misinformation. Now as far as I can research the other fentanyl patches may not be cut. The ppl in your area that cut the patch most likely did not have the Mylan. I still say don't cut them unless you are directed to do so by your physician...They can mean a quick death,

Living and Learning Every Day, Tuck

[mmartabq]

There are no legal limits to prescribing much of anything, at least at the federal level. States can and sometimes do put strict, arbitrary limits on quantity for CII scripts, but that usually means filling them more often, they don't say anything about how high a dose you can take at a time. For example, in much of New England, there is a cap of 100 "units" for any CII script filled, so the most you could fill at one time was 100 tablets, capsules, patches, etc., but no restriction on how long that had to last - you could fill one every day if the situation required it.

The question of upper dose is nearly always up to the judgement of the prescriber. There are often administrative limits by insurance or whoever is paying (e.g., Medicare), though those most often are aimed at controlling costs more than they are concerned with therapeutic value. My insurance did indeed cover that, and being generic version, my co-pay was only $12. I work for a large enough company that they self-insure, so they make their own rules about coverage and hire an insurance company to simply handle all the claims and payments.

Coverage for stuff like this varies greatly from one company to another, and some of the most restrictive seem to be those that are government funded, such as Medicare. My current coverage has been changing, though.

A year ago, there was no limit of any kind on patches, Actiq or other things. I had no trouble filling scripts for hundreds of Actiq at a time, despite the incredible cost of the stuff. They were paying more than $20k a month for these meds, and never complained. This year, my company switched pharmacy benefit administration to another company and while they didn't restrict my patch use, they put an absolute limit of 4 Actiq a day, at one point claiming this was an FDA requirement. I knew this was not true, and they ultimately admitted that, but did not change their stance. All that is moot now that I am getting of the meds, but it goes to show how variable things can be.

Did that answer your question?

[mmartabq]

Sounds like you understand the patch cutting thing now. I would never cut the reservoir type, though I have seen research studies where they accomplished the same thing with that type by simply covering a portion of the patch's sticky side with Tegaderm tape to reduce the effective size. That way you don't have to cut them, but you can adjust the dose delivery - at least that's what they claimed.

As far as the Mylan style, the fentanyl is in a solid gel matrix, and the patches are manufactured by simply cutting them out of a sheet, so cutting them further should not be a problem. That said, nobody should be changing their meds or how they take them without consulting with the prescriber first

[mmartabq]

I forgot one part of what you said. The charge against my doc was "injudicious prescribing" which is a vague term without any official guidance behind it. I can say for certain that my case was not one of those used against her. I can also say that this really had little to do with what she did and a lot to do with a personality clash with a particular board member. She had been accused of similar things eight years ago when an ambitious asst. attorney general driving the case wouldn't let go of things he didn't understand, even after a great public uproar in her favor. That case was settled with the board and she had honored all aspects of the agreement including incredible levels of documentation and testing to assure compliance, effects of meds and need for them. I've never heard of any pain doc who was even close to her level of thoroughness (e.g., dose changes nearly always required a concurring second opinion).

Despite her diligence, the change in personnel on the state board was the problem. She honored all aspects of what they required, and the board had promised they would not interfere as long as she did. The new guy would not sit for this, though and made it his personal crusade to put her out of business. Since my doc nearly went bankrupt defending herself last time and had only just finished paying those expenses, she didn't think she could afford another battle and was coerced in to agreeing to no longer prescribe pain meds. She was not convicted of anything, and none of her patients had been harmed by her practices. In fact, she had a success rate of more than 70%, which most pain docs could never dream of achieving. This board was so callous that they at first wanted her to cut off her patients with no notice, and she had to fight to get a few months to help them taper off if they could not find another doc, as most could not on such short notice.

In short, she was not guilty of over-prescribing, and never got to defend herself against any such charge. Instead, she was railroaded into an agreement out of fear that not doing so would ruin her financially. She was the most understanding, compassionate doc I have known when it comes to pain, and pain patients in this entire region of the country will suffer for what has been done to her.

[Mollyrae]

I take into heart what you have said except for the Doctor in question. Socitey does not look kindly on Docs that prescribe in that amount, in retrospect...She was over prescribing with the Fentanyl and the Actiq. Remember, this is one of the strongest pain killers on the market. I don't know of even a Cancer Patient that would recieve that amount of Narcotic. Generally the Doctor will admit a person to the Hospital if Drugs of that magnitude are required.

