Is your husband taking Zofran for nausea. My husband got terrible headaches from it. It is a side effect of this drug.
The fetenyl patches were very effective for my husband for the pain. He was up to 75 mg for a little but is down to 25 mg at 7 weeks post TX and will probably be on just the hydrocodone in a couple of weeks. No problems getting off it but he did have some strange but tolerable side effects. Weird dreams and talking out loud and his legs and hands would tremble in his sleep and he had sudden jerking motions, which is listed as a possible side effect. He also had some minor hallucinations when first going on it and when we increased it. But he is very thin, He was down to 128 lbs so he is more effected by the meds, Although I believe your husband is quite thin from previous posts so just be prepared for it just in case he acts a little funky. Bottom line, the good outweighed the bad. Anything to keep them from feeling the pain...Good Luck Amy...
Kerry

Thanks all, I have printed your responses for John. I do so appreciate your being here. Amy

I was only on the Duragesic patches for two weeks-during the worst ot the mucositis. Before the patches I had to apply lidocaine to the inside of my mouth, then swallow 4 tsp of Hydrocodone just to reduce the pain enough to sleep a couple of hours, or to drink some water or Ensure. The patch completely eliminated the need to use the lidocaine or hydrocodone. I don't know if it had any side effects, I was so out of it anyway during that time.

also want to say thanks to everyone for this string. had my last rad treament today (hoorah) and with help from here mapped out a pain mgmt plan with my radiation oncologist given won't be back at sloan for a while. 75 mg of patch (50's and 25's) and permission to add another 25 mg patch if needed. taking 10-15 mg oxycodone every 3 hours. even with all that sores still hurt and i'm using lydocaine when eating. n side effects since starting patch 4 days ago

Warren,
I was on the patches for quite a while...no more than 75 if I remember correctly. Like Gary, the only real problem I experienced was the constipation, and I did get a little drowsy while sitting around the hospital or home. I began weaning myself by going to weaker patches as my pain improved and got off completely a few months after treatment ended. I did get a little depressed when I finally got off of them, but it passed quickly.

Best of luck...it sounds like you have it together.

Danny G.

what did you do for the constipation? or should i say, did anything work

The usual stuff - fiber, Colace with stool softener, Prep H, STAY HYDRATED, if you have a PEG, lots of smoothies with fruit, etc. Talk to the nutritionist. But nothing worked really well until I was off the narcotics and then it was like night and day. Even so called weak narcotics will cause constipation.

The Hopkins oncology nurses recommended the herbal tea Smooth Move (heh heh) for constipation. It is available at most health food stores and also, think, GNC. It tastes pretty good and they say it works better than Senakot tablets. They also recommend using Colace with it ( a stool softener).

Gail

Constipation presupposes you're actually EATING something. How anybody can eat while going through radiation and muscositis along with the complete lack of taste and appetite accompanied by the nausea is beyond me.

Stool softeners and occasional mild of magnesia took care of any constipation I experienced, not only form the Duragesic patches but from the liquid Vicodin.

Benefiber is working well for John, who is peg only, and on the fentanyl patch and hydrocodone.