Fentanyl Patches Killing People! (Page 3) (Top voted first)

I would like to know WHY the FDA has not taken the Fentanyl Patch off the market? This drug is being handed out like candy. Anyone who is not terminal or under Hospice care or in a hospital invironment should not be using this drug. Why would a person be prescribed a medication that is 80 times stronger than morphine for a backache. I do not believe patients know how powerful this medication is. The warning should be labled in RED. When are you FDA going to realize This medication is killing while relieving pain! I know because it killed my son.

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I don't think it was right that no one explained the details to you verbally. However in each box of patches there is a package of paper explaining this in lay mans terms and some only a chemist would understand. If it works this well for you you should be ecstatic!
Many people get no relief from any thing. If you want to get off of the patch do it with your doctors supervision and it's not that difficult. Good luck!

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I am so sorry for your loss. When acquired properly and used as prescribed Fentanyl patches can provide relief for chronic pain better than most alternatives. These people need this product. Also remember when kids or anyone else wants to feel high (which Fentanyl doesn't) in my experience with it, they can use household cleaning products and parents oral pain relievers and even WHIPPED cream along with glues of all types. People have been killed by all of these and by many more.

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First of all, I am so sorry about your son. Just tragic to lose a child no matter the age. But how much more devastating when it could've been prevented. I don't find that this medication is being handed out like candy. This medication is generally prescribed for patients who are tolerant to opiates. In other words, patients do not start out on this. If they do it's a very low dose. There are people that overdose on Fentanyl just like other opiates, both legal and illegal. People taking opiate medications as directed seldom die. Very seldom. While it is true that Fentanyl is extremely powerful, it is also true patch dosing is in micrograms and not milligrams for that reason. It is an excellent way to control chronic pain continuously at a consistent rate. I can tell you for me personally I was on a 12mcg patch to start because it was one of the few Medicare would cover. I have taken other pain meds in the past and do prefer the patch. All these meds are bad news when abused or combined with other drugs or alcohol, against doctors' orders. The truth is street drugs are an epidemic right now in this country, some laced with Fentanyl. So yes, addicts are dying even more. But Fentanyl is not close to the leading cause of opiate deaths. They all are potentially lethal when misused. Again I am so sorry for your loss. My son is a recovering opiate addict and losing him is my biggest fear.

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Then ask to get off of them silly! There are plenty of other medications for you & your physician to choose from that are equal to or stronger than the medication in these. I find it odd that you have this sort of reaction, as the peak release of fentanyl is far sooner than 60 hours later. It may be a psychosomatic reaction, which is why your doctor sent you for counseling. Counseling, esp. if you have an illness &/or chronic pain, is beneficial & you should be glad of it. Good luck.

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Well you just showed your ignorance. I am not terminal but I need them because they are the only thing that stops the pain of my 5 bad discs in my neck. If *****s can't read directions and don't use properly they will die. It's not the FDA's fault. HOW MANY LIFE'S HAVE CIGARETTES TAKEN?

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What a terrible tragedy to lose your son that way. Prescription patches are very rarely the causes of death, unless they are misused or unknowingly used with other substances. Doctors are pressed to monitor their patients very closely, since the CDC news releases. I have been prescribed fentanyl patches for three years since back surgery, along with hydrocodone. I have gradually reduced the amount of both medicines I need to walk, sit, and sleep, as I could.

I have to visit the doctor each month to get those prescriptions for 30 days worth. They have an instant U/A jar that shows all important drug levels, before issuing the Rx. Not exactly handing the drugs out like candy.

The doctor recommended the patch because it dispense a controlled amount of the medicine over 72 hours. This even dosing manages the pain without "break through" or sudden unexpected pain, and with much less chance of over or under dosing. I am taking less pain medication combined than with an all oral dosage.

What most people are confused about is that the vast majority of fentanyl used is not RX; it is a synthetic opioid that is made in China and Mexico and sold illegally, usually mixed with other drugs, such as ketamine, to increase potency. The buyer is never told the contents or strength they are buying, because the dealer does not know either.

Unfortunately, the media hysterically mentions the name of the drug without mentioning the background on sources and users. I hope that gives you some understanding and tolerance of the legal, managed use of opioid Rxs.

