Fentanyl 50 Mcg/hour Transdermal Patch (Page 15) (Top voted first)

I WAS PRESCRIBED THE 50 MCG/HR FENTANYL PATCH FOR CHRONIC BACK PAIN & DEGENERATIVE DISC DISEASE. I WAS GIVEN THE PRESCRIPTION SEVERAL WEEKS AGO. I JUST GOT IT FILLED 2 DAYS AGO BECAUSE I'M AFRIAD TO USE IT. I HAVE READ ALL THE PATIENT INFO, RESEARCHED IT ON THE NET & TALKED TO SEVERAL PHARMACISTS AS WELL AS MY PRIMARY CARE PHYSICIAN. ALL OF THE PHYSICIANS & PHARMACISTS TELL ME THAT THE PATCH WILL HELP ME WITH THE DAILY PAIN. THEY SAY THAT THE PATCH SHOULD NOT CAUSE ME ANY HARM BUT THE ONE TING THAT'S STOPPING ME FROM USING IT IS THE RESPIRATORY SIDE EFFECTS & POSSIBLE OVERDOSE. I'M SEEKING SOME ADVISE FROM PEOPLE THAT HAVE USED THIS DRUG BEFORE WHETHER IT WAS A GOOD OR BAD OUTCOME.

I AM OPOID TOLERANT BECAUSE I'VE BEEN DEALING WITH THIS PAIN FOR THE LAST 5-6 YEARS. WHEN I HAVE A BREAKTHROUGH OF PAIN & HAVE TO SEEK EMERGENCY TREATMENT OTHER PAIN MEDS GIVEN (IV OR IM) DON'T WORK ANYMORE. ER'S HAVE GIVEN ME MORPHINE & IT DOESN'T EVEN TAKE THE EDGE OFF THE PAIN. DILAUDID DOESN'T WORK UNLESS I'M GIVEN MORE THAN 3MG'S & THAT WEARS OFF AFTER ABOUT AN HOUR IF IT LASTS THAT LONG. WHEN I'M IN SEVERE PAIN MY PRESSURE RISES. I'M AFRAID OF THE PATCH B/C I DON'T WANT TO FAINT OR PASS OUT FROM A DROP IN MY PRESSURE. I'M CURRENTLY TAKING VICODIN 7.5/500 EVERY 4 HOURS. I HAVE NOW BUILT A TOLERANCE FOR THE VICODIN AND IT HAS BEEN CHANGED TO PERCOCET 5/325 & SOMETIMES I CAN TAKE UP TO 3 OF THEM EVERY 4 HOURS.

I'M ALSO ON OTHER MEDS THAT I BELIEVE WILL INTERACT WITH THE FENTANYL. I TAKE LEXAPRO, ATIVAN, CLONIDINE DAILY. I NEED SERIOUS HELP!!!

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Hi. Im a 48 yr old woman who has been dealing with chronic pain issues since I was in a MVA at the age of 19, about ten yrs later I was DXd with degenerative disc disease in my low back, a couple herniations, boney growths from arthritis in my spine and now have a host of other pain issues on top of those like fibromyalgia, neuropathy down both legs to my feet and down both arms to my fingertips from more degeneration in my neck discs C 6&7 started about 5 or 6 yrs ago then late last yr I was involved in 2 more MVAs the 1st in Nov 2, my head busted up the windshield as a front passenger where the seatbelt didnt lock and I had no airbag on my side... then on Dec 3 again I was front passenger in thank God, this time a much bigger durable vehicle, but I was T-Boned the car was going prob 50 mph, give or take so I now have my neck discs from C-2 down to 7 all moderately to severely degenerated and stenosis in all, also boney growths pressing on nerves pretty much from top to bottom of my spine. I started taking opiod pain meds(Dilaudid) about 13yrs ago... after a couple yrs on pills they started making me sick to my stomach, as Ive Always had tummy issues since I was a small child. I was taken off the dilaudids and put on 100mcg of Fentanyl patch and it was a Godsend!! I eventually had to wear 200mcg of it, but it was good, I could function so much better than I can now only 6-7 yrs later. Im telling you, I would do ANYTHING to have them back... they controlled the pain well and the side effects were Nothing near what the pills do to you. If you are opoid tolerant and in pain... wear the patch! Trust me, it works well, especially if you have a lil something for breakthrough pain, as for me, they never really lasted all the way thru that 3rd day. But they DO help with pain. Noone here in FL will prescribe them because I guess there is some fear, but I sware I wish I could be back on them. I had to stop when my pain specialist retired (from the same kind of pain issues) and I started going to a Pain clinic... they put me on oxys for a while then finally started weaning me to what I take now, which is only 2 100mg Morphine and 4 10/325mg Norcos for breakthru now, it barely gets me thru to be able to walk from the couch, which is also my bed, to the bathroom. Of course I also take neurontin, and 750 mg of Robaxin for muscle spasms and a couple mgs of xanax all in a day. But dont be afraid of the patch... just make sure u check each one before u wear it, that its not cut or has holes or anything like that and make sure you apply it to a clean flat place on your body preferably a place where you dont sweat alot and have at least 2-3 places on your body where you can rotate places to put it. You should never put it on the same place twice in a row. The biggest complaint Ive ever heard or experienced is that the tape can be a lil irritating to your skin and takes a lil getting used to... but if you can handle that, I believe you will find relief from wearing it. Its good to be informed but sometimes we can be over informed and be scared to death when you shouldnt be. Fact is... Any narcotics taken too much or mixed with the wrong things can All cause respiratory failure. Dont be scared. I wish you the best of luck. And hope you find relief from your pain.

