fentanyl patch withdrawal

Hey Jen:

It was my Mom who was using that patch and she was on 400 and boy, yes, it is very very hard to get off of it. In our case, she didn't mean to be off of it, but sometimes it did happen that we forgot when exactly the 48 hour was...indeed, sometimes after the peak of 24 hour she was feeling worse and worse even though she was no way close to 48 hours yet. She was the same way as your husband, sweating, chills, resetlessness. So, I'm sure getitng off of it is just as hard as when on forgets to put the new ones on on a precise timely manner. I almost think even going down by 50 is too much, but then I'm not sure financially it's worth to buy the 100s and 25s sepearately because then you could reduce dosage by 25s instead of 50s. And I think even 2 weeks might be too short, especially with a 50 interval down. It is quiet addictive, so you guys have to do it small steps, with small dosage intervals, and longer time frame so that it's not that shocking to the body/brain. Like get to the point when he is completely feeling okay with say 200. Then once he feels awesome with it, then go to 175. He'll have a week of bad feeling, but wait until he is again completely comfortable with 175 and then reduce by 25 again. I think every two weeks dropping 50 is way too huge change. In that two weeks the body/brain has not even got used to the lower dosage yet. Good luck to him!

I know nothing about fentanyl patches, I just wanted to wish him the best getting off of these, but agree that maybe doc ought to do it slowly so he doesn't suffer withdrawal symptoms.

Thinking of you both,

Winter Marie

jen2012 said:

Thanks for the reply. Yes I
Thanks for the reply. Yes I think it was just too big of a change. He's been up all night. I'm hoping that's the problem and not something else. The stomach cramps make me nervous.

but even on vocodin, the tapering needs to be done in tiny increments.  I think taking off 50 mg all at once is too much.  The one time I tapered off successfully I was on 30 mg a day, and removed 2.5 mg every three days.  So that would be, what...a 3% reduction?  Is that right?  I suck at math.   A little less, actually.  And it took quite a while to get all the way off.  So I think you will want to plan a tapering that is very slow and incremental, and he will probably be able to get off the patches.

Will he have some other form of pain meds?  

Goldie1 said:

Fentanyl withdrawal

Yes, my husband Pat asked the doc the best way to wean himself off the fentanyl patch.  He did it gradually, lowing the patch dosage over time, and managed to get off of it completely.  It wasn't easy but he did manage to do it with no major issues once weaned.  The things I did notice while he was going through the process, that he couldn't keep his feet still.  His feet were bopping up and down all the time. Or, he would just sit, with his hands covering his face, and his head pointed down, almost like he was in a trance. 

Pat stayed off fentanyl for 14 months but once again, he is back on it.  Pain has returned, no chemo options left, and fentanyl seems to help alleviate most of his pain.   Strong stuff, scary too, but it has helped him greatly when it comes to pain relief.

All the best to you and your husband,

Ellen

Hi, I hope all is going better as it has been a few weeks since this post. I have been surfing the web for weeks now trying to find info on tapering off fentanyl patches. I don't have cancer but I have battled chronic pain in my lumbar region for years after failed surgery, physical rehab, multiple annular tears, and more visits to the ER than anyone should go through in a life. I am so sorry I ever started fentanyl and I have used it exactly as prescribed for three years. It does not work for 72 hours period. It is best in the first 24 then slowly tapers off. I have discovered this from the beginning dose of 25mcg plus oxycycline for breakthrough pain. I moved up to 50mcg every 48 hours and have pushed back to 60-72 hours per patch. I have been using sandoz which by far works the best over time. In the last year I have stopped all oxycodone, neurontin, cyclobenzaprine, valium, and 50mcg fentanyl is my last hurdle. I am moving down to 25mcg this weekend for two months and then down to 12.5mcg for the last two months. I am thankful for the pain relief but not becoming physically dependent. I guess it is par for the course but I feel like a prisoner. I just want to support anyone that needs some help and support and I guess I am looking for the same. In my research, so many people abuse this drug and others and it makes me so sad. My pain has been enough to try to manage. I will post how I am doing in about a week or less depending how I feel. My pm doctor told me most of the battle to be free is in the mind. That is where you draw your strength. I am not underestimating anything. I know my will is strong but it is going to be tough. I wish the best to you and hope your withdrawal is coming along as well as can be expected. You will be in my thoughts. Sincerely, rob

I've been on Fentanyl for four years, and twice went through withdrawal due to running out a few days early.  The first time was terrible, horrific.  The second I was prepared.  I used Loperamide (Immodium or any generic loperamide), 20 mg per day, and Kratom leaf, 6 grams, per day.  These two legal, over the counter drugs (Kratom had to be ordered from a botanical website) removed 90+ % of the withdrawal symptoms for me.  

There is such hysteria surrounding these heavy duty drugs....doctors are quick to prescribe but if you've got a problem and need an early refill (twice in four years, both due to problems with the darn things staying on) you are on your own.  There are prescription drugs that will greatly help withdrawal, particularly benzodiazepines like valium and such, but I was on my own.  The meds I found worked very well.  I wasn't up and dancing, but I wasn't screaming in agony.  

I hope this helps you or anyone else dealing with fentanyl withdrawal.

jen2012 said:

Hi longbeach one , thanks for

Hi longbeach one , thanks for the post.  I'm glad you found something to help you.  It is ridiculous the way the medical community handles this.  

My husband is down to 75.  Been decreasing a little at a time.

Hey,

I hope he's doing better. I spent months in the hospital on a pain pump; like ten times more dilaudid than the average person and two fentynal patches. It was crazy trying to get off of that stuff. Yes, it was pretty miserable. I had to be hospitalized a few times because I would throw up/ go so much that I would get severely dehydrated. Bless his heart. Just take it really slow and don't try to push it. The hospice doctors (even when you aren't on hospice) are usually really awesome helping with this sort of thing. They understand pain and higher doses of meds much more than other doctors, because they deal with it everyday.

It took me months to kick morphine, fentynal, and dilaudid...but I went super super slow...there's no need to suffer more. Now I only take two Percocets a day to help me get up and around. You can do it! Just do what you think is best, and if your doc isn't understanding ask for someone else. My mom asked specifally for the hospice doctor and he didn't mind helping at all. Very compassionate.

Hugs,

Carrie

I started with high dosage patches after coming come from the hospital after my last surgery. I'm decided I did not need them any more one Sunday afternoon.  Huge mistake. Was in huge pain and went into withdrawals within an hour of not making a recommended change. I immediately put on a patch and within a few hours all the symptoms went away. I spent the next two months gradually reducing the dosage (different patches).

after I used the last low dosage patch I had flu like symptoms for a whole evening. I went to sleep and when I woke, I was fine. At least from the effects of withdrawal. Apparently the odd personality quirks and general idiocy was there before all this and was not related to the patches. 

Peace,

rick