Can You Cut The Fentanyl Patch In Half (Page 2)
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I asked my doctor the same question yesterday, she said "no", because once it hits the air, the strength starts to dissipate, or weaken. So she put me on the lowest dose, as I hope to get off them and all meds eventually.

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34

Everyone reacts differently I can totally agree. Within an hour I had chills, diarrhea, sometimes vomiting if patch falls off or is at 72 hours. So check your facts b4 calling bulls*** on someone else's medical issues and pain level. I have only been on them for 60 days, dilaudid for 2 years and I would give anything to go back to dilaudid and not have withdrawals like I do with these patches.

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33

I have never used a patch a friend gave me and my husband a 25mg so we cut it in half taped it and put it on but problem is we don't feel it what should we do to make it kick in

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32

I want to get off opiates for chronic pain including fentenyl patch.
What will help my pain, tho????

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31

I hope you can get to where you want to be!! My best friend died seven years ago. I smoked then. But after watching her cancer eat her alive. I STOPPED!! I've not smoked another in years. Health wise..... You would MEDICALLY be better to stop smoking for any reason. Most especially for your own health!! I wish you success!!

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30

I have been on Fentanyl patches for 6 months an always have gotten the Actavis brand gel filled.Last week my pharmacy got a differant brand in called Aveva?They are like a piece of Foil.I put my second one on over the weekend.About 6 hours after putting it on i got real dizzy followed by a migraine headache and spacey feeling??This has never happened with other gel filled patches.I was wondering if i could Cut them in half so they aren"t so strong?The other brand has never affected me like these have.I got on patches so i wouldn't have to take so many pills an heard how the patch helps with pain relief.But i sure can't handle feeling like that again.

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29

Hi my questoin is when you cut 50 mcg in half of transdermal patch can i still use the second piece? Does it work like the one i put directly on. Im so confused......

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28

NOTBUYING, I don't doubt they got sick after an hour of patch falling off. I forget to change mine and suffer no ill effects. At other times I'll forget to put another one on and suffer no ill effects. But sometimes, sometimes if I'm an hour late changing it..I start getting sick. There are times where I leave one patch on for over a week-with no ill effects but yes, sometimes I get sick by changing it an hour or so late, so who knows. I just changed my patch that was dry, and crackled when I breathed. I'm hoping I can go two weeks on this on and perhaps just cheek a bit every other day till its out of my system.

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27

Glad to hear all is well without the patch! I was 5 days without it while waiting for a prior auth. renewal and I felt more upbeat myself. I recently been diagnosed with low thyroid and read that Fentanyl and extended release opiates mess with adrenals and thyroid so I'm weaning off patch too. I'm out of my oxy and waited to run out to begin weaning off patch again. I tried a few weeks ago and my oxy use went through the roof. I did have an overall better sense of well being though. Due to no patch probably. By my refill appt. I am hoping to be through with patch. Funny thing is, I never noticed loss of energy until I was without them and noticed I was my old hyper self. I miss that and can't wait to get it back. The hard part is knowing how wonderful they are for chronic pain. I just can't stand the weight gain and low thyroid effects.

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26

You are dead on regarding getting sick an hour after the patch falls off. Even if you had just put the patch on and it fell off. It takes a long time to build up the drug to any kind strength in ones body. Which means that it takes equally long for your body to decrease the amount in your body. If you got sick, it was for another reason.

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25

Have you ever asked about a stimulator? It is a implant they put in your back that's the size of a cell phone battery little smaller,little thicker. But it has wires that come out and wraps around your sciatic nerve. Sending electric pulses that run down the nerves in your legs and replaces the pain with the same feeling as a tens unit. I had a temp put in and it worked AWESOME!! Now I go back in on the 19th of Feb 2016 and start preparing for the permanent implant. Now I will still have a small break through med BUT no more fentanyl patches. I broke my back. L4, L5, and S1. All collapsed on top of eachother. Shattered the 5th. 2 surgeries called microdiscectomy. Now L4 has bulged out HUGE twice and the pain was through the roof. The stimulator has an adjustable strength for more pain during more active times. This is what's helping me for not having to use the patch anymore. If that's the reason for your pain? LOOK INTO IT. Jerry Lewis, ( comedian) has one in his back. They are made in Minnesota, USA. Best wishes for both you crazy cunuck chics. Ride to live, Live to Ride.

