Severe Fentanyl Withdrawal

[aakh87]

My husband is on the 100mcg fentanyl patch and has been (on various doses) for 3 years now, he is going through something terrible, we are constantly in the ER because he has withdrawal WHILE WEARING THE PATCH. Recently his doctor decided that he might get in trouble for what he's doing to my husband and cut him off cold turkey. My husband was throwing himself around screaming and moaning, blacking out for a moment and then back to the moaning and throwing himself around again, and i dont mean restless tossing Im horrified hes going to hurt himself or worse. We went to the Er on Thursday morning, they gave him oxycontin 20 mg every 12 hours and sent him home, They were gone within a day and a half, should have been a 5 day script, we ended up back in the ER, laast night, by ambulance this time because he couldnt stand it and was throwing himself around again. They gave him 3 patches to last until Thursday, which is a nice thought but they never last him the full 2 days. He is on the second one already, I am honestly in fear for his life the hospital told him not to come back because they wont give him anything else, while he was in there last night for 7 hours before they gave him the patch, again moaning and throwing himself around, they screamed at him to "knock it off" before he woke their other patients. I dont know what to do anymore, I love this man so much and I am so afraid for him. He is a good guy, not  a common street junkie, the doctor told him that he "might have a little trouble getting off" when my husband asked, he never wanted this med. We cant afford suboxone and I think that going cold turkey, the withdrawal will kill him. I just really need another health care professionals advice on this. Please help us.

[fortifier]

I've worked in an Emergency Dept for years and have experienced similar cases of various attempts a drug seeking. I'm sorry but what it seems we have here is your standard "Addiction/withdrawal/attentional seeking-staus dramaticus/behavioural symptoms....with a large dose of "Enabling" on your part. Did i miss what the original reason your husband was put on Fentanyl for in the first place?....I believe one of the reasons your husband does his attention tantrum is that he now has a witness (you)whom he uses to tell the hospital Md's what they've witnessed. Its cunning but that unfortunately is how the addict works.You need to back off and stop enabling your husband.When someone you care for develops a substance use disorder, there is a natural tendency to take responsibility for him or her, to try to fix them. Unfortunately, when you do that, they are less likely to take responsibility for themselves. Only when the addict is allowed to experience the discomfort and the negative consequences of their drug use will they do what only they are able to do - get help to change their behaviour.Nobody sets out to get addicted. When it happens it may mimic psychiatric problems, such as depression, anxiety, or stress. Eventually the real problem becomes obvious. Obvious to everyone, that is, except the person with the addiction. The most important thing you can do if someone you care for is addicted is to detach, stop enabling, get healthy yourself, and allow them to feel the consequences of their behaviour. If, however, you do these things and it still doesn't work, there is a process called intervention. How do i know? I am an addict...clean for 12 yrs. You have a lot of caring suggestions from people, but lets first get your husband into a detox center to counter his withdrawal....than a addiction treatment facility 21-28 days where he will have a clearer head to understand his  addictions...I could almost guarantee when he comes out..you will see the bright shiny eyed husband you once knew...Good luck to you and your loved one...P.S. i know i sound uncaring right now...but if you do the steps i just mentioned...you will know and understand hopefully my rationale....Good luck  : )   Stan

[IBKleen]

Hi,

I am sorry you are going through this. I have to ask, has your husband ever gone any length of time without the medication? I ask that to see if what he is experiencing is rebound pain and the only way to know is to stop the medication. He cannot continue like this as his body will continue to build a tolerance and soon nothing will help him.

I also wanted to let you know you arrived in an old post. If you go to the top of this page and hit the green Post A Question button you can start your own thread. That way we are able to follow you easier. If you need help, just ask.

[mrsblankenship1469]

I want to thank everyone for their posts. My husband has been on the patches(75mcg's) for over a year now. I cannot tell you all how sick i am of the withdrawls! Every month, for over a year! His step mother shot him in the back with a .357 and caused severe internal damage including irreversibly damaging half the sacral nerve bundle. My husband keeps looking to me for advice on this medicine. Which i do not have much, since I have never been on it. My heart goes out to all of you, I watch what you go through everyday. There is some great advice posted here. My husbands main concern is being on this drug for the rest of his life due to the nerve damage. The doctor has spoken with him about localized injections, but that makes me very nervous. As i have heard all kinds of horror stories about the things that CAN go wrong. I have to tell you that I love this man more than i can find words for, but I am SO sick of watching him go through withdrawls that I want to rip my own hair out! I don't have alot of money and we are on the medical card. if he runs out early because one falls off,  we all know that is a BIG problem. The medical card will not cover another script until the current one has run out. My life has been filled with E.R. visits and moaning, writhing, restlessness. I feel horrible because there is nothing I can do to fix this. I just am as supportive as i can be and tell him it will be o.k. THIS IS KILLING ME! Is there another drug out there that they use for nerve damage that is just as effective without the addiction? PLEASE HELP!!

[mrsblankenship1469]

I want to thank everyone for their posts. My husband has been on the patches(75mcg's) for over a year now. I cannot tell you all how sick i am of the withdrawls! Every month, for over a year! His step mother shot him in the back with a .357 and caused severe internal damage including irreversibly damaging half the sacral nerve bundle. My husband keeps looking to me for advice on this medicine. Which i do not have much, since I have never been on it. My heart goes out to all of you, I watch what you go through everyday. There is some great advice posted here. My husbands main concern is being on this drug for the rest of his life due to the nerve damage. The doctor has spoken with him about localized injections, but that makes me very nervous. As i have heard all kinds of horror stories about the things that CAN go wrong. I have to tell you that I love this man more than i can find words for, but I am SO sick of watching him go through withdrawls that I want to rip my own hair out! I don't have alot of money and we are on the medical card. if he runs out early because one falls off,  we all know that is a BIG problem. The medical card will not cover another script until the current one has run out. My life has been filled with E.R. visits and moaning, writhing, restlessness. I feel horrible because there is nothing I can do to fix this. I just am as supportive as i can be and tell him it will be o.k. THIS IS KILLING ME! Is there another drug out there that they use for nerve damage that is just as effective without the addiction? PLEASE HELP!!

[gay30]

Hi, I am so sympathetic to hear there must be irresponible Drs out there. No way did my Pain Specialist and GP withdraw me cold turkey, it took months of slowly taking mgs off. With use of all size patches until I had the lowest dose on. And each dose was kept there for a number of weeks before lessening again. This has been the same for any medication I take, even when I change around my Epilepsy medication.

Take care everyone and I wish you all the best.
Gay

[Davidatp]

Thanks to everybody for their comments. I just went through the weaning process to get off Fentanyl 200micros/hr. It's taken about a month. I've had some sleeplessness and the restless feet/legs/hands stuff. I've found that walking and drinking lots of water and also st johns wart and Ibuprofen have both helped me a little bit. I'm into my fourth day without any Fentanyl and the withdrawals seem to be diminishing. Hang in there everybody...
David