Fentanyl Patches Killing People! (Page 6) (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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Re: Diana (# 99)

I can't believe a doctor would have given you 100 mcg of Fentenal for Fybromalgia? I have 6 herniated disc's in my lower back and neck plus Fybro and many other autoimmune diseases and I had been on the 100 mcg Fentenal patches for almost 10 years, with 10 mg percocet for breakthrough pain. I had been switched to other things that didn't work and my doctor switched me back. I have never had to go higher ( don't want to). But I lost my most awesome doctor and now the doctor who took over for him is switching EVERYONE'S meds. Me included. He just put me on Opana ER 10mg twice a day and diluad 2 mg 4 a day for breakthrough pain.

This is what they tried me on before and it didn't work! I am praying for a miracle because 1st of all the less pills I have to swallow the better, I need up in the hospital January 2019 for 7 weeks due to a duodenum ulcer ( I didn't know that I had) because I was going to my Gastrointerolisist for years begging him to find out what was causing my stomach problems, nausea and vomiting and his answer was get off the pain medication and you will be ok???

Well because he wouldn't take me seriously. I ended up with an ulcer that accessed and perforated my stomach wall spewing out infection into my body! The pain was so bad I wanted to die! And that was while being on my Fentenal patch. They had to get the pain under control and IV antibiotics for 8 days before they could do anything else.

In the end I had to have abdominal surgery cut from my breast to my bellybutton and I went through horrible ordeal, still dealing with it.
Now I am going to have to be taking a bunch more pills when my patch worked great! I already have to take a handful (9)of pills and supplements each night for my other medical issues and that is why the patch was so awesome! And I tried to find another doctor and none available where I live. And this one I'm going to is a 5 to 6 hour day once a month. And I pay $200 cash each month.

What I would give to have my patches back. I haven't switched yet as it was just yesterday and my pharmacy has to order my new medication. If I could I would go off all of it but not an option! I tried it myself 8 years ago and I successfully detoxed myself by weaning off the patch but I couldn't handle the pain! I wanted to die if that was how I had to live. Couldn't get out of bed!

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OP: So sorry to hear about your son

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Re: Bengimom (# 104)

How can your doctor just take you off Fentanyl? You will have bad withdrawals! People claim it’s such a powerful opioid, I guess fentanyl is but 100 mcg spread out over 3 days is nothing, I know, that’s what I been on for a year now, I’d be scared to change pain meds, I’m stage 4 cancer, big tomour in my rectum, lots of pain, no operation because it went thru the rectal wall , I’m also on hydromorphone for breakthrough pain, it’s the hydromorphone I don’t like, I’m thinking of talking to my doctor and giving up these hydromorphone for mabe another 25 mcg of the fentanyl patch or the fentanyl lozenges for the breakthrough pain, this way it’s also less drugs to take, good luck to you talking to your doctor, I hope he listens to you, after all, it’s your body

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Re: Bengimom (# 107)

You got a new Doctor, but I must say, you better look for a new doctor again, this one is playing with people’s lives. Your doctor sounds like he or she is trying to make a name for his self, he’s wanting to be a hero on his patients pain, I know how it feels, what I would do for now is go to the ER and explain your situation, good luck

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Re: Shell Thomas (# 87)

Yes, your appsolutly right, take it as prescribed, the problem is the people who abuse the system, the druggy, the person who ends up in the hospital for overdose and who bought it off the street, now the government gets involved and they think there doing the right thing by making it hard for the honest person who needs it, to get it, they should start charging these people who overdosed on something there not sopose to take, eh

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Re: Bengimom (# 103)

Hey Ben, what is a DNA?? and how can that tell what pain med you need, strange? As far as hydromorphone, it’s simular or probably the same thing as OxyContin, just stronger, meaning 4 mgs is the same as 20 mgs of OxyContin, strange how a pain specialist would change your opioids, after all, they are all the same thing, according to my doctor, plus they all come off the same poppy plant, hmm

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Re: Ralph (# 110)

That was exactly my thinking when I have researched all the different medications is that they all come from the poppy plant?? My doctor (a new doctor) just did this to me. Switched me from a 100 mcg every 3 days fentenal patch that I have been on for over 8 years and put me on Opana 10mg Er. Plus took away my 10 mg percocet and put me on diluad 2 mg. And now I have had to wait 5 days because my insurance company didn't want to pre authorize it! They were not going to accept it and the doctor fought it on appeal??

Again I don't understand all this, why change something that works to a drug that my former doctor (whom was the one who did the swab test) tried on me and it was horrible. So I was switched back. Well I lost him as a doctor, he's no longer in the field ( which they are trying to do anyway). Now I have to start something I know doesn't work or I'm screwed and have nothing. There are no doctor's that I can find in my area! They have either all quit or the ones ( 2) I heard about are not taking new patients. At least at this time.

