stupid pain patch withdrawls

ahollie
ahollie Member Posts: 84
in Head and Neck Cancer #1

so my hunny decided he was done with these patches...and took it off on thursday...boy..last night was hell! how long does it take? he feels cold and clammy...cried several times last night...not from pain but feom the withdrawls symptoms...on a good note..he ate three small meals yesterday finally...making progress!

Comments

  • longtermsurvivor
    longtermsurvivor Member Posts: 1,842 Member
    #2
    not highly recommended

    to do this cold turkey.  If he wants to be a super hero, the worst is over in about three days.  It won't kill him, but it is miserable.  Seriously, he should go back on the patch right now and talk to his provider.  There are easier ways to step him back down slowly so that he doesn't have withdrawal.

     

    best to you

     

    Pat

  • ahollie
    ahollie Member Posts: 84
    #3
    longtermsurvivor said:

    not highly recommended

    to do this cold turkey.  If he wants to be a super hero, the worst is over in about three days.  It won't kill him, but it is miserable.  Seriously, he should go back on the patch right now and talk to his provider.  There are easier ways to step him back down slowly so that he doesn't have withdrawal.

     

    best to you

     

    Pat

    oh no..hes been weaning

    oh no..hes been weaning himself down..this was the final patch...he was down to 25...so its all over...

  • longtermsurvivor
    longtermsurvivor Member Posts: 1,842 Member
    #4
    ahollie said:

    oh no..hes been weaning

    oh no..hes been weaning himself down..this was the final patch...he was down to 25...so its all over...

    well ok

    but that isn't how a professional terminates the patch when withdrawal is a problem  The taper goes below the 25, and the lower, the slower....  From another website, here is a more common approach to this.  Notice the user was switched to an oral narcotic, in order to get blood levels down even further before termination?  Also, there are several patches on the market that are either 12 or 12.5 mcg/hr.

    ------------------------

    Camille,
    He can either give you a 12.5 microgram patch for a week or so before giving you the lortab or he can switch you right over to the Lortab.
    I am not sure of what the dose would be on the Lortab, but if you are experiencing any withdrawal symptoms, contact your doctor. There is NO way that you should be wearing that patch any more than 3 days , no matter what.
    Sandi

    ------------------------

     

    best

    Pat

  • Jeff2159
    Jeff2159 Member Posts: 108
    #5
    pain meds

    I remember stopping the patches and pain meds at the same time as I was tired of being a vegetable and comatose. The only problem I had was I could not sleep for 4 nights as my mind was spinning at night. I guess tapering was the way to go but I was impatient

  • Guzzle
    Guzzle Member Posts: 710
    #6
    Jeff2159 said:

    pain meds

    I remember stopping the patches and pain meds at the same time as I was tired of being a vegetable and comatose. The only problem I had was I could not sleep for 4 nights as my mind was spinning at night. I guess tapering was the way to go but I was impatient

    pain meds

    I hated the effects and got off them ASAP. I did wean self off them over a couple of weeks. Good luck, G

  • debbiejeanne
    debbiejeanne Member Posts: 3,102 Member
    #7
    so very glad he's able to

    so very glad he's able to eat.  that is definitely a step in the healing direction!!

    God bless you,

    dj

  • Crazymom
    Crazymom Member Posts: 339 Member
    #8
    quitting quickly

    when I was on the patch the pharmacy messed up my perscription.  So, I could not get anymore.  I called the doctors and nothing happenned.  So...I was forced to get off the patch cold turkey.  Not pleasant, but I survived.  I cannot remember how long I felt bad, but eventually I was find.  I am sure he will feel better soon.   Ann

  • Roar
    Roar Member Posts: 269 Member
    #9
    ahollie said:

    oh no..hes been weaning

    oh no..hes been weaning himself down..this was the final patch...he was down to 25...so its all over...

    Different strokes for different folks

    I hated the pain meds. They really didn't help me as I still couldn't eat- they just made the days pass faster- I went cold turkey two weeks after my last treatment. Magic mouthwash did more for me than any narcotic they put down my throat or on my arm. I never looked back and am convinced I made the correct choice. Yes there were a few sleepless nights but it wasnt like I had to get up for work as I was still recovering and my main goal was to gain back some weight.

  • robswife87
    robswife87 Member Posts: 209
    #10
    Took us 6 weeks

    Rob was not on the patch but on 15mgER morphine 3 times a day. They tapered one pill a week. When he took his last one we thought OK no more. 3 days of no sleep, body twitches (like myoclonic seizures), vomiting, etc. He woke me on 3rd night crying and begging for help. I gave him 5 mg liquid vicodin, and it took all that away and he slept for many hours. He would be okay in the day but at night it would start again. We tapered 1/2mg each week until he was off. Took 6 weeks, but no withdrawl. 

    Watching that 3 days was almost the worst of all the treatment. To go through all of the treatment horrors and to have something like a pill start to turn it upside down again. Brings tears to my eyes just thinking about it again.

    He is more sensitive to these kind of drugs than I. It has been found that I need 2-3 times what a "normal" person needs. 

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