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Having Problems With Opiates?
I've been on the fentanyl transdermal patch 100 mcg/hr patches every changed every 72 hrs for approximately 15 years now. I started tapering-off by 12 mcg/hr for two months now & down to 75 mcg/hr of fentanyl. With all the "horror stories" out there I have to admit I was "scared-to-death" about making this attempt but in reality it hasn't been that bad. The worse thing is the constant uncontrolled diarrhea but generic Amodium AD helps with that. I'm very surprised that I'm not in a hospital with all those stories out there! I've had Reflex Sympathetic Dystrophy Syndrome (RSDS) for over 20+ years now with constant neuropathic pain which responds well to neurontin. I don't know how I ever got on these darned opiates fentanyl & vicoden. I've had angry outbursts that I attributed to the chronic pain but now believe it's due to the opiates! They put me on Respiderone, an anti-psychotic medication, for the angry outburst. I now hear that Parkinson's Syndrome is a side-effect of this medication. So that's next on my list to get off of. For those thinking about reducing/eliminating opiates please let me know what your going through? Also know there is hope!
I was on opiates for 20+ years & I was in a "fog" the whole time. I have neuropathic pain from RSDS which responds well to neurontin. I don't know how the doctors started me on opiates, such as: morphine at one point, OxyContin the next, for the last 15+ years fentanyl 100 mcg/hr for 72 hrs in a patch form and Vicodin 10-325 2 tabs every 6 hrs. Well I'm off all of the opiates now & feel as though the "fogs" been lifted. Yes I have pain but I'm clear-headed for the first time in decades. Everyone's pain condition is different as we are as individuals, so this has just been my experience! The "ANGRY" outburst really put a huge strain on my marriage and I believe it was due to the opiates, in my humble opinion. But thank "The Lord", my spouse has stood by my side throughout this ordeal, quite a woman especially with the divorce rates in this country now-a-days. I'd literally be lost without her!
i have been trying to find out info about brain fog and fentanyl and i am seeing things where it can cause adrenal fatigue, etc. scary. i also have severe ADD. i have had it my entire life. spent 16 yrs going to college and have a 2 yr degree. i have to read it (probably 50 times. i get to the middle of the page and find i have been thinking about something else, so i have to re read it), write EVERYTHING down on index cards and use them like flash cards and i have to say it out loud. it is a million times worse on fentanyl. i have a doctor appt on wed and may just say take me off opiates. i go days without taking the percs so i think i will be ok. this is not living. i am a sheet on my bed right now
All I can say for myself is that for the first time in 20+ years I'm aware of my surroundings again. I'm living again with pain yes, but I'm living again. I'm interacting with my spouse who's stuck by my side and with my adult girls, both college educated. One with dual undergraduate degrees in Mathematics & Science both: "Summa *** Laude". And the other just received her Master's degree in psychotherapy, specializing in traumatized victims! I know there is a God in heaven and "The Lord" was by my side while tapering-off the opiates & has been all my life.
I have neuropathic pain so I take neurontin for that with my RSDS. But I truly believe the "ANGER" is on the opiates. What do they say about your kids? Are they having behavior changes?
I felt I was in a fog with fentanyl & vicoden! Yes chronic pain is most often associated with depression, me too!
**dont know what just happened there!!
Anyways, when I started seeing my current dr is when I was switched to the patch. I felt like the patch was a lifesaver when I first started taking it. For about four months I felt very little pain in my stomach but what was even better was that I couldn't tell I was in any kind if pain medicine. I didn't and still to this day have never felt any sort of high from the patch. However, after four months of being on the patch I woke up one morning and the pain was back about 40% and I started dropping weight. That was about 5 months ago now and currently I weigh 88 pounds(started at 115-120)) and my pain is back up to about 75% on average. I haven't heard of most of the medications you mentioned but what I do know is that I don't have a whole lot of interest in going back to any sort of pill. Constipation is a big problem for me and pills make it a heck of a lot worse than the patch. I am even now trying to make my patches last 72 instead of 48 hrs because the more I read about these patches the more worried I get! The anger only started about 3 months ago but i will start documenting it and bringing it up to my dr. Again I appreciate your feedback!!
Anyways, when I started seeing my current dr is when I was switched to the patch. I felt like the patch was a lifesaver when I first started taking it. For about four months I felt very little pain in my stomach but what was even better was that I couldn't tell I was in any kind if pain medicine. I didn't and still to this day have never felt any sort of high from the patch. However, after four months of being on the patch I woke up one morning and the pain was back about 40% and I started dropping weight. That was about 5 months ago now and currently I weigh 88 pounds(started at 115-120)) and my pain is back up to about 75% on average. I haven't heard of most of the medications you mentioned but what I do know is that I don't have a whole lot of interest in going back to any sort of pill. Constipation is a big problem for me and pills make it a heck of a lot worse than the patch. I am even now trying to make my patches last 72 instead of 48 hrs because the more I read about these patches the more worried I get! The anger only started about 3 months ago but i will start documenting it and bringing it up to my dr. Again I appreciate your feedback!!
I do appreciate you responding to my questions. Over the years I have been prescribed pain pills (over the years and before I was pit on the patch I was prescribed over 150 10mg Percocets and 90 10mg morphine by another pain management dr and when I saw my current dr is when
When pain affects our life, we are forced to choose between the disability of pain, and the disability of pain medication.
