Fentanyl Withdrawal Symptoms (Page 9)

I'm trying to wean myself off the Fentanyl patch. I went from 75 micro-gms to 50 now I'm on 25. Having a problem and not sure it is related to the decrease in the med. It's been 20 days on the 25 micro-gm and I'm going crazy. I need to keep rocking, moving in any way b/c my body is very restless. Is this a symptom of withdrawal and what do I do? I cannot take it any more.

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roy ....thank you for te kind words .....i wish someone can promise me and giv me the answers i need !!!!

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If I would have known..The only thing I can tell you is you are going through WD and it is going to be a long road.. If the WD's are that bad why are you suffering? You can go to your doctor and he/she can give you non narcotic medications to help you. I will not kid you, WD's are He**. If you can't handle the WD's call your doctor and let him/her help you. Like I said there are a lot of non narcotic medications that can help you.

Pat

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OMG.I don't believe what I am reading! I have been on 2* 50mcg patches a day for 6 weeks.My doctor never even MENTIONED withdrawal. I took my 2nd last patch off Tuesday morning, and my last patch this morning. Wednesday evening I was already jumpy itchy restless etc. Took a tiny 4mg Hydromorphone and managed to survive the night sweating sweating sweating, freezing, more sweating etc. Its now Wednesday night & I'm starting to go crazy again. Stopped to speak with my pharmacist who recommended putting one patch back on and doing the weaning thing over a period of time. I really want to go Cold Turkey....but I'm afraid of how much worse before it gets better. Any experience/recommendations? No-one recommends the cold turkey...how bad does it get??

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TYGERILLY...Its bad i know..iwas origonnaly on 4 25 patches every 72 hours..ended up with the H1N1..thought i was dieind ,,,,GFORgot to change my patch ,,so i did cold turkey ,,it was the worst thing .did some reading ...and couldmt believe what i wenrt on ...doctore neverexplained wds..pharmasit said t o put 1 patch bacj and im doing its slow ..I was down to 1 10.5 i tried to take that offf ,,,but having crazy night ...had to put 1/2 back on ...its reallly hard ..not going to lie ...nights are the worse ...i cant sleep...im wide awake...going crazy ...was soooo proud of my self ...i was down from4*25 to 1*12.5 so i should be happy ....but hard ...prayer ...and you will survive withdetermination...good luck .....

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If I would have known....thanks for the encouragement! Spoke to my pharmacist who recommended using the Hydromorphone as an alternative to smaller patches..I had a few left, tried htat with some Benadryl and survived the night. Spoke with my doctor who WON'T renew the Hydromorphone..gave me a scrip for Valium ....3 pills one day, 2pills the next, then one..and I should be all done...WE'LL SEE!
I'll let you know how it works out.

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tygerlilly...good luck what is the hydromorphone ????did benadryl work ...what does the benadryl do ???

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If I would have known..Benadryl is actually an antihistamine, but it really helps with the jitters and the itchy crawly skin. You can get the same thing (check the ingredients) in a cheap version generic sleep aids. Hydromorphone is another version of opioid...opium derivitave like Morphine, Percoset etc. I guess the theory is opium is opium whatever form it comes in, and the tablets would be easier to regulate when & how much....and you only take it when things are really bad, and not when its somewhat better...so you're not subjected to a constant 24 hour dose. Have NO idea how the valium is going to work...I thought it was an anxiety drug...how is it s'posed to counteract withdrawal??

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Tigerlilly and If I'd have known, I'm now 35 days out from cold turkey my 25 mg patch. The first 7 days is the WORST, i won't lie. The VALIUM is a benzodiazepiem and IT DOES HELP ALOT, if you need or want to take something, valium, xanax, ativan ALL WILL HELP MAJORLY with the withdrawal symptoms of anxiety, no sleep the itching, restlessness, etc, THE ONLY THING IS after you get off the narcotics you HAVE TO TAPER off of the benzo's. I was already on xanax with my patches and its the only thing that saved me. I have talked to two people in my hometown who have been through rehab for prescription medications as well as the HARD STUFF, illegal stuff like heroine, etc, BOTH have told me it was easier to cold turkey the heroine than the patches, NOT TO SCARE YOU CUZ YOU SHOULD BE DARN PROUD, I AM, just know it isn't pleasant but it won't kill you and you will feel better. If I'D have know, IF your doc will give you a benzo it really does and will help especially where you are still tapering, I'm telling you tapering and cold turkey isn't a lot different I felt any opiates i.e. percocet, hydromorphone, anything prolongs and makes worse the withdrawals because you still have to withdraw from that even if you taper, tapering from the benzo's since I've been of the narcotics now HAS BEEN MUCH EASIER!!! HANG IN THERE AND REMEMBER PRAYER DOES WORK!! I don't care what your religion. ALSO, if you read through the previous posts you have to find some kind of meditation, relaxation techniques, pain management techniques, etc., all of which are very helpful. GOOD LUCK ALL AND HANG IN THERE IT GETS BETTER AND BETTER!!!!

