Guest guest Posted June 7, 2003 Report Share Posted June 7, 2003 Today was my 1st time to switch my duragesic patch (3rd day). I had a lot more pain today. When I took the patch off to put a new one it was like glued to my skin. When I finally got it off I realized that it had completely dried out. Is this normal? Could maybe the drying out of the gel be the cause of my increase in pain today? thanks, Editors Note from S. ***In all the years on and off when I used the Duragesic Patch it really only worked for two and a half days. So when I took it off it was completely dried out and I was in a lot of pain for several hours until the fentanyl sank in and got into my blood stream again. I bet that is what is the issue with you too. You need to ask for a " breakthrough " pain medicine to use in case this happens again. MSIR is a good one. 30 mg is a decent dose for me and it lasts 4 hours. The MSContin lasts 8-12 hours. Good Luck with the doc. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted June 10, 2003 Report Share Posted June 10, 2003 , As always you have wonderful explanations. I am on my 3rd patch. Today is better. Yesterday was a stressful day at work and my pain shot up. Then today the nightmare with my rheumy made it even worse. Lately, when I get stressed out I blow up. I don't mean to, I just do. I think I am just fed up with everything. The pain mostly. Do you drive to work on Avinza? Does it make you sleepy? So, the longer I am on duragesic the more effective it becomes? My doc said to take 2 ultram every 4hrs as needed for breakthrough pain. take care, [ ] Re: Duragesic patch , There are many, many variables that could have led to a one-time situation where (the fentanyl in) the patch is used up too quickly. (Fentanyl itself does have a short half-life, although the patch is formulated to last 72 hours.) On the other hand, you should have had a blood level of fentanyl built up--depending on how long you've been using the patch--so that one would not normally expect a significant, dramatic increase in pain at the 72-hour mark. (Maybe it had a tear in it, and leaked out early.) Another point: Most, if not all, of the time-release meds (Oxycontin, MS-Contin, Avinza, etc.) tend not to last for the advertised length of time. The conditions in the digestive tract--acid levels, etc.-- affect the medicines' " slow-release " components. For instance, I take Avinza--24-hour release Morphine Sulfate--and it tends to last 16-20 hours. (I have some chronic stomach upset, the result of so many years of NSAIDs and other arthritis meds.) So, if you are " running out " , so to speak, of your pain med, before you take your next dose, you will experience a rebound of your pain, especially since Duragesic is slow-release: It takes time to build up an adequate blood level. (Duragesic is contraindicated in post-surgical pain relief and other acute-pain situations.) As said in her Editor's Note, you should discuss this with your doc; a " break- through " (or " rescue " ) dose of an immediate-release pain med is generally called for in these situations. Be careful for a while to observe all precautions regarding the patch, and if you experience the problem again, report the situation to your doctor immediately. Good luck. Duntze > Today was my 1st time to switch my duragesic patch (3rd day). I had a lot more pain today. When I took the patch off to put a new one it was like glued to my skin. When I finally got it off I realized that it had completely dried out. Is this normal? Could maybe the drying out of the gel be the cause of my increase in pain today? > > thanks, > > > > Editors Note from S. ***In all the years on and off when I used the Duragesic Patch it really only worked for two and a half days. So when I took it > off it was completely dried out and I was in a lot of pain for several hours > until the fentanyl sank in and got into my blood stream again. I bet that is what is the issue with you too. You need to ask for a " breakthrough " pain medicine to use in case this happens again. MSIR is a good one. 30 mg is a decent dose for me and it lasts 4 hours. The MSContin lasts 8-12 hours. > Good Luck with the doc. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted February 17, 2004 Report Share Posted February 17, 2004 It is extremely RARE to have an addiction issue if you are a chronic pain patient. The exception would be if you are an alcoholic and know you have an addictive personality. Studies have shown that it just does not happen if you use the medication when you have chronic pain like arthritis. Duragesic Patch in particular is a narcotic called Fentanyl that is supposed to last three days. I have found that when I used it that it really only seemed to work full strength for two and a half days. There are several different strengths as low as 25 on up to over 100. I do not think that you should be driving if you are using it, but that is a personal decision. S. group founder Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted February 23, 2004 Report Share Posted February 23, 2004 -Hi michelle, this is a reply to a message a few days ago. thank you and sorry it too so long to respond. the problem is that I am an alcoholic with an addictive personality. I have not taken a drink for 17 yrs, long befor the pa came, but am still very cautious of narcotics. When the pa reared its ugly head, I had my dr. and my husband help me monitor the narcotics I had to take then. It seems patches would be harder to abuse....Just can be too careful in my position. As for pot, can't do that either. Not just because it is illegal, It makes me anxious and fearful....works for some though. Thanks again! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted February 20, 2006 Report Share Posted February 20, 2006 Hi Barbara - I was on the duragesic patch for close to one year when I had my revisions in 2001. I wanted to just stop, but was told I had to be weaned off of it slowly. When I asked why, I was told because abruptly stopping could cause a heart attack. Go figure. But I had no withdrawal symptoms whatsoever. Good luck to you Barbara! ~~ > > Hi All, > > My computer is acting up so I don't know if my first message went > through. My question is, has anyone experienced withdrawal when > discontinuing the duragesic patch. Since my hip replacement my pain > is much improved and my pain doc said to go from 50mcg to 25 mcg. She > prescribed a clonodine patch (blood pressure med) that she said would > help with withdrawal symptoms. I read the archives and Carole M. said > she had no withdrawal. But I know we are all different and meds > affect us all in different ways. > Any suggestions on how to handle the withdrawal symptoms and how > long does it last? I'm trying to make this brief before my computer > gets goofy. > Many thanks for your help. Barbara > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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