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Fentaynl withdrawl--please help me

I recently lost my health insurance and have been on fentaynl 100 mcg & 25 mcg, tramadol and neurontin prescribed by my PMD for over 10 years. I went thru hell going cold turkey years ago from this med and really am terrified to go thru it again. I am open to any advice anyone can give me. I had a total colectomy in 2000 with a ileostomy reversal in 2001. Hysterectomy in 2008. Cyst and herniated disc in lower back surgery in 2002. Gall Bladder removal in 2001. I have severe acid & bile reflux. I have chronic fatigue syndrome and fibromylgia. Just some insight as to why I'm on the meds. for so long. My concern is the withdrawl from fentaynl from past experience is absolute hell. I honestly don't think physically and emotionally am able to handle it again. I hardly am able to function as it is on a daily basis now. If anyone can give me any advice I would be eternally grateful. I am a nervous wreck worrying and anticipating the immediate future. I have 15 days left of the meds and then its cold turkey for me. Thank you if you can help me in any way.
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Avatar universal
I have a couple of things to recommend. Talk to your Dr about putting you on another pain medication that is less costly. I have no idea how much the patches are, I'm sure they're probably very costly compared to some of the other pain medications.
The second thing is to talk to your pharmacist about which company makes the patch. Sometimes if you go to their website you'll find a thing on their page that says, contact us. Do just that. Ask if they can help with the cost of your patches. Some companies will do this. I know because my sister has needed help with some of her medications in the past and I told her about trying this, and it did work. If the company will do this they will most likely send you forms to fill out. You may have to take them to your Dr to sign. If there's a way to get them faxed to you that would be great considering you only have 2 weeks left. I would start this process as soon as possible. Actually, you maybe be able to look on the side of the box for the company name. If you don't find it, like I said, you can call your pharmacist and they will know. It make take a little while to make all of this happen so it's also important to talk to your Dr about another medication you can go right on to when your patches run out.
I hope all of this works out for you. I understand what it's like to not have insurance and your medications being so expensive.
We're always here to listen and help in anyway we can.
Helpful - 0
7721494 tn?1431627964
Why not ask doc to rotate to another, less expensive opiate?
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Avatar universal
DON'T go through it alone. Make it a family/group/friends affair. You know how all through your life, different people say stuff like, "Oh, if you ever need anything, just let me know..."

Well, this is the time to "pull all the favors." Make SURE you have your close ones by your side (but be sure to explain to them *beforehand* that you'll be yelling and screaming at all of them while you are in withdrawal, but that you won't really 'mean it' and you're thankful they are all there).

Now, for the important stuff...

Something's "amiss" with your post. You say you lost your insurance. Does that mean you can't afford the "medication portion" of your treatment? Or does that mean you can't afford doctors, either?

If you lost your insurance, why would your doctor make you go "cold turkey" on Fentanyl? There are plenty of withdrawal protocols, with and without the aid of medications. Patches for this and that to help ease the stress inflicted by withdrawal. Pills for the insomnia, etc.

I don't understand what insurance has to do with Cold Turkey.

And, how about Obamacare? Have you gone online to the government healthcare.gov website? Insurance is next to nothing in a lot of circumstances. And you might even still be in some sort of a "retroactive time window" if you act NOW, meaning before the end of the week!

You sound like a person that needs your medications. I just don't understand how all of a sudden, *everything* is going to be cut off.

Hmm.

Maybe (I'm just guessing here.... you know what they say when we aren't given enough information, the brain "fills in the blanks"...) you worked for a company xyz, and then they made an announcement that nobody gets health insurance any more, and you see that Pain Management is just too expensive, so you've decided to "tough it out" and go Cold Turkey? No.... that doesn't make sense either. Because you said you absolutely don't want to repeat the cold turkey you did before. There are all kinds of free clinics everywhere. And detox centers everywhere. And all kinds of aid everywhere.

Why cold turkey after 10 years?

Please post back and really explain everything better for me. Maybe I'm just having a "really dumb" day and I'm missing something...

I sure would like to try to help. I know that even if most of the stuff I say is junk, there will be some tidbits you may find helpful. I just need to understand better.
Helpful - 0
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