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I am a 56 year old woman with TBI, severe and dis abeling back pain. It offends me when you say (Back ache). I am monitored by my doctor very closely, and am not an abuser. Prior to the 25 mcg patch (over three days) I was able to stop taking three 30 mg morphine daily, which was causing me additional problems. ALL patients should research ALL drugs before taking them and ONLY take them as prescribed by their doctor. As a patient YOU have a responsibility to know your body and what you put in it. We need less Government and mor personal responsibility.

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I am so sorry you lost your son as this is a horrible price to pay for pain relief.

Yet there are many, like myself who don't have "simple back pain". I am a MRSA servivor. If you don't know what this is it's a severe infection that antibiotics don't treat. You either service or die.

I got MRSA from not using severe pain management as I tried all pain type injections after a tumor was removed from my spinal cord( not simple back pain). They tried the new Nero Stimulator which is supposed to counter the severe pain of nerve endings. First they insert a trial stimulator in your spinal cord. When you feel a severe back pain caused by spasms or other type of issues you use the stimulator. It worked but during the trial period they left this in my back longer then the 4 days recommended. The end result MRSA.

The side effect of MRSA shut down every organ in my body beginning with the liver, heart, kidneys, gallbladder, stomach, and bowel. The heart they treated immediately! Then slowly worked on each area taking out the fallblader next. I just was getting ready to go on dialysis when my kidneys began to recover slowly, and I just had my last liver surgery last year after dealing with this over 8 years. My stomach never recovered but you can survive on protein shakes and certain food supplements. I am still here only due to God.

This all because of not wanting to go on stronger pain management.

If you follow clear directions and very carefully handle these severe drugs and follow up with you doctors, not just pain management, you should be ok.

The sweating is the worst side effect that you have. I try to identify when the sweating is at its worst. It's usually after showering and then trying to go out. I find it helps to shower the night before and then get a good nights sleep. I then can dress in the morning to go to an appointment later that day. It doesn't always stop tbesweating but helps.

I am so sorry you lost your son as no person should ever have to pay such a high price. Please accept my condolences to you and your family. I think this is why it's important that all of us use more then just a pain management provider.

I think you shared why having a good team behind a person works to prevent negative outcomes.. I have a good primary care, a good nephrologist, and any other specialist that I mentioned above as a result of not taking Fentanyl. I also have regular blood drawls to monitor my systems frequently. Sometimes it's our last alternative and it isn't just back pain.

May god bless you and ease your pain as well.

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I'm sorry for your loss but given that I've had 50+ spine procedures for a rare disease that causes extreme agony (at 26, mind you) and a total of about 15 pain conditions -- and I've had literally everything else -- fentanyl patches are something that have saved my life.

I am not addicted, I get it from my doc. However, this is a drug that cannot be taken unless you have tolerance or you will die. They literally won't dispense it without tracked history of being on pain meds a long time. I am sorry for your loss, however, when the number of deaths are compared to the numbers in pain --- it's an extraordinary level.

Pain management sounds optional but isn't. When we do not manage pain -- the patient gets very sick. Their immune system craps out and they get like every infection around and if they're epileptic they can die. I know because I nearly died from LACK of pain management driving my pain to levels that had my back arched and me screaming in pain. For months. And then I had seizures so bad that I couldn't move to go to the ER when I needed to. I ended up suicidal.

So. I guess what I'm saying is that I would have died without it. Many might. It gives people all of their quality of life back sometimes. It keeps some people alive. I know that your loss was excruciating but does that mean that you need to take away the quality of life for those in extraordinary agony? Just bc this stuff exists doesn't mean that it's being irresponsibly taken all the time (it isn't, people are overblowind the problem these days because if you compare the number of deaths with the 100 MILLION chronic pain sufferers in America -- the numbers seem small.)

Additionally, it would never be fair for addiction patients to ruin the lives of 100 million chronic pain patients who can and do end up suicidal because their pain never ends. That is why this drug exists. It's a mercy of the highest order for those who desperately need it.

And in this case -- while I have extreme compassion for everyone who has lost someone to abusing opiates -- I have even more for those who have been unable to get their medications since this has become a political issue...patients are going to be killing themselves. I know for a fact many have already become suicidal bc they cannot get their meds. Do we really want this on our hands?

It's needed bc tolerance and bc sometimes chronic pain is extreme and far beyond that of labor pain.

