 Patient Advocate (old timer, 2000 posts)
Joined: Nov 2002 Posts: 3,552 | Yes the 24 hours was for the full effect to kick in. After that Joanna covered it nicely. If, after 72 hours, the pain isn't being managed to the level of about "3" or less then ask his doctor to increase the dose to 75 mcg. They will only increase it 25 mcg at a time and can go as high as 300 mcg.
Caution: DO NOT increase the dose rate or add additional patches without your doctors permission.
There is a formula for how strong the Fentanyl should be in relation to the amount of breakthrough medications taken.
Is he doing a morphine based "swish & spit" as well? i.e., "Pink Magic"
Another factoid on Fentanyl - it's 80 times more potent then morphine.
Gary Allsebrook
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Dx 11/22/02, SCC, 6 x 3 cm Polypoid tumor, rt tonsil, Stage III/IVA, T3N0M0 G1/2
Tx 1/28/03 - 3/19/03, Cisplatin ct x2, IMRT, bilateral, with boost, x35(69.96Gy)
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"You are a mist that appears for a little while and then vanishes" (James 4:14 NIV)
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