I've been using opiate-based pain medications for 35 years, and have been on high doses of opiates daily for over 20 years. I also live with severe spine disease -- bad discs, facet joints, moderate-severe cervical and lumbar stenosis, loss of cervical curve, and mild lumbar scoliosis. These conditions give me muscle spasms in the neck, shoulder, and back. When I walk, I do my famous imitation of the leaning Tower of Pisa.
I'm not sure where I'd be without medication. Over the past 5 years, I've been getting frustrated with medication, and have at times, weaned down my doses, and a couple of times, tried to quit altogether.
Everytime, I've had to return to the medications because the pain is just too severe.
So, my attitude about pain meds has changed. First, I'm not married to any one forumulation. I've tried all of the big guns -- oxycodone, morphine, hydromorphone, fentanyl, and methadone. If we used diamorphine in this country, I'd have tried that too. (Diamorphine is used for severe pain in many countries -- on the street, it's called heroin.)
What I've been doing for a few years now is to rotate from one opiate to another when I begin to experience opiate tolerance. Instead of increasing my dose, I ask my doctor to rotate from one long-acting opiate to another.
I've managed to keep my daily dose to under 200mg/morphine equivalent this way.
With fentanyl, it does take a few months to get used to the dose. Stick with them at least 3-4 months. The anger side effect, well I've not heard that before. I'd ask you to document this response -- write down when it happens, how long it lasts, and when you had your last patch change. Try to describe your anger feelings, and present this "anger log" to your pain doc on your next visit. The closest side effect I see (from the PDR) is "mood changes" but that's a far cry from anger. Document and talk with your doc.
The patch is nice in that you can place it and forget about medicating for 48-72 hours. However, there are other alternatives. Long acting morphine, Exalgo (if you're insured), Oxycontin (also for the insured), and Opana ER are alternates you can explore with your doc. Nucynta is another choice you might explore.
I've been using opiate-based pain medications for 35 years, and have been on high doses of opiates daily for over 20 years. I also live with severe spine disease -- bad discs, facet joints, moderate-severe cervical and lumbar stenosis, loss of cervical curve, and mild lumbar scoliosis. These conditions give me muscle spasms in the neck, shoulder, and back. When I walk, I do my famous imitation of the leaning Tower of Pisa.
I'm not sure where I'd be without medication. Over the past 5 years, I've been getting frustrated with medication, and have at times, weaned down my doses, and a couple of times, tried to quit altogether.
Everytime, I've had to return to the medications because the pain is just too severe.
So, my attitude about pain meds has changed. First, I'm not married to any one forumulation. I've tried all of the big guns -- oxycodone, morphine, hydromorphone, fentanyl, and methadone. If we used diamorphine in this country, I'd have tried that too. (Diamorphine is used for severe pain in many countries -- on the street, it's called heroin.)
What I've been doing for a few years now is to rotate from one opiate to another when I begin to experience opiate tolerance. Instead of increasing my dose, I ask my doctor to rotate from one long-acting opiate to another.
I've managed to keep my daily dose to under 200mg/morphine equivalent this way.
With fentanyl, it does take a few months to get used to the dose. Stick with them at least 3-4 months. The anger side effect, well I've not heard that before. I'd ask you to document this response -- write down when it happens, how long it lasts, and when you had your last patch change. Try to describe your anger feelings, and present this "anger log" to your pain doc on your next visit. The closest side effect I see (from the PDR) is "mood changes" but that's a far cry from anger. Document and talk with your doc.
The patch is nice in that you can place it and forget about medicating for 48-72 hours. However, there are other alternatives. Long acting morphine, Exalgo (if you're insured), Oxycontin (also for the insured), and Opana ER are alternates you can explore with your doc. Nucynta is another choice you might explore.
Hello! I am on 100-150mg fentanyl every 48hrs. My doc tried to up my script about 4 months back to 150 but my insurance will only pay for 15 patches a month, so I have to cut my patches and increase as needed and sometimes have to refill after 21 days. I also have been noticing bursts of anger that are uncontrollable. I feel like this anger has taken over my body and I have to just wait about ten minutes for it to leave my body. Haven't ever experienced anger like this and have started thinking it's due to the patches. I have pain in my abdominal area and have lost weight and I am unable to gain any weight back so I stay between 88 and 93 lbs and am also starting to think that maybe 150 mg is Way to much for how small I am? I an seeing different doctors every week basically to try and figure out what's going in with me so that I can get the hell if these patches but I am so nervous and scared to get off of them and have to go through what other people have had to. I dealt with my pain for a long time without looking to pain meds for help but a couple years back my pain got to a point where it took over my life completely and I wasn't able to get out of bed anymore or work or take care of my child. I'm so confused as to what to do about these darn patches.
thank you for sharing this because I too am on the patch (50 mcg) every 48 hrs and I refuse to go up in dosage and feared coming off of them because of the horror stories. that kind of leads me to anticipate having severe withdrawal. knowing that not everyone has them eases my mind A LOT. i have NO ENERGY at all since being on the patch and want off of it instead of having to take other medications for the side effects. anti depressant and going to ask for provigil or something for energy. maybe i will just ask to be switched to something else.
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