Mallinckrodt Fentanyl Patch

Does anyone know how it is made? Does it have the medicine woven into the fabric of the patch or is it in a pouch form? Thank you.

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REPORT

No, I'm sorry, due to the risks of then being abused, such as people trying to smoke the medication from a patch, they no longer publicly list the specifics of its make up.

They are really only required to list it with the FDA safety filings anyway, so they can get away with doing this quite easily.

Learn more Fentanyl details here.

Have you gotten some manufactured by them from your pharmacy?

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If the patch has a gel filled pouch....what would the gel be there for if it wasn't impregnated with the medicine?

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I have been using Fentanyl patches for about 2 years, the 75 Mcg. I usually get the Mylan brand. Drug store was low on the Wty they had so I went elsewhere. This store had the Mallinckrodt brand patch. I changed the patch and about 18 hours later I started to feel bad and pain was getting worse. It was downhill from there. Seems like this brand does not work nearly as well. I have also tried Teva brand I think it was, no real problem with those. Has anyone one else heard about this "problem"? I don;t know what to do about this and I am NOT well now at all !!!

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I've only tried the fentanyl patch once for a week. It was the mallinckrodt and I had to take the rest back to my doctor and go back on methadone. I had high ope for the patch but not only did it not take the pain anyway, I actually felt like I was in early stage withdrawals. I am doing research on the net to find out if it was just the brand or the system in general.

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Hi...I am having trouble finding out how the Mallindchrad Patch is made. Is the fentanyl
"woven" into the patch like the Mylah Brand or is it in a "pouch" form. Seems the Mylan brand which is a woven material w/medicine in it works best for me but need another source of the "woven" brand as Mylan is shorting the drug stores , in network and out, close to a $100 bucks when reimbursement time comes around. Ma &Pa drug stores cannot afford this nor should they have to. I end up scrambling for Myland patches and it is stressful at best. Makes it look like I am "shopping" for the drug, which I am,l but not in that way. Do tell kids....any "woven" style patches out there??? Larger chains doh't seem to care but never have the quantity needed. I wish someone in Congress would do testifying on the hill about the patient made to feel like a criminal Getting really, really old. Again - thanks

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I absolutely agree, i have chronic bone pain from a rare disease i have had since childhood, that is getting worse than it used to be. When I say the patch does not work (now know that can be a fact) you are made to feel like an addict wanting more drugs for a buzz. I remeber a time when your doctor was allowed to decide according to your medical needs what and how much pain medicine to prescribe, now they are also made to jump through hoops to give their patients narcotic pain meds. Do the people who judge this even have a medical degree and in my case know how my disease actually affects my quality of life?

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I do know that CVS drug stores do carry the Mylan brand ( at least around here, S.E. Penn) which I believe works bestest of the 3 brands I have used

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The Mallinckrodt brand is made I believe of 3 layers, the bottom one against the skin has the glue on a "membrane" type plastic that regultes the drug flow, the next layer is the drug and the top is just a plastic strip. I saw a diagram of it somewhere on the web, cant remember where.

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I've used every generic of FENT patches & only Mal and Myl have worked for me (they last 3 days or 72 hrs & other generics ran out at @60 hrs!) tho I have not used them other than on skin. Without these I would be in hospital on IVs fro pain - or dead - due to severe lupus, RA joint pain plus whole body hurts like hell. I often wonder why the heck I have this!

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I also have Lupus. Mine effects my internal organs and inhibits my ability to obsorb any form of calcium, therefore it has left me with very brittle bones resulting in a total cervical spine fusion (with 2 rods) and lower back fusion. When they fused the cervical spine, they inadvertently pushed a disk out and caused it to protrude into my esphosgus. Now I get food stuck in my throat (because the Lupus causes esophogical spasms) and end up throwing up until the stuck food is dislodged. Fun, right? I have been on fentanyl patches for over 8 years with great control of my pain. This month I was given a new brand by Mallinckrodt - to the tune of $800.00 + and I feel like I am in withdrawal and my pain is way out of control! Anyone else having this experience with this brand and if so, what did you do resolve it? Thanks any help would be useful.

