Anybody using Lidocaine patches?
 

These patches were made for shingles pain, my pain management doc turned me on to them for S1 related foot pain & calf cramping. I've been using them for minor to severe muscle cramps, they helped me! When my scar-tissue bothers me in the L5-S1 I put half a patch on, numbs it right out. Your Doc will have to write a script for them, they cost $120. a box of 30, my co-payment was 10 bucks.
Just wanted to pass this on, I've been a spinie for 10 years now an been visiting BT1 since 1997, great info that doc's don't want you to know...

Does anybody know what there made from-he-hee? Ric

Lidoderm patches
 

Hi Woody
I use these patches for my Meralgia Paresthetica in my upper leg area. It was first given to my by a Neurologist (sp?) several yrs ago. It gave me a lot of relief from the pain, burning, cramping muscles and most of all the sensitivity to touch that I have with MP. I cannot stand the rubing of clothing or bedsheets against my left thigh and above the knee. The patch helps so much.

We were also sent a message by a person stating you can become immune to them and they suggested moving the patch around to different areas to avoid this happening. They also included a picture showing where they placed the patch for MP it was over the location of the nerve.

I also know of another person who used the patch on their back at night time to cope with the pain level of their spine. You are suppose to wear them for no longer than 12 hrs. a day.

I cut mine in 2 pieces and place them at different locations.

They are expensive it you do not have prescription coverage.

Lookingup58!!!

Hi Woody.

I've been using the Lidoderm patches for several years as needed. My rheumatologist suggested them to me.

Can use up to three at night. I cut each one in half and use them on the top of my feet, knees, cervical spine area and shoulders.

Only complaint... sometimes lose their ability to adhere to my skin so I use some surgical tape.

Have a low/no pain day! Carly

PS For new users...cutting these will make your scissors sticky (need to be cleaned after each cutting)...so a separate pair of scissors just for the patches works well.

Glad to hear some respone about the patches, I was taking narcotic's for work related pain but working in a paint dept got me so buzzed-up my PM gave me these. I used them for 2 years steady at work to get my retirement in, now I cut back on them. Had a flare up in the groin lately and started using them again, hurts more to take them off in that area doe-ha! I was told there made from the coca plant, cocaine, they take the coca out to make the patch. That's just what I was told, maybe a Doc would know more, but if you go for a drug test u better tell them your using them. Best

I have been a big fan of
 

Lidoderms for a while now. We had a big thread on Chronic Pain at OBT
about them. Also at MP forum.

They are a water based adhesive..very different from some other patches.

So people often have trouble with them sticking. If you clean the area
first with alcohol and dry it thoroughly, that may help. Also on very curvey areas of the body,
you can cut them into strips and stick them down (sort of like an accordian), and use tape on them. If you perspire alot where they need to go, that is
a problem.

Placement is important too. At least for my MP placement higher up where the
nerve exits the abdomen, that worked best.

For spinal issues, the area where that nerve root exits the spine is often the
best place. I have also used them behind my knee for knee pain. (on the back of my thigh just before the knee bend).

I use them as well. As MrsD stated, they work best for spinal stuff if they're placed over where the exiting spinal nerve root is. I also use up to 3 at a time, cut in half and placed pretty much running parallel to my spine, though sometimes I also use them for intercostal nerve pain.

They're a handy tool to have around at times, because the spasms I have often don't respond, even to escalating doses of pain meds and antispasmodics.

Theresa

Hi All,

I used them off and on for about 4 years but then one day they made me real sick. I don't know why as I had cut them up so it wasn't like there was a huge patch on me. Or, it could have just been that I was on other meds at the time and maybe had a reaction. In any case, they do work well!

I just started with these patches and i have a mixed feelings on whether they work or not. I do not like sleeping with them when you move around in your sleep the loose their stick and get all twisted up.

suring the day they are ok they do releive some of the burning pain in my lower back but for some reason they do not work as well up in the cevical spine area.

any helpfull suggestions??

thanks, glad to find this i miss the old braintalk.

sharon

Are the lidoderm patches narcotic? If they are I dont think I can ask for them. My doc will not prescribe narcs, and I have no idea why.

No, they are not narcotic (controlled substance), and there is no risk of addiction/dependence. They are Lidocaine (sorta like Novicaine) in a patch format, in a gel suspension which is absorbed through the skin over a 12 hr period. There are narcotic patches, but those contain Fentanyl, which is a wholly different drug class completely.

Hope this helps some.

Theresa

I have been using the patches for about a year now. I am scheduled for a 2 level lumbar fusion on Nov 1st. I am only using 1 patch per night on my lower back. Being on time released morphine I am not sure if they are helping me or not. I have noticed lately that my skin is burning in the morning when I take the patch off. I leave it on for about 10-11 hours.

