Woww Dan, this is some serious pain you have had to overcome: have you found out what triggered the Neuropathy and is it worsened when drinking alcoholic beverages?...
I ask because I have recently given up drinking a few daily glasses of wine but I'm still not sure it makes any difference...
I see that you have had a good 4 years run without upping the strength of the patch and that the pain is responding well to small increases in strength and/or to the shortening of the application time...
By all accounts I have read so far, Fentanyl seems to give the best results for the least amounts of side effects and I will certainly bear that in mind if my PN pain develops to the extent of yours...
Btw, how large is the patch and where do you usually apply it?...
Quote:
Originally Posted by DanP
Seagem, I've had painful sensory PN since 1988 with moderate to severe pain at the 7 to 9+ levels on the Mankoski pain scale. These levels of pain are horrific and I don't know how I maintained my sanity for all those years. I'm affected from the shoulders to fingertips and from my hips to toes. The worst of the pain is from mid calf to toes in both legs and the pain in those areas are constant 24/7 without letup. I tried all the meds the Neuros rxed without success...later including Lyrica.
Finally, in Jan 02 my PCP (of all people) asked if anyone had tried me on the Duragesic Patch and my answer was no. So, on 9 Jan 02 we started the 50 strength patch and the result was minimal. On 4-10-02 we went to the 75 strength patch and for the first time I felt some relief but not enough so on 11-18-02 we raised it to the 100 strength patch and within 48 hours my pain was reduced to the 2 - 4 level! After all those years the 2 to 4 pain level was, to me, being almost pain free and my life literally changed as a result of this med and the titration by my doctor. However, the pain began to rise so on 1-19-07 we raised the patch strength to 125mcg changing them ever 72 hours and again the pain dropped back to the 2 to 4 levels and on 4-27-07 we began changing the 125 strength patches (1 100 strength patch and 1 25 strength patch) every 48 hours...and my pain levels are still at the 2 to 4 range and this is where I remain today!.
So, for me, the titration of this medication coupled with the patience and understanding of my Internist has been my salvation from the worst of this damnable pain. It's still at the 2 to 4 level but it's been so many years now I pay little or no attention to it. The fentanyl in these patches is a strong narcotic but I have tolerated it well and I am not addicted. Dependent, yes but not addicted and there is a huge difference in the two. My head is clear, my hands are steady, and I have full control of all my faculties. I drive my car without incident - have made several cross country trips and I drove every mile of them. I walk most every day for a mile or two with only the use of my cane and consider myself extremely fortunate. I am now 78 years old and will stay on this medication till I die or something better comes along...maybe a cure? (I'm not holding my breath. LoL)
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