[QUOTE=Neurochic;944601]Rare

Hi there! I am new, my name is Angelina & I have Lupus, Fibromyalgia & Raynauds (they go together) and thus, chronic UGLY pain! 👎
I have used Fentanyl patches for many yrs - diff generics and doses, depending on my pain level (last Year I went into remission and went OFF patch for first & only time in 8 + yrs!).
My question is this: I've been having same prob as everyone else on patches and that is break-thru pain! I like the Mallenkt patches because I'm allergic to all adhesives except it & Mylan but it wears off about 12-16 hours early and then I go through the "cycling". My dr (as paranoid as all of them are now - a Rheumatologist- will NOT increase to every 48 hrs & when I ask they say I will have to go to Pain Specialist which I SIMPLY CANNOT do as I'm presently having heart symptoms - Lupus attacking my heart).
So.. I want to cut them in half and use every 48 hrs (at same dose) - I used to do that with Mylan without any probs. I'm unable to find ANYWHERE if anyone has done this successfully as I did it w Mylan for YRS until we moved! Ugh - so frustrated to be this sick and have to argue w physicians when I am a Health-care Provider myself -- at least I WAS before I got very sick (a Pharmacist, believe it or not! A waste bc I cannot use my education but that's life)!!!
Thanks so much!
Angelina

Rocker Dan here:Back in 2007-2009 i was on the Patches and had the matrix one time and then had to go to a store that only had the Watsons(Gel)Store i wont say(but they are "On the corner of????)So after the gel Watsons i went through a divorce and landed in a different state and have been on Oxycontin,MS Contin and well everything but the patches!Last night i finaly had enough of not getting what i know works and just called my PM Doctor who said to come in as i was seeing his P.A. and that person was refusing Fentanyl as they did not like it(they never had to take it thank G-d!)So i went to my Ma and Pa Great store and low and behold they had Mallinckodt Matrix!!!!!i was very Happy.And i also bought the Tegraderm covering patches by 3m>Something EVERYONE on patch should do as they "breathe"as well as cover any size fentanyl patch! I think you should try the matrix as the brand is made of matrix from the start and its so much better(for me0as they stay on well,are not so visible and with the Tegraderm,well your arm will come of first.I wont worry about removing till hour 71.Good luck and i really do know of what i speak having been on the patches for two years and now again and a couple of people told me they are doing away with the gel since****** abuse them!If you are really a pain patient,you do not abuse anything and should not.Peace, Rocker Dan

Angelina
I can't make any comment around brands - they are different to the brands available in my country.

You can cut the matrix patches but never the reservoir type. However, you are not going to get any approval to do so from any manufacturer or pharmacist because they are not licensed on that basis so no manufacturer or pharmacist will be prepared to take on any potential legal liability by suggesting that it's OK.

I don't understand what you say when you say you will cut them in half and change them every 48 hours at the same dose. Half a patch = half the dose. If you stick half a patch on, you will be receiving half the dose of the original patch. Sorry if I'm misunderstanding.

I'm not clear why you won't go to a pain specialist because of your lupus playing up. These patches can be prescribed on a 48 hour change cycle and it's not a terribly unusual thing for people to be prescribed on a 24 hour cycle. If it gives you the pain management you need, why is the lupus flare up preventing you going to see the pain specialist? I'm just confused.

Dear Rrae,i was on Fentanyl in 2007-2009 and after so many other combos i now am on it (fentanyl) again.Also Oxycodone and of course Diaezpam.I never knew i could get an odd number of patches such as 12!This will totally change my world( kind of)i just show up a few days before they front desk wants me to.When i make an appointment I ask for a 27-28 day stay!A pizza or a two for one coupon at a great restaurant goes a long way in a tourist town!I demanded to see my Doctor not the P.A as she is 34 tears younger and must have been dropped on her head by a hippie!(i have real long hair)I was also told that i had to be on a 31 day plan and to stretch my medicine?How to you stretch Fentanyl?Good trick Mrs Copperfield!So thank you for the information 12 it is!Have a great pain-free week!Peace RD

Thanks for that Rocker Dan, made me grin.
Ahh YES. TWELVE patches for 30 days. My doc prescribes them saying to change every 60 hours instead of 72. They just don't last me for 3 whole days.... maybe my skin temp is higher or something and I absorb quicker, I dunno. But I can't get them any sooner than 30 days a month b/c my insurance won't pay if I pick them up earlier than that.


Same to you - pain free peace week!

