fentanyl patch

[ffletch]

Pretty recently I was switched from avinza to fen. patch.I forget on the 3RD. day (today) how long do I leave on the old patch after I have put on new on.Its been years since iv been on patch.I feel like keeping old one on for a hour or two, till new one kicks in a hair.Although im sure a MD. would say take it off ASAP,so I dont forget.

[Mollyrae]

Hi ffletch,

The information that comes with the box of patches tells you to remove the old patch before putting a new one on. They tell you this because you could recieve too much of the Fentanyl. It may not seem that you are getting too much but it does catch up with you. Because it takes a while for the Fentanyl to work, the added amount from the previous patch will add to the new patch in 4-6 hrs. You would not feel it right away but later in the day it could be dangerous.
Read the information provided with the patches. It will tell you all you need to know.
Take care, Mollyrae

[Jaybay]

That happened to me once.  I had placed a tegaderm cover over patch #1, and thought the patch came off with the cover. Then I put on patch #2 and went to a garden nursery.  I'm amazed I made it home without passing out.  I was so dizzy and nauseated I could hardly see straight.  I finally figured out that patch #1 was still stuck on me, and it took a few hours before I felt OK again.  Now I always double check when I use a cover.  

Disposal is also a concern.  Although the insert says to fold the patch over and flush it, if you have a temperamental plumbing system or a septic system, they can cause problems.  After a few months we had a major back up of... patches!  Yep, they got all wadded up and stuck in the pipe somewhere.  No I just put them back in the foil package and pitch them in a covered trash can with a liner.  Our only children are of the feathered and furred variety, so no issues there.  :-)