Fentanyl Patch, Temp Sensitive Etc (Top voted first)

Updated

Hello,

I am on fentanyl patch 50mcg. I think i got longer times on same medicine with pill medicine. This is longer times i have been on the medicine before needing an adjustment to a higher medicine. can you get tolerant faster on a patch verses a pill pain medicine?
If a person naturually can heat up does the patch dump more medicine in the body and thus run out earlier then total three days?

I also notice if you have lost muscle tone it seems the patch doesn't stick as well. IF the muscle is more away from the body could affect how medicine is delivered in body?

I notice i can't water walk at all for if water gets to the patch i need another one before my time is up or more times when doesn't seem to work as well if water gets on it. I never take another patch but this is what feels like if gets wet. Think to yourself if the water took away from effectiveness of it. Are some people not able to get full benefit from patches from muscle conditions or skin types?

I was allergic to other medicines by pill form except one so far and could be alot of medciines i don't know about. So i was forced to wear a patch rather then take a pill over whenever doctor seems to get overly excited if a medicine was on the news. Seems to dictate our pain relief for the day. they don't make the coverings for the patch affordable and package says to only wear a certain kind of covering. Since can't get in a pool or lose pain relief i have muscles that have deteriorated.

I know many pain patients out there know full well how doctors can be. If media says oxycontin is latest scare then all of a sudden can't be on the medicine that works best for you anymore cause doctor watch the news. I noticed these issues with the patch. One issue is sometimes I will get a patch that doesn't work as well as others I had used and the white letterring is still on it and shows littler signs medicine released. Another patch can looked totally used with no letterring left on it and all medicine seems gone out of it in three days. So i wonder if because of manafacturing if is some patches don't release. I like dfrections about how put new patch on and only get so many a month and not an option if drop one or bent one before got to put it on skin. the pharmacist mentioned cases where bring patch in and refund patient back but it's a process. Is anyone having issues with the patch? is it like the pill where it can go up and down in the blood stream and not always have the same height of effectiveness at all times of the day?
One last question? The package instructions show a picture of putting the patch on the chest above the breast and under the clavicle or on side of the arm. Is there a reason for that or did just pick two spots to show us how to wear it? I have used it other spots. Notice instructions indicated a right and wrong way to apply it. Are there places not to put the patch? Can pretty much wear it anywhere? the cake lady.

18 Replies

Earliest Newest Votes
7

Hi Connie,
I know how frustrated you are as am I. The DEA has all the doctors scared out of their minds and they don’t want to prescribe oxycontin. The Fentanyl patch works great when applied right. My suggestion to you is to have the doctor write for Duragesic only no substitutes. When you get the Duagesic call them up and they will send you a huge box of the cover patches free of charge and they are water proof. The generic MFGs don’t supply the cover patches and they are quite expensive. If you can’t get the Duragesic then explain to your doctor that the patches aren’t sticking and have him/her write you a script for th cover patches. This is the less expensive way to get them if you are stuck with the generics. As far as where to place the patch it should always be on the upper torso or arms. Never shave the area just find somewhere that doesn’t have a lot of hair. I alternate between my right and left arms because I have a hair chest. And yes the patches are heat sensitive the hotter they get they tend to release more medicine into your body. That is why sometimes they seem to only last two days instead of three. The doctor should have given you some breakthrough pain meds for when the pain gets above the baseline level of the Fentanyl if not then ask him about it.
I hope this helps you oh and the mcg stands for micrograms/hour just so you know if you are curious about the conversion factors from oxycontin or morphine ect.
GOD Bless
Robby

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10

I am 35 y/o, about 5' 7, and am skinny- I am also a nurse that has many yrs o experience w/ the patches! i have been on them for about 4-5 yrs- i am being txtd for psoriatic arthritis and have had a cervical disk fusion! anyway, i get duragesic (brand name of fentanyl) patches bc i am only wrking prn now and they pay for them, so i gt brand name patches- these r the non- gelled ones! theree is a huge diff. between the brand and generic., and these patches wrk by many diff. processes- meaning it depends on many diff factors on how it will work! i had all kinds of trouble w/ keeping them- then i found TEGADERM! u can gt a roll of these patch covers online- there r 100 of them for 45-50$- u just put th patch on and put this on top of the patch! makes a WORLD of difference!!

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2

Fentanyl is a very strong narcotic pain reliever, generic for Duragesic.

Aside from issues causing some of them to be recalled, YES, there are warnings regarding these patches and heat, it can cause them to release more medication than they are supposed to.

Common side effects may include: nausea, drowsiness, dry mouth and dizziness.

