I'm feeling really terrible and I think it's because of the duralgesic 25 patches. I was put on them for extreme pain, but I'm starting to feel like I want to scream. I'm so hot or so cold all the time and I lie in bed all day long. I'm so exhausted. Eventhough these patches last for 3 days, by the 2nd day, I feel I need another one. I've been on them since Feb 2004. I'm so depressed about it...I tried to withdrawl by myself but didn't make it...I got such bad withdrawl symptoms. I spoke to my doc about getting off and he didn't know how, so I asked my pharmacist to get involved...that was a week ago and no help. Can anyone tell me what to do? I live in Toronto.
Can you go and see another doctor? Or go to a detox center? or an addictions center.
I'm sure one of those 3 places should be able to help you.
I'm sure one of those 3 places should be able to help you.
Hi Buffi! Hope you are feeling better. I was also on Durigesic. I was on 2 100mg and 1 25 mg patches every 3 days..So 225 mg... I first put my patches on early in the morning. then i started to withdrawl just like you so on the second night of my patches, i would put them on before i went to bed.. I never felt withdrawl symtoms after that... ok now for the bad news... I haxe been on tons of pain killers from oxycotin,percs,vics, to know, morphine. The duregesic patches started to make me feel as if i was crazy. literally. i was depressed.. i started sweating profusely, and I really thought i was going to die..i felt like i was crazy!! please be careful....if you need anything i am here...Jess
I withdrawled from duregesic...IT IS HORRIBLE.. IF YOU WANT OFF YOU NEED TO GO TO A HOSPITAL. THEY WILL GIVE YOU MEDICATION FOR THE WITHDRAWL SYMTOMS... THERE COULD BE SERIOUS COMPLICATIONS IF YOU DO IT ON YOUR OWN
Buf- I had 50mg patches for only 3 weeks and felt it when I finally threw them out. But the other posters are right, go to a detox-rehab-hospital..and ASAP
Buff, you are addicted to those patches. Stop now and get help. I went to the mergency room when I was withdrawaling and they did nothing but send me home and tell me to call a help line then bill me $300. But there are people you can call who will help. Detox centers, crisis centers. Be strong and you can beat this. Also, find another doctor! I can't believe your doc said he didn't know how to help you! God bless you---Jessica
Buffi, I was on Durgesic patches also. My pain kept on escalating and eventually I was on 175mg every three days. I never experienced the withdrawal symptoms you mentioned and in fact, when I started tapering down, I quickly realized that it took about three days for me to find myself in full blown withdrawal.
I withdrew without detox, and wdid so at home, essentially on my own, though I kept my doctors informed. I was on chemo therapy at the time, and I did have sleep aids prescribed. Basically, I tapered every other three day cycle, and went from 175mg to 125mg to 75mg to 50mg to 25mg to zero. I had uncomfortable days during each taper but the worst by far was the 75 to 50 taper. I could not get comfortable and time seemed to just stand still for about three days. Slowly, it improved after that, though it was a few weeks before I felt that the fentanyl was completely out of my system.
I would recommend discussing your concerns about the patch with your physician and tell him if you plan to withdraw. He may be able to start you on a different pain meds or make other suggestions. If you have ongoing pain managment issues, you might want to get a second opinion. Just be warned that most of the pain management alternatives you try are likely to take you more deeply into physical dependence and sooner or later you will have to face the music. I urge to be disciplined in evaluating your own pain. I used to continually ask myself whether I was medicating my pain or my fear of the pain.
You will also find that this board is an excellent resource for you during the withdrawal phase. Lots of people have gone through it and survived.
Fentanyl is extremely addictive, no question, and your relatively low usage level is both a blessing and a curse in that tapering is really not an option. I want to stress to you, however, that you can survive this. I did so during some pretty serious chemotherapy and I lived to tell about it.
Good luck. Let us know if we can help.
August.
I withdrew without detox, and wdid so at home, essentially on my own, though I kept my doctors informed. I was on chemo therapy at the time, and I did have sleep aids prescribed. Basically, I tapered every other three day cycle, and went from 175mg to 125mg to 75mg to 50mg to 25mg to zero. I had uncomfortable days during each taper but the worst by far was the 75 to 50 taper. I could not get comfortable and time seemed to just stand still for about three days. Slowly, it improved after that, though it was a few weeks before I felt that the fentanyl was completely out of my system.
I would recommend discussing your concerns about the patch with your physician and tell him if you plan to withdraw. He may be able to start you on a different pain meds or make other suggestions. If you have ongoing pain managment issues, you might want to get a second opinion. Just be warned that most of the pain management alternatives you try are likely to take you more deeply into physical dependence and sooner or later you will have to face the music. I urge to be disciplined in evaluating your own pain. I used to continually ask myself whether I was medicating my pain or my fear of the pain.
You will also find that this board is an excellent resource for you during the withdrawal phase. Lots of people have gone through it and survived.
