prussruss12
Stranger
Reged: 03/07/04
Posts: 2
|
|
Hi there,
I am new to a pain clinic, but have had chronic pain for 10 plus years. I have been on the Duragesic patch for 3 months now, starting on 25 mcg every three days, and then 75 mcg every three days. On Feb 13th, my doc allowed me to change the patch every 48 hours due to pain and withdrawl symptoms. My question is that the last time I saw her, on March 2nd, I reported that I am still having a lot of baseline pain, which she said was "strange" and as a result, she ordered a "Fentanyl" urine sceen. Has anyone heard of measuring this specifically in a urine screen, I saw the lab tech label it as such, but I just wonder what could she possibly find out that would convince her that I need an increase in my dosage? Maybe I am reading into this too much, but pain is so subjective and it seems that the 75mcg patch would metabolize in my urine and what would that prove? Any comments will be appreciated.
Sincerely,
Marie
|
tone
Veteran
Reged: 06/29/03
Posts: 554
Loc: Chicago
|
|
well Duragesic = Fentanyl, maybe she just want to make sure its getting in your system well, because its a patch on the skin. or to be pessimestic, maybe she wants to make sure your not selling it
|
hunt1
Member
Reged: 02/07/04
Posts: 128
Loc: TEXAS
|
|
MAYBE SHE IS TRYING TO SEE IF YOU ARE TAKING MORE THAN YOU ARE SUPPOSE TO AND DEVELOPING A TALERANTS.
HUNT
|
Listvoer
Old Hand
Reged: 01/14/04
Posts: 411
Loc: New America
|
|
Doc is most likely just checking the levels of fent that is currently in your system, so that he/she can compare it to what levels are normal for someone with your condition & level of pain. It's quite possible that your body doesn't process fentanyl very well and you need to be on a different med. I wouldn't worry -- IMO it seems like there's a chance your doc will supply you with fentanyl (actiq iirc) suckers for breakthrough pain, because fent itself has a very short half-life. If not for that patch & it's slow-release mechanism you'd spend a LOT of time re-dosing yourself to keep the pain away.
Personally, neither the largest mcg patch nor the suckers did much of anything for my pain even though fent is in the family of some of the most potent painkillers available. IIRC Sufentanyl and Afentanyl are 100x & 1000x stronger than fentanyl (once again IIRC.. insomnia and it IS 5 AM) are MUCH stronger but you shouldn't find those outside a hospital setting.
Call me crazy, but if they made a hydrocodone version similar to oxycontin, i'd take that over just about anything else. Oxycodone doesn't work very well in my system either but hydrocodone (and it's toxic additives) works wonders for me. I'd just like to get it w/o the APAP....
|
prussruss12
Stranger
Reged: 03/07/04
Posts: 2
|
|
Thank you for responding to my post...I too agree that she is probably checking this level not only to make sure that I am not diverting this medication (after all, she has "known" me a grand total of 2 months), and also to see if my metabloism of this med is "correct" with the dosage I am on.
Thank you again for taking the time to respond,
Marie
|
Previous
Index
Next
Threaded
Edit 
Reply 
Quote 
