Trying to taper

[curryq]

I have been suffering from chronic pain for almost3 years now......  In the last 1-1/2 years however, it has become almost unmanageable, so as my Dr continued to try to get me out of this pain, I found myself going through the list of narcotics until I ended up on 100mg of Fentanyl every two days, and taking Norcos two at a time!!!!!!!!  My life as I knew it is gone now, and I just want it back so I decided I was going to taper myself down off the Fentanyl and am now on my last 25mg patch, but taking more and more Norcos!!!!!!!!  They don't seem to help the pain much, but the restlessness, the saddness, the emotional rollar coaster, they do seem to hep, but then what????????????  How long do I have to continue to be awake at night, suffering from restless leg, muscle spasms, crazy thinking, complete lack of motivation or desire, tiredness, or really laziness??????  I wanted to get off of all this so I could be normal, even if I had to hurt everyday, but now I just don't know, it seems like it will never end?????

[1eagle]

I won't start one upmanship here, but you aren't the largest habit to come down the pike...I wouldn't even look at a patch unless it was a forty and I disassembled them to eat/lick the goo for immediatte release. - and I was gulpin' 6 and more #10 norco's at once - many times daily.to give the fentanyl a boost...You don't say what your pain is derived from...I too have very legitimate pain, but that was a  convenient an excuse to use so many narcotics....and your right, after doing them like that the norcos won't be very good for pain for awhile....and it will seem as if it will never end - and then if you stick with the abstinence, you will find that sooner or later Advil actually work!!!  I had almost 2 1/2 weeks of nasty sick withdrawal. I also need to add that my habit started during the Vietnam era - kept it going about 40 years bud....You can do this, though - I did.  Take benadryl for sleep. Take hot baths/showers. Try to keep busy. Read a book. Ride a bike.Take a long walk.  Study drug withdrawal. Study drug addiction. Maybe find some benzo's (valium,ativan,zanax, librium,lorazepam) to take the edge off immediately. Be careful with them, they are too much fun also. Try immodium if you have bowel problems. Prilosec if the stomachs in trouble. I liked yogurt type smoothy shakes. Stay busy so you don't think of it as much. REMEMBER - if you use the pills to feel good again for awhile, it will only be a temporary feel good and the withdrawals that you fear will return with a vengeance that you never knew before. I musta quit a dozen times before i found this site...best of luck to you and keep us posted on this site...we are with you brother

[upmcmd]

i suggest you try suboxone. fent w/ds are hell, they dont last as long but they are MORE INTENSE THAN ANY OTHER OPIATE INCLUDING HEROIN. cause its so powerful and short acting. please go to naabt DOT org and get on the dr pt locator. ur going to go thru hell if u dont. and u have to be honest with urself, i use to have cp too, and every time i tried to "taper" it never ever worked. it was a joke for me, thats just for me. i dont know hwo u see it . but try the bupe.