Hi Everyone!
I want to thank you all again for your help last night. At the ER, my husband got IV fluids, an ekg and some blood work, as well as had to talk to mental health for a bit. He opted to come home and slept the morning away. He went to the addictionologist, saw the NP, and she said as well as the ER last night, he's lucky to be alive and that he did indeed take a lethal combination. They didnt admonish him for slipping, and just said he needs to come to program every day until he pees clean then can start the naltraxone again and I am to watch him take it every day from now on. He's sleeping now, and this time he really scared himself, "I almost died" he says...I dont think he was THAT close to dying, but it was enough to scare the crap out of him. Thank you very much for helping me through such a rough time :)
Renee
Hi! Just signing on...Has anyone heard back from Renee? I have learned so much since beginning opioid therapy for pain... Most of us are not educated about the meds we take. I wasn't went I slapped a duragesic patch on my back 18 months ago. I have a friend who is going thru severe wldrwal because his dr. switched him coldturkey from duragesic to a comparable amount of oxycontin...I now know you can not abruptly stop duragesic in favor of other opioids because it is a lipid based med. Now tonite, poor Renee isn't educated on the danger of Nal. and mixing with opioids....something else I had no idea about.
I consider myself a fairly intelligent person...have any of you guys been blown away about a drug interaction that you really believed you should have found out about from the prescribing dr?? Just wondering as I am starting to see it more and more. Scary enough..
Hope everyone is well...Haven't been on for a few days, missed chatting. xo
I consider myself a fairly intelligent person...have any of you guys been blown away about a drug interaction that you really believed you should have found out about from the prescribing dr?? Just wondering as I am starting to see it more and more. Scary enough..
Hope everyone is well...Haven't been on for a few days, missed chatting. xo
Breeze, I do not want to get too bogged down on this topic, but I am on the patches for fairly severe pain relating to my cancer. Even with the patches there are times when I feel like I have a gun shot wound in my side where the cancer is located. Can you tell me more about how people get off the patches? I keep on hoping that I am close to ending the pain as my chemo progresses. I have been on the patches for about 2 months now. I was on percocet prior to that.
Thanks.
August
Thanks.
August
Hi August. I would be happy to help you answer what I know, unfortunately I am no expert because I am afraid to stop the patch. The reason I came here was because I have a terrible back and was put on it about 18 months ago. Recently, I tried to titrate my dose down from 75mcg to 50 just to see how my back felt. My back felt the same, but my body started to experience some uncomfortable withdrawal symptoms and it frightened me. I brought my concerns to the pain board I frequent and was given suggestions on how to stop duragesic. From what I hear, anyway you go about it, it isn't pleasant.
There are people on the pain board and this one that suggest I work very closely with my prescribing doctor who (if they have experience which may also be a problem--) can titrate the dose down while using another narcotic or assist with a slow wean (no thank you..even forgetting to change my patch on time and my body is craving that fentanyl). I have 2 friends from the pain board that did it cold turkey. Both claim fentanyl withdrawal to be the worst of all withdrawals. And since you can't make it better by "popping a perc", because of its structure, once the decision is made you need to live with it. That scared me to death and because I was so frightened, one of them recommended this site to me.
Several people have been on duragesic here. Cindy (cowgirl) honestly gave me the most candid advice...it is hell, and she feels I should be checked in to detox. Friends on the pain board say that too. I meet with my Dr. in July. My primary care physician knows I want this no more and feel that I can probably survive with the pain. She recommended a slow wean and I burst out into major tears in her office --I am not a pretty crier, so she strongly suggested I meet with my pain doctor. July may seem far off, but for me it isn't. I want to be armed with everything I have so that I get the help I need to stop duragesic. I have 2 young children and a husband who emotionally cannot handle my pain...it upsets him, and while I love him, that is a terrible thing to deal with--the worry that I am worrying another person--ugh.
I am sorry I could not tell you more...I hope that you are a stonger person than me, and therefore will be able to endure whatever it is we go thru to get off duragesic.. I just don't know how I am going to do it yet and deal with the very real pain, my family and myself...I pray daily that once off duragesic, the pain will be bearable and there will not be any more need for narcotics. I never want to be in this situation again. I'd rather be in pain. If you are willing to stick it out until I meet with my pain dr., I am happy to share my news and experiences with you.. I hope that you are feeling better...I really enjoy your posts, and your words to others here. You sound like a terrific person and truly wish for your good health and happiness...xo
There are people on the pain board and this one that suggest I work very closely with my prescribing doctor who (if they have experience which may also be a problem--) can titrate the dose down while using another narcotic or assist with a slow wean (no thank you..even forgetting to change my patch on time and my body is craving that fentanyl). I have 2 friends from the pain board that did it cold turkey. Both claim fentanyl withdrawal to be the worst of all withdrawals. And since you can't make it better by "popping a perc", because of its structure, once the decision is made you need to live with it. That scared me to death and because I was so frightened, one of them recommended this site to me.
