Hi, I have been using 125mg fentanyl patch for 3 weeks however i felt very depressed on them, having hallucuniations, bad dreams, anxiety attacks, in fact i felt so ill. i went on holiday for 2 weeks and got a nasty chest infection and had to go on anitbiotics, when i came hime on friday i took the patch off as i felt awful and knew i was having a panic attack and side effects from the patch. It has left me feeling really depressed which i never was 3 weeks ago, can someone please tell me that this feeling will go away. the fentanyl should be out of my system by now. thank you
Fentanyl takes a long time to completely leave your body. It took me three months to be able to sleep a normal night and get over feeling tired. Depression hits when we have so much to deal with and it weighs us down. I fight it also. My insurance card has a number on the back for a nurse line that I have used before. I pray to God and sing praise songs to feel better. I have tried the medicines but they make me gain weight which creates more pain. Not a good choice for me. Taking a walk outside helps a lot. Hook up you dog or a friends and go for a walk. Animal are great to chase depression away. Hope some of these ideas help. You will get thru this but you will have to work at it. Just don't set alone and let it get you. Reaching out online was a great start! Let me know how you are doing....I will be praying for you! Susan
The Fent is NOT out of your system since you just took it off Friday. The best thing you can do for yourself is stay away from this medicine. If you are feeling that depressed, PLEASE seek help from a professional. This feeling should go away but everyone is different. I'm in my own hell right now but I know it will get better. Your side effects could (possibly) get worse before it gets better. But it will pass. Again, seek professional help from your doctor or whoever. Really wish you well.
Melissa
Chère hayleyclaire,
C'est une dose assez forte qui pourrait être la cause de la dépression, mais bon, je ne suis pas médecin. Mes problèmes de dépression sont survenus lorsque j'ai arrêté ce médicament. Peut-être que le Fentanyl n'est pas une bonne option pour vous ; je me renseignerais avant que votre corps ne commence à « aimer » les 125 mg, car je crains que la réduction de cette dose ne soit une expérience agréable. Je souhaiterais avoir quelque chose de plus positif à ajouter, mais c'est juste mon avis.
Totally agree with you John.
Hi hayleyclaire this will pass eventually but you need support NOW. Try to get a Dr appointment and get help with your depression and not with more toxic drugs, counselling or CBT would be better.
125mcg is far to high a dose to start with and would be the cause of your symptoms. The dosage should start low and you should be observed for any side effects which clearly hasn't happened in your case. Weired dreams are common if the dose is too high-- dreaming of meeting the dead was one of mine I was in hospital and was visited daily by the pain team to see how I was responding to the fentanyl. I needed an urgent operation and couldn't get it due to multiple pulmonary emboli and pain was a major issue. I was given 12.5mcg to start.
This drug is pure evil and should only be used in terminal care for end of life where withdrawal is not an option. Count yourself fortunate you only had it for 3 weeks. If you took the patch off on Friday you are at Day 3 the worst and things should start to slowly improve .So please do not despair. Can I ask why were you put on the patch? Are you overweight / very tall that they started at such a high dose ? Someone needs their knuckles rapped. You have simply become toxic on this dose.
The depression will take longer to resolve.
Fentanyl fits the "feel good receptor" in your brain and since it has now been denied then you will feel "down". it takes a little while till your body starts to produce its own seratonin again. This can be speeded up by exercising as Susan has suggested.
Many who respond here have or are tapering from Fentanyl. It is a slow very painfull process which you fortunatly will not have to endure. Withdrawals are not kind. You have thankfully avoided that but will still get some withdrawals. Keep in touch so that we can all help. Hopefully you will get more replies to help you.
It's worth reading around this site to see exactly what this drug does and it's not good.
I guess I'm stuck in my own world here, because it seems nobody remembers why they ever took the suggested dose of fentanyl in the first place. I have severe pain that keeps me bed ridden, with weeks of zero sleep. Being a supper hyper active person that is something to deal with to say the least. Here in Amarillo Texas there are only 19 year old kids avalable for counsuling or mental help for depression. I'm on 75 mg of the fentanl patch right now and it just barly if anything ay all effects me. I'm waiting for my major spine rebuilding surgery this Jan, 24th. Right now I would p*ss on a spark plug if I thought it would do any good. Best of venture to all of you. I really hope you get where you want to be..