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24

I just went from 100 to 50 with no withdrawals at all, new script tomorrow is for 25 fro a month then probably go to 12.50, somewhere along the line on the 25's I am gonna start cutting in half,,i am scared to death of the WD, i had them once when they first put m,me on the dang patches, that once was enough for me

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23

I was on Fentanyl 25 for 1.5 years for severe pain from Lyme Disease. I noticed that I was getting sleepy while driving and finally figured out that without the pain stimulus, the Fentanyl was making me drowsy! I tried weaning w/ the pain clinic but went into withdrawal, and of course they were not sympathetic. So, I increased back to the 25 and cut it by 1/4 per week and a half. I think I cut the 1/4 one in half as well but then forgot about it. Zero withdrawals and have been off of it for over a year! I had the Mylan kind which is fine to cut, not the reservoir kind. So, I really have to say that Fentanyl is a bear to get off of if you can't do it in a humane, gradual manner. Doctors should know this and but with the pain freaks in politics making pain management even more difficult, compassion has gone by the wayside. I really hope that this helps.

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22

I am in no way being disrespectful but EVERYONE experiences are not the same. I am sitting here with my last patch that should have been changed at 48 hrs. I am on day 4 trying to get to the 30th when I can refill because two of my patches fell off after 1 day. I hate these patches but am very sick. I have never had a migraine when they fall offf,but the doom anxiety, cold sweats,body aches,leg jumps all that started within 2 to 4 hours of it falling off e erything time. I have degenerative disk disease,can barely walk anymore. COPD, Asteoarthritas,asteoporosis,diabetes just to name a few,but I swear my pain was never as bad before starting the patches,and I could walk even if painful. Now I can not walk when on patches barely to the bathroom,but when without them the withdrawl is killing me. I hate this never ending cycle. I stay in my room, barely leaving it or my house. I miss my life. I miss my family.

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21

I am worried right now about the WD, have been on 100 every 48 hrs for probably 3 yrs,before that I was on 50. I know I am ammune to them since they hardly take care of the pain, also on 10/325 generic percs,3 a day. It now comes time for the pain pump next week, they will be decreasing the patch after pump is implanted, my new script is for 50's afterward.for some reason I am so scared I am gonna go into WD even with the pump which will have Morphine. I had these horrible WD when they first put me on them, the nurse wrote the script wrong so I went 4 days of going insane. Wish I had of read this last night before I put a new patch on, I would of started reducing myself before surgery myself. I have 3 of these 100's left, next one I am gonna try to reduce ahead of time, 3 left so I will cut them,if I get WD,I will have to wait till after surgery,I have to much to get done this week

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20

Hi about the smoking I'm on 100mg patch every 36 hrs for past I lost track of the yrs. I've quit smoking Aug 20/14.blocked arteries from smoking 3 packs a day. Anyway I used the Evape. Quit cold turkey on day 1 of the Evape. U can get either 0-32mg nicotine. I started with 12 my. Then 6mg then 3. Still on 3 but use 0% sometimes as well. Not sure if ur still smoking or not. U cannot get cancer from nicotine. The tar is where the cancer comes from. Blocked arteries r from nicotine. So obviously 0 nicotine is best for me since I've already got blocked arteries.I'm at risk of losing both but especially my right (driving) leg. Already my Harley is now a trike. Now switched to forward controls. Now hand controls and now looks like we're converting it to an automatic this winter for next spring. Thank gawd hubby is very extremely smart with these things. Saved us 10s of thousands so far already. Hope this helps abit with the smoking

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19

Hi kelsey. We are pretty much in the same boat. I'm only on 100mg every 36 hrs. But my Dr has been giving me 24 every 28 day's 4 over 5 yrs. Now last wk he took 6 away. And next appt said he's only giving me 8 or 9.I'm terrified he's going to kill me. It's almost happened 10 yrs ago on a much less powerful drug. Landed in hospital ICU 6 times in just under 4 months. Unconscious. Anyway I'm petrified. I'm crying my eyes out as I type to you. I notice your post was very recent. I'd love love love love love love to be able to email you. I'm in Canada. I could call you if I knew ur numb. Maybe if u didn't mind giving me ur email. Even if u just wanted to open a new email just to post here. Then we could go from there. With our real reg email. Seems to me that we could be a really awsome support for eachother. I believe u said u r 48.I'm 50.did I mention I'm in Canada? Lol.I Also suffer HORRIFIC neuropathy as well. And clogged arteries both legs.which are unfixable bcuz I am DISGUSTINGLY skinny nowadays 104lbs. My vascular surgeon said my veins are too tiny to act as an artery and said I'm too skinny to survive the 9 hr surgery. He's known as the best in Canada and told me in 40 yrs I'm the very first that he has no idea how to help me. My arteries arnt from my diabetes tho.its from smoking 3 packs a day. I quit cold turkey on Aug 20/14.well with the Evape. It's been a life saver. If ur wanting to quit hon. Have u considered the Evape. U can get nicotine diff strengths. Or 0 nicotine. I'm telling you that ud be amazed. My husband quit cold turkey on day 1 as well and soo many other's that I've introduced it's too.100% of them quit smoking the very first day too. Plssssssssssss get back to me. .bye for now. Ur new friend in Canada. Cheers!

