Currently on 12 mcg duragesic/fentanyl patch

[roo1177]

I have been trending down for six months. I was on the 50mcg patches...then the 25...now on the 12. I used vicodine and sometimes the stronger norco for the withdrawels. Now I want to get off completely. My doctor says I should just stretch out the intervals that I put the patch on. He says I should be able to go off the 12 mcgs without narcotics... and he will not give me any more vicodine or norco to help with the withdrawels.

I have SEVERE withdrawels when I try to go more than three days on one patch. I convulse pretty badly and hallucinate. I am getting more and more nervous and anxious and the suicidal thoughts are always with me now...where as before they only came when I was trending down. Considering how hard I fought to get well and survive it is really odd to me to constantly be thinking about death.I really want off this patch. I was wondering if it would be possible to take the patch off without additional narcotics but with something else to ease the withdrawels. My doctor did give me ativan to help with the anxiety, but it doesn't seem to help much and I just can't take more of these symptons.

Is it possible to just rip the patch off at home and just go through the convulsions? I keep chickening out because the symptons get so bad. In other words...has anybody gone off 12mcg patches on this forum without the use of other narcotics and if so would you mind sharing how you did it?

Thank you.

[LadySundown]

Hi,

Of course I'm still speaking to you. I have never been upset with anything you have done. I owe you a lot for warning me about the lollipops of death. I didn't understand them until you explained them. I will be wearing the 25 patch by the end of this week. The next cut in about two months and I will be wearing just a 12. After than I'm very afraid. See, I thought the actiq suckers were just innocent little things that didn't have enough fentanyl in them to hurt anything. I thought maybe way less than the 12 patch. I will forever be in your debt for warning me. I am afraid though. What will happen to me when I'm done with the last 12 patch?? Will it just be realy bad w/d until my body gets used to not having fentanyl?? Is there something else I can take?? I don't have any pain but I'm sure my Dr. will give me something. She's the not the one that put me on this damn fentanyl and she's willing to work with me. She's only been a Dr. for about a year so I'm her first fentanyl patient. I had no problem coming off vicodin so maybe that would work. I already take xanax and have taken it for so many years my body is used to it.

How have you been?? Please let me know. I am having trouble accepting some of the stuff going on here on the forum but you know how that goes. It's a soap opera sometimes. lol

Post soon.....LS

[manonfire]

Are you still talking to me? haven't heard from u in a long time. How's the taper? on 25's yet? No more thoughts of actiq, I HOPE! You said something in a post far away...fentanyl has never got u high so u wern't too worried about actiq. Please realize that the delivery via lolipops is immediate and will ABSOLUTELY get you high! Avoid them like grim death! I can't tell u how much better I feel with those motherf*ckers out of my life! They are the devil on a stick. Still craving them today, even though I have a 25 stuck on. Man i would love to have about 4 of them. I'd stick them all in my mouth at once. I really would. NOW how safe do they sound? keep up with patches, then get them generic fu*ckers you can cut up I guess. Can't cut my duragesic. I think about u all the time, and I hope you are still speaking with me. I think 1911 and I have a truce now. Keep me up to date! Please!

[LadySundown]

I didn't take the time to read what the other's posted. As soon as I read yours I replied, although, I'm sure they all gave good advice. You can't cut the patches. I started on 100mcg (that's how man micrograms of fentanly is being released into the system per hour.)I went from 100 to 75 and stayed there for three months. Then down to 50 and stayed two months, now wearing a 25 plus a 12 and when I see my Dr. this month I will go to just the 25.
My dr. works with me and is very supportive. She didn't put me on them. DON'T REMOVE THE PATCH. Why are you wearing them more than three days?? They're only good for 72 hours and some people have to change them every 48, with dr. permission.
You should be on something for w/d. I was surprised how helpful my local ER was one time when my dr. was out of town and I ran out of patches. Have you ever abused the patches?? If not they will help. They may give you a mild benzo like xanax or valium, but only for two weeks. Don't want to trade addictions.
I feel very bad for you and no one should have to go through what you are now. I check the forum a lot so keep posting and I will answer. Fentanyl is a force to be dealt with. It's 100 times as strong as morphine and deadly.
I'm here for you and will be waiting for you to post an update. Take care please....LS

[manonfire]

not bad, i too have seen the drama. woulda weighed in if it was a week ago. not now. u can cut from those 12's easy! keep the faith. u can do it! no devil's lolipops for me in 8 days, and doing pretty good. considering. glad i havent angered u. i was a real pr*ck with ears for a while, but feel more like my old self everyday. glad i hadnt offended u, cuz i need you!

[Mis Take]

If you use the generic patch that does not have gel in its but is more flat.  THe brand start with an "m" and I can't think of it.  Anyway, when using these, you can cut them and therefore wean off much slower.  Because we went through a time with no insurance, the doctor I was seeing for pain management advised that I get the 100mc patch and cut it in 1/2.  I took 50mc every two days.  This obviously was much cheaper and I never experienced any problems.  This can not be done with the brand name patches.  The get would ooze out and you would get all of the meds at once.  THis is not the case with these.  ANyway, best of luck.  I am now on Oxycontin and starting the wean down process. It sucks bad!!

[jenny07]

OOOOPS! I didn't know that cutting that patch is a no-no! Good thing you saw that and set her straight.
I was only trying to think of a way she could slowly wean off of it.