Fentanyl not working

[Blujax]

Hello. I am a 31 year old female, and I was in a motorcycle accident 10 years ago, and resulting from that has been alomst 10 years of chronic lower back pain and migraines. However, Only for the past 3 years have I been able to try and treat the pain, I finally found the greatest Neurologist ever, and he is so understanding, and was willing to try narcotic pain relief while other doctors would only put me on muscle relaxers that would not help... anyway, in the 3 years that I have been his patient, I have been on all the 'big dogs'  for pain relief, (morphine, dilauded, etc..)I had to keep changing meds, cause nothing ever worked! anyway, I just was switched from 80mg Oxycontin 3x daily, (because it didn't work anymore, provided no more pain relief) and now am taking 50mcg/hr Fentanyl every 72 hours for a week, and if no pain relief, I am to up it to two patches every 72 hours... The problem, I am getting no relief whatsoever, does this mean I am tolerant to narcotics? I am starting to freak out, because why doesn't it work? I thought the patch was supposed to be for people that were tolerant to Oxy, and Morphine and stuff like that! And whats really bad is that I have tried every narcotic out there, and none work!! Why is this?? Does anyone know? is it possible that my body doesn't absorb it or whatever? Am i expecting too much out of a pain medication? I thought they are supposed to make your pain go away, completely. Are they only designed to make the pain tolerable? but still there? I don't get it! What's wrong with me?

[mag_pie_wendy]

I'm new but I need advice on the following if anyone can:  I have multiple discs out in back,
Brain surgery and head pain (it's not migraine, which I get alot or headache) and 3 neck surgeries to sum it up. What I'm tryin to figure out is oxycontin 80 mg 3 x day and fentanyl patch 75 mcg every 72 he's before the next patch. Here is what I can't figure out is. The oxycontin works great for my back buy does not do much for my head pain, the fentanyl I take works good for my head pain but does nothing for my back   I don't understand why oxy works for my back pain but n

[mag_pie_wendy]

I'm new but I need advice on the following if anyone can:  I have multiple discs out in back,
Brain surgery and head pain (it's not migraine, which I getal

[TaT2dFal]

I'm on 100 fent and 10 perc and its not helping my pain at all. I have serious things wrong with my back and neck that I found in mris 3 yrs ago and after 3 yrs of many narcotics not helping, physical therapy failing, at 26 yrs old I feel like I'm dieing and can't go on. I'm evn in head therapy now cuz I'm so bad ovr my pain not being relieved at all. Anyone knw what I do frm here? The only thing I haven't tried is methadone and dilotid. ;( ty ~fal

[trueboo]

I found this thread a few months after you all were discussing it, and just wanted to add my 2 cents.  I was given Fentanyl for a surgical procedure, and woke up in hysterical pain with supressed breathing.  I had a similar reaction to Morphine for a previous surgery.  In other words, inadequate pain relief for dosages given, and when they kept trying to give more to provide pain relief, all it did was suppress my respiration.  Finally, I asked for demerol because i had been given that successfully years ago for c-section, and low and behold, my pain was manageable.  I realize that my story doesnt apply to chronic pain, but the bottom line is that some meds just dont work for some people, even if they're BIG GUNS for someone else.  I didn't have a narcotic tolerance, I just dont respond to certain drugs apparently.  So just  something to think about, if a drug isnt working for you, talk to your doctor you may need another approach, and not necessarily stronger, but "different".  Wish you all the best!

[NoMoMeth4me]

Very well said Tuck!! Short and sweet and to the point!!!

I probably rambled on a bit but simply wanted to make a point. To scare someone into NOT taking Fentanyl because of their own reservations is flat out wrong. Especially when the Fentanyl is working for them.

It's a catch 22, we all at some point feel guilty about our needs for these drugs just to co-exist in our crazy world, what I believe is unwarranted, is unnecessary stress and worry being put on our plates with regard to a medicine that is is proven to be improving our quality of life.

Main point to remember which we have both stated, ANY prescription medicine can kill us, it's not just about xanax or Methadone or Fentanyl to name but a few.

As I said, our Dr's precribe these to us because they deem the benefit of the medicine far outweighs the risks and or side effects to us.

Hot topic huh?

-Brian

[Tuckamore]

Brian you made some good points, as usual.  And I have made some of the same points as others have also.

I think it is understood that none of us are experts. There are no physicians here. We all want to "help" and offer our best suggestions and opinions...and that is how they should be taken. As I have said numerous times it is always best to consult with your physician and/or pharmacists.

We have to be very careful not to give directives with medications or supplements. It is not this forums purpose to "scare" ppl.  As Brain said almost any medication can be fatal. That is especially true if you do not follow your physicians, pharmacists or the label recommendations. It is also true that even than an individual can have an unusual fatal reaction. It can happen with any drug, narcotic or not. So caution is always the best approach.