Fentanyl is extremely addictive, no question, and your relatively low usage level is both a blessing and a curse in that tapering is really not an option. I want to stress to you, however, that you can survive this. I did so during some pretty serious chemotherapy and I lived to tell about it.
Good luck. Let us know if we can help.
August.
I just to wanted to say im so glad to have people like you here.. love yspearing..
Wow, you guys are scaring me. I didn't think it was that serious. I know that my body has built up a tolerance for them and that is why it's getting difficult. My doc told me to go up to 50 and I said no. I'm also sweaty all over and my temperature goes very high and low all day long. I want to crawl out of my body. I was thinking that I could put tape over half of the patch so I could only get half dose and do it like that....what do you think?
Hi Buffi, sorry for your difficulties with the patch. Is it prescribed for the inflammation caused by your Lupus? If so, and depending on your type, have you tried any of the other recommended courses of medication, like NSAIDS, antimalarials, or steroids & cytotoxics/immunosuppressants? At least these aren't addictive (to my knowledge), and I think they are a more accepted treatment for the condition than narcotic pain relievers. Not second-guessing your doctor, just hoping to find you a non-addictive alternative to what is now causing you so much difficulty. M.
Buffi, I do not know whether the tape will work or not. Certainly the delivery mechanism of the patch is geared to surface area, so it might work.
I want to echo what M wrote above. I do not know anything about lupus, but I do know that blood borne diseases have pain issues unto themselves. I had (have) lymphoma, FWIW.
I worked with my oncologist and my primary care physician and we tried several different approaches to the pain issue, including anti inflammatories (my pain was caused by inflammation of my spleen and the resultant "crowding" of other organs in my gut). I am a recovering addict and I was very candid with both of my doctors regarding my concerns about addiction issues.
Ultimately, we agreed on the patch because despite its highly addictive nature, it is less likely to bring about a psychological dependence due to the regularity of the dosage delivery system. I knew on the day that I put on the first patch that I would go through withdrawal one day, but I fear w/d from physical dependence much less than I do the emotional addiction that comes with ingesting the pills.
Lymphoma carries with it certain B symtoms that include night sweats. However, I must say that I do not recall experiencing the kinds of side effects you described. Are you certain that those side effects are related to the patch or might they be related to the lupus?
In any event, I would encourage you to work within your health care system to try different pain management approaches relative to your specific pain issues. As M suggested, there might be a non-narcotic solution available, or perhaps a solution that is less addictive than the fentanyl.
I offer caution that whenever we deal with these addictive pain managment substances we run a real risk of developing serious addiction issues. I urge you to take this aspect of your medical treatment seriously to avoid some of the pain and heartache that others on this board and elsewhere have sufferred.
Good luck.
August
I want to echo what M wrote above. I do not know anything about lupus, but I do know that blood borne diseases have pain issues unto themselves. I had (have) lymphoma, FWIW.
I worked with my oncologist and my primary care physician and we tried several different approaches to the pain issue, including anti inflammatories (my pain was caused by inflammation of my spleen and the resultant "crowding" of other organs in my gut). I am a recovering addict and I was very candid with both of my doctors regarding my concerns about addiction issues.
Ultimately, we agreed on the patch because despite its highly addictive nature, it is less likely to bring about a psychological dependence due to the regularity of the dosage delivery system. I knew on the day that I put on the first patch that I would go through withdrawal one day, but I fear w/d from physical dependence much less than I do the emotional addiction that comes with ingesting the pills.
Lymphoma carries with it certain B symtoms that include night sweats. However, I must say that I do not recall experiencing the kinds of side effects you described. Are you certain that those side effects are related to the patch or might they be related to the lupus?
In any event, I would encourage you to work within your health care system to try different pain management approaches relative to your specific pain issues. As M suggested, there might be a non-narcotic solution available, or perhaps a solution that is less addictive than the fentanyl.
I offer caution that whenever we deal with these addictive pain managment substances we run a real risk of developing serious addiction issues. I urge you to take this aspect of your medical treatment seriously to avoid some of the pain and heartache that others on this board and elsewhere have sufferred.
Good luck.
August
Currently, I am on so many drugs for the lupus...prednisone, plaquenil, flexeril, bextra, immuran are all the ones for the inflammation. I take percocet sometimes when I can't move at all due to head pain (it takes a bit of the edge off). All these drugs don't do much for my facial neuralgia, incredible migraines and all over muscle pain. That's why I tried the patch. At first, it was so great , that the quality of my life hadn't been so good in years! That only lasted about 3 months though, then, I suppose, my body was building a tolerance to the patch. My doctor wanted me to go on 50mg and I said no. I'm just so upset because I have so many issues already to deal with. I just assumed those symptoms were due to the patch because when I took off my patch to try it cold turkey, the symptoms got worse. Anyway, thanks everyone for your concern.