Hi everyone i'm new
 

HI,I JUST STARTED THE LIDOCAINE PATCHES A FEW HOURS AGO. mY DOC PRESCRIBED THEM FOR ME TO TAKE ALONG W/MY PERCOSETS. SO FAR I HAVE HAD THE MOST RELIEF I'VE FELT IN MONTHS. I'M SCARED THAT CAN CHANGE BCUZ I'VE BEEN ON NARCOTICS FOR OVER 10 YEARS NOW AND BECOME IMMUNE TO THEM EASILY AND THEY QUIT WORKING. I'M 30 AND I HAVE ALOT WRONG W/ME. i'VE HAD FIBRO FOR 7 YRS NOW,RHEUMATOID ARTHRITIS FOR 18 YRS,HRYNIATED DISCS,ANNULAR TEAR AND MUCH MORE. THE ARMY IS TRYING TO GET ME IN W/A NUEROSURGEON ASAP. ANYHOO,LOL,I HAVE SO MANY QUESTIONS BUT I TEND TO BLUBBER. IS THERE ANYONE WHO CAN GIVE ME SOME TIPS ON WHAT THEY DO FOR PAIN RELIEF? THERE ARE SO MANY DAYS I CAN'T EVEN WALK AND MY 2 GIRLS GET SO ANGRY CUZ THEY DON'T UNDERSTAND MOMMA'S SICK. I NEED SOME ANSWERS SO I CAN TRY TO MAKE MY HUBBY AND GIRLS UNDERSTAND BETTER. THANK U ALL!

I am learning to use a computer,the things confuse me,lol. I have some severe problems at 30 yrs old and it's starting to bring me down. I'm on narcotics for about 10 yrs or so now and today i started lidoderm patches. The patches along w/my percosets actually seem to be working. I can walk after having the patch on 4 2 hrs. Earlier i couldn't even stand. Is there any suggestions of other things that could possibly help me. Thank u!

I started taking them for Shingles in September. They worked so well that it wasn't long until I was cutting them in half and putting them on my back. No, pain at all and I have had 7 back surgeries and a Stimulator. They did cost me $120, but can you put a limit on pain medicine? I had insurance but I go into the donut hole every year about August.

They work great folks, if your looking for pain relief and can afford them.:D
Fancylady:)

HI, I've been using the patches for right many years (a heart patient told me about them) after too many years of suffering severe itching on both arms which no dermatologist could help until I found one that did superficial radiation; then he passed away. Anyway, I have never heard that one could become immune. They keep working for me, using them on the same areas over and over. I do know that no more than three patches should be used in a 24 hr. period, no more than on for 12 hrs.; then 12 hrs. off. I have used four at the time twice. My doctor told me of a person who used many all over, all the time, and died! So, everyone, follow the instructions, please!

I take it your in the army?

What lidoderm patches are made of
 

Does anybody know what there made from-he-hee? Ric[/QUOTE]


Hi! I just recently started getting them for really bad back pain - L4 + L5 from a friend as she gets them for practically nothing through Medicaid. I do have insurance, but a high copay. Honestly, they don't help all that much, and if I put 2 or more on, I fall asleep, yet still wake up w/ pain. But some pain relief is better than none - know what i mean?!
Anyways... I was just randomly surfing the net and found you can buy lidocaine (the main ingredient) wholesale from several places. The one I even considered trying was in England for about $155 a kg. The others were about the same price but from China or Cameroon. As some other lady just posted it is not a narcotic, I am assuming this is legal??? However, it comes in powder form, so not sure how to transfer it onto a patch. Can't be that hard though as it gives you the ingredients right on the package. Will do some more surfing and try to find the "recipe". Food for thought anyways....

Hope you feel better soon!

Katt

This is not a wise idea. Lidocaine in the patch as it stands now is designed to release the drug at a certain rate. Over use of lidocaine can stop your heart. That is why it has limitations on its use. Patch technology is very fragile and complex. It is the most sophisticated dosage form we have presently, and you could never achieve safe results with making your own.

This link gives more details:
http://www.rxlist.com/lidoderm-drug.htm

Get a new doctor! If you have documented back pain which is not controlled otherwise, your doctor should prescribe adequate pain medication, narcotics included. Some physicians have no concept of pain management. Find a spine specialist or a pain management specialist if your own doctor will not listen to reason. Some MD are so frightened by news reports of drug addiction and others have this information drummed into them by their med school instructors. AGain. get another doctor!

Huge fan of the patches. I have seen docs order the gel in a tube for those whose insurance will not pay.

Hi all- new in town here!
I have these patches now thanks to finally being seen by a PM team. I originally had a Barrett's Procedure (MCL reconstruction in a complex way) on my left knee in Feb 2010. As it took quite a while to get to the bottom of my knee condition (1 year in total and 18 months after the original accident and me procrastinating on it) i was standing incorrectly to ease the pressure.
Long story short it has caused some nerve damage in the lower left lumbar region. I have a wonderful PM consultant now who has give me 'nerve' meds to try and he's actually give me the patches for the hypersensitivity left behind by my op. I have a random patch of numbness that has a fault line over the shin bone. It's like electricity to run your finger over it. As a performer i was struggling with little things like trying to do quick changes as fabric brushing over it would make me jump.
I have only been on a week and i feel like they are helping some to dull the 'the fault line'. The hope is that after a few months it will deaden it.