The reason it's not given only in the hospital is because, frankly, you cannot keep people in the hospital *just* because they are in agony. Insurance would never allow it and it's just not safe.


People need to know what they're taking -- even when they get it illegally -- and unfortunately this is one of those meds you will die from if you have not built a tolerance to opiates before taking it now.

That doesn't mean we need to take it off the market. It has that warning ON the box. Along with several others.

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And seriously no it's not given out like candy and it's not a simple backache that it's being Rx'd for.

It's being given for pain at the levels of blacking out and far beyond that of labor. But all the time. That's like calling labor a paper cut.

For the record, there are health problems that arise when we do not treat pain at that level. And if you've never been in pain on that level that makes labor look like a joke - your brain literally cannot understand.

But if it were you, you'd never ever want anyone to make your pain seem like a simple backache. We're talking pain that makes people suicidal. Not kidding.

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Wow!!! I have lupus, I can hardly move. My pain is so great my old life of walking, working, enjoying life has been taken from me. It has taken mine brain to. The federal government is taking most pain meds off the market. I guess now if they take fentanyl off the market I'll have to resort to other means.

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I'm just curious, you said your Son consumed a 100mcg patch so did he suck on a patch because that would cause immediate death. Do not blame yourself. He took the patch without your knowledge. It doesn't make your loss any less but it wasn't your fault. 100cg is far from the top dosage, you just have to wear 2 patches. I was on a Duragesic 100 mcg patch for 3years with Dilaudid every 4 hrs as needed for breakthrough pain. I always had many Dilaudid pills left each month. I am now with a pain specialist and he decreased my Duragesic to 75mcg and changed me to Percocet every 6 hours for breakthrough pain. I keep my narcotics in a lock box where only I know the combination.

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Re: estoericlady (# 16)

Sorry but people who have "little pain" are not taking these medications. Don't make it seem like someone who takes opioids to have a quality of life are addicts. Dependency and addiction are two very different things.

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well motor vehicles are killing thousands of people even people that are not using the motor vehicle why hasnt dot stopped the use of motor vehicles ..... that is your argument ......... just because some abuse there meds does not mean those that dont should suffer ...... so until you are ready to never use anything associated with motor vehicles stop trying to take away pain patiants chances to have a lil bit of a life

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Re: Verwon (# 1)

Because chronic pain patients use them as prescribed and don't feel high. Oral opioids spike the drug in your system and cognitively impair; whereas Fentanyl patches deliver such slow doses that you're not aware. For pain patients like me, it's lifegiving. I have a spinal cord compression. Imagine having a bone spur poking into your spinal cord all day, every day, forever. Then tell me if you would want a patch?

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Sorry for your loss. While people abuse pain killers there r people in pain who need them to just have any kind of normal life. We need to monitor pain meds more carefully. We also need to educate people how much danger there is in taking meds recreationally. I think they could build a machine that tracts meds and only gives them out at the prescribed time. We need to talk to people about how big a danger it is to take more than you're supposed to. We need to close our borders n stop drugs from coming in.

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I’m replying to all those who don’t have to take Fentanyl for extremely severe pain. Fentanyl may be handed out like candy but not by good committed physicians and pain management centers that truly monitor this services and drugs closely. Such professionals do regular blood checks and U/A's to assure patients are not overdosing or taking other drugs that they shouldn’t take for possible conflicts with medications. There are strict guidelines throughout doctors offices, pharmacies, and health plans. If a person even showed any signs of misusing any of the drugs prescribed red flags go off and these medications are properly removed and detox are conducted in a hospital setting.

