Is he using any swish-n-spits or swish-n-swallows for the mouth sores? Baking soda and salt mixed in warm water works well too...

I used pain pills, liquid pain med, the patch and morphine during different parts of my tx...

Hi Geri,

I started with a 25 dose patch and then moved to 50 and then to 75. Seemed like it was about 10 hours for the new patch to kick in. My first day of the patch was the best of the cycle days for me. I felt very good and relaxed me a good bit.

The patch takes about 24 hours to get regulated. Dont use that as the change it time. Use the exact time you put it on him, and always put it in a different spot.

If your husband put it on yesterday, then today he should feel some relief. Did you get the magic mouthwash yet? Thats another life saver around here.

Geri,

Now for the other side....every pain pill they gave me caused more adverse side effects, mostly nausea, than good so after trying AND BUYING every pain pill and combination in the world and ending up in the ER 3 times due to nausea related dehydration, constipation, etc., etc., I decided on my own that I was better off without them so I stopped them all together and my nausea got better and I survived the TX. That's why we constantly said that each of us can react differently to all this glorious Tx has to offer.

Geri

Wow, finally something bad that David had happen in TX that did NOT happen to me [outside of getting cisplatin ;)]
Just confirming that the patches worked wonders for me. They eliminated the nausea I had from trying to swallow all those oxycodone. made taking a shower bearable, and all in all were wonderful. Old Hippie trivia: One of Fentanyl's street name is "China girl" and it puts the David Bowie song "China Girl" lyrics into a new revealing light: "I could escape this feeling, with my China Girl
I feel a wreck without my, little China Girl...
I hope Richard keeps well and does great.

We need more advice. Yesterday, two doctors looked at Richard's mouth and said that the sores are canker sores and recommended a topical med for them that we started to use yesterday. As I posted before, on Wed afternoon he put the patch on thinking this was the beginning of the actual mouth sores. The RO said it was a little early for mouth sores, but to start to use the patch if the pain was acute.

The patch makes him feel off and he would like to stop it after the 72hrs. We know he'll need the pain med eventually, but there is no pain at this point except for the canker sores. He wouldn't of used the patch at all if we had known these were only canker sores. He has no sore throat and wants to wait until the pain from the treatment really kicks in before starting the heavy duty pain meds. We will ask the doctor today, but since he's only used one 25mcg patch would there be any withdrawal if he stops it. At this point, he would rather have a bit of discomfort then to feel loopy. Thanks, Geri

Here's what the trade-offs seem to be:

1. Morphine - Acts quickly, tapers off quickly.

2. Oxycodone -- Acts more slowly, lasts longer.

3. Patch -- Acts very slowly, lasts much longer.

Used together, they can bridge the shortfalls if one undermedicates.

I used the patches for years for a bad back. I quit taking them a couple of years ago. (long story) I have not had to use anything stonger than loritab for my throat pain. If hubby has only used 1 patch he can take it off with no problem at all. Even within the 72 hrs. Keep the unused patches some place other than the bathroom, worst place in the world to store meds.
Hope that helps
Amy

using a 25mcg fentanyl patch is not heavy meds!!!rob was on 300 mcg patches,plus morphine and voltarol and codeine.What it is though is a permanent level of medication to ease the discomfort.As the pain gets worse the patch size is increased and as a tolerance for the drug at a low dose will have been established,there shouldnt be any side effects from the higher dose.it is bound to make you feel a bit fuzzy at first,but like most things that are worthwhile ,a little perseverance is needed.the options mentioned are ok but you have to wait for them to work once the pain is bad.

Why do you use the term ONLY canker sores.in a irradiated mouth theses are very painful,and trust me its never too early for mouth sores.robs mouth was shredded by day 5.

liz

Geri

I gotta go with Cookey's advice here. "Loopy" is hardly the worst feeling to have during treatment (much better than soul searing agony). My only regret about the patch is that I did not demand it earlier. Of course as with any advice on this forum, you need to consider the source and full disclosure: I have and remain a very strong advocate of "Better Living thru Chemistry".