Re:Fentanyl Patches

[Guest guest]

Hello & Lorna --

I'm and am new here, this is my first day being part of the

group. Am so very glad to have found it. I've never been on fentanyl

patches but have been on lidocaine ones. I find for me the fentanyl

does not work. I did post an intro here about my chronic pain but to

give a wee quick recap I suffer from neuropathy due to corrective

spinal surgery for the treatment of tethered spinal cord syndrome.

It's when the nerves that normally run along either side of your

spinal column get tethered around the base and emeshed with fatty

tissue/scar tissue etc. After coming out of my third surgery I was on

a Fentanyl drip, I woke up screaming in pain in the recovery room. I

believe they put me back on Morphine drip. I do know many people who

suffer and live with migraine headaches who use fentanyl patches as

well as relpax, maxalt, imitrex or fiorcet (one of the following not

all four taken together.) Are you under the care of a neurologist and

pain management doctor or just one or the other? They may also try

putting you on Amitryptaline an anti-convulsant that's been used for

treatment of neuropathy, epilepsy and migraines for a long time. I

was forwarned by my pain doctor that Fentanyl can be difficult to

come down off of -- so if you are in the process of doing this --

make sure you step down gradually.

I'm sorry to hear you're still in pain. Have you tried accupuncture

or cranial sacral therapy? I'm seeing a certified Cranial Sacral

Therapist for the treatment of my chronic headaches and nerve pain

and it's been wonderful and is non-invasive. Massage may also be

helpful. As you can see I'm big on the use of any alternative

medicine/therapy that I find works for me -- I live in Southern Maine

and people near here believe in " holistic model of health " where-in

the ENTIRE person/patient is treated, not just his or her symptoms.

I wish you luck and hope you find relief. One last " food for thought "

suggestion -- a homeopathic / naturopathic doctor may be helpful in

finding new ways to treat your migraines and through much discussion,

talking, some blood work he/she can help sift down to the root cause

of your pain. Just a suggestion.

Warmly,

> >

> > Hi Jeanne,

> > Thank you for the response! No I haven't tried the Fentanyl

patch. I

> have a hard time with meds lasting as long as they should; the meds

I

> take right now are typically taken every 12 hours; I take them

every 8

> and I still have a lot of pain inbetween doses. It's always been

like

> that for me. Did you have any side effects? Was the pain relief

better

> then other meds you tried? Did the relief last or was it like a

roller

> coaster of pain, no pain, ect? Also I am wondering how difficult or

> uncomfortable it is to go off a med you've been taking for 3 years

and

> switch to something else? Would you have withdrawal symptoms? Thank

> you for any info!

> > Take care,

> >

>

>