There is another factor here and this is that for people who need such medications as they must follow directions to the letter. This doesn’t mean applying a patch too early and any person who would place this drug in their mouth are using misusing this and not following as directed. While I agree we need strict guidelines let me share another point of view. I attempted to use any method possible to keep away from opioid medications. I tried anti-inflammatory meds, inj's of every nerve in my back, legs, knees, and my back. I had nerve endings burned and tried things like yoga, acupuncture, chiropractic methods also only under close supervision by my primary care. I only use the in-network physicians and everyone of them know who prescribed what and have provided my care closely with medications and health treatments and provide medications just case of accidental overdose. Before I used any such drugs I tried a neurostimulator which if you don’t know what this is it is a device much like a pacemaker that you insert under the skin and it releases electronic pulses to targeted nerve damaged areas. Yet my attempts to try everything else known to man only brought on another issue. The neurostimulator was placed directly where my tumor is on L4L5 and anyone who knows with any medical knowledge this is the major nerve controls your legs, and spinal cord. This helped but what also was placed in my spinal cord that day, MRSA. If you haven’t hear of MRSA it is a super bacteria/virus that no antibiotics can touch. After a week when the physicians discovered the infection, they immediately removed the neurostimulator. You see I went to the doctor daily, asked questions and shared my concerns. They attempted to treat my infection with oral antibiotics that was like placing a bandaid on an open femoral artery bleed. It had no effect. This mean they rushed me to the hospital now remember there were no opioid meds in my system. Doctors quickly realized every organ was shutting down, my heart, kidneys, stomach, gallbladder, liver, gee is there anything I left our oh yes the pancreas. After five and a half weeks of intensive care my kidneys began to recover, my heart improved but not out of the woods, not everything else, my gallbladder was removed my liver did not respond to treatment and I no longer could take any medications that I needed for high blood pressure and other health issues etc. Oh that’s ok right as long as I’m not on Fentynal right? Wrong!!!! Again remember no opioids. All this to attempt to keep off the stuff. After this I spent 5 years of total bed rest simply because I was near death. My service dog lay by my side every minute trying to keep my spirits up. I don’t drink, don’t do any illegal drunks, and did I mention I care for my son with disabilities, and at that time my aging mother with congestive heart failure! Finally, they said to me as my body was slowly recovering they wanted to add Fentanyl as small amount at a time. All my doctors are on the same medical portal and no other doctor could cross the line to prescribe anything else l.

Ok folks I have a tumor in my spin, four disc needed to be repaired as well as my lower back has little support given where my tumor was. Each of these things could not be operated on, no I take if back C3 was fixed and they couldn’t touch any others as I would be totally paralyzed in my neck. I’m just now beginning to recover and by this I mean I can get out of bed and walk some. I’m in Fentanyl patch and due to new regulations that some of you have pushed for I can only get my Fentanyl patch 48 hours before I need it. So has any of you ever experienced problems of taking meds that dyes affect and multiple blends of color you are allergic to in your body or different genetics impact you stomach and causes severe vomiting. Well my body does just that I’m affected by colors and various generics. I may take the same medication from the same manufacturer and if it is orange dye in it I cannot take it but can take yellow dye. Are you following me here. I’m sensitive to any media color that enters my body, I coordinate everything I put in my body as I must remain alive to care for my son with disabilities My stomach never recovered so it remains paralyzed, that’s another story and now I get to take Fentanyl. Not my best option but the only option so I can take care of my son. I don’t lick the patch as no one should, I don’t ask doctors for multiple supplies as this is serious medication, I follow directions to the letter and yes there are side effects I truly can live without but the pain is incredible and I cannot walk, talk, get out of bed, dress myself, do stairs and I’m barely living only because I take Fentanyl. So I can’t get this only two days ahead of the last time I got it filled and my doctors all know my issues well, I get to the pharmacy Friday night and now this medication needs prior authorization. Did the health plan notify myself, the pharmacies, the physicians??? No I find out a special order is needed 38 hours before my next dose l of med was needed. Plus due to my sensitivity my medication it special ordered. This means no on call doc can call in an authorization it must be the prescribing doc. I was not notified, of this change in policy, nor was my doctors, nor was the pharmacy.. I needed my medication by Saturday. So nothing was covered for my meds. I know many of you know how I feel.. I had to pay $384.00 for my medication due to all of you who perhaps don’t truly understand the need or safe use of this medication. I realize some people have died, lost loved ones, some have terrible tragic effects, and you want it off the market. The health insurance is attempting to get a handle on the opioid abuse. Well this isn’t me and I would trade places with any one if you so you could live with my pain, you would be able to get the first handicapped space on the lot, you could pay the $384 dollars and get to see all my doctors for your outings as I do, and I will even let you try to oversee my son’s significant disabilities that which his disabilities could have happened to anyone of you, as I follow doctor’s order to the letter so I’m there for his life. It was just a freak issue that can happen to any woman in childbirth. I would gladly trade with you so I could walk the length of the parking lot, I could have fun with my son even with his disabilities, I wouldn’t have to take these toxic meds, which I don’t abuse. Then also you have to understand Fentanyl doesn’t make you high unless I guess you abuse it. So I don’t get why people think it does I do know I’m a responsible patient. I want to thank all of you who have complained for making my pain worse and my life a living hell because you think people don’t need this med. Perhaps I can lose everything and end up in a huge facility and the government could pay for all my care and my son’s care because we don’t have any options.

