I'll try to address some of your questions.

1) all patches are not suited to heat conditions. Hot showers, sitting in the sun
or heating pads...cause the drug to be released faster than intended.

2) Catapres (clonidine) is basically a blood pressure medication. It has been around for a long time. Since its introduction, it has been used for addiction management, ADHD/Tourette's, pain syndromes, and even hot flashes during menopause.

3) It does cause sedation, but that side effect usually goes away. In rare instances it can lead to mania/insomnia/agitation..but that is in the 1-2% range of patients.

4) It is used topically in transdermal gels for pain and RSD, often in combination with ketamine/gabapentin/ketoprofen/lidocaine etc in many combinations.

You may have to use the cover patch if the adhesive is peeling up. It is my impression that it is placed between the problem area and the spinal cord, as close as possible to the painful area.
If this is not working for you... you need to consult your doctor. I'd give it a full month however (one box) to see if you get used to the side effects and
start to benefit from any pain reduction. It does not work for everyone the same way. If you have any sudden faint feelings standing up, this may mean your blood pressure is too low for you. If you have a blood pressure cuff, it would help to measure your pressure now and then. You can buy a manual one for about $20.

The sedation Catapres causes will be additive with other sedating drugs.