Fentanyl Withdrawal

This was something I thought of on my own thinking I could do it, then ran it by my pharmacist and my dr (primary care dr issues the patches but is stopping. He was going to send me to pain mgt and the day before my appt w pain dr he called to let me know he doesn't prescribe the patches). So really, no one has any real experience trying to do this (me or dr). If I can't, we'll have to try some other way. No, I don't live alone so I have someone to help. It's REALLY helping with you all giving me advise. I won't be starting to detox until October. I will be out of the area all summer so my dr is going to con't same dosage til I return. Then we'll start the process. So, I have time to keep investigating and talking to people. Thank you for responding Leigh.

Unfortunately it has become more common for even pain mgment docs not to prescribe fentanyl.  Probably partly because of the nightmare it is to get off them and partly because of the witch hunt that opioids have become in the US.

We are the unwilling and unmeant victims of this, we started the patch because our doctor recommended it and prescribed it, NOW what are we supposed to do if we are having trouble withdrawing and we cannot find anyone to prescribe it?  Sure wish I knew someone with some pull who could address our problem.  We are NOT to blame, and we should NOT feel guilty about the fix we are in now.  I heard of a case where the family  sued the doc because someone OD'ed on the pain med they prescribed.

I am glad that you have until Oct to begin the process, and I hope you find some very helpful info and share it with all of us in the same boat you are in.  We are NOT sissies!!! Withdrawal from fentanyl is a horrible thing at best.  I gotta wonder if heroin withdrawal is any worse!

Thank you Leigh for your reply. I am going to stay in touch because I'm going to need all the help and encouragement I can get. Let me know how things are going for you from time to time. Thank you again.

Hi Melissa, how are you doing?  I am having a good week, have not had to put a patch on earlier than the 72 hours and not had terrible symptoms, although I a VERY sleepy the last 24 hours, and I yawn and yawn.  Those things are pretty easy to deal with, so I am happy.  It is a start, but I know it is a long road ahead, and I am scared and depressed when I think about it.  I wonder if I will still be able to work when I start the "real" withdrawal  process.  I have a "retirement job", I work 16 hours a week with the Ticket to Work program, through the SSA, helping folks on disability get back out into the work place, should they want to.  How are you coping with what you are doing Melissa?  Hope you are staying in touch and preparing for your battle.  I am going to my PCP this week in the hopes of finding a new pain management clinic that will help me get off the fentanyl.  I mean kind, compassionate help, not, "take off the patch and suffer" help, which is no help at all!  Take care, Leigh

Thank you so much for your reply. The patches I use unfortunately can't be cut.. How long did it take you to get off by cutting? It sounds like you still had pretty severe detox symptoms. Again, thank you.

Melissa, just read this, and although I just wrote you I thought I would mention that it might be possible for you to get the "dry" patches that can be cut, it sounds like adidjazzok did a great job of it.  The dry ones are just made by a different manufacturer.  I was given them once and had withdrawal symptoms with the very first patch, I believe they do not deliver the same amount of drug that the fluid ones do, but it is possible that is just my body chemistry talking.  You might try talking to your pharmacist about trying to get the dry ones.  Of course they all state not to cut them, but I believe it is safe to cut the dry ones, but we may need to ask someone what brand it is they have cut successfully.  Cutting the fluid ones would lead to overdose and death immediately, NOT to be tried.

Take care, Leigh

I've tried the dry ones in the past and found that I was allergic to them. I had a really bad intolerable skin reaction. I've read where someone taped a little bit of the patch at a time. So I guess that's a possibility. Thank you for your help and suggestions.

How are you doing today? Stay strong!

it took me 2 years to detox off 2 of the 100 mcg patches every 48 hours and 240 mg morphine every 24 hours, it was the worst experience i ever had except for having a busted appendix 19 days, i wouldnt do it again if you paid me, i ended up in the oklahoma heart hospital 3 times during the detox, i had to get off it or it was going to kill me and i didnt want to die like that

what i did was get the dry patches and just cut a sliver off each one and then a little more off the next one, then level off if ya have to and then proceed as best you can according to the sickness

HI Melissa,  I am a taper to reduce the dose.  I have been up to 125 mcg but mainly at the 50 mcg over the past few years.  It took my time and even stabilized several months over the last nine months.  Today I am at the very end...maybe 1 to 2 mcg and it will completely be over this Friday.  I have experience fatigue over the last few months but nothing more until this past Monday.  I am very nervous and anxious but that's not awful.  I have been on fentynal for 15 years.  I look forward to being over it all.  Slow is the best way to go when addicted to something for so long.  I will post again next unless unless someone needs more info.  

 

That depends on which strength you are on.  100 mcg trying to go down to 75mcg you will only work with one quarter of the patch.  That said I used the letters on the longest printed line.  First covering about 1/4 of the fourth I want to reduce.  Two patches like that then tape off to about 1/2 of the quarter to reduce.  When you get to one quarter taped off you are ready for the 75 mcg.  Do not go faster than four weeks or maybe eight weeks depending how you react.  75 mcg look at it as one third to get down to 50 mcg.  Tape off a small portion of the one third for two patches weather that is four day or six.  I never could reduce faster than a week.  Continue to tape a little bit more each week.  50 mcg look at reducing only one half.  Tape maybe 1/8 of patch and gradually increase till half way mark.  25 mcg divide mentally in half and tape about 1/8 first week, 1/4 second week, 3/8 third week 1/2 fourth week.  That gets you to the 12 mcg patch.  Tape off a bit at time till the last 1/8 and leave patch on until all medicine is released.  I use the clear waterproof bandages to cover the patches to keep them on.  It has worked great.

hope that makes it clearer.