Greetings to all the familair names here, well.... all the unfamiliar ones too!
I was happy to see this site come up during the dragged out downtime on BT.
A big thanks to the Doc for helping us all out, way to go!!
Also thanks to Bobbi, for letting me know about this site.

Now to the topic.

I would like to hear any comments, or your experiences with the generic
fentanyl patch. I have always used the brand name patch, but recently
they increased my copay to $45 for the brand name, so I find the need to
try the other brands. I first tried the Mylan version, and it didn't seem to work as well as the real deal, so I went back on the brand name, and got better pain control right away. This month I tried the Sandoz brand.
I thought I would get better results, since this brand looked the same as the Janssen, and I have also heard that they were supposedly made by the same manufacturer. On close inspection, it does not appear to have the same amount of gell as the original, and the glue is different, a lot stickier.
The first day I used it, my pain levels went right up, and I had to take more BT meds to compensate. I normally change the patch every 2 days, but find with the generic, there is still a lot of gell left inside, when I change it. With the brand name, there isn't very much left at all after 2 days, that makes me wonder if the absorbtion rate is different with the two. I am taking into consideration that more will be absorbed on a hot day, or if I am exerting myself doing some task.
Has anyone had a similiar experience with the generics?
If this is what they are like, I will gladly pay the extra $40 for the real deal.
I'm sure the generic/brand name thing has been beaten to death in many posts, but I would like some input as far as the fentanyl patch goes.
I am nuts or what? To me there is a real difference with these products.
People may say that since I don't expect them to work as well, then they don't, but I really don't buy that, since the pain I feel is very real, and is very much affected by these different brands.
I realize by law, they must use the correct amount of the med, in my case7.5mgs of fentanyl, or a 75ugram/hr patch. I think the differance might be with the transfer layer in the gelpack, or possible the glue itself, which also has the medecine in it, but may not be transfering as well with the generic.
I have had similar experience with other generic drugs, the biggest one was
Darvocette, I was on them for years, and the generics were total junk.
So, is it me? am I just to sensitive to the changes, or am I not really getting what I pad for at my pharmacy. I wonder how how much testing is done with these products (generic) before they are allowed on the market? Or is more like, since the manufacturer already makes the brand name, its easier to get the generic on the market then, since the testing was already done on the brand name? Making it easier for drug company to slip an inferior product to the marketplace. I'm just saying.....they are NOT the same.

Peace
Rags

One added note, I love the speed of this site!!
Thanks to the Doc for the extra bandwidth!
BT-BT2 is like the tortise and the hare...

Rags,

I was on the generic duragesic patches (75mcg) for a few months at the beginning of this year (I switched back to oxycontin in the summer because the patches started giving me a heat rash).

I never tried the name brand patches, but I did try both generics (sandoz and mylan) and in terms of pain control the sandoz was much better for me.... and I also noticed that there was always gel left over when it was time to change to a new patch (I changed mine every 60 hours - every two and a half days).

One thing I did notice almost immediately after I started using the patches was that I got much better pain control if I used Tegaderm-type covers over the patches. (I used Invacare brand because it was much cheaper than actual tegaderm).

For me, the patches stuck well enough on their own but I got the covers just in case, and the first time I used a cover I noticed better pain relief. I tested the theory by trying the patches with and without the covers and overall my pain relief was much better when I had a tegaderm-type covering. I have no idea why the covers helped with better pain control, but it was working so I didn't really care why.

My point here is that maybe using a cover would help you too - it's at least worth a try.

Take care,
Liz

Thank you for your post Liz,

I do use the Bioclusive covers sometimes, especially when its hot, or
for some reason I have to do some yardwork or anything that makes me sweat, since the patches like to start peeling off in hot weather.
Can't say that I have noticed any difference, but I will try using them all the time, and see if it helps at all.
I've got the feeling that I will just go back to the brand name product, since it is far superior in my opinion.
I have tried to get my doctor to let me try oxycontin, but he refuses to prescribe them, saying that they are too expensive. In reality I think he just wants to stay away from that drug, because of all the bad press it has been getting. He stated that he refuses to buy into the whole deal, the drug companies making far too much money on it, and all the problems it causes with drug addicts. He is a really great doctor, and he will generally give me what I want, with the exception of oxycontin, so I don't push the issue with him. Perhaps he may change his mind now that the generic oxy is out. Besides, have you noticed the price of the patch? My 15 patches show on the pharmacy slip as costing anywhere from $650-750 a month, I can't imagine that the brand name oxy costs that much!
I may ask him to let me try methadone, I've heard it's a really good pain killer, and cheap as well. It's just that after 5 years on the patch, they just don't seem to work as well as they used to, and I have had to have my dosage increased 2 times. I realize that this is probably normal, so that's why I want to change to something else, at least for awhile.
He tried me on ER morphine last year, but he started me at such a low dose, (15mg BID), that I was sick as a dog for a whole week, probably from withdrawal from the patch. I ended up putting a patch on when I just couldn't stand the pain anymore, and I was ok again within 4-6 hours.
I can't imaine putting me on 30mgs of morphine, when I was on a 75ugram patch, with percocets for BT pain. Beside I didn't like the way the morphine made me feel at all, if I took enough to get any relief, then I felt like a hospital patient, very, foggy, sleepy, and groggy. So if that was a preview of the morphine, he can keep it....LOL
I would think a reasonable dose of morphine would have been something like
80-120mgs per day, not the 30 he started me on! I know they always start low on a new drug, but give me a break, 30mg wasn't even woking at all.
I would have asked him for an increase, but just didn't like the drug compared to the fentanyl.

