Hi…problem with fentanyl pain patch and klonopin

[[Db...]]

Hi,

 

I have been on Klonopin since 1992. I have been on a fentanyl pain patch for neuropathy about eight years. I take 1 mg Klonopin. My patch is 12mcg.

 

My pain mgmt doctor said many months ago that he could no longer prescribe fentanyl if I continued taking Klonopin. So I tapered off of Klonopin. I was off for 3 1/2 months. I got a virus and had a severe anxiety attack. This has only happened one other time which was thirty years ago. Thirty years ago I was hospitalized for the anxiety. I couldn’t sleep. It went into depression/anxiety set off by Lyme disease.

 

I have not had an anxiety attack for since this initial one thirty years ago. So when I got the same thing recently after being off Klonopin for 3.5 months it was a huge shock. This was also set off by a virus.

 

My pain mgmt doctor said the FDA could pull his license unless I stop the Klonopin. He said find someone else. The second pain mgmt doctor said I will not be able to find anyone else. He said that both the doctors and patients are victims due to the proliferation of illegal fentanyl. But pain patches are not used for illegal fentanyl.

 

The Mayo Clinic lists Klonopin as a drug that a doctor “may” need to prescribe with fentanyl. It is not banned. My psychiatrist tried hydroxyzine. That did nothing for my anxiety attack.

 

So I’m left with the following options:

 

When a I have a panic attack I can stop taking the Klonopin. But when the Klonopin shows up in my blood the pain mgmt doctor will refuse to give me my fentanyl patches.

 

Call an ambulance

 

Go to the emergency room

 

I’ve tried my insurance company, I’ve tried the national crisis line. I’ve talked with my psychiatrist and pain mgmt doctor. No one can offer a solution. So that’s why I’m here. Can anyone suggest an alternative to Klonopin and the classification, “Benzo” I am no longer allowed to take? Or is it possible to find a doctor that will prescribe both?

 

One other frustrating thing about my issue is that the studies that were done to recommend not taking this combination were with a much higher dosage of fentanyl. I’m not sure if it was a higher dosage of Klonopin.

[[Pa...]]

Hello Dbaps, welcome to BenzoBuddies,

 

I must admit, I’ve never heard of someone in your situation and I’ve been here a long time.  It sounds like the Klonopin is working for you, I’m surprised you’ve never had to raise your dose and even more surprised you didn’t experience withdrawal symptoms when you stopped taking it, except for the panic attack.  We know some people can get off of these drugs with little to no problem but we don’t see them here.

 

I don’t have a suggestion for you but if you post your question on the Other Medications board you may get feedback from the greater community, just be sure to put plenty of detail into the subject line.

 

I’m sorry for your situation, many in our community have been labeled drug abusers for taking their medication as prescribed, we know the uphill battle we all face because of drug addicts who make our situations more difficult.

 

Pamster

 

 

 

[[Db...]]

Just one clarification. I dropped .25 mg every two weeks to go off of Klonopin. So it took me eight weeks to completely stop Klonopin. Then I was off of it for 3.5 months before experiencing the anxiety attack.

[[Pa...]]

I’m glad to know you tapered, although by our standards it was quite rapid. 

 

Have you tried therapy for your panic attacks, most of our members have to learn new coping skills after going off of these drugs and many have had great success.

[[Ti...]]

Hi Dbaps

 

so sorry you are going through this. I have found Zoloft (SSRI)  to be very helpful for my panic. My panic is induced by emotional or financial distress or illness makes it hard on my central nervous system to cope. I have found that Zoloft has helped bring me out of "dips" quicker when I experience the inevitable stresses of life. Thankfully, I don't experience panic attacks for situational life day to day circumstances. so I don't need Zoloft for my every day, it's only when a big life circumstance comes up, or illness.

 

Are you going back on Klonopin? or staying off? Is your panic manageable ie - are you able to have parts of your day where you are peaceful? or is it constant panic  - since the 3 month mark that you've been off?

[[Db...]]

I went back on Klonopin after the panic attack. I am lowering my dosage again. I'm down to .25mg Klonopin. In another week I will be off of Klonopin.

 

Thank you for the suggestions. My doctor wants me to try duloxetine and stop taking Wellbutrin. So I will be gradually making this change.

 

I've only has two panic attacks in thirty years. Both were set off by a virus. Once the panic attack started it would not stop. Thirty years ago I dealt with the panic attack for three days, not being able to sleep. I got to the point of being suicidal. I was hospitalized for two weeks. One of the drugs they put me on was Klonopin. The other was for depression. When I was leaving the hospital, they did a western blot test and told me I had Lyme disease. When I was back home they treated me for Lyme disease. For a few years they tried to take me off of my medications but it never was successful. So I've been on Klonopin and an antidepressant for thirty years.

 

The panic attack that just happened this Fall did not come and go. I was off of Klonopin for 3.5 months. It started with a virus. It was constant. The panic attack was exactly the same as thirty years ago. It gradually got worse and worse. It's hard for me to think that a coping mechanism would work. I have tried breathing exercises. Both times I got the panic attack I had no stress issues in my life. All I can think of is the virus each time did something to cause the anxiety. I have not tried Zoloft. If nothing works I will talk to my doctor about taking Zoloft. The thing that was great about Klonopin was the drug was proactive and not reactive when dealing with the panic attack. Obviously it was highly successful since I did not have a panic attack for thirty years.

