Fentanyl side effects

been on them for nearly two years. i've had painkillers for 15 years due to ankylosing spondylitis and have been through a whole rake of medicine.
about a year ago i started getting tired spells, now in 6 weeks i see the specialist in the endocrinology unit with suspected hypoglycemia. But i reckon it's these patches, i went from 25 to 37 (25+12mg) and i got worse so it seems straight forward and all the blood tests are negative in regards to glucose. As for the constipation, a diet of all bran every morning without fail and it solves that problem. I still take celecoxib and omeprazole as well as 2-6 co-codamol per day. The withdrawal on these patches is awful. I am going to stop them after new year and go back to codeine/paracetamol and the celecoxib(celebrex) to manage the pain.

Hi,
Back in May of 2008 my it was alleged by doctors that my mother needed to have her gallbladder removed. During the surgery, she was given Diprivan 200MG AMP, and Fentanyl 5ML vial. Since the surgery, she is yet to recover. After seeing many local doctors and surgeons, we decided to go to UNC Chapel Hill, where the doctors there cannot even tell her what is wrong. She has since (the surgery) also developed C-diff. She has had her medical records released an I'm trying to take this into my own hands as I'm tired of seeing her literally get sicker and sicker. Here's my question: Is it possible for these side effects to last over this long period of time, from just having a 5 ML vial of Fentanyl? The reason I ask is because every above listed symptom that people have had after using the medication, is what she goes through on a daily basis. Here is a small list of her daily symptoms: flue like symptoms, hot flashes, constant fatigue, sometimes diarrhea, sometimes vomiting, slurring of some words, disfunction in her language ability -- sometimes she cannot read a sentence clear on her first attempt. EXTREME short term memory loss, physical instability, as well as weakness in her body. I've researched side effects of this medication and those are all listed, and I've seen more lists above. Is it possible for her to be having long-term adverse side effects from this medication? Is it possible for her C-diff to be related to the medication? If anyone could help with anything I could greatly appreciate it. While this is risky, I'm going to put my personal email because I just need immediate help and advice from anyone, and I check my email ample amounts of time throughout the day. So, please email me if you have any suggestions. ******

As many of you have I started Fentanyl for chronic back pain and neck pain. My nurse case manager suggested it as she had been on it for 3 years and thought it was great. I started out with 50mcg for 3 days each patch. First patch I was a little drowsy feeling but by the 2nd I was used to it and it seemed to help a little. Enough that I had increased my walking and was hoping to help strengthen my back. Now to the horror, my calves continued to ache. At first I thought it was from the extra walking but it would not go away. Then I had the sweats and would just soak a T shirt while I was sitting in my recliner, then I would freeze to death. I thought something was wrong with my air conditioner. Then trouble sleeping and just 1 thing after another until the depression and anxiety started. I am disabled and my wife is a nurse so I'm home along a lot so I hid it. I would sweat like crazy and shiver and be so cold then get so anxious that I would lay down in be to try to rest and paw at my covers and even my clothes. I was either too hot or too cold. I would pace the floor so anxious I thought I was going to loose my sanity. The silly thing is that I was not putting together as being the Fentanyl. Our son had been diagnosed with a very bad brain cancer about 6 months before and I thought it my be partially from that. I fought it for a couple of weeks behind closed doors, although my daughter had call mom and said what is up with dad? He is having some type of problem. Well, to try to cut this to a manageable sized document I finally had to wake my wife up in the middle of the night shaking, crying and pulling at my clothes saying I'm *** and I don't cuss like that. She had warned me not to try this med but I was desperate to be pain free or at least able to manage it and be half way normal. She got me to the doctor and at first they were gonna cut my 50mcg down to 25 for 2 weeks and then go to 12.5 for 2 weeks. My depression and side effects were so bad that they wanted to stop putting Fentanyl into me asap. So I went 3 days with the 25 and 3 with the 12.5. I have been climbing the wall since Wednesday and have none in me except the residual and hopefully it will be out in a week or so. I just want to say that my depression is something that I cannot even explain. I ball and blubber like a baby at times for no reason. I cannot even see or talk to my kids on the phone because I just come apart. I'm constantly beating my self up over my mom dying from Alzheimers as if I could have done something. I think of times when the kids were small and literally want to go back there. It's not like saying hey remember when we used to do (whatever) I literally want to go back there. I know in my mind that it is impossible but I just cry to go back to the farm where my dad and mom lived. Mom has been dead for almost 10yrs. The doc gave me Ativan to take the edge off a little and Clonidine for chills and sweats. I've been off of it (Fentanyl Patch) for 3 full days now and the depression is still unbearable but the other side effects are a little better. My body aches were pretty bad last night though as I think about it.
I just wish some one could tell my how long it will take me to get back to my self, good sense of humor and loves to have fun with my family.
Thanks
*****