I now have new tumors throughout my body and boy I wish it was some of you who felt my pain and then be told “take two Tylenol’s and call the doctor in the morning! That isn’t my life, my life is hell and you are making it worse. I know many on this blog understand what I’m talking about and I know there is abuse of any medications but there are many very responsible adults who follow everything and if something happens to me it isn’t due to drugs it’s due to the fact that the Lord decided it was my time. My entire life has been dedicated to helping people with disabilities have better lives and now I’m on the other end and I’m still fighting the rights to receive the medications I need.. I think before one speaks they themselves need to try to walk in my shoes if you can walk or get out of bed to do so.I’m sorry if this offends but I have had to go through hell just to get my meds met on Friday to get through my day. My day consisted of having to strip my son’s bed and wash all of his pillows, sheets, bedspread, mattress cover, pillows four pillows that he soaked through during the night, his heavy quilted liners that I must also place under his mattress pad to assure his bed doesn’t get soaked. Then when this was all done I got to hang out with him and wat h him on a monitor to assure he was breathing overnight as I didn’t have help. Anyone want to trade bodies? Any takers? I’m sorry for any loss of life, any people that have had horrible reactions or situations but don’t blame this drug for it. You know I had a friend who overdosed on a full bottle of aspirin, one who drank herself to death, and yet another who took a lot of pills and alcohol ended up in the gutter and died from Sepsis. She wanted to die as did the person who took the aspirin, and the one that drank.

You can take this medication with sound medical advice, Being a responsible adult, becoming informed and with well-coordinated medical professionals. It’s safe.

There are some physicians who shouldn’t be prescribing to quickly or abuse their authority but not most physicians. The solution should be better communication systems of medical histories, more instruction on safety of such drugs and share what has been used before this was prescribed, rather than taking the drug off the market. There are pharmacy’s that do not take a full medical history of their patients, all of my pharmacies take this information and their computers flag and cautions. Patients should ask questions and provided clear instructions on how to use every drug. When I go to any of my pharmacy’s, (remember I have to go to several to assure I don't have allergic reactions to medications) yet each pharmacy has coordinated with the next. I have the responsibility and must try to remain alive to fill such responsibilities. Don’t take away my rights because many abuse the system and the drug. I’m not saying or pointing any figures at anyone I just want people to understand all points of view. Again I’m sorry anyone has to deal with the pain of losing a loved one and sorry that any person has to deal with any physical pain. It’s not a pretty picture no matter which way you look at it. Think before you take actions. My tumors and my medical issues are getting worse as ai age and all individuals will age and acquire some type of disability so I pray Fentanyl is around for you or a better safer drug. That’s a great idea.

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Re: Julie (# 8)

Julie, I agree with all your posts. Especially as relating to god and children. I am allergic to all pain meds related to salicylates. Fortunately for me a doctor years ago noticed I was ending up with pneumonia every time I tried taking something for my arthritis pain. Narcotics are something that should be started slowly, giving the body time to adapt. At first I could only take a Percocet if I was going to lay down because I'd feel nauseated. Now, after ruptured disks from a couple of accidents, arthritis, and more, I take the Fentanyl patches and Oxycodone for bad days. Without this I would not have been able to continue working. I don't strive to be completely out of pain, just functional.

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Because for most of us, they are fantastic. Cars also kill people.

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You deserve another response. 80 times more potent than morphine is called a "morphine equivalence". It IS much stronger,but that's why the patch is formulated to deliver 75-100 micro-grams per hour, which is an appropriate dose. The patch does not "kill people". poorly manufactured/QA'd patches do,and more often than not, patients who don't care enough to READ AND UNDERSTAND THE PACKAGE INSERT wind up killing themselves. The FDAdoes not work for you, they work for Big Pharma. This is what "we" voted for, and we got it, so we have only ourselves to blame.

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