Fentanyl Patch Withdrawal Symptoms And Duration (Page 12)

i have post surgical lower back pain. was in 50 mcg patch and had side effects and so decided to wean off. i finished with the 12 mcg patch a week ago and am still suffering from periodic nausea, irritability, daily joint and muscle pain, but the worst is the consistent restless legs. it is driving me crazy. my doctor says that is not withdrawal. is he right? i don't think so. if it is withdrawal, what can i do about it and how long will it last? i am going crazy.

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I totally agree with you about not touching methadone 3yrs was enough for me. You know there's only a 5% amount of patients that successfully come off meth.

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Posters,

Stephen has a very unique case and Ultram will not suffice coming off Duragesic patch which is likely equivalent to Methadone taper if any drug is. Ultimately you are dealing with a drug that backtracks and if you taper by even 25 mcg/hour every week to 10 days you will kick harder on day 8 to 10 and want anything to put the patch back on.

The drug was not properly evaluated. Most know I am an ultra rapid opioid metabolizer with severe allergies. I was on brand Duragesic high level doses for over 17 years; due to a battle with a lifetime Medical Award provider I was cut off from my physician and medications for over a year. I kept aside medication as taught by the physician but was bed and house bound tapering. The insurer/employer in the state of my injury could not do this legally and the Supreme Court backs my Medical Award. The issue now is your government under the ACA is paying doctors incentives to not do proper pain management. Opioids are still the safest method of treating intractable pain.

If you are on Duragesic for any period over a month you need medical taper and intervention. Do not try this alone as you can die.

Peace.

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My patches are the sticky ones not the ones with the gel. Im sad to say I was unsuccessful in my attempt to get off. I went down too quickly and ended up in hospital. I've started agsin although slower and am having more success. Hope you're doing well.

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I started decreasing my fentanyl patched (Duragesic) back in Dec 2015. I was on 62 mcg for about 9 yrs. I had at times gone up to 75mcg but reduced to 62 mcg. I also had oxycontin 10mg. I went really well for the first couple of months going from 62mcg to just under 25mcg. Unfortunately the withdrawal and being so ill just got too much. I was in constant extreme pain, flushing and chills non stop, cramping etc. I just couldn't continue. I felt like such a failure and my husband although very supportive was having a hard time not knowing how to help me. It went on for so long I just couldn't cope. It got to the point where I'd had no break or rest and I told him I just wanted to end my misery. He cried and that was it. I'm not that person and I couldn't keep going. I just went too quickly for my body and ended up having a heart attack. I put the 50 mcg patch back on and waited a couple of weeks and started again. I'm now reducing my patch ( its not the gel one so is safe to cut ) but doing it slowly. I cut a little off and wait until I'm comfortable before cutting a little more. I'm only down to about 40 mcg after a month but I'm comfortable and not in withdrawal. Its much more manageable. Its more important for me to be safe and get off them for good than to go too quickly and end up back in hospital. I have no idea how long its going to take and don't care as long as its successful. I cannot believe how Dr's in the USA leave patients high and dry. Its so dangerous not to mention cruel. These drugs are powerful and I believe have a place but to leave someone without any after years of use is incredibly irresponsible. I was given fentanyl after years of unmanageable pain. I see one of the top pain specialists in Australia and he decided this was my best option after trying a host of treatment and prescription drugs. It worked for a while but didn't take long to build up tolerance and for side effects to take over. It really gets to the point where your life revolves around your medication. Anyway I'm hopefully on my way to being free from all these terrible drugs. I hope to get some semblance of normal life back. I don't know how I'm going to handle my pain conditions but I'll deal with it one day at a time.

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I was on 50 mg for 4 years for diabectic neuropathy , the neuropathy was so painful and was able to manage my pain with the patch and Lycia. After watching TV I found out how strong and addicting it was I wanted off, it only took me a week to get off the patch. My Dr sent me to a Dr who gave me a sedative, muscle relaxer and a anti nausea medication. There is help out there.

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Posters,

I am a licensed professional nurse and again state do not attempt such a taper alone.