May I ask...What kind of condition do you have to take that amount of Fentanyl?

Thank's, Molly

[mmartabq]

I must respectfully disagree with your position. While I acknowledge that this IS the way our society reacts right now, I do not agree that is necessarily the ethically and morally right way to treat such doctors. There is no magic number for doses of these medications, each patient needs to be evaluated and treated as an individual because there is such a wide range of responses to these medications.

I have multiple conditions, the oldest being cervical spondylosis, which became painful in '94 and manifests itself as constant, severe muscle spasms all over my upper back and shoulders, leaving those muscles in rock-hard knots that won't release. The other main problem is lower back and sciatic pain resulting from being rear-ended by a loaded semi on an icy highway in '07(were it not for the ice, I would certainly be dead).

The reason for my doses was not the specifc conditions, but the way my body responds to these meds. I have a naturally high tolerance (i.e., the first time I ever took pain meds the highest allowable dose barely worked), and my body, probably mostly my liver, is more efficient than most is adjusting to these meds, so I build tolerance VERY rapidly. I wish it were different, for it would mean a lot less explaining, suspicion and all-around hassle in treating my pain.

I didn't get to those doses overnight, and I tried all other applicable treatments, most of them multiple times, before even starting such meds. I ruined my stomach with all the NSAIDs I tried, and the only thing that ever worked well enough to allow me back to work was the opioids.

As for hospitalization, that is not at all true. Considering that I was able to function normally at these doses, there was no reason for me to be in a hospital. I am an engineer doing research in a high-security government facility, they know all about meds, tested me specifically for any impairment that might affect safety or judgement, and had no issue with me continuing to work and hold my security clearances. What would have been the point of being in the hospital, where it would be more likely they would simply take away my meds out of bias and ignorance than to help me (I know too many people to whom this happened).

(Continued - it won't let me post the whole thing)

[mmartabq]

(Continued from previous post)
There certainly are cases requiring a hospital setting to manage pain, but that is based on the complexity of the needs rather than the magnitude of dose. The rationale for hospitalization ought to be that a condition is so unstable, the source of the pain not understood and/or side effects so severe that the patient needs constant care and observation. If they are stable (go at least week without needing a dose change), the source of pain identified with no further interventions possible, their pain controlled well enough to minimally function and side effects not endangering them or interfering with basic functioning, then what would be accomplished by going to a hospital?

I don't expect you will change your mind about this, any more than I am likely to change mine. I know that yours is also the more common mindset, though I don't believe that makes it correct, in and of itself. These medications are no more dangerous when used properly than most medications, and far less dangerous than many that are handed out like so much candy or simply available OTC (Tylenol being an obvious one that has killed many, many unsuspecting people). Certainly they can be dangerous when misused, as can all prescription meds, which is why they require prescriptions to get them, so there is some assurance that they are being used for the right things adn in safe amounts (also, IMO, to help keep physicians in business, but that's a whole other topic).

[mmartabq]

(Still Continued)
I don't expect you will change your mind about this, any more than I am likely to change mine. I know that yours is also the more common mindset, though I don't believe that makes it correct, in and of itself. These medications are no more dangerous when used properly than most medications, and far less dangerous than many that are handed out like so much candy or simply available OTC (Tylenol being an obvious one that has killed many, many unsuspecting people). Certainly they can be dangerous when misused, as can all prescription meds, which is why they require prescriptions to get them, so there is some assurance that they are being used for the right things adn in safe amounts (also, IMO, to help keep physicians in business, but that's a whole other topic).

I will also not agree that my doctor was over-prescribing in my case. Over-prescribing means more than is necessary or safe to use (though doctors are not helped by state boards refusing to set any clear standards for this vague terms). That board knew every detail about her practice, and the results she got with her patients and had not issue with it, either, until a new person decided he knew better.

My dose was titrated up slowly and carefully over a period of years, and never using more than it took to bring my pain down, so it was never excessive in that sense. We tried every kind of alternative and adjunct treatment to keep that dose down, but there were simply no other choices, so this approach was necessary as the only means to get my functioning. My only major side effect was constipation, not a surprise, since tolerance is well known to apply to all the other side effects even faster than to pain relief.

