New meds

[Yeyeya]

What are the pros and cons with the Fentanyl patch?

[Yeyeya]

Well thank you all for your advice. I have indeed started to use the patch. Nausea was something I was not expecting. I hope this goes away soon.

[disabledspine75]

Everyone is different, so what works for one......  Overall in my opinion fentanyl is an effective pain medication, regardless of the delivery method.  In my experience, when you are in the amount of pain I have experienced, passing out was the only thing that truly spared me. I hope nobody ever has to experience that kind of trauma in a lifetime.

[freebird63]

I have been on the fentanly patches on two different occasions.  There are several different brands out there, me personally I like the Mylan brand and if you use that brand you can contact Mylan and they will send you free of charge the clear waterproof patch covers, in the hopsitals they are called tegaderm or opsite.  If you tend to sweat alot they come in very handy.  The does I am finishing up on is the 75's, I wear one for 2 days then change it.  They did work for me but I am unemployed and have not been approved for disability yet and I have to pay for all my meds up front and comes to a grand total of $711.  If you have any other questions please feel free to PM me.  I try to help out anyone I can with all I have been through.  Good luck

[mellie4]

I'm not sure about leaving the old patch on when you put the new one on.  It does take time for the medicine to start absorbing into your system, but that's taken into consideration when you're given the prescription.  Whether it works for 48 hours or 72 hours depends upon the way a person metabolizes the medication.  I was given a script for 75 mcg every 48 hours but I waited 72 hours.  I had no problem with breakthrough pain (though I was taking 45 mg. of oxycodone every 4 hours for breakthrough pain.)

Again, everyone is different and you'll have to find out for yourself what does and doesn't work for you.  Not everyone has trouble with the patches staying on.  I did when it was the gel-filled patch but I only had a couple of occasions where the film-type patch came off.

Manufacturers (and most doctors) think generic works as effectively as the name brand.  I personally have found that to be untrue with some things.  In some cases, for me, brands make a difference.  (Not with the Fentanyl patch for me but other things.)  There's other things in these meds in addition to the narcotic.  There's fillers and they vary from brand-to-brand.  There could be something in the filler that causes you to feel differently than on a different brand.

Most important is to keep a good relationship with your doctor.  That way, if any problems do crop up, your doctor will work with you to find a better fit.  Let us know how you're doing.

[disabledspine75]

Hi,
I have just rotated off the fentanyl patch.  I was prescribed 100mcg every 48 hrs.  They work very well, IF, and I mean a big IF, you can get them to stay on.  I was doing every 48 hrs. For two major reasons. 1.) They only stay potent for a little less than 48 hrs., when the third day starts, the pain gets pretty bad, and you can feel that they all of a sudden just putter out.  2.) They are just so damn hard to keep on, so by 48 hrs. You need a new one.  I highly recommend that you invest in a type of waterproof I.v. Or dressing cover made by 3M called Tegaderm.  It's a clear, flexible plastic adhesive bandage covering that protects the patch from elements, and just plain keeps them on.  I used to put mine right under my breast line, on my ribs.  It was a spot that didn't move much, and it was easy to put on.  Any smooth surface that doesn't twist or stretch frequently will do.  The worst part about patches is keeping them on.  I highly recommend getting them for every 48hrs, because even if you can get by with 72 hrs (which is doubtful), you won't run out if, or when one comes off, or peels up.  Another bit of advice, don't let your pharmacist switch brands on you.  The generic brands vary Drastically in potency, and adhesive quality.  The absolute best ones are the kind that incorporate the medicine in with the glue, in other words it's just a sticker, the ones with the gel pocket suck.  I think Mylan Pharmaceuticals makes the one where it's just a sticker.  The medicine is of a much higher quality, and they stay on MUCH better.  In closing, fentanyl patches work well, as long as you can deal with the ritual of putting them on, then putting on the protective covering, and lining it up properly, and praying it doesn't peel up on you.  Oh and PS - A little word to the wise, to avoid feeling like garbage, when you put your new patch on, wait two or three hours to peel the old one off.  It takes a while for the medicine to get into your system and you will have tremendous breakthrough pain, not to mention your body will start to go through detox, yuck.  Oh and the 3M Tegaderm adhesive clear bandage covers I mentioned, are usually made by a store brand, and they were much cheaper. CVS for example makes an excellent knock off.  The 3M's usually run about $8 or $9 for a box of 5.  Well good luck, and don't worry, after all the trouble of putting on those silly patches, when they are on right, and working, they do a heck of a job.  If I think of anything else worth mentioning, I will message it to you.  I was permanently disabled in the line of duty, getting my back broken a few times, and severly damaged from massive trauma, underwent several surgeries, and am now a pain ridden cripple, so I have been through the wringer and back.  I really can't disclose much about what happened to me, but it was quite tragic and horrible, sorry, that's enough about me, my point is if it's out there, chances are I have tried, or used it, so don't hesitate to ask.  Good luck and Take care of yourself.  I would also love to hear how the patches work out for you.  Talk to you soon!

[mellie4]

The pros and cons probably vary from person-to-person.  You can look up what the side effects may be; I'm not sure of all of them.

I was on it for almost a year.  It was not the right medication for me for several reasons.  The pros for me were that it allowed my breakthrough medication to be reduced and the BT meds worked better for me.  The cons were several.  Initially I was given a gel-filled patch.  I had trouble with those staying on in the summer, even with taping the edges.  I was then given the other type that is more of thin film.  Those stayed on much better.

For me, the pain control was adequate, but I found I was having trouble with my short-term memory.  This side effect did not go away after a few weeks.  (I've used other medications that had side effects I didn't care for but they would resolve after a week or two.)  I forgot everything, even when I'd make lists.  The other issue was that I was fine on it as long as I kept moving but once I stopped, I'd fall asleep.  Didn't matter where I was:  doctor's office, dinner table, waiting in the parking lot for the kids to come out of school, etc.  I will say at the time I was on a ton of medication; way too much was prescribed for me.  So it could be that if I was on less things maybe I wouldn't have had that side effect.

I also feel like Fentanyl changed my tastes.  I never took sugar in my coffee and I ate pretty healthy 95 percent of the time.  Once I was on the Fentanyl, I found I needed a ton (4 big spoons) of sugar in my coffee.  I also started craving sugar in other forms and found myself not eating well.  (I had been very fit up until then; going to the gym nearly every day and really being careful about what I ate.)  I just found myself craving sugar.  (And even now, after being off the Fentanyl since March, I am still working on breaking the sugar habit.)

Fentanyl works well for a lot of people.  For me, personally, it was not a good choice.

What pain condition are  you treating for?  What have you been using to manage your pain up until now?  Is  your pain plan not working well for you?

I hope someone who has found Fentanyl to be a good choice for them will post so  you can hear other opinions.  I don't necessarily regret taking it but I wouldn't go back to it.