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I agree with u about methadone being a wonderful pain reief. I've been on it for 15 years now. It's amazing how it controls all pain. I still have a bit of breakthrough pain bc of serious spinal injury but for the most part it controls very well. The only issue I've been up against is that when people hear "methadone" they automatically assume ur a freaking drug attack. They say "oh that's just legal herion" amount other comments. Its horrible the way people treat u when they find out what your taking. People need to b educated on pain meds. Dr's tried every med in the book and after 3 yrs of changing meds bc of liver damage, stomach upset,etc 1 dr said let's try methadone. I swear I call it a miracle drug. I do however hate the fact that if u don't have it or run out bc the pharmacy don't carry it on a regular basis, u go into withdrawals. It's horrible. It's hard to say if I had known the withdrawal effects, I'm not sure I wouldnt have started taking it, bc it's such a miracle that it relieves the pain so well but your body does gets addicted to it.

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I was just increased from 25mg fentenol patch every 72hrs to 50mg fentenol patch every 72hrs but now im on the 3rd patch which i change out every 72hrs didn't seem to have any problems with it being increased so now im worried because i am haveing rash on upper torso arms and legs and staying really tired will this subside or get medical attention?

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Yes Zar you can take the morphine and lyrica at the same time after my 2nd surgery(1st on neck n 2nd on shoulder) I was given almost exactly what u are being prescribed I was taking 3 morphine 30s and 2 or 3 lyrica a day and had no side effects at all and felt pretty good for first time in a long time. You should be fine with taking those 2 meds together. I have since had back surgery and am not on the morphine anymore I take 30mg of oxycodone 3 times a day for breakthrough pain and opana for long acting but I am still taking lyrica for nerve damage n have had no bad side effects from my meds. Hope that helps and will ease your concern a lil bit. Good luck

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Hi, ive been on fentanyl 50ug/h for quite a few yrs now, due to nerve and back pain due to Cancer, i have found them good for me, really the only thing wrong, is that as i get older, im Sweating more and more, due to other meds and stress,so all i can say is ive found them good, my mother is on them also, due to sever arthritus,for me it worked, hope you can sort out your pain releif and breakthrough pain regards Jenny

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I hear ya. I just started with the 50 mch/hr fentanyl patch last month. I got one of those defective DePuy metal-on-metal hip replacements, so ended up having to have a revision surgery 18 months after the first one. Since the government made hydros a Class I, my doctor was EXTREMELY adamant about increasing my dosage. I was taking 6 10 mg. a day, THEN REQUESTED it to be dropped to 4 a day a couple of years ago when I was feeling a little better. But the last surgery left my left leg 1 1/2" shorter than my right, so my back started gping out & I fall A LOT. So vs. increasing my hydro intake back to what it was, she put me on the patch & on 2 10 mg. Hydros for breakthrough pain. I also have chronic insomnia & anxiety, so one of her concerns was that the hydros were not allowing around-the-clock pain relief & I would wake up in extreme pain once I did manage to go to sleep. I MUCH PREFER the patch. I don't have that hydro-high & the pain relief is SO MUCH BETTER. I just wish they could invent a machine that would allow the doctors to ACTUALLY feel our pain, weeding out the people pill-shopping for recreational use. I got quite a settlement, but it sure as hell doesn't come close to compensating for my quality of life. I WILL NEVER be able to babysit my grandbabies due to my inability to move around. Being in 24-hour pain sucks. It's like being given a life sentence of pretty much isolation, because just getting ready to go to the doctor hurts so fricking bad.

