Are my Fentanyl patches making my Oxycodone withdrawal continue?

[Magenta22]

I was taking Oxycodone (40mg sr 2ce a day & 5mg caps for breakthrough pain) 8yrs for chronic pain, they stopped working, I started to get withdrawal symptoms hours before the next was due. My pain specialist swapped me to Fentanyl patches incrementally but said to keep my 5mg oxycodone as breakthrough meds (I realised this was rubbish... I get worse w/d if I use them) My problem is that I'm still withdrawing (not as bad as the first week) after 6 weeks. I assumed I'd become addicted to the zopiclone that I used at night for about 4wks. I dropped to 1/4 zopi for 4 nights now I'm off them too. Are my fentanyl (75mcg) patches able to prevent me withdrawing completely from the oxycodone and/or zopiclone? As I'm still feeling terrible, agitated, restless body (not as bad as before but worse at night) seriously depressed and tearful. I'm tempted to rip the patch off but scared that may make it worse & certainly I'd have loads of pain to contend with. thanks very much for reading!

 

[pasha]

homeless -> basic drug discussion

 

[The Doc.]

Well oxycodone withdrawal and fentanyl withdrawal are both the same thing its withdrawal from a opiate. Your brain is addicted to opiates not just one specific one. The only reason I think you could still be feeling this way is because quick release pills are more addictive then slow release pill/patches. So i think the patch probably doesn't have enough opiates being released into your system at a time to get your blood levels to reach the point that the quick release did so you always feel some withdrawal. It may take nor etime for your body to add just to a lower dose of opiates in your body. Your doctor probably have you the Lowe strength one thinking you would still be using your oxys for break through pain like he told you to. So now because you don't want to take those too you will need to get used to having a Lower dose of opiates.

How long were you on zoplicone? If it was only 4 weeks and you tapered you shouldn't have had any withdrawals at all i don't see the oxy affecting the withdrawal from those that's not too likely.

 

[Felonious Monk]

How long do you keep the patch on before switching to another? What strength are they?

Patches take A LOT longer to build up than IR oxy, but are EXPONENTIALLY stronger, you just have to find the right dose. It is hard at the beginning though because it takes a while to stabilize and find the right dose. The benefit is that once you're there you're stable, you just switch the patch as needed.

 

[DreamingInBlue]

Fent is a stronger and shorter acting opiate right? So I don't know if it's making your specific Oxycodone withdrawals last longer but it is making your opiate withdrawals in general last longer. SO in a round about way yes, since fent is a stronger and shorter acting opiate that is a monster of it's own.

 

[Magenta22]

Thanks SO much for all your gteat answers...you were 100% right. I stopped all oxys then started the patches teduction from 75mcg every 37hrs to 50 then 25 then 12.5....Then I stopped. I'm on day 2 of the withdrawal snd Im sneezing my hesd off, all the flu symptoms...but at night I get the awful "kicky legs/arms/body:" and I have to take a zopiclone but I wake up an hour later thrashing my arms & legs I've only been on the Fentanyl patches about 3mths too....will tomorrow be better or worse? (Day 3..)
Thank you so much