Fentanyl / Duragesic 25

[bbz12]

Hi, I was taking 30 mgs of oxycontin per day.  I stared the fentanyl patch 5 days ago.  After a couple of hours, I felt it had some effect, mostly a mental type of euphoric feeling.  But then after, I´m really not sure if it´s working.  I´m on the second day of my second patch.   Wanted to know if this is normal? Could it take up to 5-6 days to feel a full effect from them.  Thanks

[abstraluser]

Hi I hope before you started taking this it was explained this is 50 x stronger than morphine and is highly addictive and when people want to come off it they find it very difficult as they get little support from Doctors and suffer lots of withdrawal symptoms. Better to look at other ways to control pain . The patch is notorious for not lasting 3 days and people going into withdrawal on a regular basis. They feel good the day the new patch goes on and bad by the 3rd day.
I am not trying to scare monger. Read what other say about fentanyl withdrawals. This drug should only be used at end of life care. It will make you a Fentanyl addict in a short time.
This is being written by some one who was on the Fentanyl patch and the fentanyl lollipops/ sublingual tabs for advanced cancer. If you want to life in a Fent Fog. There are also new restrictions on driving whilst on this drug in the UK. I don't know about other countries.
If your not sure it's working then its not working. You either have pain or you don't.
Find out all you can about this drug and then decide if you want it in your life . Read the blogs and experiences of others on this drug then trying to get off it.
Drs regularly take people of this drug with little notice especially in USA , Canada and UK when the regulations change about who can/cannot get this drug. There appears to be is a move to attempt make this patch only available to cancer patients for short term use, rather than for long term chronic pain. The reason for this is it is highly addictive.
Intravenous Fentanyl is used routinely, as a one off in anaesthesia during operations, to control intraoperative pain and is highly effective. One off use under controlled means does not produce addiction.
Good luck with your pain management, but make sure you are well informed about this drug if you choose to take it,as one day you may well not want it in your life.  

[remar]

Hi, welcome to the Pain Management forum.
It might be a good idea to give your Dr a call to tell him/her what's going on. You might need a dose adjustment if you're not sure your pain is being helped.
The patch and pills work differently. From what I've read, it can take a little longer for Fentanyl to start working. Unlike pills you won't feel the ups and downs because with the patch you're getting a steady stream of medication in to your system.

[fntn]

my fent patches took up to 12  hrs to get going and rarely lasted past 2 days. so  would get an effective 1.5 days out of a 3 day patch. The remaining time was spent in a constantly recurring withdrawal phase ... worse possible situation. My doctors will never give me a patch again.