Several people have been on duragesic here. Cindy (cowgirl) honestly gave me the most candid advice...it is hell, and she feels I should be checked in to detox. Friends on the pain board say that too. I meet with my Dr. in July. My primary care physician knows I want this no more and feel that I can probably survive with the pain. She recommended a slow wean and I burst out into major tears in her office --I am not a pretty crier, so she strongly suggested I meet with my pain doctor. July may seem far off, but for me it isn't. I want to be armed with everything I have so that I get the help I need to stop duragesic. I have 2 young children and a husband who emotionally cannot handle my pain...it upsets him, and while I love him, that is a terrible thing to deal with--the worry that I am worrying another person--ugh.
I am sorry I could not tell you more...I hope that you are a stonger person than me, and therefore will be able to endure whatever it is we go thru to get off duragesic.. I just don't know how I am going to do it yet and deal with the very real pain, my family and myself...I pray daily that once off duragesic, the pain will be bearable and there will not be any more need for narcotics. I never want to be in this situation again. I'd rather be in pain. If you are willing to stick it out until I meet with my pain dr., I am happy to share my news and experiences with you.. I hope that you are feeling better...I really enjoy your posts, and your words to others here. You sound like a terrific person and truly wish for your good health and happiness...xo
Renee sometimes things workout for reasons that are unexplainable, last night might have been the best thing that ever happened to you and your husband, only time will tell, please keep us informed, i will be here for 60more days, ( IT'S A LONG STORY) Goodluck Renee (-:
Breeze, this is all new to me. Cancer is kind of an odd duck--it takes precedence over everything. 10 days ago I had some arthroscopic exams that required sedation and I simply skipped putting on patches on Wednesday and Thursday while the sedatives wore off. I remained without a patch until Tuesday night when the pain came roaring back. I won't mention how much I was on but it was higher than your dose. I felt a little thin skinned and a little uncomfortable by Tuesday, but I would have been willing to continue had the pain not come back so strongly. Dealing with pain, or physical withdrawal, for that matter, is no picnic while also receiving high tox chemo.
In any event, if and when we get the cancer under control, I have faith in my God and my program that I can endure what it takes to get off the stuff. I just hope nobody dies in the process. It seems like a long way off but I would like to think that I could find myself in remission at any time. I have been extremely open and candid with my oncologist about my concerns about addiction, and I am confident that she will work with me when the time comes. I have always had a high pain threshold, and my spirituality allows me to pull through things like this. I am already committed to doing a 90 in 90 when the time comes. I do not want to think too much about it because I have learned that the fear of anything, and I assume withdrawal is included in this, is worse than the reality.
I think I am coming off as arrogant. I had better watch my words lest I wind up eating them. I just do not want to win the battle against the cancer and then lose the war with addiction. They each scare me about the same--either can end my life prematurely, and on the whole quality of life with cancer is great compared to the mess that was me when I finally got clean and sober.
Thanks for your kind words. The service work I get to do on this board is critical to my maintaining a sense of balance, particularly since the chemo makes it extremely difficult to attend meetings.
August
In any event, if and when we get the cancer under control, I have faith in my God and my program that I can endure what it takes to get off the stuff. I just hope nobody dies in the process. It seems like a long way off but I would like to think that I could find myself in remission at any time. I have been extremely open and candid with my oncologist about my concerns about addiction, and I am confident that she will work with me when the time comes. I have always had a high pain threshold, and my spirituality allows me to pull through things like this. I am already committed to doing a 90 in 90 when the time comes. I do not want to think too much about it because I have learned that the fear of anything, and I assume withdrawal is included in this, is worse than the reality.
I think I am coming off as arrogant. I had better watch my words lest I wind up eating them. I just do not want to win the battle against the cancer and then lose the war with addiction. They each scare me about the same--either can end my life prematurely, and on the whole quality of life with cancer is great compared to the mess that was me when I finally got clean and sober.
Thanks for your kind words. The service work I get to do on this board is critical to my maintaining a sense of balance, particularly since the chemo makes it extremely difficult to attend meetings.