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I was on 275mcg of Fentanyl for Lyme Disease pain, which was horrific.. and after 12 yrs of fighting lyme and recovering as best as I could. I started trimming the patch back to see how I could easily come off.. and realize now the patch was causing me more pain than I was actually in. So I agree, I think it does more harm than good, it also left blisters on my skin.

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Be clear about this. Drugs don't kill people, mis-use of them, or drugs not being what they are sold to be does. Fentanyl patch is a VERY safe route of delivery if people READ THE LEAFLETS and ASK QUESTIONS, and don't do stupid things like apply over broken skin or lotions, or use with alcohol. ANYONE taking any opioid should have a suboxone injection available always, and pay attention to their breathing. Many people use fentanyl transdermal because there is no other option that works (as is my case). If the FDA banned every medication a few people didn't like there would be no medications for anyone. There is nobody forcing anyone to take anything they don't want to take.

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"This drug is being handed out like candy." Not to me it isn't. Nobody will prescribe any effective pain relief to me and I'm gradually concluding life is not worth living like this.

If your son died from a fentanyl patch, it was not because it was a "fentanyl patch". Something else was going on. I would wage an enormous sum on neither of you reading the package insert and following the instructions exactly. If properly made fentanyl transdermal patches were properly applied to every person in the US, the number of deaths would be tiny,and then only because of allergic responses or other drug interactions. Patches are the safest way to take that medication.

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I realize this post is super old but everything you said is still relevant today. I have asked the same question many times. Fentanyl is deadly on the streets and drug dealers add it to already dangerous drugs and it's guaranteed to end lives. So many people in my parish and other surrounding parishes have overdosed due to Fentanyl. It shouldn't be so easily accessible. It should be reserved for terminally ill patients under the care of hospice or on their death bed in a hospital setting only.

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sorry about your loss. was your son prescribed this medicine. when taken properly it can and is a great tool for chronic pain patients to live a somewhat functional life. a dr should have been monitoring his levels of tolerance. With that being said ALLLLL medication can be abused and makes it hard for legit pain patients to get the help we need and frustrates me when the medicine is blamed and not the person abusing it, it's called personal accountability something you don't see much of nowadays. Prayers that your family can find some comfort and I truly am sorry for your loss ?????

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I’m so sorry for your loss. I’m a grandmother who is the guardian of 2 grandkids. I wouldn’t be able to function without my fentanyl patch. I agree that these types of drugs are a deal with the devil. But I’ve tried everything else since my accident. You see I can barely move , I went through my windshield and messed up my neck and back. I refuse any more surgery. I’m in more pain after each procedure. I’m sorry about what happened to your family.

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Re: Sus (# 124)

In your situation if you go off the patch you many not be able to function to care for your grand kids. I also am caring and adopted my one grandson. If it wasn’t for my fentanyl I’d not be able to care for him. I’ve had him since he was one and now is five. I’ve been on fentanyl for over twenty years and my pain is controlled and I realize it’s a death penalty taking it but there is no miracle pain relief. So fentanyl is where I’ll need to stay. I had a stimulator put in and one of the best the one thing I hated was charging the battery every day. The worst thing was I got an infection so bad I really thought I was going to die. I couldn’t even walk into the hospital from the taxi. My surgeon came to my home to see me and was going to take me himself. It took weeks for me to get my energy back and really have a fear of trying it again. The cdc had to come and test me for the infection I got.my choice was clear it’s stay on fentanyl as much as I wanted to get off the meds.

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Re: Mel (# 126)

I have a question unrelated to the topic . How hard was the adoption process. started the process with our grandson today. We jus paid the attorney

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BevMar, have you tried Lyrica? I had terrible nerve pain in my left leg and tried Neurontin and the Lyrica is so much better at relieving nerve pain and just overall pain.

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Stop them as soon as you can. They are poisoning you. I have felt somewhat better since I've been off of the patch. The patch made me angry on top of not letting me sleep. The ups and downs. My mind feels like it's blank and it's hard for me to now put things into perspective. The Patch is poison and quitting as soon as you can will be one of the best decisions you will make for yourself.

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You have to remember to breathe on Fentanyl. It is also a respiratory suppressant.

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

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Re: Kevin (# 3)

Hi. I have been on 100mg Fentanyl for Fibromyalgia for 2yrs and to get off them i have to go through a painful detox with a drug treatment center and take Suboxone to ease withdrawals. No dr ever told me what to do when the 100mg stopped working because my body became immune to them. I'm scared to death. It's supposed to be worse withdrawal than other opiates. So please think about this before taking it.

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