More, regarding Duragesic

[Guest guest]

I'm always amazed at how often even those most informed among

the medical profession can be so badly mistaken about medicines!

I once had Dr. Lehman, the CP GOD, tell me to cut my Duragesic

patches in half to avoid skin irritation!!! If one DID this, it could

be FATAL! Fentanyl is a very potent narcotic, originally developed

for end-stage cancer patients! As such, it is a very effective form

of pain relief, and, if given in the proper initial dosage levels, and

increased very slowly, the " zombie effect " can be controlled. The

Duragesic brand of Fentanyl patches have the drug in a timed-release

gel form, encased in a kind of flat, tightly sealed, " pillow " for want of

a better term, in the center of the adhesive patch. All due care must

be taken to avoid any leakage, as this could result in too much medicine

being absorbed through the " host " skin site at once, and might very well

cause a severe overdose reaction. And I think the continuing belief that

the Duragesic patches are somehow unsafe is just a result of misinform-

ation about a limited recall of one particular batch, months ago. At

that time, all of this batch was pulled off the shelves, but they took

the

added precaution of a mass mailing to all users, on the off chance that

some of the offending batch may have been released in error. Personally,

I prefer the MYLAN brand Fentanyl patch, as it comes with the drug

impregnated (as opposed to encased) in the adhesive patch and there is

not the possibility of leakage as with there is with the Duragesic

product.

Also, for me, the MYLAN patch is not only a lot cheaper, it stays on my

skin much better, whereas the Duragesic patch fell off a lot when bathing

or perspiring, and it can not be moved and reapplied when the skin

reacts.

Once it's off, it's no good any more, and my skittish doc will not give

me

" extra " ones to allow for this. Having said this, I have heard people

complain

of too much variation in the absorption rate of the MYLAN patch! Once

again,

we are all unique, and what works for one, doesn't fly for another!

, in Indy