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18

Omgggg Mac. pls help me do the same. I'm on 100mg teva-fent every 36 hrs. Never thot withdrawal was possible if ur not abusing them. my Dr has been over prescribing me for 5 yrs. gives me 24 every 28 day's. Too many people dieing in my small town with not even 1 stop light. None due to my Rx.so last wk all at once he cut me back 6 patches. I'm hurting bad. Crying as I type! Now next appt he said he's only giving me 9 total. I'm terrified the withdrawal will kill me. Bcuz 10 yrs ago. It almost did. I was hospitalized 6 times in 3 month's. In ICU unconscious. Almost died. My family is petrified he's going to kill me. Also my pharmacist Is afraid 4 me too. They are both good buddies and their always in cahoots. Anyway their accusing me of filling my Rx early. I got Rx every 28 days for 24 altho he'd write 36 hrs on it.. he wrote Rx every 28 days. Pharm filled it 28 days. Seems to me that I'm the ONLY 1 who followed protocol. Will tell you this much tho. We're not planning on going down alone that's for f'n sure. Yes I'd love to be weened. But he's going about this all wrong. Making a really bad career decision. I'm in Canada. I'm a 50 yr old woman. Horrific diabetes..both legs clogged arteries. Have best vascular surgeon in Canada Apparently and he can't fix me. I'm too thin. 104lbs. Anyway too much to type but there's no help for my legs. Havta sell my Harley soon. already tried it out. already got fwd controls. Now new hand controls too.next is to just make it an automatic bcuz I havta literally stand up when changing gears cuz hurts too much.but what good is Making it automatic if I don't have legs! Crying my eye's out right now bcuz my Dr got me to this place and now that he's panicking it's ME who's made to suffer! ! Can u pls get back to me should u see this. In fact anyone who has been where I am. I would love your hear from anyone who can help. What can I do about him over prescribing me in the first place?

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17

I call bulls***. There is no way you got sick from a patch falling off in only 1 hour. This is a very slow acting medicine that is absorbed into the fatty layers of your skin. It takes at least 6 to 12 hours to take effect and about the same time and usually longer to begin feeling withdrawal when a patch falls off. It's happened to me several times and it took well over 12 hours to notice the patch was gone. The withdrawal effects come on very slow after that starting with a migraine. There is no way you were that sick in 1 hour from a patch falling off.

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16

I have been on 150mcg mylan patches with a 48hr. change rate for over 9 years now.
I tried to get off it 3 years ago and made it to 25mcg after 4 months and was so hopeful but then had a terrible flare in my neuropothy (I developed Complex Regional Pain Syndrome after an ankle surgery). I had to titrate back up to the 150mcg in order to just exsist! I'm now ready to tackle getting off this stuff once and for all. My condition is not better but I cannot continue to pay the price of these patches. They are going to break me!!! I have a Medicare advantage insurance plan and am now in what they call the "GAP". It is costing almost $500 a month now! It's one thing to be in pain and have to use this aweful drug, but to be dependant on it and not to be able to afford it makes it even worse! On top of everything else, I feel guilty that so much of our monthly income has to be used for my drugs. Im also tierd of not remembering things! I am using the Mylan brand patches and was wondering if I could cut them to reduce my doseage more slowly than last time. Im so happy to have found this thread. Please advise how long you have found to be the 'sweet spot' for the timing between reductions and what amount seems to be the best % to drop by each time. I dropped from 150 to 100 in the past 5 days and am noticing some WD's but not too bad. Should I wait another 5 days? The withdrawls I had last time were body jerks/restless legs, headaches, nausea, lack of hunger, diahrrea, itching, insomnia at nite, extreme fatigue during the day and of course irritablilty. Sounds like all those are normal from what I have read. I plan to tell my doc when I see him in 3 weeks that I have started the titration...I just want to be able to show him that I really am serious about getting off this lousy drug!

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15

Thank you for your service to our great country, sir! I'm sincerely sorry you were injured, but oh-so-grateful for all you did. Blessings!

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