Fentanyl Patches Killing People! (Page 4)

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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Because it helps people live a normal life instead of being in constant pain. My husband has worn them for about 10 years now and we live a fairly normal life compared to before. Some pain cannot be taken care of with tylenol, nor can it be fixed surgically. What you apparently don't understand is dosing. The dose of a duragesic patch is so very tiny. 0.25 mcg is a common dose. I hope you never see the pain many live with if you can't understand why they would want to be able to be free of horrible chronic pain.

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No, you must never cut a patch. Tell your dr, a lower dose may work fine, but, you may have to endure pain. When you cut, you change the chemical makeup of the drug, it can be deadly please , please don't.Good luvk

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Can you refer your doctor information to me. I can't find a decent pain management doctor

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Hi Kerry. This is several years later. I'm sorry! I am in a similar pain state as you. I'd live in bed or on the couch if not for Fentanyl, and take Morphine for break through pain.

I have a condition that results in my discs deteriorating and herniating in multiple levels of my spine (cervical, thoracic, lumbar). This has resulted in my spinal cord being pinched by vertebrae and jabbed by spinal bone spurs. I have a lot of dizziness and nausea from TOLERATING severe pain, and trying to always go light on medication.

Forgive me if I laugh a little when folks complain about us using narcotics for a backache. You have no personal experience of this pain.

I have had 3 different Pain Management Doctors. Two of them are wonderful! They are Physiatrists
(Fizz-eye-uh-trist), which involves REHABILITATION as well as treatment of pain. I was never given the 3rd degree, or treated like a criminal. I have been referred to many helpful additional practitioners by these folks!

The 3rd Doctor was a Family Practitioner who decided he had empathy for the suffering, and transferred into Pain Management. He had no specialized training in the prescribing of narcotics OR rehab. Part of the time, he dispensed far too many narcotics too easily. Other times he would seem quite paranoid in his prescribing. He was very gestapo-esque in his conversation with patients.

My whole point is, get a properly trained specialist as a Pain Physician. That way you will receive safe, adequate, scientifically supported professional care!

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Did you ever think that the yawn and gasping for air meant you had too much in your system ????? Then you increase it by changing it every 2.5 days instead of 3??? If you can't notice those signs as too much in your system then maybe you shouldn't be on them!

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you should not take more than every 3 days as prescribed, nor should you cut the patch. if your having problems you need to let your doctor know right away it may be to strong of a dose but your messing with your life if you cut or change the patch to soon. im on the patch and but i would not recommend changing it before 3 days is up. nor cutting. its states clearly on the side of the box do not cut or change it before its time. you could be over dosing yourself. before the 3 day time change. and cutting them will only give you less a dose but it will also cause other problems the patch medication might not be equally distributed on the patch. so..Please dont cut or change before your 3 day time frame and CONTACT YOUR DOCTOR FOR A LESSER DOSE.

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first and foremost my condolences regarding your son. However, this medication is needed by some people who use it correctly there is nothing worse than living with chronic pain that makes your life miserable to the point that some find it not worth living.
This medication is very strong but used correctly it does help people.

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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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BIGMAC, Unfortunately, you are the only one displaying ignorance. Indeed, it is how people use this drug, you lack of empathy is to me sub human. Try understanding how the loss of ones child could alter someones opinion and perspective no need for you to demean anyone for their feelings!!!!!

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I know the pain of losing your child- My 18 year old died in 2008, not from Fentanyl but a combination of illness and opiate medication (West Nile Encephalitis diagnosed the previous day as a sinus infection; and Vicodin prescribed for his headache) so I understand your frustration and feel your pain. There are those that say the patches should only be used in the terminally I'll etc.. The people/person that is responsible for your son's death is whomever he got it from. I've just started using the patches again 2 weeks ago and if I didn't have them I would not be able to move... It makes me angry that ppl are given prescriptions and they sell or trade them.. Some get stolen as well but if that happens it should only be 1x. My medication is behind 2 cipher locks- 1 on my bedroom door and another with different code on my closet where my medications are locked 24/7. Again, I am sorry for your loss but the advocacy needs to be aimed at education of the public to the dangers of using these recreationally & Pain Dr.'s ensuring their patients are using all medications appropriately thru extensive drug level evaluations and random or even monthly medication counts.

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Goody212- Who do you use for Pain Management now that you're here in SC?

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I sympathize with your loss but I currently use this medication and it is the only way that I can function and not be in constant pain

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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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It has killed 2 people that I know. It's very dangerous and irresponsible.

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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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