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Fentanyl withdrawal need help please!!

Posted , 3 users are following.

andy15149
andy15149

Hi I am new to this forum, well any forum but I have been reading people’s posts about succes with detox from opiates. I am currently going though that process now with fentanyl w/d. It’s horrible if I knew this when I started I would have run a mile before starting it. 

Mine is for chronic thoracic back pain and other injuries which my pain docs have now said that’s it for procedures we can’t do anything else to help you. This was after my last procedure failed and I dreaded that happening as I had pinned all my last hope of getting my life back to be with my young family more. Even though it failed and increased the overall pain levels I still decided to detox from fentanyl. It is an awful drug which I thought at first was a miricle but due to being on opioids for the past 18 years I have a very high tolerance to them and so the fentanyl quickly needed increasing right up to 125mg every 48hrs with oxy for break through as well as many more drugs I have to take daily to cope with the unreal pain levels. The detox has been hell!!! I am tapering the dosage down every two weeks by 12mg a time. Now after how very many months I am down to 25mg. I have nothing replacing it apart from the meds mentioned above and so the W/d’s are terrible the worst being insomnia. Cold sweats body temp changes constantly, sweating, stomach problems, nausea to name but a few but I am determined to not stop. It’s been extremely hard and I really feel forcanyone who has or is going through this I wouldn’t wish it on my worst enemy. There hZ been numerous times I have reached for another patch even gone so far as opening them and tacking the backing off before realising what and who I am doing this for and it is worth the hell to be with my young son and partner more than being a zombie and >>it farther. My partner is also now expecting our second son so my motivation has kicked up a gear. 

All I want to say to anyone doing this now or thinking about doing it is it will be hard and there will be so many times where you just want to quit but you have to find that strength within yourself to continue on. My strength come from wanting to be more of a farther and partner than I am now. I hate who I became in fentanyl it changed my whole personality I realise now just how nasty I had become and how horrible I was to people especially after it stopped working and the pain got worse. Everyone has a reason for wanting to get off these things and that’s what you must not loose sight of. If you keep that focus and are determined to stick it out it can be done.

I have detoxed of 8 different opioids at one time or another and none are as bad as this but it’s doable if you really want it o happen.

I’m sorry if the post is a bit jumbled up I’ve never posted in any forums before but after reading all the stories of people’s experiences on here it has really helped me and I thank you all for that. It is nice to know you are not alone in this fight and that helps allot.

If anyone has gone through the fentanyl withdrawal and has any advise if things that might help me a bit I would really appreciate it. I’m getting down to the low doses now and the wd’s have doubled in strength. Some days I just want to sleep but can’t stay still did go rls and increased pain long enough to do it. I really wish it was over but it’s not and I have to continue to fight to get to the end. 

If I can help anyone with anything I will and if anyone can offer me anything advise for my next drop downs then I would be grateful!!

As I said it’s horrible to go through but not impossible and I hope everyone makes it to the end.

Sorry about the messy post still learning.

Good luck to everyone in the fight 

Andy

0 likes, 3 replies

3 Replies

  • Anonymous111
    Anonymous111 andy15149

    Posted

    Excellent. Keep going.

    It will be horrendous. Many say Fentanyl is stronger than Heroin. However it will get better. You will get over this.

    Always remember your son and wife when you want to quit. Do it for them.

    How many patches were you getting through a week?

    What is you spinal diagnosis?

    • andy15149
      andy15149 Anonymous111

      Posted

      Ben

      Thanks for the reply and kind words it helps.

      I was getting through 4100mg patches and 4 25mg patches every week when I was at full dose since I started detox it has been switched to 72 hour change from 48 so it is less now. I change to 25mg from 37 tomorrow so not looking forward to the few days after as they seem to be the worst.

      My spinal diagnosis is 

      Sherman’s desease in thoracic 

      Sherman’s kyphosis 75’ angle curve 

      Bone hypertrophic growth in facet joints and lumbar spine 

      Lumbar spine straitened from normal curve due to kyphosis.

      Failed cortisone injections x 15 gave max 1 week relief

      Failed denervation procedure Feb 2017 pain worsened from that. I also suffer with depression and anxiety due to this and feel like I have lost everything due to this a good job and a good life with my family I want it back so much I was willing to take the 1in10 chance and never walking again after fusion but family convinced me not too and in the end neurology surgeon said it could be done anyway due to risk as would have to break spine top and bottoms and fuse twice due to the lumbar straitening itself to cope with the thoracic. They said it’s too risky for my age 37.

      Hope that helps 

      Andy

  • karenlh23
    karenlh23 andy15149

    Posted

    Andy

    Hang in there.  It may get worse before it gets better.

     I was on 75mg Fentanyl  48 hrs, but was as high as 200mg 48 hrs.

    I have severe Juvenile Rheumatoid arthritis.   I took dilaudid for break through pain and have stayed on that drug for pain. 

    Are you under a pain Mgmt dr to help you through the detox?  They have meds that help the leg twitching, anixiety and sleepless nights , not completely ,but they help. 

    Fentanyl made me a different person as well, I was always mad and angry. 

    The most helpful advice I got on this site was that it will take 2 full years for your body  to fully recover. It made the long days easier knowing what I was going through was normal and to not be scared.  It is very, very difficult process, brutal in fact. 

    The first 2 weeks completely off are really hard, next was 3 months before I noticed improvement, at a year I was better but not great.  I’m now 21 months off and I have my life back. Hopefully you’ll have an easier time.

    I will tell you that every hard, difficult day is worth it to get off this drug. If you have any questions please ask. 

    Feb 2018 is 2 years and I keep feeling better and stronger. 

    I still have pain, but it’s better then being on Fentanyl. 

    Hang In there!! It’s a tough road but you got this!!

    smile. Karen 

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