fentanyl withdrawal timeline?

[stefx85]

Ok so ive been using 50ug fentanyl for a month and a half. Methadone for 2 years before the fentanyl. The methadone withdrawal was the worst thing imaginable. since fentanyl doesn't cover gabba kappa and nmda. Even tho I switched I had withdrawn off methadont.. Question on how long to expect withdrawal from fentanyl if im ever in that position...?

 

[DixiChik]

Hey Stef...I can only offer my experience, which isn't much experience at all.

I'm in Pain Management, still in trial phase. My Fentanyl patch trial was 25 mcg every 48 hours. I soldiered through 6 weeks before I gave up, as I was only getting the SEs with no relief. I was able to wean very easily by extending the amount of time between patch changes. I would think withdrawal would depend on the individual, as well as the dosage and length of usage. If it's providing you with pain relief and QOL, try to embrace that for now.

I'm told that Methadone is one of the hardest to withdraw from CP patients who've taken it for years. Kudos for your success there. My doctor wasn't happy that the Fentanyl failed me, as others with GI issues (absorption/metabolism) do well w/patch delivery. He first tried Methadone, then Morphine. I couldn't tolerate either due to sedation (drooling) and severe constipation.

My search for some semblance of pain relief continues. I'm prescribed Oxycodone, but I'm afraid of the repercussions of tolerance/addiction. I'm told I'm an enigma. I'm not looking for "perfect"...just "possible".

 

[metalman343]

Im on day 3 off of 30-50mg of Fentanyl HCL powder used in nasal solution. Thats not a typo. I was really doing those doses daily. So i guess its not exactly fair to compare to your situation. But all i wanted to say is, without suboxone i probably would have killed my self during the wd. This is coming from a person that has went cold turkey off of 25 bags of good heroin a day habit. That was very bad but nothing like the intensity of fent wd. Im not trying to scare you but to be honest, fent has the most peaky w/d. first 2 days are absolute hell. I mean like physical wd close to precipitated wd. But for 48-72 hours, Then it gets rapidly better. But still dont expect sleep for 1-2 weeks. I would definitely suggest using a light suboxone taper or some methadone to ease w/d. Good luck to you!

 

[stefx85]

Dixichik, have you thought of suggesting to your doc perhaps subutex? Tou put it under your tounge and it dissolves. Doesn't taste to bad, frankly listening to your pain situation is making me sad.. Recently they're using subutex more and more for pain management. Its also available in transdermal patches. Think its called sovenor? Think its worth a try as you seem to be intolerant to opioid agonists perhaps? Good luck , keep me updated

 

[stefx85]

I had seizures cold turkeying off 30mg methadont .. Yea thats stuffs hell to come off.. I wont turkey off any drug ever again. But here in my country you only get transdermal fent 25,50,75, and 100s so the last 20ug is a bit tricky.. Guess I'll use subutex if it comes to that. I wont touch the done ever again ..

 

[CfZrx]

^ "I wont turkey off any drug"

 

[DixiChik]

I'm still as conflicted as ever. If Lortab didn't make me sleepy, I'd just go back to it. I tried to take Tramadol for the past several days to ease the dark depression, but...SEVERE rectum-ripping constipation occurred (even with poop meds). Oh, God the agony when I have to resort to hospital issue enema "bags" of warm water. TMI but I feel like a gutted animal.

Stef...Please don't be sad for my pain. That's not my intention. I'm not familiar with Subutex, nor "opiod agonists". I know...I'm told I'm as green as a goard. I fought long and hard to get the genetic testing for metabolism, with high hopes for answers. It seems to have solved NOTHING, as PM left me on Oxycodone...throws up his hands and threatens to GIVE UP.

I'm sorry for EVERYONE who is faced with this dilemma. I got a little excited when reading about Kratom for pain management. My husband got right on it and ordered some for me last night. We're both dubious because of my party trick projectile vomiting! He ordered capsule form because we know I'll spew with the powder/water or juice. Further research here on BL, etc. on Kratom addiction and withdrawal is almost as bothersome as the Oxycodone stories.

BTW...Way back in 2005 I was briefly prescribed Fentanyl patches for neck/back/pelvic pain. Dosing was limited to 72 hours. The Duragesic patches were gel-filled then. They were a miracle for the first 48 hours, but I was in complete WDs by 3rd day. It wasn't worth the agony, so I walked away from everything PM. I went back to Darvocet until it was banned.

This most recent Fentanyl trial was with Mallinkroft patches in the "matrix" formula (48 hour dosing) I just don't think I absorbed it properly, as I got only nasty SEs with no pain relief. JMO but I think once again the effort to prevent abuse/recreational use ruined its effectiveness for me.

 

[stefx85]

Dixi a opioid agonist are drugs like oxy, or morphine. Think of your receptor-sites (the place opioids work) as a drain in a sink. Now the agonists fit in the bathtub like a bathplug, then they stop the pain signals getting to the receptor site.
So you dont perceive pain.

Opioid ant-agonists basically block opioid agonists, like morphine. Not getting too technical again but Thats what methadone(high enough dose apparently) and suboxone/subutex do.
They block morphine, heroin ect. Staying nontechnical they block those receptors but still bind to them and can still be, and more recently being used for pain management. Your whole situation got me thinking that maybe thats an option? Heroin without the high is always the jokes aroud suboxone/methadone. Cause they work differently you might not get all those nasty effects?

So you saying that you need pain relief+mental alertness, no sedation if your tollerant? And theyve just made subutex patches, think its called sovenor. About the opioid agonist/ antagonist thing, there's some vids on YouTube explaining.

No, I wanna help and I CAN empathise with your chronic pain and feel a little sad if I want to.. Heheheh..

Reason why is I struggled just as much finding the best pain management. After no one believed I was in pain for 3months.. Well a C.T scan proved them wrong. So yea I understand... Any other questions feel free to pm me;-)