I am going longer in between pain patches in the hopes of slowly weaning myself off this medication.  The easier way I am told is to go on methadone and you don't experience the nasty side effects.  The problem along with all this is that my pain is also coming back with a strong furry.  My crohn's has increased and it hurts to move.  I sit here with my feet up and a heating pad underneath them for some relief.  I have no idea what in the world I am going to do once I get myself off this crap as before I was bed bound.  But if I continue to take it I will continue to have hepatitis and the side effects of liver damage as just as damming.  I realize I cannot give up but I do feel a bit hopeless.  What in the hell am I going to do?  I guess just get through getting off these patches, which will take a few months and hopefully get through having hepatitis, an increase in my Crohn's Disease and Lupus pain that is unjust and unbearable.