Greetings to All,
I wanted to post my findings about the generic Sandoz brand of the fentanyl patch. After suffering all month waiting to get my monthly script, so I could get the Duragesic brand once again, I finally got the Janseen/Duragesic brand name again. There definitely IS a difference with these generics patches, it is NOT in my head, and the posters here seem to agree with me.
I did a little experiment with the Sandoz brand, which is closer to the Duragesic in looks, and how it works, transfer mechanism, etc. I cannot believe that these are exactly the same product, and here is my proof.
I weighed a Sandoz patch after peeling of the protective layer, and it weighed 1.4 grams. Then I weighed it again after it was on 2 full days, and it now weighed 1.3 grams. I though, OK, I better do some more weighing to be sure, and every patch weighed 1.4 when new, and 1.3 after 2 days.
Then after getting the Duragesic, I again weighed it after peeling off the protective film, and it also weighed 1.4 grams, BUT, after having it on for 24 hours,(I timed it), it weighed only .9 grams after taking it off!
I will retry this again in 2 days to see if the results are the same.
This tells me what I already thought was the case, the Duragesic brand transfers much more of the gel to my system than the Sandoz did.
I don't know if it is something to do with the glue, or the transfer layer in the patch, but after 2 days, the Duragesic is all but empty, while the Sandoz still had most of its gel left, it looks like most all the gel was still in the reservoir.
So, only .1 gram of the gel was getting into my system with the Sandoz/generic brand, and .5 grams was getting through with the Duragesic.
This is a HUGE difference in my opinion, and probably accounts for the poor performance of the generics.
I would like know how they can say these things are the same, when they obviously are not. I didn't even bother testing the Mylan brand, as they hardly provided any relief at all for me, so I refuse to buy them after suffering with them for a whole month, feeling like I was in withdrawal all the time.
The pharmisist was very surprised when I asked to go back on the brand name, she said that she has never heard of any complaints about the generic patches, but I haven't told her about my weigh in test yet.

Thanks to Liz, Maggie, and Idealist for answering my post, I do appreciate your input!
My wish to all is, less pain, and more life!
Peace
Rags