[Milhouse688]

Hi, I'm new to this site, this is the first time I've been to this site. I want to know peoples opinions of the new generic "Mylan" fentanyl patch and on the amount of medication I'm on.
The patch I'm used to getting is the 75mcg Sandoz patch, and its prescribed use for me is to put a new patch on every 2 days. I use this patch because of a growth in my spinal cord by my neck plus multiple bulging discs is my lower back. This causes horrible sharp pain starting from the back of my skull down to the middle of my back, and it goes across and down both shoulders all the way to my elbows and somehow its caused my right elbow to go numb. The discs are causing a dull-ish constant pain that feels like a 300 pound man is standing on my lower back. I am also given 120 percocets (of the lowest dose), in case the patch does not cover all the pain, which it doesn't do all the times. I want people to know that the patch is amazing. Before the I discovered the patch there were times that I was in so much pain that it would bring me to tears. It also caused me to have to miss lots of days at work, and then lose a couple jobs because of the pain and restrictions and obviously altering my life very negatively. I was 21 when diagnosed and now I am 23. The fact that I was so young and could not even go out with my friends and do something as simple as bowling was horrible. My pain limited me to mainly sitting on the sidelines (figuretivly and literally at points).
This patch has changed my life. I can do so many things that I used to do before all the pain started. I'm also 10 times happier since finding the Fentanyl patch, I started using it about 6 months after I found out the diagnosis, before that I went through a half dozen meds, without any constant help.
I just need to know what this new generic patch will do. I know what it looks like, but will it act differently? less potent? More potent? Does it stick better or worse? Give me any information you have, please, it will help me greatly. Also I want to know if other people are prescribed these meds the way I. Does anyone have the patch prescribed for 2 days at a time only? Does anyone recieve percocets or any other pain reducing pills along with the patch?

Please, any information I can get would help me greatly.

Thank you.

[leana]

quote:Originally posted by Milhouse688

Hi, I'm new to this site, this is the first time I've been to this site. I want to know peoples opinions of the new generic "Mylan" fentanyl patch and on the amount of medication I'm on.
The patch I'm used to getting is the 75mcg Sandoz patch, and its prescribed use for me is to put a new patch on every 2 days. I use this patch because of a growth in my spinal cord by my neck plus multiple bulging discs is my lower back. This causes horrible sharp pain starting from the back of my skull down to the middle of my back, and it goes across and down both shoulders all the way to my elbows and somehow its caused my right elbow to go numb. The discs are causing a dull-ish constant pain that feels like a 300 pound man is standing on my lower back. I am also given 120 percocets (of the lowest dose), in case the patch does not cover all the pain, which it doesn't do all the times. I want people to know that the patch is amazing. Before the I discovered the patch there were times that I was in so much pain that it would bring me to tears. It also caused me to have to miss lots of days at work, and then lose a couple jobs because of the pain and restrictions and obviously altering my life very negatively. I was 21 when diagnosed and now I am 23. The fact that I was so young and could not even go out with my friends and do something as simple as bowling was horrible. My pain limited me to mainly sitting on the sidelines (figuretivly and literally at points).
This patch has changed my life. I can do so many things that I used to do before all the pain started. I'm also 10 times happier since finding the Fentanyl patch, I started using it about 6 months after I found out the diagnosis, before that I went through a half dozen meds, without any constant help.
I just need to know what this new generic patch will do. I know what it looks like, but will it act differently? less potent? More potent? Does it stick better or worse? Give me any information you have, please, it will help me greatly. Also I want to know if other people are prescribed these meds the way I. Does anyone have the patch prescribed for 2 days at a time only? Does anyone recieve percocets or any other pain reducing pills along with the patch?

Please, any information I can get would help me greatly.

Thank you.

hi,thats great that the patches work good for you. i didnt have much luck with them. they made me so tirerd, dizzy, and just drugged up.im taking percocets for pain, might not work as good, but can function better.as far as the mylan patches go, they really do stick alot better than the gel type [sandoz].my dad wears a patch every 2 days and takes percocet for breakthru pain. basicly whatever works to manage your pain.

[left_coaster]

My wife uses the patches and the Mylan brand simply does not work for her. She just went through two days of excruciating pain because of them, but is fine now with Sandoz gel patches at the same strength (75). For breakthrough pain beyond this, she uses Vicodin.

I've also heard on another forum that the Mylan patches, while physically more convenient, simply do not work for some other people.

[Timber]

My story
I have a very severe case of fibromyalgia and myofacial pain syndrom. After years of NSAIDs and other medications, at one point as many as 15 medications and drugged into a zombie state, I found my way to a great pain management doctor who understood that sometimes a single, heavier bat just might be better if you're swinging blindly with 15 smaller ones. This was before lyrica. For the first time in years, I had pain relief, and was down to only 3 medications. I could actually THINK! Hold conversations. GET OUT OF BED!!!!

I started on 50mcg, changed every 72 hours. But because I have little body fat, and have a tendancy to run fevers, we had to adjust that to first every 60 hours, then to every 48 hours. I now have the freedom to change it between 60-48, as it depends on if I'm running a lot of fevers and how many showers I take, etc. I'm not sure what body fat has to do with it, but my pharamsist made mention of a study that indicated those with little body fat tended to require changes sooner with the fentanyl patch. 4 years later, we did have to raise it to 75mcg. But I take no breakthrough medications, other then lyrica, which isn't really for breakthrough, but for the type of pain that fentanyl was never designed to treat. Compared to short acting opiods where the pain would return too soon before the next scheduled dose, with fentanyl, I've never felt the need or urge to take more medication then prescribed. In fact, during my good weeks, I can often push the scheduled change time for up to 8 hours later, depending.