My husband started the Fentanyl 50mg last Wednesday. The first patch was OK, then changing it on Saturday, he sleeps - not just a light sleep - heavy sleep, dropping off at any moment. He decided he would rather not be on the patch than feel like he does. Too soon to have any other side affects, but doesn't even remember dropping off. He has recurrent head and neck cancer with severe headaches. He said he would rather take the Advil and take a chance for stomach ulcer than to get worse as time goes on. From the posts that I've read, he made the right decision.

been on the patch 50 mg for nine yrs now i don't seem like i get no relive at all its like the patch is not working at all,it fell like i have to take a piss. and then i have to force it out

ive been on the yhe 50 mg for nine yrs now, and now i get no relive from the patch seems like its not working at all help

I've been on the fentanyl patch for almost 3 years. I started on the 25 patch, then went up to the 50. Now I've weaned myself back down to the 25 patch. I was put on it for chronic back pain caused from a car accident.
I'm determined to get off this drug, so any and all suggestions are welcome!
In the last few months I've been experiencing some odd side effects that seem to be becoming worse by the day. Firstly, it seems like I can feel the effects of the patch more so, like when I first started using it. I also started experiencing nocturnal problems, my legs in particular felt like they were burning up and the muscles were really tight. If I stretched them it only seemed to worsen the problem. The only solution, weirdly enough, seemed to be jumping into the tub for a half hour.
In the last couple of weeks I have been experiencing MY FULL BODY HEATING in the middle of the night, as though it's the middle of summer in the middle of a big heatwave. I move around on the sheets and try to find a cool spot. I manage to sleep for only minutes at a time. For awhile this was only happening the second day with the patch (I only wear it two days at a time). Now it's the first and second. It's disrupting my sleep and I'm exhausted. My doctor gave me some sleeping pills which worked rather well but now I've run out and I really don't want to start depending on another drug.
I NEVER should have started on this drug and though it does work and work very well for chronic pain, I still highly recommend finding any other option out there for dealing with your pain. The withdrawal effects are horrendous. The first time I went through withdrawal I could not believe how terrible the symptoms were. Vomiting, diarreah (never could spell that one right, lol), and the pain was amplified times 100. My Doctor seems to not understand how scary it is to even contemplate getting off this drug, the withdrawal is that scary!
I managed to get down a patch size by cutting a tiny sliver of the plastic backing on the patch (NOT THE PATCH ITSELF!!!! The backing that you remove!) and sticking it on the patch before transferring the patch to my skin, so in essence, I was blocking out part of the patch and just made the plastic a little bigger until I had finally blocked out half the patch at which time I went down to the 25 patch with zero side effects.
I'm on percocet for the fallout pain and take up to 8 per day, although some days I can take as little as 3. After I'm off the patch I'm determined to get off of this drug as well and learn to manage my pain in a different way.

I was given fentanyl through iv and local anesthetic for eyelid surgery
I am very healthy 47 year old female, non smoker 60kgs in weight.
for about 10 days after 45 minute surgery I experience
Pounding headache, fatigue heavy chest, sometimes palpitations of heart, anxiety speech slurred, no memory, poor coordination aching limbs, nausea, unable to concentrate, feelings of impending doom. I am still not feeling like myself. Hope I dont have to use that again.

Very high tolerance for medications incl 60mg morphine, 20mg oxycontin 4x day, however, I just cannot seem to tolerate Fentanyl. Have tried it two times in past, both the 25mcg and 50mcg. The first week or so is great, after that the side effects are more than I can tolerate. All of these side effects were extreme and unbearable not just mild. They affected my ability to function and sent me to bed on more than one occasion. Extreme fatigue, nausea, sweating, anxiety and weakness. I felt as though I had a very bad case of the stomach flu. Both occasions I stuck it out for 2-4 weeks till I finally had to quit using it. Any suggestions as to why would appreciated. Some of my side effects aren't even listed in brochure.

