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ashpup
Stranger
Reged: 04/30/04
Posts: 8
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I am currently on 5/325 percocets which in my state can not be called in, so they mail them to me 80qty. When they forget to mail them on time the call in Lortab 10/500.
This pills provide a rollercoaster effect pain, take 2 pills OK for 3-3.5 hours pain sets back in. They have through my many years at the pain treatment center have actually offered oxycotin. It scares me a little it can do bad things to good people. So they want to try the Fentanyl Patch (duragesic). If anybody has experience with this patch? does it allievate the pain? One person said "you forget about the pain for 3 days" I hope that would be true.
Any info would be great.
Thanks,
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Chimingin
Newbie
Reged: 05/25/04
Posts: 37
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I've had success with both Duragesic patches as well as Oxycontin (seaprate occasions of course). Oxycontin is a wonderful medication IF USED AS DIRECTED. It is long-acting Percocet (same as you've been taking but lasts 8-12 hours), but Oxycontin has no tylenol.
If you do choose Duragesic, put them on the outside of your upper arm, where you don't sweat, and move to your other arm for the next patch. ie don't put a new patch in the same exact place as a patch you just removed. I've read lots of posts here and elsewhere from people who somehow cannot get their patches to stay on for 72 hours. When I used to wear them, I'd have trouble tearing them off! (And I'm a hot person). You can also put medical tape over the patch if you have issues with it staying on. Put the patch on and press your palm on it firmly for about a minute and you should have no problems with it sticking for 3 days.
Good luck in your decision. Since you've been on Percocet, however, you're already taking Oxycontin in a sense--it is the same medicine without the Tylenol that lasts 8-12 hours instead of the 3 hours you suggest.
Again good luck to you.
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toe
Pooh-Bah
Reged: 10/09/02
Posts: 1422
Loc: MidWest USA
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ashpup- it's not your state. That's federal law. C-II meds can't be called in.
My experience with duragesic is very limited but I do know it takes many, many hours to start working. I would want to have a 12 hour supply of my regular meds available in the meantime. I'm not sure what variables affect this. I'd have to assume body fat and the distance the medicine has to travel through your skin and inner flesh to get into the bloodstream must have some effect.
Further, apparently, it takes something like a week to 10 days to reach a peak plasma concentration- the dose you want to maintain at. So you'll still be on a roller-coaster of sorts until you get through that honeymoon period.
I have read on DB many times that if you contact the manufacturer, they will send you a package of big clear stickers to go over your patch and help keep it stuck on. I think most people found them useful. I have also read of many people scripted to 1 patch every 2 days because-like all other opiates- as our tolerance goes up, the length of efficacy goes down.
Of course, the vast majority of my experience with patches has been with Nicoderm CQ (10/10/04) and those sticky patches from my TENS unit.
But I read, and I know that patches-any kind of of patches- are a PITA. That new "Birth Control" patch? How long do you think that's gonna last? There are really few places you can put a patch on the human body where it won't get stretched, pulled, crinkled, and ultimately, break it's seal with the skin over the course of a normal day. And those places would be halfway down in between your shoulder blades-but not over the spine.
In short: Patches are a pain, pills are easier. I've put medical tape over my patches, but you know what? Once they lose contact with the skin, you've ruined them. I'm sure patches designed for 3-7 day use are a little more lenient, but they are built on the same principle.
Is a pain-control patch a BETTER SOLUTION?
Absolutely!!!
Patients need only think about it every 2 or 3 days, there is no WAY a patient can con herself into abusing or overusing the patch without facing the facts.
But it's not constructed very cleverly. If it comes off and is stuck back on, the integrety of a transdermal drug delivery system is comprimised. You know what? If we were brave enough to face having all those Bandaids ripped off as kids, then I think whe can deal with a better adhesive in our medicinal patches.
P.S. You guys are all swabbing down with alcohol before applying, right? And cleaning up the old site with rubbing alcohol, too? Okay, I'm going now. . .
i just want a cigarette. . .
--------------------
"It's the end of the World as We Know it. . ."
-REM "and I'm seeking asylum in Canada"-toe
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mainship35
Stranger
Reged: 06/07/04
Posts: 9
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I used the Duragesic patch for 2-1/2 years a while ago & had good pain control. In fact it was so good that I did not notice my pain getting worse until a piece of my disk, L3-L4 started pushing on my nerves and was told that if I didn't have surgery soon, I could become paralyzed. That was back in 2001 when I had my 2cd Spinal fusion. Just recently my pain has gotten worse and I am now starting back on the Duragesic patch again. The thing I like about it the best is when I wake up in the morning, I feel good. Not having to take a pill and then wait for it to work. I also do not like the roller coaster ride you get with pain pills. I do not notice much euphoric feeling with the patch, like you do with most pain pills. It just seems to make the pain bearable. Janssens will send you free bioclusive patches that you put over the Duragesic patch that makes it stay in place for 48 - 72 hours.
The patch did not seem to last for 72 hours so my doctor changed the duration to every 48 hours. It does take a day or so to get the full effect, but once you are there the pain is controlled better than pills. Of course everyone is different. I tried MS Contin and it didn't seem to work at all.
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