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Posters,

With current politics in America I suggest strongly if you are still on this drug which I have been on brand for 16 plus years to discuss alternatives. Tapering is painful if done professionally at best.

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My pc(I'm a veteran) prescribed fentanyl patches 75ul AND morphine capsules CR TOGETHER,SHE recalled immediately,however,I received exactly the same medication,ANY FIRST YEAR RESIDENT KNOWS WHETHER VIATRANSDERMAL,SKIN OR BY MOUTH ,THIS IS A GUARANTEED OVERDOSE WAITING TO HAPPEN,no,now after an injury AC L TEAR,my PC keeps decreasing my medication. I WAS AN ORTHOPEDIC PA IN THE MILITARY DURING VIETNAM,...NEVER TAKE ANY MEDICATION UNLESS YOU ARE ABSOLUTELY SURE THAT WHA IN THE BOTTLE IS REALLY CORRECT! I know patients are treated as criminals but what about doctors that aren't paying attention to tr6thv????
PLEASE BE CAREFUL.

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I've been on the patch for about 10 yrs. Also clonidine & Norco which has replaced vicodin. Also more meds. For me 50mcg is too much. 3 days means withdrawal every 3 days. Over time I've worked out best for me is new patch every day 12mcg 25mcg alternating every day. So 37 mcg are in my body at all times. I use & insist on the mfg mylan or the one without the gel. I have no physical side effects & use exactly as prescribed bcs it can kill you. The downside I recommend: use it as only a last resort. Why? It is definitely addictive physically. I was out of town & my car blew a head gasket. I had only 9 days supply. car fix 3 weeks. Would have gone into withdrawal. The way the law is, you can't get an alternate supply. I had to leave with car half done. I hate that I'm dependent. I asked my dr if I'm an addict. He said no bcs I don't feel high on it. But I'm definitely dependent. I hate being chained to dr & meds but my choice is patch or wheelchair. So its best of the bad. Definitely have great pain relief. I couldn't function without it. But if you can get pain relief from any other med, try it first. I put it on in the morning. By 3:00 PM if I don't put a new one on, I can feel myself going into withdrawal. When I found 50 too high & worked on lowering my dose, it took me almost a year to get out of withdrawal symptoms. I don't think its like that for others but that's how it was for me. I have had a dr. drop me with 3 day supply leaving me desperate. I have given up working desperately searching for pain dr. encountered some really bad ones who are using their own stuff & crazy. I've been treated like a druggy, Name entered in CURES Big Brother government secret data base. Ask your pharmacist. Have to take U/A's which is humiliating. Been rejected by dr's scared off bcs they see in CURES that I'm dr. shopping so think I'm a druggy.. I now have a good pain dr. but always know that if something falls out, he dies, retires, or wins a trip to Tahiti, I'm in big trouble. Also every time a celebrity OD's & dies, the media goes crazy with hyperbole & gov't passes more restrictive laws that make our lives difficult. eg. pharmacies are restricted to the amount they are allowed to dispense. When they reach their limit you have to go from one to another til you find one that hasn't reached their limit. You can't phone bcs they think you will rob them if they tell you they have some in stock. You need to plan to make this a priority & it feels like druggie behavior just to alleviate your pain. You can't go public Appear on TV etc. bcs DOJ does surprise audits of Dr's records (ours). You don't want to get your dr. in trouble or do anything that would prevent him from flying under the radar.. Pain dr's to prescribe have to be specially licensed & are working under constant gov't threat. If Dr. in trouble, we are in big trouble. Keep that in mind if you decide to go that route. So that's the downside but for me, its a godsend. As I see it, my only option to function. Good luck. Pls keep me posted.

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Not without help. This stuff is highly addictive. Pharmaceutical companies want addiction, there is more money in it. You will never get a cure. Every time a good med. has come on the market it has been removed. Pharmacists are not allowed to call most medications addictive it is illegal. What they will call it is habit-forming. Neither is it true that you cannot become an addict if you are using the medication as directed for severe pain. You most certainly can, and will.

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I also have itching as a side effect. We take atarax. We? Me & one of my dogs.

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My 93 year old mom is on a 50 mg fenanyl patch. She doesn't know anything about drugs or how strong it is. She literally couldn't mive around without it. No dr will do surgery on her because of her age. It doesn't seem to affect her personality. I think it works well for her.