I have been on fentanyl for about 3 years because i have a lot of spinal problems and have had 3 surgeries and this is the most horrible drug I have ever taken or could imagine. It has been a nightmare. I have lost down to 93 lbs. I have agitation, cannot sleep am awake about every 2 hours and have very vivid dreams, memory problems,flu like symptoms, trouble breathing seems hard to get a good breath and lots of wheezing, bad depression, moody, agitated, sad, itching,skin rashes, feeling of just not being there, racing thoughts, burning skin, feel like I am going crazy, get very sick if I get too hot or exercise very much. The doctor said I finally had his attention and started slowly weaning me off of them

I have been on the Fentanyl Patch for about 5-7 years now, for a condition called Loin Pain Hematuria Syndrome. It's rare (but more people are showing up with it) that is not life threatening and has no cure, but consists of serious pain in groin (loin) area, side pain (near kidneys) and sometimes around to back. It also consists of mid to large amounts of blood in the urine, it's known have thin blood vessels in the kidneys that allow blood cells to enter urine, but no real known reason of its cause. I am still pain free (just have discomfort on the third day before I change to a new patch) but after the first few years have started to have a lot of side effects and withdrawal symptoms. I change my patch at night and on the first day (the next morning) I feel fine and have no issues except a little sleepy from the night before. On the second day I get very sleepy, anxious, somewhat agitated easily, and a little depressed. On the third day, when I have to change my patch that night, I am even more sleepy to the point where I can barely keep my eyes open and they are heavy, all through the day and evening, I too have some memory issues but are not as much as the other side effects, I get low grade fevers that I can feel change over different areas of my body, shallow breathing in which it feels like it is sometimes hard to catch my breath, urinating often with not a lot of urine coming out (on third day only), some body aches, worrisome, more depressed, and weakness. Then after I change my patch the third night and it absorbs, I am wide awake and can hardly sleep. I even wake up every few hours on the second night, but the night I changy my patch is the worst, so I am tired the next day which is the first day on a new patch and the three day cycle starts all over again. I like that I am pain free, but at what cost? I am going to talk to my doctor again and they cannot pinpoint the nerves or areas of pain so I cannot have a pain pump, and I changed to this because I was getting so much break through pain between any pill form of pain medications. I did not like having to take pills every 4-6 hours. Has anyone else had this on Fentanyl or had the condition I have?

Well here goes, I paranoid, cant go to the bathroom a lot of times, sweaty t times, sick at stomach here and there, get cold limbs sometimes. Cant remember short term at all, I honestly forget 1 minute ago , but not all the time, there is long term memory loss, which i really hate, NERVOUSNESS is horrible, stress and anxiety can be very high , unless my life is in an ideal status which is nearly never, I do get flu effects on and off, I must change patches every two days 10 percent of patients must do this, or you get withdrawals, and that is an experience in its own, you get body tremors really bad back aches, all over. nausea, tremors. If you get really hot a sweat because of the enviroment my patch runs out qucker and then you feel like you are about to collpase from to much drugs, its sort of like you get so weak and thirsty you feel like you will drop dead any moment. so avoid hig heated areas for lenghty time. I double cover my patch with clothing if outdoors without a choice.Im aggressive at times and then im often very depressed, a lot of times. Crying spells , stupid stuff i cant control, and Im no wimp so its hard to deal with. Im an ex jarhed so the weakness is character is hard to swallow. However if I didn't wear this patch i couldnt make it through a day without so much pain, that it would be unbearable. I was in the hospital weekly before this patch. I have severe back issues, things that cant be fixed, well thats it in a nutshell, there is more but you can ask me if you want, i have been on the patch for 3.5 years.

Don't know if it is new, but my arms and legs hurt, my head pounds and my heart races. Been on this stuff only a week. 25mg patch, doesn't control the pain. Besides that patches don't want to stick and you wind up using more of them than you are prescribed. As with the other person I have been getting very agitated for no reason and can't sleep.

I am a forty something year young female that has been on fentanyl now for approximately two weeks. I am approx. 85% pain free for the first time in about 5 years. Unlike the other postees, after 12 back surgeries, including the introduction of a spinal cord stimulator; I recently had a intrathecal pump implanted. Since the original implant, I have had three separate medications used, (morphine, dyladid and now fentanyl). With the pump, the medication is dispensed directly into the spinal canal requiring a minimal amount of medication, versus taking it orally or being absorbed into the skin through a patch. With the medication going directly to the spinal canal, it does not have to go through the other internal organs before reaching the pain site or nerves, thus minimizing the side effects. Do I have side effects? Yes, but they are minimal and I am very pleased thus far with the results. Where as some patients are receiving anywhere from 70 - 100 mg. in the patch over a three day period; I receive 80 mg. over a 42 day period. It is highly concentrated and again, does not have to be absorbed through my stomach, kidneys, liver, etc. before reaching the pain site. When the pump administers the drug, 100% reaches the pain site; where as out of the 100 mg received orally or through the patch, less than half of that reaches it destination. So far, this is the best I've felt in years. I can walk, sit up and play with my dogs for the first time in years.