August
August...Arrogance and knowing what is right and best for you are 2 entirely different things. I have not been thru anything close to what you have endured. I truly believe that you should not have a problem coming off duragesic. If you recall in my post to you, I never mentioned my fear of craving duragesic once I am off of it, because that is not my issue. I hate the fact that this medication owns me. Addiction is not my fear in this at all..yes, this sounds extremely arrogant, but really it is just a matter of knowing what is best for me. I just want off the drug and pray that the pain won't bring me back to opiates of any kind. I don't want to need ( God I hope I don't) it back during the withdrawal process because I feel so crappy. I just want it out of my body permanently and forever. Maybe because I never felt high, or maybe because I don't like that I "need" pain meds for assistance with pain, but I don't think I am going to miss it--at all. I could be wrong. This is why I say maybe. I don't like the way it makes me feel (mentally) now, and I am sure going to hate it with a vengence when my body goes thru a few months of purging it. I am really angry. I wish I had been more careful in my decision to start using the patch. I wish I weren't so weak in handling pain that I needed the darn medicine to begin with. I believe you needed it way more than me. I believe you have the strength to get off this drug when the time comes, and I fully and totally believe that you will not look back. Your strength, perseverance and most importantly, your faith allow you to do it. I know you will.
I am sure I can do it too. I pray it will be a non-issue when I get thru the process.
Love, and appreciation, xo B
I am sure I can do it too. I pray it will be a non-issue when I get thru the process.
Love, and appreciation, xo B
Me Again...Renee, I didn't see your last post, and wanted to thank you for letting us know your husband is ok. I was thinking of you both.
Perhaps he would like to join us here and talk about his recovery. You already know there are some wonderful caring people here that can give him some support thru this tough time.
Best of Luck to both of you.
Perhaps he would like to join us here and talk about his recovery. You already know there are some wonderful caring people here that can give him some support thru this tough time.
Best of Luck to both of you.
Breeze, I discussed the duragesic at lenght with my primary care provider. I think the advantage is that there are no ups and downs like with the pills, so there is far less chance of developing an emotional dependence. That is the part that scares me to death. I am a pretty tough guy, or so I would like to believe, and one way or the other, I think I will deal with the physical withdrawal. I also would expect there to be a few rough patches as one's brain waives readjust, but it is the emotional dependence that stole my life from me last time and I fear it, truly, worse than the cancer. It can be very strong, much more to than my paltry will.
I know what it is like to just want off the darn stuff. There are days when I hate it and that is why I elected to be 7 days late in putting on a patch last week. Breeze what we have to remember is that there is an extremely complex balancing act that must be taken into account here. With the pain meds on one side and the pain on the other. One reason I spend so much time on this board is for fear of losing that precious balance, which is precarious enough with being essentially homeridden with the cancer. Breeze, the objective here is to live a good and decent life. I got tired of the hero stuff years ago. I urge you to confer with tyour pain care specialists and reach well conceived decesions that do justice and honor the balancing equation, lest the pain pull you down to the point where you are later tempted to overcompesate with the meds. I am sure you can appreciate this risk.
It is good to speak with others who have to work this balancing act. It would be so much easier for me to simply quit, but with gun shot level pain, that would not help me fight my cancer, so I have to put aside my desires and go with what makes the most sense.
I just woke up. I hope this does not come across as a babble. Take care, let me know how you are doing.
August
I know what it is like to just want off the darn stuff. There are days when I hate it and that is why I elected to be 7 days late in putting on a patch last week. Breeze what we have to remember is that there is an extremely complex balancing act that must be taken into account here. With the pain meds on one side and the pain on the other. One reason I spend so much time on this board is for fear of losing that precious balance, which is precarious enough with being essentially homeridden with the cancer. Breeze, the objective here is to live a good and decent life. I got tired of the hero stuff years ago. I urge you to confer with tyour pain care specialists and reach well conceived decesions that do justice and honor the balancing equation, lest the pain pull you down to the point where you are later tempted to overcompesate with the meds. I am sure you can appreciate this risk.
It is good to speak with others who have to work this balancing act. It would be so much easier for me to simply quit, but with gun shot level pain, that would not help me fight my cancer, so I have to put aside my desires and go with what makes the most sense.
I just woke up. I hope this does not come across as a babble. Take care, let me know how you are doing.
