Guest guest Posted October 18, 1999 Report Share Posted October 18, 1999 Duragesic is the " trade name " for Fentenyl.....which is a form of general anesthesia that is mixed w/other meds when you undergo surgery. The reason why he said you " stay on it " actually is a controversial one. This med along with other 'controlled' meds are psychologically addictive. In other words, if your not in pain and your a recreational drug user and your brain is bathed in this stuff all weekend or whenever..you will develop an addiction. For our purposes, and other who are in pain " legitimately " these meds work @ the peripheral spinal nerve level. The body " eats up " the med. Pain Management is in it's infancy in this country and MD's in general are weak in the knees about RX'ing anything more than Tylenol #3 or Vicodin. I'm an RN, go to a Pain Clinic and have been on methadone in the past, and now morphine for pain. I have tapered my morphine dosedown significantly over the past 6 months to the point where I'm almost off of it completely.....it's all very natural...it's just that my body doesn't need it (or as much) anymore...I haven't gone into seizures/tremors or psycho.....lol....good luck to you! Ann Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted October 18, 1999 Report Share Posted October 18, 1999 Hi, This is new to me! Can you explain a little about it - what kind of med is it? Thnaks, Christie At 10:57 AM 10/18/99 EDT, you wrote: >From: Radha21@... > >my doc, Dr. Enlander gave me prescription for duragesic patch for general all >over achiness, but once i start it, i think i have to stay on it and take >everyday, which i dont want to do.....have any of u tried this patch, and has >it helped? >Radha > >>This list is intended for patients to share personal experiences with each other, not to give medical advice. If you are interested in any treatment discussed here, please consult your doctor. > > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted October 19, 1999 Report Share Posted October 19, 1999 I don't know about this specific patch, Radha, but one reason that doctors ask you to take certain painkillers every day, whether you think you need it or not, is that pain is easier to PREVENT than to FIX one it starts. If you wait until the pain develops, it takes a lot more painkiller than the level it takes to keep it FROM developing. And sometimes once it develops, there's not enough painkiller on the planet to stop it. This is particularly true with fibromyalgia pain, which has a tendency to radiate from the original tender point to a larger, and larger portion of the muscle. Progressive approaches to pain control all involve controlling the pain, which means stopping it before it starts. You can't do this with some medications because they will drill a hold in your stomach, or destroy your kidneys, or cause liver dysfunction, when taken in large doses over a long period of time. I don't know what is in the patch, but I suspect that's why he says you have to take it every day if you are going to start -- he is trying to keep the dose low. BTW, most studies show that if you are truly in severe pain, and take a drug like morphine, you are unlikely to become addicted! It has something to do with the way the body uses it when you are experiencing pain, and the way it uses it when it's just sort of added to a brain that isn't identifying pain problems at all. Schweitzer mailto:schweit2@... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted August 13, 2003 Report Share Posted August 13, 2003 Keri-- What strength of Duragesic Patch are you on??? Is there any way you could be put on a lower dose? The weakest strength is 25 mcg. Can they maybe wean you down by decreasing your frequency that you apply them? My prayers are with you, I know it is tough. Love, Kate Largo, FL Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted August 14, 2003 Report Share Posted August 14, 2003 Why is your doctor taking you off the patch and you still with pain? That doesn't make sense either. I am on Duragesic also, and granted I was in horrible, horrible pain before the patch, and after the patch it did elminate some of the pain, but just as you even with the patch I have pain, but definitely not as bad as w/o the patch. Is his plans to try another pain med? You definitely will be in a lot of pain if you are a Stills patient and not have any pain meds, or at least I am w/o my pain medicine. The anti-inflammatories help with the swelling and rash and some of the pain, but the pain is so horrible you have to have an add-on therapy of analgesic to help with my pain and I'm sure about any Stilligan out there would agree. So maybe discuss his future plans for dealing with you pain, because if you are still in pain w/the patch then chances are it is only down hill from here w/o it. Finicia Duragesic Patch > Hi All- > > Last night was the worst night in my whole entire life. (probably not, but I've forgotten all the other worst nights in my life ) > Anyway my Rheumy is trying to get me off of my Duragesic Patch that I have been on for the past 2 years. And his way of doing it was take Oxy (which is just as addicting) ever four hours for the withdrawal symptoms and once I am off the Patch then we will work on getting me off the Oxy. Okay that makes sense (NOT!!!) > So I decided that I will try to take my self off the patch without the Oxy. Not good!! I was doing pretty good the first day, the second day I was a little anxious and on edge, but not bad. Until that night I was out of my flippin mind, to say the least. I couldn't sit, lay, stand still. I felt like climbing the walls. I tryed everything I could think of, baths, a massager on my back & feet, exercising, cleaning. My skin was crawling. I couldn't stand it anymore around 2am so I decided to take an Oxy to see if that would take the edge off and maybe I could get some sleep. Nothing, so I took another at 3am .........Nothing. I couldn't handle it anymore. I had to put the patch back on. > I kept seeing these smoking commercials and how they need help to stop smoking and here I am thinking that I can get off this drug, Fentanyl, without some assistance from a pain clinic or at least a Doc that has dealt with this before. > Anyway, has anyone out there been on this patch