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I had the same problem with the Mallinckrodt, they just did NOT work with me for some reason. Skin Chemistry? Call your Doctor NOW and tell them so you can get them switched. You are NOT going crazy.

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Since they changed all the good pain meds because of( drug addicts , they say) none of the gel or others worked for me ! They changed the drug I think. I was put on OxyContin 3 a day & I could function again ( I've dealt w chronic pain for many reasons for 15 yrs.then they changed OxyContin , I suffer everyday because of drug co. And new laws. I put on 66 pds.cAuse of having to sit , I can't do much my dr gives me daulidid & Valium & exalgo( that don't do Anything .i need help & I'm on nj Medicad they won't give me FENTYNOL in taffy or spray so I suffer & get fatter ! Someone please look out for real chronic pAin patients ? 15 yrs Ive been dealing w all this bull my chronic pain dr for 15 yrs said THERES nothing else he can give me thAts stronger? Really?

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No, and they don't care, politicians know whats best for us these days... Hate to bring politics into the discussion but that's the truth.

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i was also prescribed the mallinckodt fentanyl patches 50 mcg yesterday for the first time by my pain specialist because the morphine medication he had me on was not working to relive my pain i can honestly say the morphine worked better then these patches do i applied one yesterday exactly 24 hours ago and havnt been given not a single once of relief to be quite honest i cant even tell that i am wearing this patch. needless to say when i call back in 10 days to let him know how the medication is working im going to give him the BIG thumbs down and tell him i want something else because this name brand of patch is a complete joke.

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For all of the non-gel type patches the drug is actual "mixed" in the adhesive which is why they call them a "Matrix" patch. Drug and adhesive are in a matrix form which means they are not separate layers but not exactly mixed together either. I wrote a while back complaining about the Mallincroft patch not working. I decided to give the patch another go but a different brand. Rite-Aid carried the Mylan brand and I tried out the 50mcg size. It was definitely better than the Mallinkroft but it also turned out that the 50 mcg was just not strong enough. The 75 mcg was better but still not enough. I am now on the Mylan 100 mcg and all is good. I am so happy with the patch because I am barely aware that I am on a heavy drug I guess because it is absorbed at a continual level and there aren't the up and downs with taking pills. I also found that with the right dose my pain control was much better than the Methadone. Some days I feel almost normal. ;) I do believe that the conversion rate that is given for the Fentanyl patches is overly cautious. The recommended cross-over isn't right. They even tell you not to use the recommendations in reverse i.e. substitute the fentanyl with another opiate using the other opiate to Fentanyl conversion chart. Anyway, I ended up at twice the amount the conversion chart said but I did go up one step at a time.

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You have adhesive then the drug release membrane then the drug then the film
Backing.

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I know this is an old post but some pharmacy's are ripping off customers

(15) 100mcg Watson Patches
My pharmacy billed Cigna .$282.95 and got paid $267.95

(15) 75mcg Watson's $186.23

(15) 50mcg Watson's $121.40

(15) 25mcg Watson's $63.02

People don't let any pharmacy rip you off if you don't have insurance. These prices are from 2 different pharmacy's that billed my insurance. Same prices.

One Pharmacy tried to bill $490 for (15) 100mcg Watson but was only paid $267.95.
Same rip off pharmacy wanted to charge me $150 for (1) box of 25mcg. That's 5 patches for people who don't know. The patches come in a box of 5 patches.
These rip off pharmacy's need to be reported for price gouging.

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I take the 100mcg fentanyl patch for back and hip pain. I have had surgeries as well as the spinal cord stimulator.

Here in SC, they are not prescribing the hydrocodone orally for breakthrough pain any longer. Just increasing the Fentanyl. This time I got Apotex brand and did not like them at all. The adhesive sticks to your clothes and the patch will pull off if you are not careful.

