Thanks Balmy,

I am using the Janssen Duragesic patches and haven't had a problem at all with it staying on. But I also taped around the edges. And I don't really have a problem with transdermal patches since I used HRT in a patch form. I am just saying I am used to patches and have found little tips and tricks through the years.

You are right about the timing though. For the first two days it was blessed relief! Yesterday was very painful but this morning I am to change it. I see my PM in a couple of weeks so I will let him know he needs to change the script from 72 hours to 48 hours. I don't think he will have a problem with that since he is the one that has wanted me to try this for ages!!

One of the reasons which I failed to mention earlier is that I am extremely hypersensitive to most medications. I have been taking Vicodin and Klonopin for ages but VERY low doses. I have GI issues and his thinking is that the patch will help to BYPASS some of those stomach problems. He did NOT say it would obliterate the stomach problems; just said the patch would HELP with that. In other words, not dumping more medication in my stomach. Otherwise I would be taking a longer acting med instead of the patch. He also wants to cover diffuse body pain at a consistent rate. Since he knows that taking more oral meds makes me worse, he just thought that this would be the best way to go. Darn it, forget something else LOL! I have a fractured coccyx too along with a cystocele and rectocele so constipation can be a MAJOR issue. To take a long acting med like MS Contin would make the constipation so much worse. I am not to strain whatsoever. I know the patch can cause constipation but it hasn't yet...not so far.

I thank you for your input. And you are right...I was absolutely painfree for a couple of days. Oh, and I need to give this more time too. The doc and the pharmacist are saying 7-14 days before the level is steady.