Hi and welcome! IMO, your dr is outta his everlovin mind if he thinks your not going to have withdrawals from these meds. Have you discussed with him your fears and concerns about going cold turkey?? If not, then I surely would, maybe he'd consider some sort of taper. But, if he still wants you to cold turkey it, I would suggest looking up the Thomas recipe. Some folks say it works, others not so much, just depends on the individual I guess.
Btw~ I'm so very sorry for what happened to you. Nobody deserves to have that happen to them. God bless...
He still gave you the fentanyl patch just not the pills? Wasn't clear on that
To Kristen:From what I read he's givin Her both. She said she's got 6 days left of meds and she's breaking Her pills in half to make them last!
to Lakota: this doesn't sound right?? You really need to talk to your doctor about tapering off your meds,especially the fentanyl! That's a lot of drugs just to say "no I'm cutting you off c/t". It is doable,and we will be here to help as much as possible! You really need to check out some N/A AA Meetings. You've been on this drugs a long time and your emotions have been through a roller coaster ride! I'm so so sorry to hear what happened to! I couldn't even imagine. Please stick around this site and like I said we will be here for you as much as humanly possible! <3 <3
What your doctor told you, in my humble opinion, is medical malpractice. I took 40 mgs a day of oxy, and when I stopped, I went through a LOT of withdrawals. Now I don't want you to panic. It wasn't life threatening, just very very yucky. But my doctor was there for me for support, supportive meds, and also to learn...because he too thought it "wouldn't be that bad." He know admits he was wrong.
Just to be clear: He DID refill the patches, but not the pills, right? Is he going to have you stay on the patches?
There is a huge move amongst the medical profession to get patients off pain meds...it's reactionary to the opiate epidemic sweeping this country and the world. And a lot of doctors are making knee-jerk decisions like this...as an physician, he took an oath to "first do no harm." I think he's violating that...
You need a plan to get off the meds besides just stopping them cold turkey. Again...I'd either find another doctor, or go back to this guy and take another run at seeing about a taper. Don't let him talk you into methadone...PLEASE. From what I've read on here, it is a horrible drug and worse to w/d from than opiates.
Good luck...we're here for you if you need support...
Thanks so much I need someone to talk to,yes he kept me on my patches but no more pills,he is new there and I am scared of being sick with this,I hurt every day of my life,the other Dr wanted to put a battery pack in me and I kept saying no.I am breaking my pills in half now but when they are gone I don't know what to do,I asked him twice are you sure I will not withdrawal he says you will be fine,remember he's fresh out of school,he wants to do a nerve block on my shoulder I will try anything if it will help but I have been on this medicine a long time and I have talked to pharmacist and other drs about this they say he should taper me off which is fine with me.Thanks to you all you just don't know how much it means to me to have someone to talk to about this.I haven't seen this Dr but one time and he just did it his own nurse said that wasn't right he should taper me off.idk may you all have a Blessed Day.
Yes he just gave me the fentanyl patches,I asked him twice about my pp.
Thanks hun appreciate it,I'm here for a reason I guess.
Yes he left me on the patches,the pills were for break thru pain is what the other Dr told me for the whole time I have been on them,it makes me so upset all these people getting stuff and selling them,I have never did that always passed my drug test and always have the correct amount.I'm just scared
Hopefully with you still being on the patch your withdrawals will be very mild. I'm so sorry your having to deal with this issue on top of everything else you've been through. Sending lots of prayers your way! It'll be okay, just hang in there. Take care...
thanks so much,i have been doing my best i am pretty strong until it gets me down and i don't want to get that far down anymore,i have been thru alot and everytime i hurt in my shoulder i relive everything,but with prayers and God i will make it. Thanks for everything
With you still having the patch I think you're a/d will also be very mild. I was on about 60 mg at one point a day of oxycodone/OxyContin and I put on a 12 mcg patch and had no withdrawal
I also have major shoulder issues so I can definitely relate
thanks so much for all your help it means a lot to me.
No he didn't give me a reason he just said I was on alot of medication,I asked him twice before I left was he sure I would not withdrawal he said no.I just went along with it hoping it would change,I have 5 days supply left I'm breaking them in half and believe it or not in two days I already feel the difference.Thanks for being concerned I go back on the 11for injections I'm going to ask again,he kept me on my patches I have always passed my drug test and counts,I think he should at least taper me off of them,if not I hope I can find me another Dr quick because they make you sign a paper that you will not see another Dr. For pain medication.
Hi Lakota,
Please excuse my tardy response and Welcome. I've had a horrendous pain flare of late.
Oh my dear - you have been through more than anyone should ever have to experience. My heart goes out to you! I am so very sorry. I don't know how you had the strength to survive - not just the physical injuries but the mental anguish you must have endured - and continue to endure. I have PTS too. I know what it can do to us!