I much prefer the Watson brand.

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Is mallinckrodt 50mcg fentanyl patches equivilant to Duragesic brand name 50mcg patch? I was told by the pharmacy (mom &pop--only ones who had the fentanyl patches when I was put on them a few weeks ago) that I was given the wrong brand in beginning so now I have the 'malli' brand and I put it on next tues. I see that it has way less fentanyl in it (don't understand how that can be??) so I'm scared that it won't work near as well and I'll go through w/d's. Any experience/advice on if it'll be the same, would be greatly appreciated!! Thanks!

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They just suck bad and prolly will wd so find a place that doesnt sell malli ... waste big time

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Re: Richb69 (# 3)

I have used mallinkrodt for about 2 or 3 years with no problem. My pharmacy didn't have mallinkrodt so they sold me Alvogen, which are terrible. You can't remove them from the plastic backing without them falling apart in your hands. I called them and they told me to take them anyway. My pharmacist said NEVER to do that. So I was trying to find out who carried mallinkrodt.

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This brand patch has definitely worked on me!! I have fair to little pain now.

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Re: StarChild 74 (# 82)

I have used the flat sticker patch for a long time without problems unless they try to switch brands on me. Try the mylan brand, no tagaderm needed. Loved them!

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I have a question.
Had anyone experienced nose bleeds when wearing the patch? Like clock work 16 hours after putting one on I get a pretty bad nosebleed... I stopped wearing them because it scared the hell outta me. I'm in so much pain in ready to jump off a bridge. I want to use them... Just afraid. Am I alone?

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A TYPO OCCURED...SENATE BILL 393...FOR YOU TGAT LIVE IN CALIF...YOU CAN RECIEVE THE MEDICATION AT THE SAME RATE AS MediCAL pays for that drug...just show your SSI CARD to the Pharmacist...

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Keep the unused ones...I do just in case...better to have extra so in case one comes off in the shower etc etc..ok...

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I am sympathetic to your pain. Seems the chronic pain patience are always feeling the worst end of the political rd tape. the addicts still get theirs, but whoa the true folks in real need of relief to have some quality of life and to be able to work and provide are under attack more so than ever. I am so sorry that addicts die, that patience die while either abusing or adverse reaction to taking meds correclty. lets face it. taking meds away or at the very least make it an ordeal so bad that we as chronic pain patience we just dont want to deal with the BS. We did not ask to be in pain, we did not ask to have to depend on help. We go to work, we work hard to provide and all we seem to recieve is more grief.

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I only get 2 days relief as well and you will find on the manufacturer's website they recommend some people need to change every 48 hours so I now get 15 of the 100's and 15 of the 75 ea month. I find tegaderm covers help with the sweaty skin problem some as well as not putting the patch on the trunk of the body if you can help it during hot sticky weather. Sadly I am allergic to every other type of pain med and thankful I can take this to keep going to work.

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I use the 100mcg patches also and the patch is the membrane type... I do not like the powder style as they DO NOT work as well. I had to learn the type to get from the pharmacy...the only problem with the membrane is they tend to come off in hot weather from sweat...the powder type sticks the best... but I only get two days of relief from them... My pain is from hard work for a National glass company, you see the ads on tv... slaves we were... yes I am not the only one damaged... There are legal suits from that company... but this is patches not glass...Thanks...

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I know this is an old thread, but I have tried them all. Since I have a high co-pay, I must use a generic fentanyl patch. I am currently on 100 mcg/hr every 2 days. The Mylan brand does have the drug mixed in the adhesive. However, the Mallincrodt has the adhesive, a rate controlling membrane, the drug, then the plastic backing, so there is a difference. It is in the literature that comes with the medication.I find the the Actavis gel reservoir patch works best for me, it all depends on your body and how well you absorb the medication. It is best to put it on an area that has some body fat, as that is how best the medication is absorbed and dispersed throughout your system. I have been on pain meds for a long time, with the patch it's easier than the highs and lows of taking a bunch of pills.

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