Re: Out of Medication

[Guest guest]

Hi,

Well, I've got a big problem. I use the Duregesic Patches for pain control.

This month I'm down 2 patches. One of them lifted in the corner and

wouldn't stick again and the other one I accidentally cut when I opened the

packet.

So I called my doctor and explained what happened. This is a new doctor

and it's a family practice. I'm not with a pain doctor yet since we moved

here. They called back and said it was too early to get a new prescription. I

told them that I will go into with=

drawals and they didn't seem to be alarmed about that. My old doctor in

California understood that sometimes there are problems with the patch and

never

had a problem with writing the prescription a little early. So now as of

Saturday I'm out of patches until the 6th of January. I do have Lortab's for

breakthru pain and I'm hoping that those will help.

Anyone with any ideas?

Kathleen in NC

[Guest guest]

Hi Katleen N/C

I was on the patch for well over a year and it was making me very ill. My

breathing was slowing down, i felt like my body was saturated with the fentenyl.

I was so sick, i could not do anything. I could not even walk i was so weak. I

called my neurologist who had me on them about 5-6 times to tell her how i was

feeling she would never call me back. So i had been told by a nurse, that if i

needed to stop them, to use my percocett that i had for breakthru pain and use

extra, I told my primary i was doing it and he said it was ok....the registered

nurse said use up to eight a day, well, i thought that was way to high. So, i

used about 4-5, once or twice i used 6, i had no choice. I tried to get into a

detox, but, they would not take me because i was not over using...i went thru

withdrawal pretty bad for about 5 days, then it slowed down. I was really weak

for about 2 weeks after.... But, when i told the pharmacy one day, what had

happpend, and at the time, i was very ill from the

withdrawal that day i had gone in for something else, i could barely stand up,

they said i should never do that at home, i could go into seizure...but,I told

them my doc gave me no choice...that is all i can tell you about my

experience...it can be dangerous, i dont know what else to tell you. I went

thru having the chills, to being too hot, to being so weak i could not walk, I

could not eat...i stayed on the couch all bundled up, with stomach cramps and

leg cramps and being nasuas.... when i stopped cold turkey, but, i had no choice

but to do it on my own. I will never understand why my doc would never call me

back, only that maybe she just did not know what to tell me... I am not giving

any type of medical or professional advise to you, i am not a medical person,

only my experience with my patches and stopping them....it was very scary to me,

but, really, all went ok considering......call your pharmacy, maybe they can

give you some ideas...??? I dont know....Please take care of

yourself, and try to get some real medical advise on what to do....

Doctors dont seem to give a damn about withdrawal, and i dont understand that at

all. The pharmacy was lvivid when i told them she would not call me back. I

think she may have been reported, because we had a very good relationship, i

stopped seeing her when i went to a pain clinic she insisted on. Then found out

i did have neurological issues. I asked her to take me on as a patient again.

She had sent me a nice letter saying if i ever needed her again to just let her

know...I called her office just a few weeks ago, she said no we did not have a

good patient -doctor realtionship.I was so shocked and hurt, .so, i think the

pharmacy had called someone and reported her on her not calling me back..they

were very angry...as a matter of fact, the pharmacy told me to get right into a

detox, i told them i tried them all and they said no because i was not abusing

drugs, they said i should have lied to get in..they told me.it was a dangerous

situation to do it at home..I had a very good

relationship with the pharmacy, they knew i was in pain for real...I had even

told them that the r.n. told me to take extra percocett, and they agreed it

might help some, but, not alot......i am not trying to scare you, just telling

you the truth.....but, i do think you need to call someone for medical

advise..Do you have a good realtionship with your pharmachy?? They may give you

some good advice.....although i made it thru ok, i am still here, just 5 days of

feeling like crap.....Please let me know how you are doing, as i will be

thinking about you....big hugs...You may not even go thru the same things i did,

you never know....I am very sensitive to meds, and maybe thats why the detox was

so hard for me.....janine

Krag52@... wrote:

Well, I've got a big problem. I use the Duregesic Patches for pain control.

This month I'm down 2 patches. One of them lifted in the corner and

wouldn't stick again and the other one I accidentally cut when I opened the

packet....

[Guest guest]

Kathleen,

Have you asked the pharmacist if he can replace the damaged patch.

If you return it to the pharmacy then you will not be violating the

prescription by getting one replacement. Of course you'll have to

pay for it. I don't know if they will help you, but it is worth

asking. They must have some kind of policy for damaged meds.

Also be very carefull with the contents of the patch. Obviously it

can be absorbed through the skin, and you could get a really big

dose all at once that way. If only the edge is cut it may still be

usable, maybe you could show it to the pharamcist and ask his

opinion.

A loose patch can still be used. Just tape it down with adhesive

tape. I did that a lot when I was on Duragesic. They don't always

stick too well.

Good luck,

Dave

Kathleen wrote: [snip] This month I'm down 2 patches. One of them

lifted in the corner and wouldn't stick again and the other one I

accidentally cut when I opened the packet.[snip]