Fentanyl Brand Comparison's: My Experience
I have tried several brands of fentanyl transdermal, including Duragesic, Sandoz, Watson Labs, and Mylan. What I've found is that despite claims to the contrary, in this case there are differences between them, in the types of plastic, adhesive, carrier for the medication and cell-whatever backing. What's important to understand is that those differences are highly specialized and subjective to the patient.

Personally, I prefer MYLAN brand over all the others, including brand name -- while several of the pharmacist's I've used over the years tell me very few of their patients care for it.

Personally, I prefer the MYLAN brand because the 75mcg patch is HALF THE SIZE as the other brand's patches. It is also made of a softer plastic - this means it tends to bend with my movement better (so it doesn't get ripped off the first time I bend over) and most importantly, it does not cut into my skin.

Because of muscle movement or my long hair getting caught, I'm very limited to where I can place the patches anyway. When I've been forced to switch back to one of the other generic brands, my skin ends up callused, sore, and cut up from the edges. My stomach becomes inflamed and red from the edges cutting into the skin. Not to mention I am also more prone to yeast infections on the skin because of the constant damp status of the skin under the patches. With the Mylan brand, I have 4 places on my stomach that can take turns, and only 2 with the other brands.

I found the Mylan brand adhesive sticks better on my skin then the others, rarely needing tape. But I also have several friends who found this not to be true, which makes me suspect it is subjective to your individual chemical make up, skin type, and what you secreate in your sweat.

And I rarely have to get out the adhesive remover (read: goop off); soap and water works just fine.

And finally, as far as pain, I personally found mylan to release the medication more evenly. Perhaps because unlike all the other brands, it is not filled with that clear gel as a carrier for the fentanyl? Not sure. It doesn't seem as affective by a hot shower or fever as the others. And just seemed to cover the pain in a more consistant fashion. But again, I've heard others say the opposite.

As for a difference between the other generics compared to brand, I did notice that some stick better then others, and some didn't seem to transfer the medication as well. I'm also not thrilled with Watson Lab's little tab on their patch, as it's just another thing to cut and irritate the skin, and to get caught on something and pull the patch off.

I did not notice any of the other more common side effects, like chronic constipation, dry mouth, etc, any worse or better with any of the brands.

I actually have to get my pharmasist to order my Mylan patches, because he only has 3 of us who prefer them while all his other customers like the others.

So I guess in the end, my advice to anyone who is on fentanyl patches: you may need to try several of the generics before you find the one that works best for YOU. Ignore the pharmacists or doctors who insist they are all the same. How can that be true of the carrier system (no gel) for the Mylan brand, for example, is completely different then the other generics? And it's plastic is different? And I'm certain the adhesives are different for all the brands. It makes a difference. It's just what difference will it make for YOU, personally.

[obbn]

Millhouse,
Of course this reply is a few years late, but it might be helpful for someone else who might come across this. I have been on the Fentanyl patch for about a year now and it has been life changing. I injured my back and required 3 fusion surgeries. Unfortunetly the injury destroyed my life. It cost me a career and a marriage (I guess getting hurt wasn't in my ex-wifes plans). I am in constant pain and walk with a cane now. Prior to the patch I was swallowing vicodin like it was candy. With the patch I am pretty much pain free. On occasion I will have some break thru pain and for that I take a 800mg Ibprophin.
Anyways, I have been on two brands of this patch, Watson and Mylan. I can tell you with out a doubt that the Mylan patch is superior in everyway to the Watson brand. I have noticed no difference in pain relief as both work great. The biggest difference is size and adhesion. The Watson brand patch (these are for both the 50 and 75mg patches) is HUGE, about 3"x1". The size makes it very uncomfortable and it doesn't seem to stay attached very well, usually starting to come off well before the 72 hour life. The Mylan brand on the other hand is an example of how to do things right. The patch is about 3/4" square and I have never had any problem with it trying to come of prior to the 72 hour time frame.
I also had considerable itching with the Watson brand. Occasionally when I refill the prescription the only patch they have in stock is the Watson. The pharmacist can tell by my expression how un-happy I am at having to use the Watson. I have spoken to her and she has promised to keep in stock the Mylan for me. She said that she has heard this from most of her Fentanyl patients.
So the bottom line, if you are new to the patch, ask you doctor to specify Mylan on the perscription. You will thank me!

[mchersh]

Hi all. I've been using the 50 mcg mylan patch for about a month now, and it seems to work really well. They just make me a little tired at about 24 hrs. I still go through 45 of the strongest hydrocodone a week. 10/325. I go through 2 patches a week. I have a lot of problems with my neck. Anyway, my pain specialist specified the Mylan type because there have been a lot of deaths as the result of the gel-containing brands. They really work very well for me. Good luck everybody!

[Tizzovalo]

In response to the questions, I have to agree that if you can, see if you can try the efferent brands and see what works for you. I started on 25, then went to 50, but still had to use breakthru meds(oxycodone). When I switched to the 75 patch I no longer needed to use medicine for breakthru pain. It wasn't till age 30 I found a pain M.D. that has been a god send, prior, dealing with my chronic pain(I split my knee cap in half in 2001) and wish j found the pactch back then. Before it was a horrible rollercoaster of OC 20 to 30 to 40 to 60 to 80 twice a day, and then even that didn't help, it got to the point where I wanted to give up. I just tried the Mylan patch for the first time, this s my 3rd patch today, I went from hating to liking them. I got horrible pains similiar to WD's the first day I tried the mylan, now I prefer them, as my body s adjusing, I am now able to go 72 hours between patches, my gf likes that they don't feel like their there, so I do think it's body chemistry. Best of luck!