I appreciate you taking the time to answer my post.
I hope you are having a low pain day, I was glad to see the sun today, that means my levels will be down a little bit anyway.

Peace
Rags

I know the exact price of generic Oxycontin becuase my insurance company has this thing where they force me to pay cash at the pharmacy and then they reimburse me a week later.

It's a pain in the butt, but since oxy is the best long-acting for me I deal with it. Although this weird thing with the insurance is why I switched the the patch eariler this year because I didn't want to deal with the hassle, but whe the patch gave me a heat rash I decided to deal with the hassle because oxycontin gives me the best relief.

Anyway, for 20mg generic Oxycontin, 120 pills a month, the cost is $325 at my pharmacy.

For conversion... I went from 20mg oxycontin three times a day to 50mcg patches, then the doc upped the patches to 75mcg. When I had the problem with the heat rash and went back to the oxycontin I went fom 75mcg patches right back to 20mg oxycontin three times a day. I didn't have any problems with any of the conversions, no withdrawls, no incrased pain, no problems at all.

I now take 20mg oxycontin 3 times a day, with the option to take a 4th pill as needed. The doc writes "take 2 in the am and 1 or 2 in the pm" on the script with the oral instruction to me to take it every 8 hours and take the extra pill as needed at any time of day. This works great for me because on bad pain days I don't have to load up on percocet to fight the pain.

One of the things my doc and I have done to combat tolerance is to switch me off of oxy and onto MS contin for 2-3 months, and then back to oxycontin at my original dose. We do this every 12-18 months depending on when I feel like the oxycontin is less effective.

Although the conversion charts say that 20mg oxycontin equals 30mg MS Contin, for me, we have found that I do fine switching from 20mg oxycontin three times a day to 15mg MS Contin three times a day.

I personally don't like MS Contin as a pain med - it's makes me tired and groggy and causes too much constipation - but it does work on my pain, I just hate the side effects.... but to combat oxycontin tolerance I am willing to be on ms contin for 2-3 months every once in a while so that I don't have to constantly increase my oxycontin dose to make it effective.

I have been on oxycontin for several years now, and until this summer I stayed at 20mg three times a day and it was effective. It was just recently that the doc added the option to take a 4th pill a day, and that was not a tolerance issue but a pain increase issue.

Sorry to ramble, but hopefully I said something helpful

take care,
Liz

>>though the conversion charts say that 20mg oxycontin equals 30mg MS Contin, for me, we have found that I do fine switching from 20mg oxycontin three times a day to 15mg MS Contin three times a day.<<


Hello Liz,
I am surprised that you get good relief from that amount of MS Contin,
compared to the 75 patch.
Goes to show that we all react differently to pain meds.
I am going to ask the doc one more time about the oxy's. Looks like his price theory doesn't hold water anymore, especially now that they have the generics. It wouild be much cheaper for me to be on the generic oxy's.
Your experience with both of the generic patches, tells me that it is not in my head, the different brands do have different results. That's what I was looking for, someone who has tried them both.
Would you have stayed with the patch, if they didn't cause the rash?
Was the pain relief as good with the patch as it is with the Oxy?

I think the idea of changing meds every so often sounds like the way to go.
I think I'll try to get the doc to let me try something else, for that reason.
Hopefully he will let me try the oxy this time, if not, maybe methadone.
I was talking to my pharmicist, and she was the one who mentioned the methadone.

>>>>It was just recently that the doc added the option to take a 4th pill a day, and that was not a tolerance issue but a pain increase issue.<<<<

For me, I have a hard time telling the difference, I mean, am I am in more pain now, or is it part of the tolerance thing?
It very hard for me to tell if I am more pain because the drug isn't working as well, or if my pain has increased. I always blame the tolerance, maybe I'm wrong.
I am surprised that you have been able to stay pretty much on the same level for so long with the oxy. I have friends that have to be increased every year, one of them is now up to 40mgs twice a day, with a few 10mg oxy IR's
as needed. That make me wonder about oxy tolerance.
I was doing just fine on my 75ugram patch until I changed to the generic.
I don't know what to do now, maybe just go back to the brand name, and pay the extra $40...
Thanks for your replies, I do appreciate it.