Due to government interventions in physicians prescribing you may not be able to get Fentanyl patches in the near future. Or will regular physicians be able to prescribe. Do know that scientifically we have proven that opioids are the safest for long term intractable pain but your government under the ACA has done this.

When we have rid ourself of this president and return to profit medicine you will see physicians prescribing per their training and your need. The next few years will be rough--if you lose a physician or they refuse to prescribe due to CDC and FDA hype over overdose deaths (which were all people illegally using non prescribed prescription drugs) you may be in crisis. If you are running out you must go for ER's will not help you (not anymore they too are paid to NOT treat your pain) get to a Methadone Clinic who will tell you that you must be an addict.

Bottom line is you are a pain patient who will say that you will end up an addict on the street without medication. Methadone is the cheapest long acting medication known to man created under Hitler's rule. Due to America catering to addicts Methadone Clinics will continue. I have more to say on this topic but this is also a reduction of patch topic.

Peace.

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I am thankful I do not live in the USA therefore do not share these problems. I have tapered by myself due to my specialist not wanting me off the medication. I have never and will never have methadone. My pain conditions are complicated and hard to manage. I spent many years trying different treatments and medications. Also tried many non conventional treatments to no avail. I am a qualified nurse also and know the protocols and effects of these medications. Fentanyl is a great drug for the control of pain. I have just had enough of the side effects that began after complications brought on from surgery and premature menopause. Unfortunately the hot flushes associated with menopause were exacerbated by the fentanyl and I was having excess of 60 per day lasting 5 to 7 minutes each, with heart palpitations, chest pain and extreme weakness to the limbs. These kept me housebound and bedridden, unable to be left on my own. Other side effects although not life threatening or debilitating, hair loss, insomnia, skin changes, the list goes on. Now 3 yrs post meno and these side effects are still an issue. After many consults with specialists it has been confirmed that fentanyl is prolonging/ causing these. I just want some sense of normalcy back. I know my pain will continue to worsen however I will re-evaluate once I've had a break. Maybe start back on a lower dose and revisit some of the initial treatment I had in the early days. I think tapering is the safest way to go. As long as its done slowly and the patches do not contain the gel its fine. A lot safer than being left high and dry like I've read happens frequently in other places. I agree it should be done under the care of Dr however I don't have that option at the moment.
Take care

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Going off of patches and oxy my doctor taking me off cold turkey. Im ok but very cold. Should I ask my doctor for something. Also she is putting me on medical pot but will be 2 weeks before I can get any.

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If you really start having problems ask your doctor for tramadol and maybe something the sleeplessness

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Your doctor is wrong. Those are very characteristic sign of fentanyl withdrawl. Sneezing, unstoppable yawning are two other signs. To know the withdrawl facts you need to google/search: fentanyl withdrawl symptoms and duration. My doc gives me 20 tablets, 10 mg methadone to help me titrate down. You should only go down one level every 30 days! I also do not stay on it for more than 6 months because you will build up a tolerance to it and you will need more and more to manage your pain. I was on 150 mcg for over a year and was sick with withdrawl symptoms, wrestless legs, hot flashes, cold sweats, nausea, vomiting, diahrea, yawning, sneezing, muscle aches etc. for 5 months because I went down from 150 to 125, 125 to 100, 100 to 75, 75 to to 50mcg, 50 to 25, 25 to 12.5 but I went down a dose every 2 weeks instead of 30 days. This drug is super powerful and your brain basically gets addicted to it and craves so bad that your body becomes quite ill when you take it down. Your brain does not want you to take it down. I think everyone should read about it and know what they are getting into before starting it. It is a miracle drug for long term pain relief. If you dont go off of it occasionally you will feel like you are dying once you do go off. Good Luck. Restless legs are terrorizing, I have been through it enough to understand. Find a new pain management doc!