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Tessie..Prescription medication is harder to kick than heroin,especially benzos, but make no mistake although it is rare opiate WD's can kill you. My friend went into shock from fentanyl WD's and yes she almost died. This isn't a second hand report, I was there, so don't downplay any kind of WD's. Also why should anyone have to quit taking their benzo medication once they taper from opiates? Some people need benzos to function, me included. I don't take xanax everyday, but b4 I was diagnoised with a panic disorder I couldn't leave my home for weeks at a time because I would be afraid of having a panic attack, and this was b4 anyone knew what panic attacks were, I thought I was agorophbic.You can't give out advice like telling people what to take, how to taper, it can kill them. To anyone who is suffering from opiate WD's, for whatever reason Please don't do anything until you go to your doctor and get a complet check up and tell him/.her your history. Especially if you are a pain sufferer there are a lot of complications that can happen..I just don't understand people saying this won't kill you or take a valium that is BS..WD's are hard enough on a young healthy person, but if that person is like me 50+ years old with chronic medical issues, that can be deadly..

Pat

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If I would have known....got my Valium and following Pharmacist recommendations instead of Dr. he gave me 20 5mg pills, so took 2 last night, gonna take 2 *3 times today, then taper off. I just found one wasn't enough to keep the crawlies away, but 2 worked. Anybody know if the diazepam interacts with the Benadryl? was too afraid to mix them, but the benzo seems to be working on its own. Tessie, thanks for the advise about staying away from more opioids...my pharmacist said the same once I got the valium...it just prolongs the agony. If I would have known...you have done so well...be proud of yourself. I recommend you should be ready to take the big plunge and quit cold turkey now...but only if you can get some help from from one of the benzos. I am determined NEVER to put another patch on me...I went form 100 mcg to ZERO...it is NOT fun, but I want to get it OVER with, and not drag it on & on.its only been 3 days and with the benzo I can see the light at the end of the tunnel...I hope!...and yes...prayer surely helps.
BTW..I am 62, diabetic, hypertensive, high cholesterol, with 3 ruptured discs and stenosis of the spinal cord. Physio did a LOT to help manage the pain...but Chiro made it worse.
I hope I am not living in dreamland and expect to be over this withdrawal in the next few days....that would make it about only one week of misery...which seems a lot shorter than most of you have been suffering. I'm stubborn...so maybe.
Thanks Tessie & Pat for both the advise & the warnings. I'm taking both to heart.

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Pat, why is it you seem to feel the need to attack everyone on here that wants to quit or stop. I DIDNT say she HAD TO TAPER BENZO's, I said IF YOU WANT TO QUIT THEM THEY ARE TO BE TAPERED BECAUSE IT IS WORSE WITHDRAWAL THAN NARCOTICS, been there done that!!!! AND I DO STILL OCCASSIONALLY TAKE a xanax and I have same panic attack problems!!! If you READ THROUGH ALL PREVIOUS POSTS starting with 1 there are all different ranges of people with different goals, if I recall there is even one where I tell you MY OWN BROTHER IS ON METHADONE and benzo's etc and I UNDERSTAND CHRONIC HEALTH PROBLEMS I AM 43 AND HAVE HAD DIAGNOSIS OF LUPUS AND RHEUMATOID ARTHRITIS SINCE 6TH GRADE!!! I Just offer opinions and support like anyone else on here and you seem to get mad if anyone wants to BE PRESCRIPTION DRUG FREE. Calm down I'm not giving medical advice any more than you, just expressing opinions thats what this is for. Tyger, hang in there YOU WILL FEEL BETTER, especially if you are stubborn and pray... I was just advising you to be careful with benzo's if you hadn't had them before. I've taken them off and on over last 15 years. I also found chiropractic made me worse but relaxaton therapies and massages, etc, stress relief is better way FOR ME. I TOO FOUND that my pharmacist was MUCH more helpful and knowledgeable with drug interactions than my doc of 20 years was!!!! Ask you pharmacist about the Benadryl, it is a histamine with I THINK enhances effects of valium a little but thats from what I've read and studied, I do take an occasional benadryl at night with my xanax if I'm having a bad night but ask pharmacist....GOOD LUCK AND HANG IN YOU're on the RIGHT TRACK!! I'm glad you found some benzo's early, I tried to cold turkey the patch and my benzo's at the same time, landed me in the emergency room for six hours thats how I learned about the tapering of the benzo's IF YOU WANT TO QUIT later. LOVE AND PRAYERS FOR ALL!!! BE PROUD OF YOURSELVES!! HAPPY HOLIDAYS