I am glad to be off of the high doses, and even more glad to not have a huge spike in pain. At the time I saw this doc however, I could not reduce or eliminate my meds without having my pain go up so much that I could not function much (this had been tried a number of times), so there was no reason to believe that going down would have any benefit. Given those choices, her willingness to prescribe allowed me to have a mostly normal life that I was otherwise unable to have. That is why I don't believe it was over-prescribing.

Anyway, I'm nuking the dead horse here, by now, and I don't expect to change anyone's view. I think we will just have to agree that we disagree on this and move on.

[Mollyrae]

Thank you for your dedicated response. I just want to tell you that I hope your pain situation improves in the future. It is no fun to have to live that way.

Take care and good luck with everything :-)
Sincerely, Mollyrae

[mmartabq]

Thank you for your kind wishes. I am about to start yet another round of RF nerve ablation attempts to control at least some of the pain. That's always been a scary and sometimes very painful procedure, but it also remains my best hope. After all of that which can be done is done, I'll likely be getting a pump implanted, but that's a ways off, as the whole nerve block, RF procedure routine goes slowly, and I have to finish getting off these meds first, anyhow.

I wish you well, also, with your pain.

John

[SHELLBELL79]

If you need any additional help with Fentanyl w/d just Private Message me! I detoxed off 150mcg of the Fentanyl patch a little over 2 months ago! Its was hell. Thank god I had some people here that had detoxed off of it too. Fentanyl has its own psycho side effects. Its 80 to 100 times stronger than morphine and stronger than herion. I did not find out any of these things ti'll after I was detoxing.I had a really hard time! I know its rough! This place and these people helped me stay sane!
Your doing great, especially on day 6. I wrote my first post on my 7th day...its called my 7th day of hell. I have been in a tremendous amount of pain lately and am finally getting my second readio frequency procedure which helps with my pain but is a very painful procedure. There are so many crazy symptoms with fentanyl w/d. Just let me know if you need me!
Jacqui805 and emtrmeski both detoxed of fentanyl too and they were there for me.

[mmartabq]

I don't believe the potency of fentanyl has anything to do with how bad withdrawal is. This is partly because the doses of fentanyl are typically scaled down to account for how potent it is. This is the whole reason fentayl is measured in micrograms rather than milligrams. I can also say from firsthand experience that withdrawal from other opioids is just as bad, sometimes worse. I think methadone is one of the worst on account of how long it lasts - it took me six weeks after a slow taper from only a moderate dose to even begin feeling human again. All opioid withdrawals are horrible experiences.

OTOH, I have noticed some differences with fentanyl withdrawal, too. In particular, the restlessness and sneezing were things I don't recall from past experience, though all the rest of the symptoms have been all too familiar.

I sure know what you mean about the RF procedures. I haven't had the courage to try again since an excruciating experience in '03, but I will soon be trying again. Best of luck with yours.

John

[kjerstine]

I have been on fentanyl 3 years 100 patch changed every48 hrs after my last surgery i felt I didn't need it anymore my dr thought it was a good idea to wean myself I am now down to 25 every 3 days but the only thing that took the edge off was vailium next will be 12.5 and I am done I never had withdrawals like that. The vailium really works better the methadone,,,.........Best whishes Kjeristine

[mmartabq]

Maybe it's just that I am tapering from much higher doses than yours, but Valium has not had any benefit for me. I had hoped it would at least let me sleep, but I took 10 mg and could tell no difference. Before this, 5 mg would have put me out easily, and lasted for far too long than was convenient if I expected to get out of bed the next day. Glad to hear it works for somebody, though.

The thing that gets me concerned is what even the most mild withdrawal does to my BP and pulse. Even at rest, my pulse is at least 90 bpm, and my BP is in the 150/85 range, which is quite high for me. No doubt this plays a big part in my fatigue. This wouldn't surprise me if I were in full-blown withdrawal, but it is happening even now, while I am skirting the margins of outright withdrawal as I get close to the end.

I am now down to 37.5 mcg/hr, and will step down to 25 mcg/hr in two days. At that point, I'll take smaller, slower steps down, with my target for going to zero on Nov. 1, so I can have a decent Halloween with my boys before I descend into my personal hell. It bothers me that even with very careful, slow tapering, I still need some supplemental oxycodone to prevent definite withdrawal. My body does not want to adjust much without being in full withdrawal, it seems, but we'll see.