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Ask her for methadone. 10 mg tablets, 5 pills day 1, 4 pills day 2, 3 pills day 3, 2 pills day 4 and 1 pill (cut in half) day 5. 15 pills. Use the pills the first 5 days you titrate down each month. Tell your doctor the fentanyl manufacturer does not recommend you go off cold turkey. That is not safe or responsible of her. Unless you were taking them other than the way she prescribed them. Then you lose all credibility. But you should not be punished, your doctor can cut you off, but she should do it responsibly and with what is best for you. Remember to set up what you want at the start of your care with your doctor. OK Im going to use the patches. I do not want to go off cold turkey, etc etc. Then it will be in your records that the doctor agreed to this before you started it. Good Luck.

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Thank you everyone for the info. Im going to call my old Doctor to see if he can help. I had to change docs because of insurance wished I hadn't. Thanks

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I would think seriously about taking methadone. I was originally put on it for pain control because it's so cheap. When my medical insurance changes an all of a sudden drs wouldn't take my new state insurance I got very sick with withdrawals. It was a hell I did knew existed. It lasted so long, after being hospitalized due to withdrawals causing grand mall seizures. AFter I was still in a living hell and ten days later went to a detox place. All along I'm treated as I'm a drug addict that did this to myself. Bad as that hell was I had to deal with my pain.
So nowt.nowt currently going through a similar situation. I .loved from Oregon to Carson city NV where not only no one takes my insurer but they don't do the pain control thing well. When found a dr they cut my meds in half. At least was better than nothing. Now the dr moved over to VA and found myself in s place no Dr within 100 miles won't take any new patients on Medicaid. Now again I find myself having to detox myself, as hard as it if what little meds I had to taper with were stollen by my niece. One hell after another seems to follow me.
Granted the withdrawals aren't even close to withdrawing from methadone. I'm tough and could get through those. But the pain I have to endure is the hard part. Went a bit nuts an slit one of my wrists during pain crazed withdrawal hell.....I am trying to moved back to Oregon but barely able to function hr by hr much less plan N organize a move.
Always research meds prior to being put on them. AlwYs remember the end effect. I think drs should be held liable when they put you in a medication that they need to see through to end tapering. It's a scarey thing.

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Three weeks ago my Pain Dr took me off fentanyl patch after two years on.. I have been sick since... I still take low dose of oxycodone I haven't slept restless... abdominal pain anxiety. .. best of all my Dr. Hasn't taken any responsibility for what's going on or called me... it's terrible if I new this would be the results of taking this prescription medication I would have refused it. I am a cancer survivorand took high doses of oxycotin while going thru a bone marrow transplant I was slowly taken off to the small 10 mg I was on before fentanyl patch. I never suffered withdrawals. I just don't get how this can happen.

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I felt the same way coming off Fentanyl. I felt similar symptoms while I was taking it after 10 years because I was withdrawing while on it. Reduce slowly and be prepared to suffer - you can do it but not on your own.

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Big drug companies have the system set up to increase sales and returns for their shareholders. We suffer and they profit. The whole system needs an independent inquiry or the suffering will increase and continue.

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I've had 2 neurosurgeries and 2 orthopedic surgeries in the last 3 years; including spine & neck hardware & a shoulder joint replacement. Over time oxycodone didn't give me relief so, I agreed to the Fentanyl patch; which I used for 6 months. When all my surgeries were over & successful, I weaned off slowly. I'm a nurse so, I was very cautious. ELEVEN days off the patch; with oxycodone 3 times a day, I had a paralyzingly panic/anxiety attack and ended up in the ER... Discharged home BACK ON THE PATCH, 25mcg/hr. 4 days there, down to the 12mcg/hr for 9 days; left the final patch on until it fell off ~ another 10 days. Finally feeling human again. My pain Mgmnt MD has me take Ativan when the anxiety hits (with restless leg!)
Working on doing away with it all... One day at a time...

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Can you please tell me more about your withdrawal? I'm currently withdrawing.

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How slowly? PM is having me on 25mcg after 2 months of 50mcg. I've been sick for 2 weeks before I started to taper down today. I feel awful. After I use 3, 25 mcg, then I'll go to the 12 (or is it 12 1/2?) for 15 days and then be done. Sounds too quick. I need to see the light at the end of the tunnel.

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12.5 micrograms was impossible for me. I had the non reservoir patches and cut a mm off every week . It was a long and painful journey but I made it. Good luck and seek help.

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