My question is- do they only come in a 5% strength and if so can i put two full patches on to cover a larger area? I also see some of you are using them for pain relief on your spine- if i have one on my leg, can i have one on my spine also for when the pills aren't enough?
Thank you all in advance!

Lidocaine Patches and Canadian Pharmacies
 

My wife is successfully using liocaine or lidoderm 5% patches. However, they are not covered by her Medicare Part D drug plan. I have no problem getting prescriptions but cannot find a decent price in the US to buy them without insurance at a pharmacy.

Are any of you buying in Cananda and can you recommend a reputable pharmacy that you have experience with. A price for lidoderm patches woul also be appreciated if you have one.

Thanks - Swimref

I use the patches
 

Thy seem to work. But very very expensive. 4 boxes are around $800.00 dollars. Of course if u have a good insurance it is cheaper. Now I can only get generic it is not covered. I have about 10 envelopes left. Only use if I can't stand the pain.

lidodern patches
 

you can use up to three whole patches ask your dr for a 90 of theme three boxs for same deductible.

Gosh, I didn't have ANY luck with these at all. I'd place them where I was supposed to, and no relief. :( I'd even use more than one, and still no relief. I have severe back pain, as well as severe sciatica -- I've had that for 26 years!!! I finally just quit using them cause they just didn't work. :(
I was on some oral meds along with the patches and I still didn't get the relief.

Now I'm just on oral meds, but the doc found a combo that works great for me. I'm on Opana ER plus Lyrica, Topamax and Cymbalta and I have almost NO pain -- and after 26 years, this is like winning the lottery! :D

Best of luck all. I wish you all NO PAIN! God bless. Hugs, Lee :)

Lidoderm patches
 

for me, they only work for certain types of pain- others my tens unit which my insurance company allowed me to buy rather than rent helpps

You are just the person I need to speak with. Can you please get a hold of me. **
Thanks

Lidocaine is a topical anesthetic, non narcotic, even though it has "caine" in the name, it's nothing that will cause any sort of side effects associated with cocaine or other controlled substances.

Lidocaine is a sodium channel blocking agent.

It stops nerve impulses and this how it works to numb pain.

I have had huge success with these patches over the years.

What does happen however, is that some insurances will not pay for them, unless you have a prior diagnosis of shingles.

But then if you are denied, your doctor can appeal that with medical need by fax to your carrier. It might work in your favor.

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/16178759

One needs to be patient with these patches as they don't work instantly...it may be a day 2 or 3 days to show benefit.
Also you have to place them carefully. I find looking at an anatomy book with nerve pathways, helps. Putting them on the endpoints of pain, works less, than on the pathway of the nerve axon.

I place 1/2 patch on the tops of my feet therefore for burning foot pain. 1/2 patch behind the knee sometimes, and when I had the terrible MP neuropathy I used 1/2 patch in 2 areas at the top of the thigh... in 2 weeks the nerve stopped firing, and I was in a remission! (lateral femoral nerve).

I think doctors who deny this potential treatment do so because they don't understand it or how to effect success with it.

Hello MrsD
 

I go see my pain specialist on Wed. I want to try the lidocain patch. Do you know for sure if medicare/medicaid will cover them.? I have had a very hard time with my part D coverage for most of my medications. thank you, ginnie

Medicare Part D has been paying for mine for eight years. Best wishes. Correction. Medicaid paid for them before we got Part D.

I wasn't thrilled with how they worked, but was willing to give them another try. They told me that they're not covered by the insurance I have now, though. Why on earth are they so expensive?!?

Many insurances will not cover the patches unless you have a prior or current diagnosis of shingles. This is because of FDA approval status. Insurances often only allow drugs for FDA approved causes.

Sometimes you can appeal this, and win. Your doctor will have to help with it with some medical history.

This is an example of how to get prior authorization for Lidoderms from Express Scripts Insurance:

https://docs.google.com/viewer?a=v&q...ODHOUBawb-gwcA

Each company will have its own policy in this regard.

There is a generic in the works from Watson, but it is tied up in courts in US. I believe it is available in other countries now.

I use them but I don't know why! I can't tell a difference if I use them or not, and they come off whether I tape them on or not.

Yes, they may come off or move around. It is best to remove oils from your skin before applying. Dry the area carefully with a low setting on your hair dryer too.

Sometimes you can activate the glue with a puff of steam (like from a tea kettle). The adhesive is water reactive. It swells up when exposed to water. Take one that is to be discarded and expose it to moisture like in a shower--indirect moisture. It will jelly up in a very alien strange way! ;) Keep away from animals (and children), as they may be attracted to the adhesive, and try to eat the old patches. I fold and stick them to themselves, and put in their old envelope and fold that down before tossing in the trash.
Too much and it slides around. The sliding often comes from skin that sweats too much. If they do not feel COLD when you apply them, they may be drying out.

About patches and insurance
 

What I find troubling is that medicare part D will pay for a narcotic, but not the lidocain patches. I am a patient wanting to be off my medications fully, but I have no options. Seems wrong to me. ginnie