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pain meds

Kyle Gilmore
Kyle Gilmore CSN Member Posts: 55
in Head and Neck Cancer #1
Can someone tell me what they think of this? I have started to get off my fentanyl patches and just got down to 25 a few days ago...and am feeling achy all over, nauseous, my skin on my upper body seems to be on fire, and i wake up at night with immediate thoughts of anxiety and dispair even though I was just NED'ed by the doc. I asked if it was withdrawel but they seemed non committal to say.Agreed to get off patch in a month but I wonder what else it could be if its not withdrawing symptoms.Mt last radiation treatment day for NPC was 11-11-11.

Also, does anyone know how difficult of a operation it is to remove the PEG tube?

Thanks!!
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  • longtermsurvivor
    longtermsurvivor CSN Member Posts: 1,842 Member
    #2
    Hi Kyle
    It may very well be physical withdrawal. With exposure to any of the narcotics for over a month, this is pretty common. If so, your symptoms should only last a handful of days. Lots of doctors arent very comfortable talking about this type of thing. They'd rather imagine it doesn't happen. But it does with great regularity when we have to be on pain meds for a prolonged period of time. If you continue to have problems with this, ask for help again, including referral if necessary. I'm sending you a PM also.
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  • Kyle Gilmore
    Kyle Gilmore CSN Member Posts: 55
    #3
    longtermsurvivor said:

    Hi Kyle
    It may very well be physical withdrawal. With exposure to any of the narcotics for over a month, this is pretty common. If so, your symptoms should only last a handful of days. Lots of doctors arent very comfortable talking about this type of thing. They'd rather imagine it doesn't happen. But it does with great regularity when we have to be on pain meds for a prolonged period of time. If you continue to have problems with this, ask for help again, including referral if necessary. I'm sending you a PM also.

    Thanks! Yes its actually
    Thanks! Yes its actually been 3 months and i was at 125 mcgs at a time so i am confused because this last transition to 25 mcg seems to be harder the when i took 50 off the first time.

    Hows your second round going...good to see you on the boards with your normal clarity even though it must be rough with your treatment schedule
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  • sweetblood22
    sweetblood22 CSN Member Posts: 3,228 Member
    #4
    Yes, that is definitely
    Yes, that is definitely withdrawal. You have to step off that stuff gradually. I thought that 25 was the last one, and I had 4-5 days of hell after getting off that. I think there might be a 12.5 mcgs. Ask one of your other doctors about it if you can. Just don't go off, because it's not fun. It took me a few months to step down, I did not do it in a month! I was on 75 for a year. One month stepped down to 50, then to 25 for a month. The first step down didn't hurt me, but the second, I felt it. Then when stopped just at the 25, I was seriously a hurtin pup.
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