John

[kate886]

I don't think it has been a year yet, I have been on 50mg fentanyl patch. You guys are scaring the hell out of me. I am 55 and have suffered with back pain for a number of years. I also have fibromyalga (fibromyalgia).  
My son is 22 and gas has been a user and abuser of Oxcotin 30mg soma and valium to what extent who knows. For years first becaususe of friends and then because he has a 3 hurniated disks bad, and this has just come to light. We have been trying to get him to get clean and I have gotten him to go to detox where they have perscribed him Saboxone. While looking for a site to help him I have come across this helpful site. When i saw how bad of a time he was having kicking his habit I strted thinking do i really need to be taking what I'm taking? I do not have a adictive personality and am very strong willed.  Since I haven't been taking tha patch for that long a period of time what do you think. I use one 50 patch every other day and I have noticed it doesn't seem to be working as well as it used to. A metter of fact when i mentioned to my doctor that I would have him wean me off the stuff before I increased the dosage his coment to me was " you won't like me very much" I wasn't sure what he mean. Aftyer reading all these post I now understand all to clearly. My husband is not a very understanding person either. Will the suboxone work for me or not with the  fentanyl patch. Does anyone know. One thing I do know is that you have to be in W/D before you can use the suboxone I read here somehwere that with fentanyl  Subutex is a better choice. Does anyone know for sure. Isn't their any way for mylan to help with this problem? It is horrible that just because you try a drug to see if indead it will help you with the pain you are a user forever. This reall creeps me out. I have insurance and I'm sure it will be a covered expense but I have no idea about withdraw. I don't want to feel as bad as I felt before the fentanyl. At least I can put in a productive day on it. What price do you put on freedom from drug use. I want to be free I rather be with the pain I had then be a addict the rest of my life. I have  3 sons and 4 grandchildren that I want to see graduate get married and all the sweet thing in life. I don't see that happeneng if I don't get off these. I never thought much about it until I started reading the posts on this site.

[Babs1469]

THANK YOU ALL That was one of the most open and honest back and forth's I've read here in a while and it is GREAT that we can dissagree but not get petty about it but stay open to the posibility to other types of thought. I learned a lot about not only withdrawl from medication but also about the enormous respect I have for each and every one of you who had been able to succsessfully get off certain medications. You guys are my hero!! I would love to one day be narcotic free but fear that the pain is too much for that to be a posibility. However, I do hope to never have to increase my dosage ( doubtful but who knows!)

Thank you all again for the wonderful, informative, passionate read. I love that everyone believes so much in what they say, and are so selfless as to share it with strangers to maybe benefit them. Awsome!!!!!

[Jarileigh]

Firstly I must say that I am sorry for your pain and the insane situation with your physician. I must say I was infuriated when I read what you and your physician have been through. PM is the ONLY branch of medicine that is not ruled by science, but by government! People who have no scientific background and know nothing of PM or medicine making decisions that affect patients and the doctors who treat who treat them!!!!!!! This is SO WRONG! I agree with everything you said 100% and I just wanted to let you know (if you don't already) that there is a non-profit organization with attorneys at work at this moment to change some of these nonsense laws and rules that allow people into a branch of medicine who would never be allowed in any other branch of medicine.....WHY? You tell me? Public perception of the situation is no better and adds to the problem! Again, I am deeply sorry for the disgraceful way in which you and your physician were treated. PRN,  Pain Relief Network, is comprised of physicians, lawyers, PP's, etc and I hope that they will be making significant changes soon. Check out their website for additional info. Best of luck to you!

[Mollyrae]

This is an old post... Kate...Please start a new thread, you will get better response.

Please take care,
Molly

[michcul]

Hi, I was looking for information on how long it would take for withdrawal symptoms from fentanyl to disappear, and I came across this blog.
I began taking the patch approximately 1 month ago, and had to stop suddenly due to a bad reaction to a dosage increase. The things I was experiencing were awful, and being a new inductee into pain management, fentanyl was my first experience.
I am a Christian, and have a strong faith in Jesus Christ, and as I was going through these symptoms, I called on the Lord alot during this time. I wanted to share this with you all to give you hope; the Bible says,Psalm 18:3
"I will call upon the LORD, who is worthy to be praised;So shall I be saved from my enemies." Also, John 8:36 (New King James Version)
36 Therefore if the Son makes you free, you shall be free indeed.Call on Jesus and He will set you free. I will be praying for you. Jesus set me free from these symptoms and He will do the same for all who call on Him.What He does for one, He will do for all.  God Bless you all!

