Stopping opiates & need to ask a question please

[bigalspal]

I'm coming off 2 months of Fentanyl & LOTS of Darvocet.
Luckly I only wore the 25 mg patch for one month & then the 50 mg patch for one month. But boy the withdrawals! And of course don't under estimate the loads of Darvocet I was taking for MONTHS before the Fentanyl.
My doc put me on the Fentanyl for 2 neck surgeries.
But I really feel the Fentanyl was KILLING me. I lost 19 pounds in 2 months I didn't need to. I look & feel horrible! I currently have 4 Darvocet left. I have cut those in half.
I really try to only take one every 7 to 8 hrs. I have no problem with Valium & have enough to see me through, although I realize I'll have to get off it soon too.
This is my 4 day tapering with the Darvocet & Valium.
NO FENTANYL since this Tuesday! Pretty proud of that.
BUT.. I can't seem to get the Valuim to help me sleep more than 2 or 3 hrs at a time! I'm female & weigh 116 pounds. Why is this happening???
How much more Valium can I safely take?
And does Fentanyl have a half life? Is it still in my system?
Man, I hope not!
I feel PRETTY OK. VERY restless! And as all we addicts know, 3am is very lonely! I'm afraid I'm awake for the night.
I have taken about 8 10 MG Valium already today & sleep 3 or 4 hrs & wake
up. Don't feel a bit sick from the Valium, just wide awake!
I WILL NEVER USE FENTANYL EVER AGAIN!!  My goal is to be off the Darvocet in the next day or so, or should I just go cold turkey? Can the taper I desighned work, or am i prolonging it? I HATE the insomnia.
Oh, I've been on a 2 yr run with the Darvocet taking 16 a day! Is my Darvocet taper too fast?
Thanks!
Bama

[bigalspal]

Hi,
I tell you friend, I CAN NOT go back to my doc! He's great, but he insists I'm in awful pain due to my xrays. When I told him what I wanted to do he freaked! Said I should then go to Methadone, Oxy's ect!  I have had an opiate addiction before & I was honest with him. Opiates & my body don't mix. I ALWAYS lose so much weight that I'm a size 4 now from a size 8 in just a few months. I look terrible & feel weak at this weight.
I hope I'm not encouraging overweight folks to try this method. PLEASE DON'T!
So, my doc gave me Valium BUT another narcotic sc ript! Can you believe it???
I told the Pharmacy NOT to fill it. So I think I'll just try & tough it out with support from you folks. As far as the Darvocet, READ about it. It mimics Methadone to a slight degree! I started on Darvocet years ago & had a terrible addiction!
Bigalspal

[CleanUpTime]

Yeah, NP. Feel free to keep posting.

You're doing great, keep it up!

[bigalspal]

Thanks so much for the reply.
It really helps to have friends that know what's up!
I really have been taking only a half a Darvocet for the last couple of days. After the couple of days of the Fentanyl WD's, that's pretty good.
I guess what I'm REALLY scared of is that the Fentanyl or Darvocet ( or both) will come back with a vengence after I jump off the taper. I have 4 (i think) half pills of Darvocet, so I'll be jumping off soon. OH, I take 10mg of Lexapro & it has keep the usual depression from WD at bay. It's just the insomnia & weakness left. So far.
bigalspal

[christos24]

yeah fentanly wd's can be a nasty one, pretty similar to oxycontin wds just way shorter, but every individual reacts differently to every drug and to wd symptoms experienced. the darvocet, i guess if you take it for a really really long time you would ge very minor wds, but the great majority of wds youare feeling is all due to the fentanyl. I dont understand why darvocet,darvon, etc is even prescribed. It is only a little bit stronger than tylenol or aspirin, literally. 100mgs of darvocet is equivalent to 650mgs of aspirin, so that right there kind of gives you a clear image of how damn weak darvocet really is. its crazy that it i still around, let alone taken, and a scheduled drug.even tramadol and codeine, which are both very weak opiates are way stronger than darvon. For the fentanyl patches and the wds, I would taper down slowly then explain to the doctors whats going on  and they will def. help you out, theyll most likely give you some clonidine, which is huge, it aids soo well with the hot-cold flashes, the sweats, restlessness, insomnia, muscle aches, and many more smymptoms. also some OTC meds will really help-Immodium AD for the diarrhea and some Maalox or something similar for stomach pains and nausea. fentanyl is strong, but very short acting, so the wds will only last about 5 days. you can definitely ge through it..at worst youll have a few days of some discomfort, think about it as a flu. takes some dextromethorphan, thats in all cold/flu medicines, that will reduce the opiate wds significantly and also takes so diphenyldramine (Benadryl).to get some sleep and lessen the wds. stick through it its definitely doable. stay strong and if you have any questions let me know-christos

[CleanUpTime]

Hi, I'm not too familiar with Fenanyl, but it seems like you have been off it for almost 1 week...if so, I'm assuming you should be ok...

have you tried any Sleep aids (OTC or prescribed)? I have a bottle of Ambien and that helps tremendously..

if you can go C/t off the Darvocet, try it...just save the 3-4 you have for when you REALLY need it...maybe try taking 1 per day...I know it's hard, but it might be the best solution...

good luck and congrats on deciding to kick the habit...keep posting

:)