fetanyl withdrawl

[mopeybeanery]

I have been on a ridiculous amount of meds for my endometriosis and I just started fetanyl patch 50mcg about two days ago. But I decided that I wanted to try suboxone because I don't like any of the opiates I have been on. How long should I wait to take the suboxone after I take the patch off? I was wondering if around 12 hours might be okay because I have only been on the patch for such a short time. My doctor told me to wait until I was in mild withdrawl but I am a little scared about the transistion. Does anyone have any advice? Thank you so much, Mopey :)

[mopeybeanery]

Thank you for getting back to me. It helps to have someone I can relate to when it comes to endo pain. It is a nasty disease to have. The surgeries I have had have also left me with a lot of adhesions and scar tissue, so I don't want surgery right now. I will probabaly be on suboxone for awhile and my doctor is pretty doubtful about me having any more children just because I am now in stage 4 with my endo. I know that I am blessed to have my beautiful son and I am so sorry to hear that you weren't able to conceive :( I am also sorry to hear about your husband. How long have you been married? I have been married for five years. We have had a lot of ups and downs especially because of me. I am in pain almost all of the time and I know that it wears on my husband too and he just doesn't know what to do. I feel bad but there is not much I can do about it either. As for right now, the suboxone is working really well. I went through one day of hell getting off of the patch but once I took the sub it kicked in pretty quickly which was a great relief. Well, thanks again for writing back. I hope to hear from you again! Sincerely, Melanie :)

[Jaybay]

I hope the Sub works for you.  At least you know what you're getting into now.  As for me, my innards are pretty much tied in knots from adhesions, which is why I'm in pain management.  I really liked the patch because I didn't have the ups and downs and pain spikes that happen with pills. Of course, it's no fun when I forget to put on a new one and wake up in the middle of the night squirming like a worm on a hook.  

I also understand why you don't want the Lupron injections.  That is some BAD stuff!  I managed two months and swore I'd never let them come at me with that needle again.  I kept hoping I'd conceive, but it wasn't in the cards.  Probably just as well with me a medical wreck of humanity and my husband an active alcoholic and only a month off Subutex.  Looks like God knew what he was doing, right?!

When you take off your patch, you should have a few hours before withdrawal symptoms rear their ugly heads.  Hope you can get a few hours of sleep tonight.  :-)

[mopeybeanery]

Thank you for your input. I am taking my patch off tonight and plan on having one hell of a night and day tomorrow. Hopefully the sub will work. I am keeping my fingers crossed. My doctor did give me some pills for my stomach and some klonopin, so I hope that helps this process a little bit!! :)

[mopeybeanery]

I have heard that the sub is much harder to get off of. The reason my doctor told me about it is because I have not tolerated any other opiate or birth control pills for my endo. I am too scared to do the injections. I have had several surgeries including a c-section that added a lot of scar tissue, which is very hard to get rid of. I think that I am to the point where I am too scared to stay on the fetanyl. I am so sorry to hear about your experience. That sounds awful! Are you doing better now? I considered a hyst because of how bad my endo is but I am only 30 and have one child and may want to try again someday, if I am even able to! My son was a complete surprise because doctors told me I probably wouldn't be able to get pregnant. What do they know?!!

[Jaybay]

I hate to tell you, but Sub withdrawal is a lot worse than fentanyl.  As long as you do a slow taper, fentanyl isn't that big of a deal to stop.  I've been doing that myself.  Highest dose was 75 mcg and I'm now at 12.5.  That's with my doctor on board and working out a taper plan.  

Suboxone and Subutex are in a completely different league where withdrawal is concerned, particularly when used long-term.  The mental aspect is horrific, and both the physical and mental withdrawal symptoms go on quite a lot longer that with full-agonist opiates.  So many doctors tell their patients that it is not addicting (WRONG!) can't be abused (WRONG!) and that you won't experience withdrawal (another great big WRONG!).  Doctors who prescribe it for addiction have to take a one-day government-mandated seminar for the privielege.  Pain management and other doctors have a loophole from the seminar requirement.  If they write "for pain" on the prescription, no seminar required.  That means they know even less about Suboxone than the addiction doctors who are overprescribing it.  My husband's Sub doc flat out admitted that medical science really doesn't quite understand how it works in the brain, and that most patients are nothing more than guinea pigs.

If you don't mind my asking, what did your doctor tell you about Suboxone?

Have you had surgery and lupron injections and all that mess?  The only thing that got rid of my endo after multiple endo/ pelvic adhesions surgeries was hysterectomy.  Unfortunately, the idiot doctor decided he just HAD to do an open hyst.  That resulted in the worst adhesions I've ever had, an obstructed colon, and nearly a 2-foot colectomy.  The filthy butcher!

[scaredoutofmymind333]

I have never been on suboxone, but everything I have read says you need to take your first dose when in the throws of withdrawal. You really need to follow your docs directions on this, he knows best how to bring you off of it. Good luck and keep us updated on how you are doing.

[mopeybeanery]

Thank you for your input. It makes me feel better to know that I am not going to be taking something so awful. I am nervous about the partial withdrawl but happy that I decided to do the subs rather than stay on fetanyl. Fetanyl sounds terribly scary to me. I didn't read about it until after I started it but oh well, at least I know about it know before going any further with it. Thanks again! :)

[Florida_Guy737]

I can't tell you about sub as I never used but having a long and painful experience with the patch, all I can say is that thankfully you decided to stop that.  The patch is undeniably, one of the worst ways to manage pain in my opinion. Sure they help with the pain but the wds are literally excruciating...beyond belief.  I posted my experience about wds from the patch previously and wouldn't wish that on my worst enemy.

Good Luck with your subs...