Rae

Hi I have been on them sense my accident, I 2 got the new ones from different manufacture, I tried it and it stuck 6 hrs then had to tape it. I called my Pharmisist and he cannot get Watson anymore, The government had been cracking down on everything. I was on Delaudid and Jan 1st the government made manufactures mimit there amount. Watson is the same, you may find them in Hospitals Pharmacy and there is a difference, They are supposed to work for 3 days and im on my 3rd and I start withdraw the 2nd day and 3rd day its not working at all. But it is not the Pharmacy fault it is the government controlling people that are in need because of people abusing the medicines that work for us. After Delaudid I couldn't get I switched to Mrphine ER its coated so I cannot and do not abuse them or any of my medicine. But drug addicts I guess the ones you see threw they cut open I saw on sites and shoot them up or suck the liquid out of them which is very dangerous due to the glue sticky part that eats liver functions. I called all around and no one has Watson fentyanl anymore and has been trying due to I guess the drug addicts wanting them. I was at mine and had a guy in there and he said he couldn't use the new ones because his doctor said he couldn't. No Doctor would care what brand they or you use all are same they think but they are not. Thye do not stick at all, tape I guess makes them release the medicine more quickly due to the fact they don't work on day 3 at all anymore. Never had to use tape on Watsons, I checked with Watsons website and yes my Pharmacist was right government has reduce there production I guess for hospitals only. I also found out Oct 6th 2014, vicodine and Norcos are going to be schedual 2 also so doctors cannot no longer call them in my doctor didn't know this yet but hes un happy with his other patients now have to go in each month and get a written script, no refills, more work for pain doctors and I don't drive but im on sch 2 meds anyways. Fentyanal and Percocet both sch 2, You see I hope you don't have to tape them I thin that's why they don't work day 2 and 3 nothing.. Its like tin foil and the 3 patch I put on edge bent and stuck together I couldn't unstck the edge, they are a mess, good luck. I wish they could operate on my nec C2 rotated and no surgeon will operate on C2. Im gonna just get pain pump in stomnach and meds will go to my pain area, delaudid, morphine which don't last long for me, don't now why delaudid worked and jan 1st they cut off pharmacies, I hate the abusers and drug addicts who ruin it fo r me and my pain I have to deal with more because of them...

Welcome diehardt06.

I have been on the Patches for about 8 years, prior to that it was the never ending chase of pills. Anything but oxycodone gave me a headache and did nothing for the pain. Morphine was the most useless, giving me no relief, not even via IV.
Then I finally got the patch. Took a few months, but I got the dose right. I put on 2-100 mcg/h patches every 36 hours. Yes, you read that right, I wear 2-100mcg/h patches on my shoulder and change them when they run out in 36 or so hours. When I first used them, they lasted almost 48 hours, but over the years it dropped to 36. Sandoz is the one I prefer as they give 16.8 mg per hour, unlike the other transdermal suppliers, of which there are more than a few- Teva-fentanyl, RAN-fentanyl and Sandoz are the main ones, only the Duragesic, making the old style with the gel inside. You can get the gel ones(Duragesic), but as they are not generic, you have to pay out of pocket. What is great about Canada's coverage is after you cover the deductible, depending on your yearly income, it's free. Average person is about 600.00 for the year. Anyhoo...what I notice between the gel and sticker, is the gel last about 12 hours longer, but I like the stickers better as they are smaller. I tore my shoulder up playing hockey and after 2 failed surgeries and them wanting to do bone grafts and more surgeries, I said no more damage by well intentioned Doctors thank you...I will stay will the meds. But my shoulder is now bone on bone.
So I noticed that other than Sandoz, the others all had a lower per hour dosing, they would be 10.8 or 11, compared to the 16.8 that Sandoz provides. So it is important to find out how much the the patch delivers per hour, as the lower the dose, the less effective the patch. I realize we have different suppliers compared to our brother and sisters South of the border, but that per hour dosage makes a big difference in pain management. I am not sure what the gel patches give per hour, since it has been years since I used them(see coverage). Hope that helps, I apologize for being all over the place, but I type slower than I think...good ole hunt and peck.

I totally agree. I had gone thru more excruciating pain because of abusers. You must gain your doctors trust every time you change doctors. I moved to a different state and it has been 2 yrs of pure agony in an attempt to get pain meds that are strong enough to help my pain. I am on 25mg fentanyl now from methadone. In Mississippi they will not allow a dr to give more than 20mgs a day. I was on 100mgs when I moved. My doc had me on 30 cuz he felt so sorry for me before he finally tried fentanyl patch. I know that as soon as the methadone is completely out of my system I will suffer again until he can raise my dose May 3rd. This suffering is due to all the abuse going on. I saw on TV this am a 17 yr old girl with 18 counts of prescription forgery. No wonder they have gotten strict but they are hurting the ppl who really need pain meds. There is a woman I know that gets oxys free from Purdue. They Fed Ex her 120 60mg a month and she sells them all. This ****** me off. If I had no money I would never sell a single pain med I get because my pain is too excruciating. I wish bad things to all these ppl who cause me so much pain because they want to get high. Karma to all of you. I will be so happy when my doc gets my does right. I will try to never move again. This has been pure hell.

Hello Jean, and Welcome,

Being Across The Pond I don't fully understand the horrendous system you genuine Chronic Pain sufferers ALL have to navigate to get the relief you need. Believe me, I am not blind, abuse of prescription drugs does happen here, but when you go to your GP and PM Team with your genuine conditions you are Rxed the appropriate meds.

If you move area and Dr, a simple Form allows the new one access to all your previous records and treatment continues uninterrupted. Introduction of computerised/scanned records makes this quicker and more accurate.

I sincerely hope you get everything sorted out Post Haste. I know what it's like to have your main pain relief stopped (heart attack interrupted Infusions). You can now come here for advice, support or just to rage against an unfair System. Explore the Forums, jump in as and when you see fit, you will be warmly welcomed.

Meanwhile, take it steady as you can.

Dave.