Duragesic and Pain: What Users Say

• TJa...
• Taken for 2 to 5 years
• January 10, 2021

For Chronic Pain "I have dealt with chronic back pain for 15 years. After being on several different long-acting opioids. My new pain management doctor (well, he was new to me in 2017!) put me on Duragesic patches. Can’t say enough positive things about the quality of life I have now. Yes, I still have bouts of breakthrough pain, but no longer take it as often. Also nice not to have to worry about “Do I have my meds?” when leaving the house for work as one patch changes every 72 hours. Boom. Done. I do have auto shipment of Tegaderm (on a roll) delivered every couple of months, as no matter what brand the pharmacy prescribes - NONE of them are without coming loose at some point!"

• Anonymous
• July 27, 2009

For Pain "Duragesic was a great blessing for me. I'd been on Percodan x 4/day for about 2.5 years when I developed an ulcer from the pills. The doctor started with 50 mcg/hr, but that didn't do it, the 100 mcg/hr is working good still for me. I suffer chronic low back pain, worsened after failed surgery. I've been on these for about 3 years now and am starting to have more breakthrough pain and still get Percodan for these times. I suspect tolerance is developing, but without the patches, my quality of life was almost zero, barring the fact you are alive. These have given me back much of the things I enjoyed doing before, but it requires moderation on my part more now. The only downside I see is the cost and addiction factors. Well worth it to me though."

• Nay...
• February 18, 2009

For Pain "I have had great success, and this drug would have been 10/10 for me, but recently, on the third day, I get breakthrough pain, and this is affecting my life. Without this drug, I'm unable to do so much."

• LAV...
• December 30, 2008

For Pain "I have been on Duragesic since Aug 2001 and went from being bedridden 5 of 7 days. Now I'm not bedridden anymore. Still suffer from IBS and have pain on a scale of 4-6 out of 10, but it's pain that I have lived to tolerate. It's the only medicine that has worked for me long-term."

• Anonymous
• July 15, 2009

For Pain "I used this for several years with good results. Only problem was I metabolized the medicine too quickly, and the third day was more painful. My decidedly low-tech solution was to remove only 2/3 of the backing plastic the first couple of days, then remove the last bit for the third day. I take extended-release morphine now, and it works just as well. It's a toss-up between wearing the giant patch and dosage issues versus remembering to take a pill every 8 hours."

• kla...
• Taken for 1 to 2 years
• January 11, 2014

For Chronic Pain "Helped okay, but had a lot of breakthrough pain."