before>? and if so how did you wean off of it? > Any help or advise would help. I am willing to try anything. But the one thing that is in the back of my mind is.... what if my body still needs these pain meds? What if I go off and have horrible pain. Becuz I do have pain even when I do have my patch on. > I would hate to have a flare while trying to wean off. I am stable right now with all my meds so.... > I don't know I am starting to ramble so I will say goodbye. > Thanks for listening and hope to get some good feedback. > Love & Support- > Keri In CA > > > > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted August 14, 2003 Report Share Posted August 14, 2003 Why is your doctor taking you off the patch and you still with pain? That doesn't make sense either. I am on Duragesic also, and granted I was in horrible, horrible pain before the patch, and after the patch it did elminate some of the pain, but just as you even with the patch I have pain, but definitely not as bad as w/o the patch. Is his plans to try another pain med? You definitely will be in a lot of pain if you are a Stills patient and not have any pain meds, or at least I am w/o my pain medicine. The anti-inflammatories help with the swelling and rash and some of the pain, but the pain is so horrible you have to have an add-on therapy of analgesic to help with my pain and I'm sure about any Stilligan out there would agree. So maybe discuss his future plans for dealing with you pain, because if you are still in pain w/the patch then chances are it is only down hill from here w/o it. Finicia Duragesic Patch > Hi All- > > Last night was the worst night in my whole entire life. (probably not, but I've forgotten all the other worst nights in my life ) > Anyway my Rheumy is trying to get me off of my Duragesic Patch that I have been on for the past 2 years. And his way of doing it was take Oxy (which is just as addicting) ever four hours for the withdrawal symptoms and once I am off the Patch then we will work on getting me off the Oxy. Okay that makes sense (NOT!!!) > So I decided that I will try to take my self off the patch without the Oxy. Not good!! I was doing pretty good the first day, the second day I was a little anxious and on edge, but not bad. Until that night I was out of my flippin mind, to say the least. I couldn't sit, lay, stand still. I felt like climbing the walls. I tryed everything I could think of, baths, a massager on my back & feet, exercising, cleaning. My skin was crawling. I couldn't stand it anymore around 2am so I decided to take an Oxy to see if that would take the edge off and maybe I could get some sleep. Nothing, so I took another at 3am .........Nothing. I couldn't handle it anymore. I had to put the patch back on. > I kept seeing these smoking commercials and how they need help to stop smoking and here I am thinking that I can get off this drug, Fentanyl, without some assistance from a pain clinic or at least a Doc that has dealt with this before. > Anyway, has anyone out there been on this patch before>? and if so how did you wean off of it? > Any help or advise would help. I am willing to try anything. But the one thing that is in the back of my mind is.... what if my body still needs these pain meds? What if I go off and have horrible pain. Becuz I do have pain even when I do have my patch on. > I would hate to have a flare while trying to wean off. I am stable right now with all my meds so.... > I don't know I am starting to ramble so I will say goodbye. > Thanks for listening and hope to get some good feedback. > Love & Support- > Keri In CA > > > > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted April 26, 2004 Report Share Posted April 26, 2004 ewilkie: I use the duragesic patches following a somewhat confusing procedure. I had much the same side effects you discribed when I used the 50MCG strength patches; however, the 25MCG strength patches gave me very little pain relief. I am therefore using TWO of the 25MCG patches on two separate 72 hour schedules (calendar and the labels that come with the patches are required to keep it straight). I would suggest that you talk to your doctor about your side effects, and your concerns related to them. The strength of the patches that you are using are very likely too strong for you! Hope this helps!! S. **************************************************************** In a message dated 4/24/2004 12:37:03 PM Eastern Daylight Time, ewilkie@... writes: <<Hi - I see that some of you out there are familiar with the duragesic patch. I have started using them for about a month and have since developed a shaky feeling inside. It is quite uncomfortable and I don't like it. Has anyone else had this problem?>> Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted April 27, 2004 Report Share Posted April 27, 2004 , I use the 100 Duragesic patches and, with no side effects and no buzz at all, I feel that they are what really got me moving again. Just remember, there was a recall, on the 75's only. It is a great med for chronic pain! Carole M. (the elder) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted February 20, 2006 Report Share Posted February 20, 2006 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...
Guest guest Posted February 21, 2006 Report Share Posted February 21, 2006 Hi Barbara - I have been on the duragesic patch for almost 2 years. I went off it briefly after a few months because it made me feel uneasy and depressed. My doctor told me to just take it off and start on new medication and I thought I would go crazy! I had to move constantly and my arms and legs felt like bugs were crawling all over them. It lasted bad for about 2 days and slowly I came back to myself over a week. I stupidly let my doctor convince me to go back on it and I'm still on it. I even begin to experience withdrawal when its almost time to change the patch so my doctor's fix for that is to change it 12 hours early. As for what can help, I found myself trying any other medication I had - Tylenol #3, anxiety medication, even sleeping pills. I have only found one other person who has experienced withdrawal so here's hoping your one of the lucky ones. Best of luck, Elaine > > 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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