I think most of us remember why we were given it in the first place. I know I do. I've been in bed for most of the past 5+ years from severe pain. The problem is, because of the crackdown on doctors and pressure on them to not prescribe these drugs, many of them simply stop prescribing. That's what my dr has done. Not only that, but most drs, mine included, don't have a clue about detoxing off this stuff. And in my case, my dr gave me a deadline.
I wouldn't be where I am without this support group. It sounds to me like the Fent isn't really doing the job of managing your pain. That is a common thread in this group. I'm sorry you're going through so much pain and I hope your surgery will be a success. Continue to do as your doctor orders and when you're ready to get off this drug, we'll be here to help you. This stuff is 70 (I saw a dr show the other day that said 100) times stronger than heroin. And like Actiq, after going through what we've been through (I'm STILL going through), I feel like Fent should be used end of life or very very short term. I would investigate if there's something else you could take that might actually help (like Dilaudid?).
If you don't mind, how long have you been on the Fent? And honestly, does it work for you?
Please stay in touch with us. We aren't doctors or psychologists or therapist, but we can share our thoughts and experiences. I wish there were more available counseling options there for those who need it.
Hang in there. January will be here before you know it.
Melissa
Thanks Melissa. This morning is a bad one, so I'll get back to you asap.
Hi Joe sorry to hear you are having a tough day. I do hope you have improved. My drug councillor from a drug charity that my Dr sent me to (MY DR Practise doesn't deal with "drug addicts" Had never heard of Fentanyl. I was assessed by 2 workers and they were disgusted at my Dr stopping my Fentanyl so I could take a more "normal" drug like Oramorph. ( I am a cancer patient ).They did question if they were the correct people to treat me and since no one else was, I decided to go with them on the premise they treat addiction. My taper programme I devised myself after consulting with good folks here who were the best support and kept me going especially at the dark times. The drug councillor I saw weekly for 1-1.5 hours. She was good at rattling cages of the pain team and the GP and she fought my corner. She was a good source of information and support. Laterly I saw her only when I wanted and signed off from her only 2 weeks ago despite stoping in August. She always maintained I was going way to quick with my reduction. She couldn't beleive that I would stop so quickly. She gave me good tips. When I stopped taking what was prescribed by the DR she told me not to get the pharmacy to deliver but to hold on to my drugs so they were there if I wanted and get rid of all other Fentanyl at home. This was the best tip. Yes, I did have slip ups, if Fentanyl especially the actiq was in the house. Once it was removed completely the temptation wasn't there. I had great satisfaction when I finally phoned the Pharmacist to say I didn't want my last 3 prescriptions that she had kept for me and I would no longer require Fentanyl from her. The pharmacist was very supportive. I chose not to take the oral morphine. My pain level is only slighly higher than with the Fentanyl.
I too spend much time in bed as I have limited mobility. My pain level will never improve. You are fortunate if an operation in January can help you. I wish you well and let us know how you get on with the op.
