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fentanyl
Hi, I have been taking fentanyl for aprox. 8 yrs and have been on 150mcg every 48 hrs. I started weaning off at 25 mcg at a time. After getting below 100mcgs all hell started. Then I was so miserable and when I was cut to 50mcg I couldnt stand it anymore so decided to do cold turkey just to get it over with. I was like I wanted to die from all the withdrawal symptons. It now has been 30 days and still feel like ****. It took 3 weeks to finally tell that I started getting better ever so slightly. Still miserable and but can see the light at the end of the tunnel. I expect it may last for moths.If anyone has been there where I was please let me know how long it took to feel good again. Thanks,
I'm in my 4th day detoxing from 4 years of fentanyl patches. Dr. Gave me gabapentin and Valium to help ease WD symptoms but I'm afraid of trading one addiction for another. Anyone out there have any experience with gabapentin and how addictive it can be?
Hi, I hope your stay for detox in the hospital will shorten your withdrawal as I know you have been suffering for way too long. Please let me know how well things work out with the detox. Please stay strong and please read TheMadMan posts because he gave so much strength and hope for recovery to me. You are going to be strong because it will change your whole life and I know that is what you want, and you want it as bad as me. You have helped me much and thank you. Ray
Thanks for the post. You are describing exactally my experience. I hate to here you worry about things to return to normal as that is a major concern to me also. How much were you on and for how long? I told my DR several mos. ago I wanted off but he said I was not in condition with pain to quit. Drs. just dont know what this drug does to people lives. Even my pain mgmt. Dr said to expect only 7 to 10 days to feel better. It has been almost 6 weeks and today is the first day I felt some clarity. The intense feelings still come and go but are much less intense. Thanks and I really pray and hope you just get back to normal as I am praying for. Ray
I came off Fentanyl and it was one of the hardest things I have ever done. I would never go on it again and I feel it's really not a good drug for chronic pain and should only be used for patients at end of life. Doctors don't know what this drug does to people. It changed my metabolism, my tastes, gave me trouble with my teeth and changed me. I was dull and not on my game. I went from being a great mom to one who was just going through the motions. It also robbed me of my short-term memory. I don't know if I will ever get back to where I once was. I had great doctors but they just really don't understand how these heavy meds affect you long term. I learned more here on both the pain management forum and the substance abuse forum.
Today feels like I have felt some control over my life and mind. Today so far I never felt the need for even a xanax since like forever! I know know how mind over matter makes all the difference.I is so very nice to think and know how much my life and feelings will continue to improve. Thanks to you and your words of wisdom which I take to heart. This has been one of my greatest achivements of my life which I will NEVER go back to opiates ever again. I cant express how much you opened my eyes and gave me the hope and strength at my lowest point of life. God bless angels like you. Ray
What an absolute pleasure to receive such a compliment. Thank you very much.
I did not write for the glory but to spread the truth that people find out the hard way. No one should have to go through that if they educate themselves and stay on top of the medical community for answers. I know years ago, I could not get doctors to address my degenerative joint/disk disease issue. I perused this until I got an answer and the answer was that the doctors at that particular hospital did not have the trained staff to do these procedures. Hence, they would follow this by medications and I complained that the medications were not doing me any good (I have had this issue for years) but they kept writing scripts. I have been to hundreds of doctors, hundreds....and still continue to this day without the drug medication. When the staff have no other answers, they write out a script for drugs and then when you come back and say you are out of the medication, they want to know why? The why is because the pain meds are not working so I took another and another until it stopped. The the doctors get angry when they themselves are the underlying culprit to drug addiction. Have them wear your shoes for one or two days in pain! Then multiply this by 90 days which is when the doctors do a follow up but again, too late.
The medical community needs to educate their staff on the latest techniques of pain and signals that are created by pain. That is my biggest beef!!!! Just another pill and all will be as right as rain?????
No I am not trying for kudos here, just to WAKE PEOPLE UP on what their options are and if that requires shopping around for more educated doctors, so be it.
I know this last procedure I had done to my hip bone was done with an RFA. (Burning the nerves) I have had this procedure in the past with good success but not many doctors have access to this type of procedure. From what the doctor made me understand (while I was awake) was that Japanese doctors are now doing this procedure on their patients and it has not become 'popular' in the US at present, at least not in the area of the Trocanter. (sp)
No drugs this time and here it is about 3 weeks later and I am walking around again.
My point is that too many doctors depend on drugs to solve the patients pain issues instead of checking into the latest literature or medical update. Just pop a pill and if you get addicted, that is your problem for 'abusing' the medication'....? Sound familiar?
I have gone through withdrawal from more than one type of drug. I don't like taking all these pills and eventually it will catch up with my body and that is not the reality of life I am looking for. Understanding the quality of life as we are given to make the best and trust the medical community. That's why drugs are put on the market, (I think in a naive sort of way), to protect the doctors. I could go on and on but for what purpose?