First of all - find yourself a different PMP. He sounds like he has very little if any compassion for chronic pain patients.
I had a brand new PMP for a short time when I returned to my home state, (my mom was dying). He said the new thinking is to have the LA opiate (Fentanyl Patch) at a high enough dosage that you do not need the SA (Percocets). I was only "allowed" 2 SA opiates per day but he was going to DC that eventually. He also would not allow 2 different opiates - so the LA had to be the same as the SA. I was so "sick" on his regime I was suicidal. Anyway my point is your PMP appears to be going with the "new thinking". Find yourself a new one.
Don't be concerned about the withdrawals (w/d). When I returned to the state I had been living (following my mom's passing) I found a different PMP than I had before I left the state. He (with my consent) took me off the LA opiate and the SA med (same drug). He returned me to what I was initially taking some years ago, a much less potent opiate. I had one, yes one nite of restlessness and one day of anxiety. I had no other w/d symptoms. I did have a Diazepam that I took about midnight that certainly helped - but that was it.
I posted a question on our Substance Abuse Forum asking why I had no w/d. Some ppl said it was because I had that smaller dose opiate other ppl said I was just lucky. I did it all at once, no tapering of the LA or the SA opiate. I just started the new less potent opiate in the morning.
So I don't think you'll have w/d - but be prepared for a little short time of anxiety. If you do and you have something ordered for anxiety I'd take it. More importantly I truly do think you should find another PMP.
Please keep in touch. I hope you'll be active in our community - and I'll look forward to hearing from you again soon dear heart.
Take Care,
~Tuck
Thanks so much for your time helping me get thru this,yes he doesn't know what he's doing in my opinion he doesn't know what pain is and I trust them enough to give me injections.smh God please help me thru this and show me the way.Hope you have a Blessed Day!!!
Thank you for your response and kind words!
Be assertive my friend in pain - and find another PMP.
Blessings to you also!
You have a different kind of pain doctor, who does not believe in the treatment of your pain with opioid analgesics.
We have a name for interventional pain docs who don't use opioids -- "shot jocks."
Your best bet is to find another pain doc, quickly.
Is there a local university hospital with a pain clinic? Call them, and ask about their doctor's philosophies in treating pain with opioids. You can tell your story about being treated for years with opioids with success, and being transferred to a doc who doesn't want to prescribe, but use injections, instead.
Another strategy is to search for a local pain doc on the internet. Look at their website. Docs who use opioids usually have a sample controlled substance agreement on their site. Also, I have found that the pain docs most likely to use opioids in their choice of treatment modalities are those with the DABPM speciality. This means an MD with a diplomate from the American Board of Pain Management.
You may feel a mild discomfort as your body adjusts to the new dose, but you will not have severe withdrawal symptoms if you're still being maintained with 50ug of transdermal fentanyl. Losing the 40mg of oxycodone/day is equivalent to losing about 20% of your total opiood dose -- it can be uncomfortable, but not miserable.
Move quickly -- find a new doc.
There you go. It's unanimous - find another PMP, asap.
- And please keep us posted.
Thanks,
~Tuck
I'm going to have to be,because I'm already feeling it where I'm breaking them in half,not taking anything unless I can't take it anymore and if I wait until it's that bad it takes so long just to try to get out of pain because you don't.thanks again and May you have a Blessed Day!!!! Appreciate everything from everyone on here.
I think it was Tuck who said, if we let our pets be in pain or not be treated if they're hurt we can go to jail. Please let me know if it was you that said this Tuck.
How is it that some Drs will let their patients suffer and be in so much pain needlessly.
Lakota, please demand to know why your Dr feels the need to take you off of your short acting medication. Tuck and Phil are long time and very knowledgeable members here and they don't see the need for this. None of us do. To me, it's just inhumane. If there's a problem with how much medication he's prescribing to his patients then he should recommend another Dr who will take care of you properly. It could boil down to the shots though. I've never had them but I've heard from several of our members here that they can be quite expensive, meaning more money for the Dr.
Can you do some research tomorrow for pain Drs? If you find any that have good ratings and except your insurance you can start making calls on Monday.
I'm so glad you came to Medhelp and the pain forum. I really don't think you will find more caring and knowledgeable people anywhere else. I don't know what I would do without my friends here always being so supportive, giving me great advice and being so caring.
Thank you so much,I am going to ask him again,first time I ever seen him and he does this to me,I just don't understand but I'm going to be nice and firm,if he doesn't do it I'm going to ask for my records and find me something else another Dr,I've never had this problem my whole time of going.Thank you very much and may you have a Blessed Day!!!!
Did your Dr even give you a reason for taking you off of your break through meds? It's very common to have these when you're on a long acting med like the Fentanyl patch. It sounds like this Dr needs to learn a great deal more about pain and pain medications.
Would it be possible for you to see a different Dr?