Good afternoon to everyone.
Does anyone have any experience with these? The post-acute rehab center would like to put my mom on one. The docter there feels it is easier and works well at home. Her primary docter does agrees that it is easier but that there are addiction concerns with the patch. The other option is staying with the Lortab put through the peg tube. Her pain and healing will take time and I don't want her to become hooked on all the pain meds that she gets. I know her....if it will make life level she will get hooked.

Hope every one had a lovely Easter!

Annabel

Annabel,
My husband has been on the Duragesic Patch I since about the middle of his chemo/rad treatments. He started w/ 25 and ended up with 100 for the last weeks of treatments and a few weeks after. He is 5 weeks post treatment and is down to 50 for the last three weeks. He doesn't seem to mind going down and trying to get off of them. He had major trouble in the beginning with bowel trouble, which they attribute mostly to the patch and other narcs he was on. So he has also taken meds for bowels thru the PEG which has been fine since we got it under control a week or two after it all started.
Hope this helps!
God Bless you and your family!
Debbie

Annabel,

During times of intense pain like that associated with cancer or radiation after effects, don't sweat the addiction part. The important thing is that there is no reason to live with pain and chronic pain can actually hinder recovery/healing. Studies have shown that even long-term narcotics use for pain has minimal addictive risks. I am an addict from the 70's and was addicted to heroin at 14. I have not used since sometime early in the 80's and I started out with the 50's and ended up with 150 (100 and a 50) with liquid morphine in-between for the breakthrough pain. I used the patch up to January and tapered down to a 25 using a smaller amount each week. The usual decreasing residual dose gets you off of the patch with minimal effects. I ended up going cold turkey towards the end and it was 2 days of discomfort with minor leg cramps and a "tense" stomach. I did take Senna or Senna plus twice a day for constipation and it worked wonders.

Sign me as "Mr Anonymous" since I fessed up so much in this post.

Annabel, I used the patch in increasing multiples for pain from radiation burns, and they worked like a charm. I did not have to use anything else with them. I decreased them rapidly and one day just didn't use any more. No withdrawal at all, no side effects during the 3 or 4 weeks that I used them. I believe I was up to 4 patches at one point. I certainly would recommend that your mom give them a try.

Annabel,

6 weeks post radiation and my mom lived on those pain patches. She was up to wearing 4 at time the slowly weaned herself off of them and about a week and a half ago took the last patch off. She has some pain but no problems at all with the addiction part. They were a lifesaver for her and without them she wouldn't have been able to eat at all during treatment.

My mom has a dentist that her ENT referred her to that specializes in Oral Cancer patients. I'm surprised that nobody has given you a referral. My moms dentist is in Burbank. Let me know if you want his name.

Take care. I'm sure things will start looking up soon......

Danielle

Thank you all. When is comes to pain and drugs I am nieve and only want the best. She just started the patch yeterday and has Lortab for break through. the Patch is a 50 mikes so far so good. As far as the dentist stuff I can see where I was just left with no help in this. I have a plan of attack and more confidence to get what she needs. I am 27 and still wet behind the ears, but all the information I have recived from everyone I have proves I am not just being overly worried or pushy. Annabel

Just a little more info about the patch. If need be they typically increase it at 25 mg. at a time and it can go to as high as 300mg. They have a formula that they follow concerning the breakthrough meds vs. the patch. If you are using a lot of breakthrough meds they will increase the patch strength. The patch worked well for me for pain management but it created severe constipation problems so keep an eye out for that and stay in touch with your nutritionist.

From these posts, I asked my husband's dr about the patches and he prescribed them. They have been, along with the Lidocaine patches, the only things that have truly helped with his ear pain. Thank you all for the VALUABLE information! He is actually able to walk outside and enjoy his days now. So many times, it is folks like you, giving support and information, that makes all the difference. We certainly can't expect the doctors to know every little thing and helping them helps ourselves. As Gary states above, the patches do cause some constipation and we did consult our nutritionist about that and adjusted some things.

I used the patch for a few weeks after radiation treatments ended, along with hydrocodone and even some morphine for breakthrough pain -- imagine the drug tests I would have failed!

I would agree -- don't sweat the addiction stuff at this point and DO take measures to prevent getting your system all stopped up because of the meds... I could tell stories on that front but this is a family message board so I'll refrain...

Millie,

I am so glad to hear your husband is getting his pain managed better!

Ed

Millie,

This is great!!! The patches are what got me through surgery and radiation. When he's ready, wean off the patches on a step down approach. Life is too short to endure pain when there are such good meds out there to help out. Although the constipation can be wicked. Be proactive about that.

Better living through chemistry!
Lynn