You can read more about this medication here:

https:/­/­rxchat.com/­wiki/­Fentanyl/­

As to possible places you should not wear it, this site is not medical professionals, so I suggest asking your doctor or pharmacist.

Is there anything else I can help you with?

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16

I have used the patches for some time now. I can't wear them where indicated. I get very itchy and scratch them off when I forget it's on. I wear mine in the underwear area. The front. It still itches on my butt so yeah, I just have the underwear area. Need to avoid folding skin. I have yet to find any other spots. I don't even try any other area. I want to get off the patches but my doctor is afraid of me dying based on all the addicts and whomever abuses them. I'm? REALLY TIRED OF PAYING FOR THE MISTAKES OF OTHER PEOPLE THAT SHOULD NOT HAVE MEDS! And they are the ones that somehow managed to bypass all the protocol and get them anyway. We need them and go thru the correct channels and get punished and turned down or severely low dose I get. I run out every month because now I have half of what I used to have. Now I'm not on a therapeutic dose. If my blood sugar was too high my meds are increased but when it comes to pain needs I feel like I'm treated like a kid and have no say so. I'm at the mercy of doctors, half of them playing God. I'm more likely to kill myself due to a high pain level than I am to O.D!

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4

Hello,
Sorrry didn't get back to anyone. I don't know how to use the discussion board well yet and showed up in my email that people responded. I learned things i did not know from my doctor about where to place the patch and other things. Thank you much. Connie sans.

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5

Your so correct about the difficulties/reputation in the press of the patch for fentanyl! I tried them twice & caused severe skin rashes plus they can be deadly if you absorb to much! Fentanyl is supposed to be 100 times more potent than morphine. I started to get dizzy and vertigo while on the patch. The more active you are the more of is realeased into your system. I heard/saw somewhere they are comimg out with a time release form of it which would be much better than the hassle of the patch.

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6

When I wore the patch, I placed it on the front side of either thigh muscle (my startched blue jeans rubbed the hair off my thighs). It worked really well too. Another reason being male with an abundance of body hair on the chest area, etc.. The instructions say not to shave as that is medically considered a break in the skin & you'll absorb too much fentanyl. Good luck. Mike

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9

I just started today as well. Put it on this morning and feel like I have no pain meds I me at all. Held out until dinner and took my breakthrough meds. This sucks. I wouldn't use a heating pad though. That can be very, very dangerous and if the patch is taking your pain away, by day three there won't be anymore meds in it. Please be careful.

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12

I know this is a question from long ago but about the patches not sticking I want to let everyone know that any manufacturer will send you free Tegaderm just call and complain that they're not sticky and you'll have about 50 Tegaderm sent to you free of charge

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15

No. But I have a feel'n you needn't worry about gett'n pregnant. Unless ur boyfriend/girlfriend is the artificially insiminating kind. The box won't always tell you which they are. Grrr.
Oh...& Don't forget to put a NEW rubber on it every time you use it. Just to be safe.

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3

I am sure that your doctor told you that you should position your patch on your chest above your nipple line in an area that is free of hair. Shave if you have to. It may also be positioned on your upper arm between albow and shoulder or on your back, just below your shoulder blades Picture frame it with surgacial tape if you plan on being active.

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11

It is my understanding that you are NOT to shave the patch area, just clip the hair with scissors.

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13

Link.doesn't work

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17

MY Dr and Pharmacist said ABSOLUTELY DO NOT SHAVE any area for the Patch. Said the hair stubble can prick or pierce a whole in the Patch. This causes me to only be able to wear it on my upper arm. MY body temp averages 97.6 but the patches only last 48 to 60 hrs MAX. Can someone share anything to help me? Last week in the Hospital the Dr's noticed exactly what I've told them now for 4 months. The patch isn't lasting 3 days but I get screwed because of manufacturer defects, 2 patches shredded upon opening them. So I went 6 days with no meds. The manufacturers have done nothing. I guess an attorney will have to sue the s*** out of them b4 they take me seriously.

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18

You ask way too many questions for a coherent reply. Try asking one question and shorten your post!

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1

Please read this story on the latest fentanyl patch recall: http:/­/­www.newsinferno.com/­archives/­11543#more-11543

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8

I just got the fentanyl 25 mg patches its my first time using them and I am not getting enough pain relief my friend suggested to put a heating pad over it to release more meds I put it on high for 3 min what am I supposed to be feeling? And does 25mcg mean you are getting 25mg per hour on the hour?

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14

So if I accidentally leave my patch in the car for many 3 hours when it was in sunlight is it still making me protected from pregnancy?

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