Chronic pain from Hydrocodone to Duragesic patch

[Hippiealways]

Due to chronic pain I was put on Hydrocodone (Loritab 750)  I  was prescribed 2 a day 500mg to start then 2 a day 750 up to 3 a day all in a 2 year period.  Just recently because of my drs concern for the tylenol affect to my liver I now use the Duragesic Patch 50 mg which has been such a relief...I am able to do almost anything without worrying about the pain I will feel tomorrow.  The dr was happy to give me the patch and I am happy to have it.  What is this doing to me physically...he even remarked that my dosage would be upped as my tolerance needed it. I expect to be on medically supervised narcotic pain relievers for the rest of my life.  Having no side affects now and  several people have commented 'if you are in chronic pain the medication goes to the pain and not to form an addiction' this doesn't sound possible to me...appreciate your opinion on this.  Thank you

[Witchywoman]

I'm very glad to hear that you've found something that will help give you good pain relief. That is very important to one's quality of life.



When people say that if you take pain meds for chronic pain you won't get addicted, that is a misleading statement.



If by "addicted" you mean most chronic pain patients don't abuse the medication, that tends to be true.



But anyone who takes narcotics round the clock long term will develop physical dependance on the medication.  This means that if you suddenly stop the medication, a syndrome of withdrawal symptoms will occur.  That is just what physically happens, regardless of the reasons or motivation for taking the medication.



Physical dependance is not the same thing as mental addiction though.  Some folks are able to take narcotics for pain, appropriately and as prescribed, without ever abusing them.



hope that helps answer your question!



WW

[Hippiealways]

Thanks WW ~ I take it all under doctors orders and do just like they say...my mixing drugs to get a buzz days are over.  Thanks for your response. I appreciate it...Hippiealways

[Metalback]

Good name.I too have chronic pain going on 30 of my 44 years. Early on the docs wouldn't give opiates for pain except for broken bones and surgery. But the pendulum has swung back. I have some questions for you. Did you abuse a lot of opiates before you got medical care? I ask because I did. I was finally put on Vicodin, which got rid of 20 minutes of pain per dose. Then I was switched to MSContin and then to Methadone. I have hit points of tolerance and have taken an extra pill only to get myself in trouble. I don't anymore for I finally learned my lesson. Tell me about the patch, would you. Where is it in the realm of strength? Have you had an increase? Sometimes I think the control should be taken out of my hands. I told my doc that she had to take control of my corticosteroids. I was worse with them than opiates and they don't give you a buzz, they will just kill you.

Metalback

[butterbeans]

Hi, I too would like to know about this patch you use for pain.  I take more than my perscribed dose and then run out of pills.  I would like to put this in somebody else's hands.  How does the patch work, is it a narcotic, etc.  Thanks!

Butterbeans

[ssfr]

patch info:



duragesic (fentanyl transdermal system) as far as i know they come in 3 strengths- 2.5, 5.0, and 10.0 fentanyl-

delivery is described on the box as "in vivo delivery of 25 ug/h fentanyl for 72  hours"- this is obviously a chemistry term but i am not sure what it means scientifically-

what i do know is from my own experience- i was placed on the patch for 3-4 months (i still have the old box that i was copying info from) the patch was taken away from me coz of an errant random urine test in which the doc found something else that wasnt supposed to be there- anyway- the fentanyl is supposed to be a real strong narcotic- you wear the patch for 72 hours or 3 days- the boxes come in packages of 5 patches each- and they are expensive- even with pretty good insurance- i paid approx 30 bucks - according to the doc they are very effective pain relievers, but i noticed that i still had a lot of breakthrough pain when i used them- you do not get high off of them used as directed- but there are ways to get high off of them- the doc also told me he uses them to wean his patients off of narcotics-  the idea being that at the lowest dosage- (2.5) allows an addict to detox down from a much higher dosage of some other narcotic and ultimately reduces withdrawals- it definitely has the advantage of a constant flow of pain meds- and since you do not get high when used as directed- their abuse potential is somewhat less-

hope this info helps

[butterbeans]

Thank you for th patch info.   I am going to ask my doc for me to try it.  It sounds like something that may take care of my pain, but, not get me high.  For everyone out there who is wondering , thinking, what is my New Year going to be like.  Choose one goal at a time and work on it.  Let the other  be there, but, the hardest one is the one you should work on.  Don't expect miracles, only true happiness of oneself.  I love all of you.

Love Butterbeans

[T.Bear]

This is some info on the Duragelsic patch: first it is a class 2 narcotic(which is the strongest legal narcotic there is) it is highly expensive I am on the 75 mg. patch and it is 370.00 per. month(that is 10 patches) They are highly effective in controlling withdrawl symptoms and controlling chronic pain.Quitting taking pain killers is the hardest thing I have ever attempted, this is my second shot at it and I have to make it this time. As for the expensive part if you weigh out what you would spend on drugs on the street to me the money is well worth it . I am spending alot for the patches but, I still am not spending as much as I was on pills. If you have any other questions on these patches please feel free to ask if I can help and answer I will ... T. Bear

[Telby]

I am trying to get through oxycontin withdrawls by wearing a patch.  I am learning from others how addictive fentinyl is and now I don' know if I'm doing the right thing.  I wore the 50mg. for over 72 hours and now I am feeling some withdrawl symptoms. I think the further away I get from the oxycontin the better my chances but maybe I'm fooling myself.  Thinking about going to a lower dosage and then being done.  OC withdrawls are so hard I was hoping I could taper down with the patch.  Any thoughts or insights will be appreciated.  love, Telby

[T.Bear]

Telby, These patches are highly addictive as I stated earlier they are a class 2 Narcotic.I was told by my doctor that it would probably take me a year to come off of lorcet 10/650 then he would begin to lower the dose of duralgesic until I was off of it also. I will try to find out more information for you if you wish... Good luck in this fight that has been set before you

[rocky road]

greetings to all pain warriors!needless to say i,ve seen it all like many of you.i've been every where from sissy hydrocodone to the 4 mg dilauded/hydromorphone taking up to 15 pills a day.what i can tell you is this if your pain