Re: Fentanyl (Duragesic) Patches

[Guest guest]

Singh,

I've used the patches for pain control when I'm in the hospital and they

work wonderfully, but you have to be careful not to rub them to hard or

they can fall off. I do know that the company also offers some covers if

the adhesive has problems sticking that they offer for free. You just

have to call the company and they will send them to you. Their called

Bioclusive, something or other (I can't remember the last part of what

they call them, though). Some people have problems with the adhesive,

but usually benadyl works to keep the itching under control. I didn't

have any problem or any side effects except for the standard problem of

constipation that you get with most narcotics and they worked very well

while I was in the hospital. I took stool softeners and they work just

find to fix that problem. The only reason I don't use the patches at

home is that my pain levels aren't high enough on a normal basis for me

to need even the smallest patch, though when I have an acute attack, I

need the higher dosed ones.

Kimber

--

Kimber

Vallejo, CA

hominid2@...

Note: All advice given is personal opinion, not equal to that of a licensed

physician or health care professional.

[Guest guest]

I wanted to reply to the question regarding Duragesic patches.

Yes, I have used them every strength they offer and every other pain

medication known to man kind. Nothing really every helped, all I

ever recieved was all of the side effects and NOTHING every really

helped the pain. Recently I posted that I wore a 100mcg Duragesic

patch plus in the mornings I would comsume 1800 to 2400mcgs of Actiq

which is a fentanyl sucker (this is what I had to do to stop the

screaming) I experienced many side effects, I was in a stupor, but

would moan the entire time, my blood pressure would get so low that

I would pass out, I even went into first degree heart block. The

only thing that has helped is an intrathecal pump, currently I

recieve 3 milligrams of Morphine straight to the brain a day, this

helps bypass the rest of the body and the medication is not excreted

by the liver, I also use about 3 Actiq a day. I have noticed as my

activity increases, I need to have the pump adjusted. I can without

reservation say that this pump has been God sent. I can do almost

anything, I drive, I shop, I cook, I clean, I go any where and

everywhere I want. I am now able to work in the yard for short

periods of time, I don't want it to seem as though I am what I once

was, I can no longer hold down a full time job and go to school 3

days a week and take care of my home responsiblities, but I am a far

cry to the person who ate nothing, took a shower once every 7-10

days, who had to have their 81 year old grandma do every bit of

housework. It was not unusual for me to be in the hospital at least

10 times a year ( and those were usually week long admissions) Since

I have had this pump implanted in August of 2003 I have not had a

hospital visit or stay. I hope this gives someone out there hope

that things really can be different. Oh yea I forgot to say that at

one time my breakthrough pain med was 5 yes five dilaudid pills at

one time along with oxycontin 80mgs 3 times per day. Today life is

good.

Atwell LPN