[Blackhawk93]

I am a new member who is about to start withdrawing from 125 mcg's of fentanyl and 30 mg's x5 daily of oxycodone IR. These posts have got me very concerned as I have been through withdrawal before with hydro, but never the fentanyl. I am becoming a little worried that being alone at home while my wife is at work is going to challenge my belief's and inner strength. My wife is a Critical Care Nurse and I am a war vet and was a Corpsman when injured in 93. I hope once I start down this path in a few weeks I will be able to reach out to you all. Also my best wishes and prayers are with you all and especially those of you in this post, which I literally found by googling fentanyl withdrawal help. God Bless

[TrayCee]

you should check the substance abuse forum regarding withdrawal

[Mollyrae]

Hi Blackhawk:

I would strongly urge you to have someone there with you when detoxing off of Fentanyl. It is a powerful drug...80x that of Morphine as you must know. Your body might not handle the change very well so with that I hope that you will enlist the help of your wife.

The Substance Abuse forum may give you advise but they are not the ones detoxing...you are. Please either have someone with you or talk with a Doctor first.

I use the Patch myself and know that it's nothing to fool with especially detixing off of it. Please listen to me.

Take care and be safe,
Mollyrae

[drewg350]

I was on the duragesic patch, everything from 25 up to 150 mcg, and in my opinion, there is no worse withdrawal than from this narcotic. My doctor had me on this for over 3 years, and I felt this medication worked very well. I was originally on all the "pills", including oxy's, however I was so afraid of getting hooked so I asked my doctor to put me on the Duragesic patch. I never "cut" them, but I did sometimes put a patch on early. I found that the recommended 72 hour dosing did not work for me. I had to go with 48 hour dosing. Anyway, after my operation, my doctor tapered me down to 25 mcg which I was able to do rather quickly. But my doctor told me 25 mcg was the lowest dose, so when I got down to this, he made me stop completely. My doctor was a general practitioner, NOT a pain specialist, and he told me "I just have to deal with the withdrawal's, it will go away within a few weeks". I'm telling you, I was on the verge of suicide!!!! I went to the emergency room as I was so sick--no help. My wife was so afraid (and rightfully so) I would kill myself, she called and got me in to a "subutex" program. This was a life saver for me!!! I don't know what the right way of tapering off of Fentanyl is, but I don't recommend going cold turkey. If you can do it, I'm absolutely in awe. The withdrawal for me was like nothing I ever experienced. I would advise trying a "subutex/suboxone" program if you really need to come off the patch.

[Blackhawk93]

Thanks to all of you for your kind words and advice. I am in a position where I really have no choice to come off the meds. being in the field of medicine for most of my life has allowed me to understand what it is I will be going through, but again that is so different when viewed from the other side versus dealing with it yourself. I am worried about what will happen to me. I have been out of work for a year, and my wife is working 3 jobs as a nurse right now to keep our heads above water. I am afraid of what I might do when this hits me full blown. I am due to run out in a week from today and I am extremely frightened. I have no family to keep tabs on me while my wife is gone. I have gotten the guns out of my house, but Im very creative. I would NEVER harm myself for anything, but I also know how terrible you feel when detoxing off this stuff and when your in that psychological state you dont really know WHAT you will do or are capable of. Im just as frightened of the wd as I am of wondering what desperate effects this might put me through when it hits me. My Dr. has retired, and no one will pick up what he was doing for me, despite his authoring of 4 books on Pain Management. I resent him for basically abandoning me, as I see it, and I dont have the money to go through a detox program or one of the fast detox procedures. I was wrongfully terminated from my civilian job, not due to the medicine at all, and my hearing to get my job back is in 2 months, when I will be in the throes of wd. There will be no way i will be able to be there, and my back pay alone will be 75,000.00, plus being reinstated. I feel I am at a loss of what to do and coming to the end of my rope. All I can do is pray and try to get through this the best  can. I will be needing all the support I can get so if you guys see me on here at least say a prayer for me. I doubt I will be feeling like even picking up the computer much less myself, but its something  I have to do. I wish everyone on here who's going through this all the best and believe me, I understand where you all are coming from. Withdrawal from opiates is the most horrible feeling in the world. Mat God bless all of you.