IS THERE anyone using pain patches for chronic pain and do you have side effects,such as blurred vision or runnie nose,or dry mouth. CAN YOU PASS a drug test while using these patches, and are they addictive. Any advice

My husband used fetynol and he didn't have any side affects. They really didn't help him that much but I think it was because he was aleady addicted to other stuff. I think you have to take for a few weeks before you get used to the patch. Just read about it on the internet. All you have to do is put "fetynol" in search engine and you can get all the information you need.

I do know that it's a narcotic and yes, the drug is addictive. The pharmacy is strick on how they distribute (only a few patches at a time......

you can call the VA pharmacy and ask to speak to a pharmacist regarding your questions. That will give you the most accurate info. you can pass any drug test as long as you disclose the use of narcotics. However, they may disqualify you from working due to this info. Any narcotic pain medication can establish addiction if taken over extended periods. However, one has to consider the alternative which might be worse. Chronic severe pain can have a negative impact on many aspects of your life and health!!! I take morphine 3 times daily with no side effects, but when I recently had a C&P exam I stopped taking the morphine the day before. What a huge difference the meds make. Hope this helps, call the pharmacy, speak to pharmacist.

Good luck,
Bergie

I've heard good and bad things from Fentenyl users, mostly bad but maybe it might work for you. Hope so. Good luck...

Bergie, may I ask why you stopped taking the morphine the day before your c-p exam.

t&b

These Fentenyl patches do have a bad side effect.....overdose and death. They are time release and if the patch is defective somehow and you get the full dose you could be in trouble. It is a very powerful narcotic much stronger than the morphine they give you. I take dope for pain as well. I have no happy news except use as little as possible. It is not a matter of narcotics being good or bad. It is what they do to you besides killing pain. If you are in severe chronic pain then they are a God Send.

I do have chronic back pain, and I have been on patches since 2003 and my vision has change,and now I have to wear glasses because of blurr vision. I CANT survive without the
patches. Is there any help from VA AS FOR AS DEPENDENCY OF narcotic or compensation for this. IT help for the pain but losing my eye sight is another thing i need my eyes.

Thanks Bergie
They do work for me and i been on for 6 years but my eye sight has gotten worsen since using

If you complain to VA about the patches they will probably take you off them and give you some other kind of dope. It is for sure that the patches are affecting your eyes? I have never heard of narcotics making people go blind.

Joe,
I have never heard of fentanyl causing permanent damage to someones vision. Blurred vision dizzyness, and light headedness are common side effects but as your body adjusts to the medication these symptoms should resolve. I have worked in emergency medicine for almost 20 years and use fentanyl regularly. It is about 100 time stronger than morphine, it has a faster onset than morphine but it does not last as long as morphine. This is one reason why it is used in the ER, for its rapid onset. In the patch form it is a sustained release, designed to provide continuous pain relief. The patch comes in different strengths, it is measured in micrograms where as morphine is measured in milligrams. As far as dependence, yes it can cause dependence, over time physical dependence will result in the need for increased dosages to produce the same level of pain relief. However, you have to decide for yourself live with the pain or use narcotics to provide improved quality of life. Keep in mind the dependence issue is a minor one, when a person with a long history of narcotic use (morphine, fentanyl, etc) is taken off the meds the doctor will prescribe a de-ecallating prescription to gradually wheen a patient off the meds, so as to prevent or lessen the withdrawl symptoms.

Sorry this is so long but I hope it helps,
Bergie

Bergie it does help,I am currently on 75 mg and the highest is 100 mg so my Dr says,but if I had a choice my eye sight or pain I would perfer the pain
i luv to see things but I am scare of these patches or the information i read about. If the Dr take me off the patches than I WILL have to take pills which will cause dependence of narcotic so what I"m saying which is the safest for me to take pills or patches Bergie THANKS

Yes 100mcg is the highest dose patch above that you are given multiple patches or stronger meds. As far as safety I can not think of anything to make one safer than the other as long as you have no problem taking pills. By dependence I assume you mean addiction, you will develope the same dependence/addiction from pills or the patch. "DO NOT WORRY" about dependence/addiction, you WILL develope dependence/addiction. However, your dependence/addiction is different than a drug addict, in that you will develope physical not psychologic dependence/addiction. With physical dependence/addiction you will develope tolerence that will require higher doses of pain meds over time to produce the desired effect/relief. With psychological dependence/addiction the addict developes a mental craving for the drug to "get high". Research has shown that people suffering from chronic pain are less likely to develope psychological dependence/addiction. It is understood among doctors/providers that long term treatment with narcotic pain meds CAN over time produce physical dependence/addiction. That is probably why you are on fentanyl patches instead of tylenol with codiene, it does'nt work anymore. I think you should talk to your doctor about your concerns (vision, dependence), have them refer you to optometry or opthalmology for your eyes if need be.

Good luck,
Bergie

Thanks Bergie for all the info I AM ON THE PATCHES because i got to have
pain medicine around the clock and tylenol with codiene will not even slow the pain for a minute on a scale of 1-10 my best day is a 7 in pain and that is a good day to me on the patches. I been to optometry and my eye sight has change and now wearing glasses 20-40 have Dr appointment tomorrow to see what is my options are pills or patches AGAIN THANKS A LOT FOR INFO

Been on fentanyl patches since 2002...Only I buy them myself and own civilian physician prescribes them. Hydro's used too for excessive spinal pain. I have to purchase these too, as VA does not/will not prescribe either for me. They only prescribe ibuprofin not even tyl#3. Have tried to d/c a couple of times over the years, but the s/e of w/d are terrible and the pain is not tolerable...so the saga continues.

I had to get off of the patches around 5 months ago due to the generic patches the VA was suppling Me "dumped" the full dose within a day and a half instead of the 3 days it was supposed to last. This made Me high the first 1.5 days, then in unbearable pain the last 1.5 days...I went on like this for 7-8 months, but after losing 40 lbs. and all interest in life...I was made to go back and get on my old meds by my wife.
I also know a lady that lost Her husband from the patch being defective, or He slapped an extra patch or two on...died sleeping at 39 yrs. old.

Pete is correct, as little as possible to get the job done.

Boondoc

It took 5 patches before I could feel anything from the patches.
The VA mailed Me a month supply (2 boxes of 5 patches each for a total of 10) at a time.
I love the Sun and hot tubs, couldn't get in the tub and had to have the patch covered in direct Sunlight...I had trouble keeping them on my skin too.
I wish they would have worked..so convient.

Boondoc

I am very dissatisfied with VA pain management and private pain management in Florida. The VA hands out morphine and methadone and the private doctors are either drug dealers or afraid to prescribe darvoset because of DEA. I do remember that the morphine and methadone I took from VA gave me the worst constipation I ever had, and the liquid the VA gave me blew me up like a ballon with gas. I cannot believe that this is the state of the art for pain relief. I am SC for chronic pain, but if I go near the pain management boys they will body slam me. Because my objecting findings don't match up with subjective complaints I don't get the relief I need. The VA helped get me addicted to pain meds and now they let me hand out on a limb.