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If your in pain, use it. I also have DDD plus I was in a head on collision and I have had 44 surgeries. I'm immune to Percocet, morphine, hydrocodone, I also have a spinal cord Nuro stimulator in which after 4 years is quitting on me. If I didn't have my patches I would be in do much pain I couldn't get out of bed. I've been on them for years. Now they are gonna take the stimulator out and put s Dilaudid pain pump in. I have had 44 surgeries I promise, they work.

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Wondering first of all why all the posts I'm reading are so old? Does anyone want to discuss Fentanyl patches anymore?

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Hi! I would not be afraid to take your patch. I have been taking the patch for over a year now and I cut small pieces off and chew on them or just slide them underneath my gums at the top and this helps any pain I have. Feel free to ask me more questions if need be.

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May ask when you had withdrawls ( leaving the 50mcga to 37mcgs) what did they feel like? I originally was put on these in 2010 ( same dose and put on same way etc) because I was hit in the head and aside from a concussion after a few months my skin started to burn. As in it feels like there is lava under my skin. I have broken discs in my low back from when I was 9 so the burning does not go past my stomach. But my arms, face, chest and stomach burn like mad. I was in vicoden, perc and then the patches. Which I liked because I did not feel high at all. It just stopped me from feeling like I am melting. But I am as you are, now dependent. They never figured out what is causing it. I live in fear of dying from these I use them 100% responsibly even when there is an off day and I burn, feels like skin is melting even at times. I lay on ice and dig my nails into my skin to help as much as possible. SO I am asking because I am fearful that burning could maybe be just withdrawls!?! I read alot of symptoms and I haven't seen burn but more" skin aches or in pain". On an off day if I am in alot of pain, I do get anxiety from it. But that again is a withdrawl symptom. Sorry I am truly just freaked out. Anyone able to respond. I would really be grateful for any thoughts on this or how it feels to them, any Burning & melting as a withdrawl symptom? Thank you!! I am here for anyone in need. Much love!

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DEPENDS ON THE LONG TERM USAGE AND HOW WELL YOUR BODY HAS BECOME DEPENDENT ON YOUR PAIN MEDICATION. I HAVE BEEN ON MORPHINE FOR ALMOST 15 YEARS. I HAVE HAD TWO NECK SURGERIES AND SEVEN BACK SURGERIES MYSELF. I HAVE A NUEROMUSCULAR IMPLANT TO HELP BLOCK THE PAIN. I TRIED TO GET OFF THE MEDICATION BUT FOUND OUT THAT THE PAIN WAS TO GREAT AND HAD TO START TAKING THEM AGAIN. THE WITHDRAWL SYMPTOMS WAS THE WORST PART. I PRAY THAT I DO NOT HAVE TO GO THROUGH THAT AGAIN.

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For what it's worth, I'm going to add my two cents worth. I've been on lortab 10/50 for years for chronic neck problems. I moved so had to find a new doc and he took me off the pills and put me on 50mg fentenyl with nothing for breakthrough till the patches got in my system. He wouldn't even discuss anything else. I hated everything about the patch including how hard they were to detox from. I wouldn't recomend these to anyone. I have sleep apena and since being on the patches I haven't been able to use my breathing machine (which isn't good)This doctor is an a$$hole and I do not like him. Well, today he finally called me back after I complained to his nurse about the breathing problems I was having and the fact that I was doing just fine on the lortab and he said he wanted to put me on morphine! I told her to cancel me altogether. I decided to just go to rehab and detox off all of this sh _ _ and just start over. This may be a little extreme but I've been on pain meds so long that I don't even know what my pain level is.....But I would NOT recomend the pain patch to anyone.

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how do you get around on these drugs? I am now on many and wonder if we are legal to drive? It sure changes your life but seems you dont have any choice unless you live with terrible pain!

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I was put on Fentenyl Patch 75mcg. 4 yr ago for CTD/Fibromyalgia. Worked great the first 3 yr. Then watching a Documentary on TV of the abuse, meds in the patch...they scarred the heck out of me. Finally at 4yr of using the patch I decided I had to control the pain another way and would discuss with my Doc next OV. I missed placing the patch one evening and thought..wow no withdrawl I can do this. Well, let me tell you, it was nothing I would wish on my worst enemy. Chills, sweats, nausea, insomnia for a wk. My Doc ordered another pain med to substitute the patch and to take every 12 hr. I ended up taking every 6 hr. to get thru it. I am now at day 9 and still having symptoms. Weakness in my legs, unsteady. I will do this...as I refuse to ever go back on them. The other Doc who initially ordered never of course mentioned the "physical dependency" of these patches. To all who needs to know..DO EVER USE THESE PATCHES.

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