I've used the patches for 5 years now, and they are helpful, though somewhat limited because of where my pain is. I have pain in my right torso, neck, jaw and side of face.

I cut the patches in strips and apply them to the spots around the chest and back that are most painful. But my doctor said not to use strips on my face and to avoid areas on the neck close to major veins, so I can't use them in some very, very painful places.

Recently a generic version of Lidoderm has come out and I tried it, but found it extremely inferior. The generic patches are flimsy and don't stick as well, plus I found the adhesive irritating, which hasn't been the case with Lidoderm. The brand drug costs more (of course), but I've needed to stick with it (ha!).