Thank you all so much for your replies, it helps alot. I was put on fentanyl patches for my arthritus as bupenorphine wasnt working, i had the patches on for just 3 weeks and right from the start i felt strange, bad dreams, wanting to go into the past, death thoughts, depression and anxiety. I went on holiday for 2 weeks and developed bronchilitus and was hospitized. I didnt realise what the paches were doing to me until Friday when i got home frm holiday. I couldnt breath, i was punching the walls, pulling my hair out i just coldnt control myself, i was so scared that i called the ambulance. wheni got to the hospital my blood pressure was sky high 245/148. they sorted my chest out but i couldnt get it through to them that i was having an attack with the patches. I took thepatch off myself on the friday night. By saturday morning i had the physchiatric nurse turn up but she realised straight away that it was the patch. Eventually i saw the DR who said that i had to wait to get the fent out of my system. well i am day 4 now and i have been back to my Drs as i still feel strange and depressed, she had advised that i take just diazapam just to take the anxiety away and she wants to see me in a weeks time, hopefully the fent will beout of my system and they can start me on new meds for pain, but no way will i evere have morpihine again. Thank you for all your messages it has really helped to think that i was not alone xxx
Thank you for the update Hayley. I was thinking of you this morning and your struggle. Glad you got some help. I love alone and so many times I feel isolated but then I discover how many people fight the same things. Praying each day will get better. Try to exercise even just a few leg lifts laying in bed and arm curls help me a lot. Till another day. Susan
Je compatis avec toi et je pense à toi. Je suis à 4 semaines d'arrêt et je souffre de douleurs et de jambes sans repos qui sont douloureuses. J'ai aussi une entorse à la cheville et j'ai constaté que les bas de compression aident les jambes endolories. Je sais que c'est un sevrage car les deux jambes me font mal. J'ai découvert cela par accident. S'il vous plaît, ne baissez pas les bras et nous sommes là pour vous
My restless legs and arms hurt so bad! I know how you feel Carol. That is my biggest complaint. Wishing you the best-
Melissa
Bonjour, après avoir lu vos commentaires sur le fait de n'être donné qu'aux personnes en phase terminale, cela me fait peur, car alors que j'attends en clignant des yeux sous le choc, j'ai 62 ans, je ne suis pas encore à l'article de la mort, mais je dois dire que je souffre de douleurs chroniques avec les deux types d'arthrite, et maintenant plus d'un an de zona et maintenant de NNP. Alors, voici, je suis maintenant sous des patches de fentanyl à 125, et j'ai été sous ces patches pendant plus de 12 ans, oui 12 ans, et on m'a informé que je ne pourrai jamais, jamais, être sevrée, à quel point cela est vrai, je ne sais pas, car je sais, à l'heure actuelle, après avoir eu un bloc nerveux qui n'a pas fonctionné, pour mon zona sous ma poitrine, autour du dos jusqu'aux épaules. Je redoute de voir ce que je serais sans les patches, et oui, je sais que vous pouvez dire, cela m'arrête pour me permettre de vivre, car le zona était dû au fait que je suis devenue faible après la mort de mon partenaire, et comme le zona est caché jusqu'à ce que vous soyez très faible et déprimé, puis il frappe. Si vous voyiez le cocktail de médicaments que je prends, les médecins ne comprennent pas que mon zona peut handicaper une personne, les packs de glace et l'Oxynorm sont mes principales zones de recours lorsque je m'inquiète ou que je suis anxieuse, même des choses simples comme m'asseoir et taper ceci peuvent et souvent déclencher une douleur PHN si intense. Je voulais vraiment arrêter les patches, mais la question est : LE FAIRAI-JE...
Mon médecin m'a donné cette manche de compression et ça m'aide vraiment. Je viens de commander trois paires de chaussettes. Pourquoi personne n'en a parlé plus tôt. Je suis si désespérée que j'essaie tout.
Si vous décidez de vouloir arrêter, vous devez réduire progressivement la dose. J'étais à 100 mg, puis à 50 et ensuite à 25 pendant 16 ans. J'ai arrêté brutalement pour la dernière étape, ce qui était stupide. Maintenant, je prends 5 à 6 Vicoprofen par jour. Je ne sais pas si la douleur provient du sevrage ou des lésions nerveuses. Il me reste deux boîtes, mais je ne peux plus revenir en arrière maintenant. Je continue à chercher des remèdes. Vous devez vivre, donc vous devez trouver votre niveau de tolérance. J'essaierais de réduire si possible. Je vous souhaite le meilleur et que vous puissiez être confortable.
Are they compression socks that go to your knees? I have severe Lupus joint pain and the restlessness is making the pain so much worse.
Ma réponse est en cours de révision car j'ai mentionné un lien pour des bas de compression. Je les ai achetés en ligne et ils vont jusqu'au genou. La manche que le médecin m'a donnée, il l'a coupée dans un rouleau. Je me sens déjà tellement mieux et mes jambes me faisaient si mal et me tenaient éveillée toute la nuit.
Amitriptyline 50 mg really stops the rellsess lege for me. Wish I could reach out and give you some. It really worked..