just another thought about why I am worried I told my dr in june that I no longer wanted to be on the narcotics I just wanted releif (nice thought right) but he said the cymbalta, lyrica, nerve blocks, and oxy should help he has always been very happy to just write me a script for the oxycodone and that is what worries me because I feel like he does not really look at my pain but just kinda writes it off. Im also just very worrried about the fentanyl I hear that oxycodone is bad enough to quit on so fentanyl has to be worse right? uugh Im just so tired of the pain and the meds its like a partof my life has slipped away and im having a hard time with just everything. My hubby may leave me because of all this. just scared and worried and im really just wanting the pain to go away. my dr gave me the patches and the oxyodone for breakthrough im wondering if i should just stick with the oxy even though its not really helping me. any advice would be great im thinking of getting a new dr my family (not hubby) even told me to go to mayo clinic since it was close to me but i do not think it is covered by my insurance. I try to swim a lot and do yoga when I can. Im gaining a ton of weight from the meds any other ideas for what I can do? I have even tried meditation but im not patient enough lol I just need some new ideas about how to handle my neuropathy and just dealing with all the pain. its frustrating and depressing some days. also very scary im someone who is afraid of pain and medications I do not like taking them i actually hate it and blame them for all the weight i have gained. and the times when I cannot work from pain or my dr calls it mental cloudiness from the lyrica. frustrating that life is like this now and you dont know from day to day. I try to explain it to my family but no one understands and I constantly feel alone. My counselor has said that the many times I have come to her I just let it out about my neuropathy and the pain because I have no one else to talk to they get angry at me. My mother in law has actually screamed at me when i said I cannot babysit because I was in pain. sorry im venting and ranting now I just want some ideas im tired of feeling this way and being in pain. you would think that I ma have learned to just live with it by now but nothing seems to work

hi Megan. My understanding of fentanyl is that it is not for acute (right now) pain but for chronic pain. I've been off the fentanyl patches for 2 months now. The withdrawal wasn't pretty. I'm not sure if, by wearing it only a few days a week if you will actually go thru full blown w/d or not but you're asking a very good question. Good Luck. PS Maybe you could call your local pharmacist and ask...he might be a bigger help

Sorry I didn't make it all the way through your second post. I've used Duragesic/fentanyl patches in the past, sounds like your dose might be a bit high (dose usually depends on what your opiod tolerance is).
Anyway there are a ton of good links about the med, just google duragesic fentanyl, here's one to get you started:http://www.duragesic.com/duragesic/

I sent you a message :-D I hope it helps a bit...

With any med, there can be an adjusting period, just like you had with the oxy. I'm happy it's helping your pain and I hope my message helps a bit...

You are cared for very much here my friend!!! You are so strong to deal with the added BS of the people in your life on top of the wretched pain. I'm proud to have you as my friend!!!!!!!!!!!

Much love and positive energy,
Lisa

I was like when i started the patches.
One thing to remember about then is to avoid any pineapple juice.
Pineapple juice makes the patches brings out an extra dosage of the painkiller.

Sorry but I feel the need to add that I have never heard or been told by my Dr that pineapple juice (which I drink often) affects duragesic levels.
Certain things like a very hot shower or being outside when it's really hot did seem to cause a surge of the med for me anyway, to the point that I would stop using it in the summer until fall came around, my Dr would switch me to another opiate pain med for summer.

Now I have read that grapefruit juice affects levels of Ultram/tramadol causing a spike in their levels in the blood stream.

Also I found it helpful to put some clear medical tape (around $2.00 at Walmart) around the edges of my patch to keep it in place during my shower.
Good Luck!

I have Neuropathy and fibro and I started the patch about 2 weeks ago. I slept so much the first few days because the doseage was to high. Once they brought the doseage down it was better but I was still got tired so I was given Addrall which gives me energy.

This combo of meds seems to be the best that I have found for me yet and I have been going through this for years. I have energy now and can stay up until 8pm yehhhh.

I take Topamax, Fentenyl 50mg, Addrall 10mg, Ativan 2mg (only when stressed) and I feel so much better now. Clear headed and getting stronger everyday. I say give that patch some time or ask for a lower dose but the patch is NOT suppose to be used for short time use. Please talk to your doctor about that....hugs, V

Don't get started on the patch would be my advice. Don't do it.
Binet

A former doctor put me on Fentanyl and, though it relieved the pain, I felt like a zombie. I hated it. I tried it for a couple or three months and then I just stopped altogether and had my doctor put me on something else less potent.

If you get the relief you need with the oxycodone, I would just stick with that and the other meds you are taking. As always, go with your instinct on things. And, more importantly, talk to your doctor above listening to all of us home-schooled practitioners.

try the patch, but they dont mean for you to use once in awhile right? you would wear all the time? They do have a 12.5 mg if the one you have is too stong. Good luck, i have pelvic/low back pain also.
K

With any pain medication, you need to get ahead of the pain in order for it to work. If you wait until you are in full blown pain, nothing will control it. The patch is not a temporary med, it is supposed to be worn all the time. I started out on 25 mg, then went up to 50 and now I am at 75mg. This has been for almost a year. Grapefruit juice is known to be "bad" for a multiple of drugs - it causes more to be released than should be. Look on the phamplet that is in the box and it should say what to avoid. I hope you get some relief soon. Stress in the marriage causes an increase in the pain too.

I dont know about the fentanyl patch. I tried the flector patch. It was very expensive and didnt do anything for my back pain and I couldnt keep it stuck on while working anyway.
My advice would be to keep trying till you find a dr you are comfortable with. My doc is a pain specialist. Find one that lets you talk.

I was on the patch for over a year and I could not even think straight. I thought I was loosing my mind. Some days I was like a zombie and was always tired. I finally told my NP that I couldn't take it any more. She switched me over to Avinza and I feel like a new person plus it really helps the pain of 3 back surgeries and DDD. I highly reccomend you asking your Dr. about this.The withdrawal from the patches is horrible, but I didn't have any by switching over to the Avinza. With this new medicine and the wonderful love of Jesus and His power to heal, I am a new person. I hope you can find this too!

God Bless and Heal You,
shirley