[SilverTears]

Hi,

I'm new to this board, but I have read enough to know it's a good one. I will try not to make this too long. In 2005 I had to have the big bone in my upper left arm removed and replaced with titanium. It took four surgeries to get it done and the pain was awful. I was sent to rehab and put on vic's. I was allowed to have them almost any time I wanted them. I was lucky because I didn't have a hard timew/d when I got home. I started cutting my night time dose in halp. Later I cut it out completely. Next I cut out my morning dose. Finally, I cut out another dose and then the final does.

I'm not a strong person and it wasn't my strength that allowed me to cut down quickly. At rehab they put me on fentanyl duragesic 100mcg/hr. That's what helped me stop the vic's. My real addiction is to the fentanyl, which is a hassle and effects my life in so many ways. My family dr. and surgeon didn't put me on it. A nurse practitioner slapped one on me as soon as I got to rehab.

I have gone from 100mcg to 75mcg without much trouble. The cut to 50mcg was pretty bad. Now I'm wearing a 25mcg patch with a 12. It seems like it's taking forever to come off these darn things and that's because IT DOES!!

My family Dr. is helping me get off of them and we have been talking about putting me on methadone for 9-12 days and taking the patches off. If it works it will be good because I still have two more cut to go and I want to be off of these by spring.

I'm not sure if I posted this in the right place, but I hope I did. Anyone else on the duragesic, sandoz, or janssen??

Thanks for reading this,
Take Care....ST[size=2][purple=2][/purple]

I will not walk in front of you. I will not walk behind you. I will walk beside you as your equal.

[DiFu]

It would not be a good idea to cut back too quickly, ST. It is always best to follow "the lower- the slower.
However, if you are no longer experiencing pain and have a strong desire to get off the drugs you should be able to do that. Rapid decreases could put you at risk for seizure but otherwise it is mostly discomfort you will have to deal with. Methadone is a good approach and you should advise your doc that you are willing to take the quickest way down. Depending on how long you have been on Fentanyl will dictate how long the taper should be.

[harvick29chick]

I have been on the Duragesics for only about three months after a debilitating back surgery. I am currently going to pain management docs for injections every three weeks for the next couple of months. I was on two 50 mcg's alternating days of taking on and off so I always had a full 100mcgs on board. I cut myself totally to 50mcgs, not much trouble. Then I thought, what the hey...lets cut em off completely.
I got smart and called my doc. (Im also a registered nurse, so I think I know it all!!) We went to 25's and a lortab on day 4 with patch off...now i just totally took em off. NOTHING for the last two days and I think I have made a mistake~~ lol. But Im determined, IM NOT PUTTING THE last one on. So, I am here for help too!!!
You are not alone!!!!!!!

[sydbean]

Hey harvick

I don't know if you realized the people you were responding too are old posts from last month. Come over to conditions section and find your way to Pain Killer addiction. You click on the last page and introduce yourself.

We don't bite!! I promise!!
I will look for you over there!!