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tesse,,,,i have had no patch at all ....im so proud of myself......since thursday ....my dc percribed me colazapam and iam taking benadryl ...im finding it very hrd at night about 130am ....and then cant get back to sleep ..it gets so unbearable that i feel like im loosing it .............im having at least 10 hot baths a day ...please help and pray for me ,,,,,

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Well, so much for good intentions!! The Valium just isn't doing it!! I am soooooooo afraid I'm going to give in & put even 1/4 of a patch on (I have the type you can cut). but I'm also afraid that I'm gonna have to start all over again with the withdrawals then. My pharmacist the worst is yet to come....grrrrrrrrr. Its only been FOUR days...I figured on maybe a week...until I got here! Tessie, how have you been able to cope with 35 days? Haven't given in yet...but I'm so tempted!

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Also...Tessie...what do you use for nerve damage? I have damage in both sets of toes (some from the back injury, some from diabetic neuropathy) that drives me crazy with pain & cold. A heating pad a night helps some, but the days are torture. I noticed immediately that for 6 whole weeks I didn't have that while on the Fentanyl, but its back with a vengeance, Any suggestions?

To If I would have known.....obviously I didn't have a clue what I was talking about when I said you should be ready to quit cold turkey!!! You just keep on doing what works for you and ignore me!!

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I PROMISE Tyger everyday after gets a little better, how long did you say you have had patch off because it does stay in your system for 72 hours AFTER YOU HAVE TAKEN PATCH OFF, thats whats so wicked about the da*&^ things, after the 72 hours it got a lil better but pharmacist is right it gets BAD before it gets better BUT YOU CAN DO IT, DON'T put even part back on cuz you still have to withdraw, its kinda like, you got an arrow in you do you want it out fast or slow, IT WILL GET BETTER I PROMISE, I will give you my email address if you want it or I will watch carefully and give you any support and help I can!! HANG IN YOU CAN DO IT.

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Also about the nerve damage, there is the new LYRICA out, it is for diabetic nerve damage but recommended for fibromyalgia as well, my brother uses the cymbalta although it is an antidepressant it does help with nerve damage as well but in your case and from studies I've done on both because I was considering which to use I think Lyrica would be best for you, it really does work well, I noticed a difference within a day or two AND IT WILL HELP WITH SLEEP cuz you can take it in evening or they recommend it cuz it does cause sleepiness, which is nice in our cases. HANG IN, LOTS OF LOVE & PRAYERS, you can do it.

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Tessie, thanks for the encouragement! My last 2 patches were put on Sat & Sun last week (I staggered them by a day) so I was due for one on Tues. which I didn't put on, and another on Wed.....which I left the old one on until Thurs. and then removed. So basically I went from 2*50 to zero in a day & 1/2. Have had nothing now for only 3 full days...which is your 72 hour time line. Now that its supposedly all gone...will it still get worse first do you think? I'm off to take a Valium & a Bendaryl & hopefully get some sleep.

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Tessie..If you read my posts you will see the only thing that I disagree with is people saying WD's can't kill you..They can, they have, and that is the truth. I have never said anything to anyone about NEVER TAKING MEDICATION, My only beef is when people say that it isn't dangerous, and just pray about it..My own husband is tapering and TRYING to be drug free and I support him, but I also make sure he only does it under the care of his doctor because when he has tried to do it on his own he goes through hell. so don't even try to accuse me of not wanting people to be drug free if they want to, and as long as they do it with their doctors knowledge and care

Pat

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Tygerlily I really hope and think it won't get worse, might seem not great for next 2 days but then will really start to get better, it did for me. It seemed like the worst time for me was the 5-7 days including the 72 hr half life (time med stays in system after patch is removed). After that and especially with the benzo's I think you will notice a big difference. I really hope you can get some help with the nerve pain though because I know IT REALLY SUCKS!! If you have a good relationship with your doc, he she shouldn't have any problem giving you a few more valium if you need them, also I would ask him about the Lyrica because it really helped my leg spasms, foot pain and whole body pain. Let me know how you are tomorrow. Hope you get some sleep, it gives a whole new meaning to the words GOOD NIGHT. Hang in there!!!

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tygerlilly....why did youtell me to ignore you ....please i need advise and prayers .i took my last 1/2 of 25 patch off on thursday ...i feel like im going crazy ...doc gave me colasaoam and im taking benadryl i keep still legs are kiiling me ..i feel like im about to loose control..........please help and any recommendations would be great ..please pray for me ...im doing lots of that ...

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