Educating the patient is a good start. Ask yourself, Do I really need this drug to control pain that is created by my body or can there be other answers out there? Then ask the doctor why he/she is prescribing this drug and what it is supposed to accomplish in place of the doctor knowing their job and what to treat! They may be hesitant for an answer or think you are being sarcastic but go ahead, you have the age of wisdom on your side (and are probably older than most of the doctors) and the confidence that a drug that is addictive will do more harm than good. Then ask the doctor the same question.
That is why they call this the 'PRACTICE OF MEDICINE' in hopes of one day they will get this right!!!!
Pop quiz tomorrow class......dismissed.
I did not write for the glory but to spread the truth that people find out the hard way. No one should have to go through that if they educate themselves and stay on top of the medical community for answers. I know years ago, I could not get doctors to address my degenerative joint/disk disease issue. I perused this until I got an answer and the answer was that the doctors at that particular hospital did not have the trained staff to do these procedures. Hence, they would follow this by medications and I complained that the medications were not doing me any good (I have had this issue for years) but they kept writing scripts. I have been to hundreds of doctors, hundreds....and still continue to this day without the drug medication. When the staff have no other answers, they write out a script for drugs and then when you come back and say you are out of the medication, they want to know why? The why is because the pain meds are not working so I took another and another until it stopped. The the doctors get angry when they themselves are the underlying culprit to drug addiction. Have them wear your shoes for one or two days in pain! Then multiply this by 90 days which is when the doctors do a follow up but again, too late.
The medical community needs to educate their staff on the latest techniques of pain and signals that are created by pain. That is my biggest beef!!!! Just another pill and all will be as right as rain?????
No I am not trying for kudos here, just to WAKE PEOPLE UP on what their options are and if that requires shopping around for more educated doctors, so be it.
I know this last procedure I had done to my hip bone was done with an RFA. (Burning the nerves) I have had this procedure in the past with good success but not many doctors have access to this type of procedure. From what the doctor made me understand (while I was awake) was that Japanese doctors are now doing this procedure on their patients and it has not become 'popular' in the US at present, at least not in the area of the Trocanter. (sp)
No drugs this time and here it is about 3 weeks later and I am walking around again.
My point is that too many doctors depend on drugs to solve the patients pain issues instead of checking into the latest literature or medical update. Just pop a pill and if you get addicted, that is your problem for 'abusing' the medication'....? Sound familiar?
I have gone through withdrawal from more than one type of drug. I don't like taking all these pills and eventually it will catch up with my body and that is not the reality of life I am looking for. Understanding the quality of life as we are given to make the best and trust the medical community. That's why drugs are put on the market, (I think in a naive sort of way), to protect the doctors. I could go on and on but for what purpose?
Educating the patient is a good start. Ask yourself, Do I really need this drug to control pain that is created by my body or can there be other answers out there? Then ask the doctor why he/she is prescribing this drug and what it is supposed to accomplish in place of the doctor knowing their job and what to treat! They may be hesitant for an answer or think you are being sarcastic but go ahead, you have the age of wisdom on your side (and are probably older than most of the doctors) and the confidence that a drug that is addictive will do more harm than good. Then ask the doctor the same question.
That is why they call this the 'PRACTICE OF MEDICINE' in hopes of one day they will get this right!!!!
Pop quiz tomorrow class......dismissed.
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I was taking both Fentanyl and Morphine for pain issues. What a double whammy!!! After I looked in the mirror and scared myself to death, I stopped the Fentanyl that night. The FEAR is what made me do it!
Yes, it was rough but worth it!!! Yes, I went through the withdrawal and yes, it was hard on me also. Looking at death in the mirror was enough to get me started.
After a few days I called my family doctor to advise him what I was doing. He gave me zanex for the anxiety but told me he is only giving me an emergency short supply and to use it only as needed. That same day, I stopped the morphine (about a week apart from one another)
It took me about three days to feel the full effects of the fentanyl withdrawal and the morphine. Stomach cramps, sleep deprivation etc. I took the zanex only at night until it finally kicked in. Eventually I got a couple of hours sleep and that is the start of the medications looking control over your body and mind. Plenty of water, to clean out my system, vitamins, food and only muscle relaxers for pain issues. I had to sweat it out but withing a few weeks I was feeling better. I could think a little better. That also was an improvement. Since I saw improvement in my thinking, I felt confident that I could do this and stick with it and have for over 5 years now.
I will never go back to fentanyl again. That drug took too much away from me and the deception is that I did not even know it. When I began to think clearer, I noticed an overall feeling of better sleep, wanting to eat and clearly thinking now.
It is a rough road as I mentioned but worth every second invested so PLEASE STICK WITH IT!!!! You will see positive results shortly and understand HOW MUCH CONTROL THIS DRUG HAD ON YOU AND WILL NEVER HAVE AGAIN, RIGHT????!!!!
So stick with it and you will see daylight in a whole different view and I promise you, fear will never take you again...unless you let it, so take back the control and do it!!!
Good luck!!!