Fentanyl every 48 hours or upping the dosage

[lizzie1954]

Why is it that some people only keep a patch on for 48 hours instead of 72 or other doctors up your medication?

[lizzie1954]

Hi Mary I just lost the post I was writing to you. Half way through I clicked on your name and read one of your posts about your ex and his ex's.  I hope things have gotten better. Pain and turmoil go hand and hand (no pun intended). I am hoping my appointment with my pm doc will be able to do a nerve block on my L4 & L5. My original pain and stenosis occured 10 years ago in my C4 & C5. I had my last nerve block (burn the nerves) in November which only lasted 1 month. My doc said he couldn't do another for 6 months. I got lucky (for once) and my pain became random and only lasted for a few weeks. Now I am starting on the other end. As for you, you should not be living with pain that is not controlled. I hope you have better luck when you see your doctor. I too am having 'husband" problems. I left him when I was being weaned off the patch over a year and ahalf. As they say the wife is the last to know. My husband was a secret drunk, and now he has a major coke problem. If you need or want to talk please feel free to contact me. We can share our horror stories. Good luck with the doctor.  I will say a prayer.

[mellie4]

My mother always said, "Better to laugh grief than cry it."  Hard to remember sometimes.  I feel like I've been living under a black cloud with my pain for a long time.  I had trouble with memory and personality with Fentanyl as well and weaned off it myself (not recommended!)  Maybe pain management will have more options for you.  I hope so.  I go next Wednesday and am hoping for something to help.  Coming into winter is always worse for me and I haven't had great pain control for a really long time.

[lizzie1954]

Thank you for your response. My doctor has raised my dosage from 25 mcg to 75 mcg over the past month. It seems like just as soon as I get used to the dosage after a few days my pain gets worse again. A few years ago I was upto 100 mcg and had severe problems with memory and personality. I  went through the weaning process and it took 3 months to get off it. I swore never again, but I have more stenosis in my lower back now and my left leg is basically useless. After trying every other drug I had to go back to the patch. I finally got an appointment with my pain management doctor at the end of october. I hope they can do nerve block (burning) like they used to do for my neck. Would you believe after 10 years of neck pain it has finally stopped hurting and now this. I think I have a black cloud hover over my head. But I still have my sense of humour :)))

[mellie4]

How long you keep a patch on is usually due to how you metabolize it.  Some people get 72 hours of relief; others don't.  Some doctors may up the dosage if you're not getting the pain relief they think you should.  Other doctors increase or change the BT med.  Everyone's system is different and what works for one person doesn't always work for another.