Peace
Rags

Rags,

Just based on my own experience my thoughts about Oxy tolerance is that the people who seem to have tolerance issues - needing higher and higher doses to get the same relief - well everyone I have ever met or talked to who had/have that issue take their oxycontin every 12 hours.

In the literature the drug company gives to the doctors it says something like "if the dose is wearing off before 12 hours then raise the dose"... well my doctor decided that made no sense. If a person is getting perfect pain relief for 9 hours and then it goes down the tubes, then why give a higher dose instead of decreasing the time between doses?

This is just based on my own experience, but patients on 12 hour dosing schedules have a lot more tolerance issues that those who are on an 8 or 6 hour schedule.

When I needed the 4th pill added I knew it was an increase in pain instead of tolerance because of an actual physical change. It wasn't just a pain increase that I was having, it was a pain increase in one body area due to a specific problem - so it was clear that it was an increase in pain and not tolerance.... but without a clear physical change it is hard to tell the difference, and when my doc and I can't tell we switch me to a different med for a while and then it becomes more clear about whether it is med tolerance or pain increase.


I would have stayed on the patch if it didn't cause the rash... BUT, I am glad it caused the rash because I get much better relief with far fewer side effects from oxycontin. I got good pain relief from the patch, and if for some reason oxycontin was no longer available then I would choose the patch over morphine products, but for me OC works the best. Don't know why, don't care why, I just know it works and works well so I'm happy

I have used both Generics and find the Mylan version to be better for me. This may not sound great but I know the Mylan gives me more medication than the Sandoz because when I'm on the Mylan I am constipated and when I'm on the Sandoz, I am not. That tells me the Mylan is directing more mediation, right?

I read your post and can complety understand your delema.My mother is currently on the Generic 75 MG Sandoz patch and its worked the best for her. The Mylan or any other matrix form of fentanyl was horrible for her in comparison the the Generic Duragesic or any of the Gel types. The Mylan kept coming off and another problem with the matrix from her experience was a huge boost after 4-5 hours of putting the mylan on and then within the next day withdrals started already! At least with the Gel Type the pain relief was spread out for a few days. I would just really like to say and I can't emphasize this enough do whatever you can to aviod Methadone! I know two people who have been put on Methadone for pain and one for Oxcicontin withdrawls and other drug withdrawls. the person with Back injury immediatly had more pain ( possble phantom opiate pain) and almost commited suicide while trying to get off of the Methodone becuase of the sever depression and pain she was going through. As far as the addiction problem the person had to go to a clinic once a day to get the methodone after a week of this wit no help at all with the cravings or pain she actually turned to Herion becuae it was cheap and thought she had no other option due to the depression and tremendous let down of trying to get her life together. I nly say this becuase I watched this ruin 2 people who honestly just wanted help. Methadone may be a good option for someone but I have never heard of it being an option for pain relief without the risk out weighing the benifits. Just a thought, as I worry how fast some of these doctors are willing to hand out patches but wont give oxicontin to a person with a real injury thats in severe pain not moderate severe. It's the dealers and addicts that have made it hard for anyone with real problems to get any help. 8-10 Doctors will immediatly suspect most of thier patients are selling the drugs or abusing them. Its very sad. I would just say in my opinion only Methadone should be a last resort.

I am being treated for severe chronic back pain as the result of several injuries and several surgeries since 1984. I have been medicated with the Duragesic Patch (brand name) 50 ugh per 48 hours. Several years ago my insurance company insisted on the generic version. I found both generic brands Sandoz and something else to be less effective for pain management, though the Sandoz worked slightly better than the other generic. My insurance company approved payment for the Brand name for years, but gave me notice that if I want to continue with the Duragesic brand I will have to pay almost $300 a month for the prescription beginning on the first of the new year 2008.
Rags, I am writing to tell you you are not imagining the differences. Not only did I find the medicating properties to be much less effective with pain control, I found the generic patch does not adhere to my skin. As soon as I perspire or take a shower I lost the patch.
I have been on the patch for about 7 years and even though it is a huge help with managing the back pain, I have found myself breathing slowly and shallow. I have tried to practice deep breathing, but I still wake myself up because for seconds I stopped breathing. I have been severely fatigued and I am sure the patch has a lot to do with the shallow breathing. I am seeing another spine specialist next week and I am praying he can make some changes. As much as I enjoy the relief from pain the patch provides, I am very anxious to get off it. I have already stretch the amount of time to 72 hours before applying a new patch, but the pain level becomes so intolerable I go back to 48 hours. My heartfelt prayers go out to anyone who must deal with chronic pain.
Peace & All Good,
Izadoglover

Check out www.duragesic.com

I prefer the name brand patch and just got a coupon inside my prescription. I checked out the website last night and there are coupons for $50 off each script out of pocket till 6/08...

Hope this helps!

Good Luck!

Heather