 

My pain mgmt doctor asked me to consider a spinal cord stimulator called Nevro HFX. If I try this and can eliminate the fentanyl that would also take care of my drug interaction. So I'm reading up on Nevro HFX.

[[Pa...]]

If your panic attacks have typically been caused by a virus, would it make sense to get and stay off of the Klonopin and only take it when you have an attack?  The thing is, you would have warning it might happen if you get a virus so you can be prepared.  I hope you can get off of the drug and only use it as the manufacturers intended, no more than 2-4 weeks which is too long in my opinion, they are best taken one time for serious events.

[[Db...]]

Yes, to take the klonopin only after a panic attack would take care of this problem. However that is unfortunately not acceptable to pain mgmt. They would refuse to give me my fentanyl patches if Klonopin showed up in a urine screening. Second taking Klonopin each day is a proactive solution and eliminates my anxiety. By only taking it when I have an anxiety attack, I must also deal with the waves of anxiety for the next week or two that happen after this major attack.

 

By the way, after further discussion, thanks to you guys, my doctor has decided to try me on Zoloft. I’m really happy about this because he’s not touching my antidepressant medicine. Thanks again!

[[Pa...]]

Thanks for explaining and I’m glad your doctors are going to work with you on the Zoloft, I hope it provides the help you need.

[[Db...]]

I promised to come back to this site and give you an update on my issue with no longer being allowed to take Klonopin with any opioid even though I suffer from a panic disorder. Unfortunately as many of you know pain mgmt doctors were not given any leeway to allow for Benzos with opioids. Each said they could lose their license starting in 2023. Fortunately I am extremely lucky. My pain management doctor was able to eliminate my opioids and manage pain with other medications such as gabapentin. This has allowed me to take Klonopin again.

 

For any of you forced to manage an anxiety disorder that will require a hospital visit without proper medication and dealing with chronic pain, if there is anything I can do please let me know. The pendulum has swung too far the other way with opioids. The studies I have seen were with high amount of opioids, even overdose and taking Benzos.  It's frustrating to see a rule written for doctors that does not take into account the strength of the medications. Is it fair to compare a patient taking 50mcg/hr of fentanyl with a high amount of Benzos in a study against someone using a much lower morphine equivalent and lower amount of Benzos? I was on Klonopin from 1992-2022 without issue. I was on fentanyl or oxycodone the last 8-10 years. Maybe my case is very unusual. I just want to document this here in case someone else runs into the same issue.

 

Thanks everyone for your kind words and support.

[[Pa...]]

Thank you for documenting Dbaps and I can see how frustrated you are over this issue but thank goodness your doctor has found an alternative for you.

 

Your input on this subject will help another member when they search for answers, thank you.

[[or...]]

Hi,

 

I have been on Klonopin since 1992. I have been on a fentanyl pain patch for neuropathy about eight years. I take 1 mg Klonopin. My patch is 12mcg.

 

My pain mgmt doctor said many months ago that he could no longer prescribe fentanyl if I continued taking Klonopin. So I tapered off of Klonopin. I was off for 3 1/2 months. I got a virus and had a severe anxiety attack. This has only happened one other time which was thirty years ago. Thirty years ago I was hospitalized for the anxiety. I couldn’t sleep. It went into depression/anxiety set off by Lyme disease.

 

I have not had an anxiety attack for since this initial one thirty years ago. So when I got the same thing recently after being off Klonopin for 3.5 months it was a huge shock. This was also set off by a virus.

 

My pain mgmt doctor said the FDA could pull his license unless I stop the Klonopin. He said find someone else. The second pain mgmt doctor said I will not be able to find anyone else. He said that both the doctors and patients are victims due to the proliferation of illegal fentanyl. But pain patches are not used for illegal fentanyl.

 

The Mayo Clinic lists Klonopin as a drug that a doctor “may” need to prescribe with fentanyl. It is not banned. My psychiatrist tried hydroxyzine. That did nothing for my anxiety attack.

 

So I’m left with the following options:

 

When a I have a panic attack I can stop taking the Klonopin. But when the Klonopin shows up in my blood the pain mgmt doctor will refuse to give me my fentanyl patches.

 

Call an ambulance

 

Go to the emergency room

 

I’ve tried my insurance company, I’ve tried the national crisis line. I’ve talked with my psychiatrist and pain mgmt doctor. No one can offer a solution. So that’s why I’m here. Can anyone suggest an alternative to Klonopin and the classification, “Benzo” I am no longer allowed to take? Or is it possible to find a doctor that will prescribe both?

 

One other frustrating thing about my issue is that the studies that were done to recommend not taking this combination were with a much higher dosage of fentanyl. I’m not sure if it was a higher dosage of Klonopin.

 

Hi and welcome to BB Dhaps, you might be able to find some info in the Search I just did using fentanyl.  I'll give you a link below as I know nothing about that drug, but I know a bit about the K, or generic that I've taken a long time and am now weaning slowly off that, again welcome, Denise 

 

http://www.benzobuddies.org/forum/index.php?action=search2

The first post is yours, but there are several beneath it on the page, hope it might help you