withdrawal from duragesic (fentynal)

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I am going to be stopping the use of the duragesic patch 50 mcg soon and I am very very concerned what the symptoms of this withdrawal. I have been on it for over 1 year starting with 25 mcg and moving up to the 50 mcg.

derrickM. · Silver Member Joined: 16 Dec 2005 Posts: 181

What ever you do-don’t do it on your own.

Being ignorant-I did it and went through hell and used the patch again.

Then I referred to my doc who slowly reduced my dose. I started with 100mcg.

I hope you don’t mind me asking what you are using it for. Have you used any oral drug before? I was prescribed morphine first but I couldn’t take it at all. It made me feel nauseous and suffer from constipation. Considering I had much problems with hemorrhoid before, I needed something else. Then I started duragesic 50, going to 100.

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Dragon17v · Newbie Joined: 03 Sep 2006 Posts: 2

Well I have been forced into withdrawal from my duragesic patch... now been close to 48 hours without it and steadily feeling worse. Restlessness, anxiety, sleeplessness, nausia, irritability, and tons of lower abdominal cramps... this is a very unpleasent thing to go through. ...

But, here is the worst part:

It could be all avoidable... I have been on the patch for 6 months under my primary doctors care. I am also on Vicodin ES and Zanaflex (Muscle relaxant). Friday I called for my usual refil and was told by the receptionist that it would be ready in 1 hour (Called arround noon), I went into the office at 3:30 as it takes me a while to move and they told me I had to make an appointment first, so I said ok no problem and the earliest I can have an appointment is tuesday @ 1:30 due to the holiday on monday. Then they proceded to tell me I could not have my refil until after my appointment and that my Doctor and her back-up had left for the day. I demanded to speak to someone to help me as I was not looking forward to the withdrawal (If I only knew how miserable I was going to feel then...). The Nurse assistant for my doctor told me there was no way she would give me a refil because I had not had a real appointment with my primary care for 4 months and it is a controlled substance (I am seeing a pain management doctor, Chiropractor, a neurologist, and a neurosurgeon as that is where my primary has sent me, she has just simply been refilling my scripts.) I argued with the nurse assistant that I could not go 4 days without my medicine that it would make me very sick and she told me to go and buy an over the counter analgesic (Icy-Hot)... I was appauld and they refused to page my doctor. So, When the office closed at 5 I called the answering service and there was a covering physician on and I left a message (I am having a problem with my medication and it is a controlled substance and I really need to speak to the doctor really soon). They told me they would give him the message when he called in and he would call me back I left my cellular number and my home phone both have voice mail just in case... No one ever called me back! I was put on this medication now left to suffer because I made an appointment later then the nurse assistant liked... Some punishment huh? Well, i am hopin I can hang in til tuesday without making my family totally hate me and I pray I will sleep soemtime and that these cramps, nausia, and restless feeling slow at least from time to time... but no luck yet... Thank you for reading if you got this far I needed to vent... And listen to the other folks here an do not do it alone if you have a choice it is not easy and it is VERY unpleasent...

James (Dragon17v)

Shad Rig · Newbie Joined: 03 Oct 2006 Posts: 1

To All,

I will attempt to get off of Duragesic Patch this week starting tomorrow and see how it goes. I have been using the patch for over 2 years now and have in the past tried getting off of it on my own but could not due to the severe withdrawal symptoms and time frame. When I mentioned that I wanted to stop using the patch to my doctor he told me that he had attended a clinic a few months back to address this issue with Duragesic withdrawal symptoms. He gave me a script for Suboxone, 8MG 2xDAY. He told me not to put a new patch on when it is time to do so then the following morning after not putting on the patch, start taking the Suboxone. I will take 16MG a day for one month then 8MG a day for two weeks then 8MG as needed but according to him, I should be completely off within the first two weeks. The additional time taking the Suboxone is for withdrawal symptoms that linger and present themselves from time to time after getting over the hump. For those of you that have gone through these in the past, you know what I mean.

I will post later this week and again next week with updates along the way so that hopefully someone out there will benefit from my trial and tribulations. If anyone has questions or comments for me please contact me by email at *******

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amy78ls · Newbie Joined: 17 Oct 2006 Posts: 1

Hello,

I came across all the posts about withd's from Duragesic. I took my patch last 50mcg patch off 6 1/2 days ago. I feel like a turtle. I am withdrawn, depressed and have had a headache for the last 5 days. I think the headache is the worst part. I feel like someone has taken out my brains stomped on them and then thrown them back in.