Have chronic back pain and have been on the the 100 mg patch for about 5-6 years and it's great. No side effect. Except now after getting into a car accident-not my fault-the courts are trying to take my license permanently-or
while I am on the the patches. Everything else makes me sick. Don't know what I am going to do. Live alone with cat and dog-outside of town-need physical therapy 3 times a week.....
patty

Was given Fentanyl along with propofol as an induction to general anesthesia and had a horrible and very agitated feeling . I know it was not the propofol as I have had that by itself for another procedure recently.I know it used to cause agitation in the children it was used on in the hospital where I worked.The Fentanyl patches caused this same agitation on my deceased husband.I think it needs to be taken off the market.It caused irregular heart beats on me in the recovery room. GR Smith

I was on both the sucker and the patch and this drug is great to take pain away BUT at what cost,I have lost all of my teeth ,I'v gained 80 pds ,I can't work now.because i can't face and talk to anyone face to face .because of all my teeth are gone.I was very depressed on that drug, I could'nt catch my breath sometimes,I really thought I was going to stop breathing ,I won't leave my house anymore ,I use to smile all the time and laugh ,That happyness is gone & so is my life.

Was on increasing doses of fentanyl for back pain - with time and not much time, the fentanyl slowed my digestive system so bad I suffered with gastroparesis. I have taken myself off with a doctor's guidance. My last dose was ten days ago after slowly tapering from 100 to 12mcg. I still have some gastroparesis and wondering if it will ever end. How long does it take to get back to normal????
Most people have not heard of gastroparesis - your system slows to the point that food does not go down normally and one ends up with horrible nausea.

Rapid opiod tolerance that within three months I went from 50 to 75-100 then 100 with 3 Norco's every four hours. I would get euphoria first day, O.K pain relief second day and third day withdrawals. Therefore my doctor prescribed them every two days.

Hi,

For two substantially herniated discs I have previosly been taking : co-codamol, diclofenic, tramadol, slow release tramadol, paracetamol, ibruprofen, naproxen and diazepam, along with omeprazole to combat the stomach side effects and senna to combat the constipation.

I was then put on the 25mg patches as things were not improving, but then was in a car accident so am on the 50mg patches, while still taking naproxen and paracetamol.

This is by far the worst side effects I have had from any of the above. I constantly feel ready to throw up and not quite 'with it'. I took my first patch off after three days just before driving for about three hours, so didn't have a patch on, but was still taking naproxen and paracetamol. I feel fine driving and have good concentration, but I was getting increasingly frustrated at bad driving from others and found myself starting to get aggressive. When I got home I was feverish and anxious, so put another patch on. That settled me down, so I think I was withdrawing, but I am still feeling very nauseous. That is the worst thing really, I don't really find myself suffering too much from the other common side effects.

One thing that a lot of people have noticed in me though is a tendancy to talk far too much. Once I start, there's no stopping me. (Same with typing really, as you can see!) Also, my short term memory has become very, very bad! I can watch a film one day, then a few days later not have a clue that I have watched it! Anyone else?

what is all in the patch of fentanyl

My husband is on the fentynal patch. When it is about time for it to be replaced (about 72 hrs) he starts getting weird feelings in his hands and feet. Can't lie down or get any relief. He has to take an Oxycodone until the next patch kicks in. Don't know is this is withdrawals or what it would be like without the patch. He has haed 4 back surgeries and nerve damage with peripherial neuropathy. The doctors just don't know the answer whether its withdrawals or neuropathy pain.

I've been using the patch for @ a month..From day one I have been vomiting, dizzy, down with severe headaches, have very little to no appetite, loss of strength, forgetting @ 80% of what I do, sleep to much or not at all, my husband says that I've become very moody, I have no will power, no patience at all, the list can go on forever........I feel as if my pain has gotten worse......I really hope that nobody else will ever or has ever gone through the same......If so, WHAT HAVE YOU DONE TO COPE w/ or MAKE IT NOT BE SO HORRIFIC?

THI IS MY THIRD WEEK ON THE FENTANYL PATCH IT GIVES ME BAD BODY ACHES. IF YOU HAVE ANYTHING LIKE THIS PLEASE LET ME KNOW AND WHAT YOU DID FOR IT.THNK YOU

I was taking percocet for about a yr, than my doctor now has me on Fentanyl. I just put the patch on, can anyone tell me how it is different from percocet.

I need to know any side effectsand symptoms of stopping the FENTYNAL Patch for 5-6 months of constane use. Thank you

During surgery I was given 3 agents. Propofol, Sevoflurane and FENTANYL. After the Surgery I experianced body itching for about two weeks. I'm not sure which of the 3, or maybe a combantion of them was the cause.