tapering fentanyl

[melodyl]

Thanks for the prompt replies. This site has been incredibly helpful through my spine surgeries and recoveries. I want to reassure Dr. J and Terrry that I am under a doctor's help with the narcotic taper. However....he is not a pain management specialist and there are not any in the area I live. He has been my primary physician for 25 years and we have a good relationship. I have made it this far with him and don't want to start over with someone else. Like lots of you, I have a job, family (including 2 wonderful grandkids), home and all the other pleasures and demands of life that take so much time to accomplish. I see my primary dr. every 4 weeks for pain meds, my orthopedic surgeon (90 miles away) every 2 months and a massage therapist every 2 weeks.

Dr J- thanks for the conversion of fentanyl to oxy. It should be easy to take a little extra oxy for the first few days that I remove the final patch and then taper off of the oxy by taking one less each day as soon as my body adjusts.

Terry-you mentioned Tramadol......which is something my dr. and I discussed at my last visit. Dr. thinks I should be able to start converting from oxy to Tram. when I get off of the patches and under 30 mgs a day of oxy. I have mixed feelings about that....stemming from conflicting information I've heard. Some say Tramadol is NOT addicting and others say it is? I would hate to have gone through all of this only to be dependent on another prescription.


Terry brought up a great point regarding shame. I truly appreciated his remarks. It is/was easy for me to request time of off work for my surgeries and recovery. However......I haven't said a word to anyone about not feeling well during the taper process. It is an embarassing subject. hmmmm....might be worth starting a new thread.

Last (at least for now).....the withdrawal symptom I am finding the most annoying is excessive sweating. I had to get out of bed and change pj's twic last night. I brought a blow dryer to work and have had to use it to dry my hair and body in between appointments/clients. Lucky for me, I am at a normal menopausal age. I prefer letting clients and co-workers think I am having serious hot flashes. If anyone has any suggestions for helping with that symptom, I'd love to hear it!

Katie....keep us updated on your surgery and recovery.

THANKS!!! The support from this group is just what I needed to get through another day of tapering! You are all fantastic, caring individuals.

Melody

[Terry Allen Blackburn]

As usual the drug reps do not always tell the truth about drugs they are putting out in the general public. A great example is the debacle over Oxycontin.
Oxycontin Manufacturer Lied About Dangers of Drug
The fines this company experienced pale in comparison to the great profits they achieved versus the amount of lives that have been absolutely destroyed by this drug. There are more deaths that occurred through overdoses of this drug than anyone can imagine. It became a nationwide problem that we are still reeling from the effects of.
Abuse of prescription drugs surges across globe - Addictions- msnbc.com
In my business I get several copies of the yearly Physician Desk Reference which lists the most commonly prescribed current medications utilized today. Unfortunately, many physicians do not have time to read the warnings and rely on what drug representatives tell them. Since Ultram (Tramadol) came on the market in the United States it has been erroneously stated by many physicians that it is not addictive. There could be nothing further from the truth. It may not be a potent as some of the other long-acting pain killers but there have been reports of increasing addiction associated with the use of the drug.
What is the addiction risk associated with tramadol? | Journal of Family Practice | Find Articles at BNET
However, just because a drug carries a risk of having the patient become addicted to them does not mean that the benefit is offset by potential harm. As with any medication you have to assess whether the benefit outweighs the side effects or potential for harm. As with any painkiller medication the patient should be tapered off of the medication rather than an abrupt cessation.

As far as the sweats associated with the withdrawal effect of an opiate taper there is very little that can be done to alleviate this. It is only uncomfortable and somewhat embarrassing when it looks like you have just come out of the shower from perspiration. At least you are on the path to a gradual, comfortable as possible, taper program. The medications can be switched to Tramadol as your doctor states. It is better to realize the importance of adequate pain relief and how this enables the body to sleep and heal from surgical or injurious pain. Pain can definitely affect mood, healing, sleep, and your overall psyche which makes it important to take care of.

No matter what you do, we will support you in the process as most of us have been where you are at.

Hang in there.

Terry Newton

[Katie]

Terry and Dr J, thanks so much for all your help and knowledge. It is indeed invaluable. I don't know what we would do without your help in so many areas.

Bless you both,
Katie