I do however feel more aware of my surroundings and less 'dumb'. My doctor said he couldn't wean me off the duragesic and instead increased my dosage from 3, 10mg percocet a day (w/ 50 mcg patch) to 8, 10 mg percocet a day (w/o the patch). I haven't been able to sleep because every 2-3 hrs I wake up and my shoulder and chest pain is just throbbing.
I've had chronic pain for going on 6 yrs, I am 28 and single. I've spent over 60k (not including what insurance has paid) on alternative treatments (massage therapy, crainial sacrial therapy, cold and stretch therapy, accupuncture, accupressure, physical therapy, infrared laser treatments, etc, etc, etc) and no one doctor can tell me why I am in so much pain or how to relieve it w/o meds.

I feel so alone in this because not many people understand how it feels to be in contstant pain 24/7. I want off these drugs because I'm tired of feeling so stupid and people telling me I can't retain information & they are right. I can't retain information @ work b/c of the drugs and its affecting my job performance. But how do I manage my pain w/o the drugs? I've asked my pain management doctor for non-narcotic drugs and he says he can't think of anything that will help.

He called in a script for Kolonopin today and I've read up on that benz and its addicting too!

I feel so alone. So hopeless. I just want to be pain and med free. I don't feel like I'm asking too much.

iknow · Newbie Joined: 25 Oct 2006 Posts: 1

I was on Fentanyl patches for 3 years 100 MCG/hr. Where I lived not one doctor knew how to tapper me off. When I got down to the 50 patches I went into acute withdraw and was for a month 1/2 unaware like a light was turned off. I couldn't walk or talk or eat. My husband took me to the emergency several times where I was treated horribly like a drug addict. The last trip to the emergency my heart stopped and my resportory system shut down. It damaged my heart and I got a virus on it that they have no cure for. Before I went into withdraw I searched the internet for a place that was certified to give Suboxone. Many place won't give this to you unless you have abused Fentanyl and would not accept me. I found a place in another State. A doctor has to be certified to give Suboxone. It brought me right out of withdraw the minute the doctor put it under my tongue. I was told I would have no withdraw from Suboxone but went through 2 horrible withdraws from this also. It was not as horrible as the Fentanyl though. I feel sorry for anyone who has to come off of either Fentanyl or Suboxone and most doctors are unsupportive. I found a wonderful doctor that got me through this but had to go to another state. Suboxone is 2 drugs mixed together. One of them is what they give to herion addicts. Even though I had 2 withdraws from it....it is the way to go. I had 2 withdraws from it because they took me off too fast the first time. And had to put me back on it. I lost down to 85 pounds because one of the symptoms from it....I could not stand any smell or the taste of any food. I am so thankful to be off of these and wish the best to anyone having to go through this. You must find a caring doctor who is certified to help you get through this. Also you need to see a phychiatrist. I didn't , I was going to but didn't follow through. I have been off of these now for 6 months and am still feeling effects from the Fentanly. Good luck and my God also help you through this.

Someone who knows

shadow99 · Newbie Joined: 28 Oct 2006 Posts: 4

Hi-I found your posting informative and terrifing all at the same time. I have been on Duragesic for some time now. I started on 100 mg every 48 hrs and I am now down to 50mg every 3 days. Next week ,I 'm am supposed to go down to 25mg every 48 hrs then every 3 days..then DONE!!! I really want to get pregant...which is one of the most important reasons I'm want to get off it!! Also, I'm been on it TOO long!! Anybody who has any advice..I 'd appreciate any and all suggestions!! Where was this dr you finally found that helped you get off this medication? Thanks in advance for your help!!

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Had both legs crushed by 18-wheeler in 1997 - chronic (24/7) pain since. Would have gladly amputated my legs to stop the pain, but no guarantee of relief due to phantom pain.

Been using Duragesic/Actiq for 5 years. Mixed bag due to my personality, but if you don't start self-medicating, it is great.

W/d is the worst feeling in the world, and I've done it to myself too many times.

I know what you're going through, it feels like forever and you may feel like it isn't worth living anymore.

Time feels like your mortal enemy, but try to break it down, just concentrate on getting through the next 15 minutes.

Exercise, hydrate your body, take a hot bath. Avoid caffeine. Eat ice cream. Smoke pot. See a pain management specialist. Do anything to shift the focus away from your body. Another hour spent just getting by is another hour closer to when YOU WILL FEEL BETTER!

I truly feel badly for those of you going through this hell, it is not fair that the human body can go through this without croaking, but you are not alone.

How you are feeling is temporary, you will get better.

withdrawal from duragesic (fentynal)

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