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!

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

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.

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!

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

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.