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Re: New to this group and new to pancreatitis to mzdenni

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Mzdenni wrote:

>I no longer take the antibiotics but am still on pain patch ( 12mcg

Duragesic) (snip)

2) how do you know when to stop the pain patch 3) how can you avoid

withdrawal from the patch

Mzdenni,

I am not aware of a 12 mcg Duragesic patch. The only dosages I've

heard of are 25 mcg, 50 mcg, 75 mcg and 100 mcg. I've been on all,

currently use the 50 mcg. Could you please reverify what the dosage

is that you are using now?

As Mark said, only you will know when you no longer need the pain

medication. I've reduced my Duragesic patch dosage several times,

and the way I know that it's time to reduce is when I can go for a

week or more without requiring any breakthrough medication. In your

case, since you didn't mention any breakthrough meds, I would think

that when you have seen a week or more of time with NO PAIN

whatsoever, and feel that you are functioning well during the day,

and sleeping well during the night, without any interruptions from

pain, that this would be the time to attempt stopping the pain patch.

If you are on a 25 mcg. Duragesic patch, which is the lowest dosage

that I know of, your doctor could prescribe low doses of methadone,

(less than 15 mg. per 24 hrs.) or oxycodone, (less than 20 mg. per 24

hours) for you to use to get off the patch without any withdrawal.

Methadone would be preferrable, since there are no withdrawal symtoms

when a patient discontinues use of methadone, and it's very

inexpensive. The med could be reduced gradually over a period of a

week or less, until you reached the point where you no longer needed

it at all.

If you have any other questions you think I could help with, please ask.

With love, hope and prayers,

Heidi

Heidi H. Griffeth

Bluffton, SC

SC State & SE Regional Representative

Pancreatitis Association, International

Note: All comments or advice are based on personal experience or

opinion only, and should not be substituted for professional medical

consultation.

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> >I no longer take the antibiotics but am still on pain patch (

12mcg

> Duragesic) (snip)

> 2) how do you know when to stop the pain patch 3) how can you avoid

> withdrawal from the patch

>

>

> Mzdenni,

>

> I am not aware of a 12 mcg Duragesic patch. The only dosages I've

> heard of are 25 mcg, 50 mcg, 75 mcg and 100 mcg. I've been on all,

> currently use the 50 mcg. Could you please reverify what the

dosage

> is that you are using now?

>

> As Mark said, only you will know when you no longer need the pain

> medication. I've reduced my Duragesic patch dosage several times,

> and the way I know that it's time to reduce is when I can go for a

> week or more without requiring any breakthrough medication. In

your

> case, since you didn't mention any breakthrough meds, I would think

> that when you have seen a week or more of time with NO PAIN

> whatsoever, and feel that you are functioning well during the day,

> and sleeping well during the night, without any interruptions from

> pain, that this would be the time to attempt stopping the pain

patch.

>

> If you are on a 25 mcg. Duragesic patch, which is the lowest dosage

> that I know of, your doctor could prescribe low doses of methadone,

> (less than 15 mg. per 24 hrs.) or oxycodone, (less than 20 mg. per

24

> hours) for you to use to get off the patch without any withdrawal.

> Methadone would be preferrable, since there are no withdrawal

symtoms

> when a patient discontinues use of methadone, and it's very

> inexpensive. The med could be reduced gradually over a period of a

> week or less, until you reached the point where you no longer

needed

> it at all.

>

> If you have any other questions you think I could help with,

please ask.

>

> With love, hope and prayers,

> Heidi

>

> Heidi H. Griffeth

> Bluffton, SC

> SC State & SE Regional Representative

> Pancreatitis Association, International

>

>

> Note: All comments or advice are based on personal experience or

> opinion only, and should not be substituted for professional

medical

> consultation.

>

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Mzdenni,

That's great news that you were able to do this cold turkey. I have

experienced similar withdrawal, perhaps a little more uncomfortable,

when my 50 mcg. Duragesic prescription couldn't be filled last year.

I had to wait 5 days for a refill, so ended up going through the

whole withdrawal process before I was able to get my new patches.

For me, it seemed pretty miserable, I had consistant restless legs

and arms, sweating, and a nauseous flu-like feeling, and an

unreasonably harsh, flaring temper. It was a truly miserable

experience, but I survived it!! Then, when I told my PM doctor about

it at my next appointment, he told me that I should have called him

immediately, because he could have given me substitute medication to

pull me through! Grrrrrr!

I imagine it does take a while for your whole system to " detox " from

all the medication, and you're apt to feel pretty lousy and tired for

a while until you are totally med-free. Wonderful to get there,

though, isn't it? I wish...... I'm so glad that you're doing better.

With love, hope and prayers,

Heidi

Heidi H. Griffeth

South Carolina

SC State and SE Regional Rep.

PAI

Note: All comment or advice is based on personal experience or

opinion, and should not be substituted for professional medical

consultation.

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>You nailed it Heidi-

I believe that the opiate level is considerably depleted by the

third day of the patch- I often felt on the third day that I was

going through withdrawal- same thing to lesser extent- sweating,

nausea, irritable, increase in pain, increase in bathroom activity.

Shortly after putting the next patch on, these symtpoms would

magically get better. I know they are supposed to be slow release

but my experiences lead me to believe that the medication is

actually released rather erratically. Probably has to do with many

factors. For example, the literature for the medication states that

it will release more ( perhaps too much) in to your system if you

get overheated. Don't get me wrong though, in spite of these

associated problems, I could not have made it without the patch! I

sincerely hope that you, too, can achieve comfort without the need

for pain meds. I am beginning to enjoy my " clearheadedness " , that

is, if it is possible for me to achieve such a state :)

> Mzdenni,

>

> That's great news that you were able to do this cold turkey. I

have

> experienced similar withdrawal, perhaps a little more

uncomfortable,

> when my 50 mcg. Duragesic prescription couldn't be filled last

year.

> I had to wait 5 days for a refill, so ended up going through the

> whole withdrawal process before I was able to get my new patches.

> For me, it seemed pretty miserable, I had consistant restless legs

> and arms, sweating, and a nauseous flu-like feeling, and an

> unreasonably harsh, flaring temper. It was a truly miserable

> experience, but I survived it!! Then, when I told my PM doctor

about

> it at my next appointment, he told me that I should have called him

> immediately, because he could have given me substitute medication

to

> pull me through! Grrrrrr!

>

> I imagine it does take a while for your whole system to " detox "

from

> all the medication, and you're apt to feel pretty lousy and tired

for

> a while until you are totally med-free. Wonderful to get there,

> though, isn't it? I wish...... I'm so glad that you're doing

better.

>

> With love, hope and prayers,

> Heidi

>

> Heidi H. Griffeth

> South Carolina

> SC State and SE Regional Rep.

> PAI

>

> Note: All comment or advice is based on personal experience or

> opinion, and should not be substituted for professional medical

> consultation.

>

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