August
No babble at all. Sounded like great advice to me. I will keep you posted. I plan on being here thru it all. My next step is the doctor, and from there we will see. I do want to try this without medication. I have had a bad back for a very very long time. As the time to meet and "confess" to my pain doctor draws near, I will probably be drawing on the strength and wisdom from you and others here. I hope you feel you can come to me as well should you decide to stop duragesic too.
xo
xo
When my time comes, I will draw on you and everyone else, Breeze. I am not one to increase the risk of a relapse based on my own arrogance. I hope to get off them once and only once and for good. I have a good record of no relapses in recovery and while my sponsors agree that mine is not a relapse, a return to the meds would count as one.
I just wish the chemo would work so I could get started right away.
Feel free to lean on me as your day advances. My advice is simple to the point of being ridiculously repetitive. I advocate lots or spirituality and lots of group support.
Take care and stay in touch,
August
I just wish the chemo would work so I could get started right away.
Feel free to lean on me as your day advances. My advice is simple to the point of being ridiculously repetitive. I advocate lots or spirituality and lots of group support.
Take care and stay in touch,
August
as you know chemo takes time. I hope it kicks in very soon for you. How are you reacting to your treatments? I am helping in the care of a very special friend right now. She is dealing with cancer of the spine resulting from unsuccessfully treated lung cancer. She lives about 2 miles from me so each nite, while my children are getting ready for bed, I run to her place and set her up for the nite. She loves a shoulder and neck massage and I open bottles of water for her (LOL) in case she gets thirstly at nite. Turn down her bed clean up the dishes, and whatever else she needs. Chemo days are hertoughest (my mother never had chemo so it's new to me) so I stay a bit longer but she endures, very thankfully to her duragesic patch.
So one day at a time for you too, and {{{{{{ neck shoulders}}}}} here is a cyber massage since you just woke up and are probably sore. xo xo
So one day at a time for you too, and {{{{{{ neck shoulders}}}}} here is a cyber massage since you just woke up and are probably sore. xo xo
Relapse is always a possible reality no matter how good a support person someone has. You did not fail your husband. He made his own choices and hid them from you. There is nothing you could have done to prevent that. What you did do, making him confront the issue, is far from failing him. Yes, he relapsed, and yes that is a dissapointing setback, but you did everything right as far as confronting him in a non-judgemental way and then forcing him to confront himself and then calling for assistance when you were both unsure of what the next step should be. Be proud of yourself, and be proud of your husband for (in the end) admitting that he had relapsed and needed continued help. (((hugs)))
Hey Breeze, thanks for the encouraging note. I am Day 20 in a 31 day chemo cycle and I feel like I should have a lot more energy than I do. Of course, I also get up two hours early to practice the guitar, so that could have a bearing on things.
I am bearing up allright under the chemo. Fatigue is the big issue, and I sometimes sleep upwards of 15 to 18 hours per day. I worry about crashes in my white blood cell counts and fear that I am currently dealing with one--they make life less pleasant due to fatigue and risk of infections. I have the usual bouts of pain in the cancerous area (spleen and abdomen), a few mouth sores, and ringing in one ear. I will discuss all of this with the oncologist on Friday and odds are they will be able to address most of the issues. I am very fortunate to have top quality medical help available to me. My new philosophy on break through pain is to wait one half hour before taking a med. The pain almost always disappears before I have need of a med, so my percocet use is way down, praxctically to zero I know I am doing an excellent job of managing my meds and my pain, but I would prefer to be done with all of it sometimes.
I think I am engaging in a "drunkalog" here. I had best be quiet until I get some coffee in me. Thanks for asking about the cancer--we all have crosses to bear. I feel grateful that my burden is very light relative to other folks I know.
Take care,
August (yawn)
I am bearing up allright under the chemo. Fatigue is the big issue, and I sometimes sleep upwards of 15 to 18 hours per day. I worry about crashes in my white blood cell counts and fear that I am currently dealing with one--they make life less pleasant due to fatigue and risk of infections. I have the usual bouts of pain in the cancerous area (spleen and abdomen), a few mouth sores, and ringing in one ear. I will discuss all of this with the oncologist on Friday and odds are they will be able to address most of the issues. I am very fortunate to have top quality medical help available to me. My new philosophy on break through pain is to wait one half hour before taking a med. The pain almost always disappears before I have need of a med, so my percocet use is way down, praxctically to zero I know I am doing an excellent job of managing my meds and my pain, but I would prefer to be done with all of it sometimes.
I think I am engaging in a "drunkalog" here. I had best be quiet until I get some coffee in me. Thanks for asking about the cancer--we all have crosses to bear. I feel grateful that my burden is very light relative to other folks I know.
Take care,
August (yawn)
