Butrans and Constipation: What Users Say

• Dav...
• Taken for 6 months to 1 year
• January 2, 2020

For Chronic Pain "I've now been on a 15 mcg Butrans patch for 6 months with some good relief for permanent nerve damage in both legs. However, I've noticed that the patch basically becomes non-effective on day 5, and I start having withdrawals. I'm 22 years old and drive daily with the patch. I only notice tiredness after 11 pm, so it suits my working life fine. I'm going to my doctor to talk about getting put on a 20 mcg patch and a 5-day change. Constipation, nausea, and loss of appetite have been side effects for me, but it hands down beats any oral tablet. I'd rather be on a patch as opposed to taking tablets due to liver damage over long-term usage. For nerve damage, amitriptyline was the best relief I've ever had with brilliant sleep and pain relief. However, I experienced fibrillation and irregular heartbeats, so I had to come off them. Stay safe and always consult with your doctor or medical person in charge."

• Anonymous
• December 28, 2011

For Pain "The best medicine I have taken so far for the control of sacroiliac joint pain. I have been on OxyContin, Percocet and this patch works better. The side effects are tolerable. My only complaints are severe bloating and constipation. You really have to stay on top of taking a laxative or you will be in bad shape. But you cannot beat the pain control. The patch enables me to work full-time at a professional job and remain comfortable."

• heb...
• November 10, 2011

For Pain "I have been on Butrans patch for about 6 months. Started on 5mg, then 10mg after a few months, and then 20mg. I had several side effects although it did relieve my pain. Just the past two days, I had to go off of the patch because my side effects were very worse being on the 20mg. The side effects I have experienced since I started Butrans 6 months ago are: In the beginning, very itchy all over, not just at the patch placement site... that did go away after about 3 weeks. Severe horrible constipation... I mean horrible... severe appetite loss. Although I needed to lose the 27 pounds that I have lost since taking Butrans, I am a worrywart, so I worry it could be something more severe, but I think it's the patch. Severe nausea too."

• not...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• October 23, 2015

For Pain "I've been using this patch for 2 and a half months. It helps my pain a little, but I feel that this stuff is a joke. I started at the 5 mcg dose and am now on the 15 mcg dose. My pain management doctor refuses to try something else. I stay nauseated and constipated. I get rash and blistering at the patch sites as well. It's all the bad side effects of pain medicine without the benefit of helping pain. The only good part is that it weakens considerably after 2-3 days, so I get to eat some. It's worthless as a pain reliever for me."

• Lil...
• July 30, 2015

For Chronic Pain "After 20 years of tension migraines, 10 years of fibromyalgia, and an SI sprain to the left hip, I thought I'd never know normal again. I can fake being well enough to make others comfortable, but I rarely am. Butrans was prescribed 3 months ago, and my constant, inconsistent days of pain, from 3-9, varying on weather, mood, stress, exercise, etc., is finally becoming more stable! The lows are gone. The higher peaks are 6-7 now and more rare. I'm on 15 mcg/hr every 7 days. Slight itching at the patch site, but with proper skin prep and rotation, I've had no other issues. This med, and low-dose Percocet, have given me my life back! Constipation has been my only side effect, but it is nothing compared to what I've lived with for so long."

• Jus...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• May 14, 2016

For Pain "Been on this for 4 months now, and it has brought relief that I hadn't had in years. I have too many issues to name. My dose was upped this month to 7.5. I found that after about 5 days, the patch is wearing off. Last month, the doctor changed the rx to every 5 days instead of 7, but this presented a bit of a problem with insurance filling it. Since there's only 4 in a box, I had to go back on day 20 to fill again (with additional copy). Still, every 5 days was better, but I did still have breakthrough pain. The problem for me was that the doctor changed me from 4 times a day tramadol to 3 times a day, so I still had issues. This is my 2nd week on a higher dose and back to 4 times a day tram. The patch is good, but I have a rash/itch at the application site and constipation that I didn't have with Norco."

• Moi...
• April 3, 2016

For Chronic Pain "Woke up early in the a.m. 36 hours after applying a 5 mcg patch on a Sunday for the first time; knew it had kicked in. Thereafter, pain relief so-so. By Thursday, definitely not impressed. Pain doc's office said it was OK to take hydrocodone 'as I had been' prior, and the patch at the same time. Don't think I want to spend the rest of my days out of a hot tub, doubtful that I will renew this Rx after one month. Some constipation."

• Ale...
• Taken for 6 months to 1 year
• October 3, 2015

For Chronic Pain "I had a series of heart surgeries two years ago due to constrictive viral and then bacterial pericarditis. I have fibrous muscles in my chest from the pressure of up to two liters of extra fluid inside my pericardium multiple times and then not healing properly after the surgeries. I have been in a lot of pain for the last two years. When I first took the patch, I was shocked at how well it alleviated my pain. I was only on 5 mcg/h, the smallest patch, and it worked wonders for me, at least for a while. After six months, we have decided to stop the patch due to what seems to be opioid-induced pain increases due to the mental effects of the drug, as well as some serious and stubborn constipation due to the opioid."

• Jan...
• Taken for 2 to 5 years
• February 10, 2025

For Chronic Pain "I have been on nearly every opiate, and the Butrans patch finally helped the pain and gave me my life back. It has brought my fibromyalgia, cervical herniated disc pain, and TMJ down to around a 3 or 4 out of 10. I used to spend my days only concentrating on the pain, now I'm able to live. I am constipated, although the doctor says the Butrans patch probably isn't the cause."