Fentanyl Transdermal System for Chronic Pain User Reviews (Page 3)

• Jen...
• Taken for 5 to 10 years
• February 27, 2023

"I have been on fentanyl 100 mcg patches for about 10 years. I started at a lower dose, but it has been increased several times. I do not know what I would do if I could not use these. I could not get out of bed most days and went from a constant 10+ pain level to 4 or 5. I also prefer Mallinckrodt, and my pharmacy is having problems getting them."

• Sba...
• Taken for 5 to 10 years
• August 27, 2016

"Only pain med that has worked consistently for a long period of time, but you must be careful. If being outside in the sun, it must be covered to prevent overdose because heat will increase output. Worked best for me with a low dose and using methadone for breakthrough, but most doctors won't prescribe methadone because of the stigma associated with its normal use, but had my pain level to around 3. Roxicodone can only get me to 6 at best."

• BBB...
• Taken for 6 months to 1 year
• August 5, 2016

"I have had bad back, neck, and shoulder pain for 12 plus years. My doctor's tried several times doing guided steroid injections, and for several hours after the injections, I would feel pain-free. Once the numbing agent wears off, the pain returns to normal. They tried transdermal compounded creams as well as NSAIDs and oral medications. Some of the oral medications worked but not long enough. I would take one at bedtime, and 5 to 6 hours later, I would wake up in pain and couldn't go back to sleep. I was only allowed to take 3 a day, so if I used one at bedtime and one near morning, I had nothing through the day. The patches worked well, but they tend to roll up and fall off. I am told not to put tape over them. Not sure what to do about that."

• Kat...
• Taken for 6 months to 1 year
• September 30, 2016

"The brand that you get makes a huge difference. I can only find the Apotex brand at the pharmacies within a 70-mile range (25 mcg/hr). Sometimes these patches have very little or no effect on my pain. I am sure it is the lack of consistent medication on some of the patches because I have actually suffered through about 24 hours of no relief, then took the patch off and tried a new patch, my pain was better 5 minutes later. By each patch being so inconsistent, it cannot possibly control my pain consistently. My friend uses the Pac brand, which she has her pharmacy order, and says they work fine. I will check reviews on different brands and try to have them ordered."

• 24 ...
• Taken for 10 years or more
• December 10, 2017

"I broke my back in 2002, 3 years later found out the break did not fuse, and after 13 doctors finally found one that would do the operation (as I was cutting my own spinal cord with the broken bones in my back). My surgery was only supposed to be 5 hours, but because of all the damage I did, it turned into 15 hours. I was cut open from pubic bone over left hip right to spine. Now I have 2 rods, 4 plates, and so many screws they lost count. No bad side effects for me, but I wouldn't have a bowel movement for 10 days or so, was my only problem. I was on 150 mcg/h."

• vlg...
• January 26, 2024

"I've been on the patches for severe nerve damage resulting from a relatively common pelvic surgery 24 years ago. It was so bad, I couldn't eat and could hardly stand up. The surgeon accused me of imagining things! I found help with some much better doctors at a well-known prestigious hospital. After some pain mapping surgery, a neuroma was found and removed from the pelvic floor. Lidocaine injections to the area helped, but not enough. I was referred to an excellent pain management facility where I was prescribed 100 mcg patch, which helped tremendously. I've since reduced the strength but noticed some issues from other commentary. I was told by my docs that when applying the patch, cover it with the palm of your hand and press for 1 min. The heat from your hand helps the adhesive stick better to the skin. (and try placement behind the hip) Next, NEVER cut a patch down thinking it's a way to reduce dosage or wean off of it. This brings a rush of fentanyl to your system causing overdose."

• DB2...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• September 26, 2017

"Was put on this medicine for lower back pain and was the biggest mistake of my life. Made me feel and look like a zombie. Got very skinny and pale in less than a month, so I stopped using and got the worst detox of my life. Will never go back, I wouldn't recommend this to anyone. It is mainly used for people that have cancer or are terminally ill to tolerate the pain. Stay away unless you are on your deathbed. Not worth it. Trust me."

• jen...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• February 26, 2018

"It kept coming off, even when I taped it to my shoulder. The breakthrough pain was not handled by this. I liked it as it didn’t directly go through my liver. Overall sense of well-being, i.e., no pain and I could actually function well. 30 mg, 3 days for severe scoliosis, sepsis aftereffects, degenerative L4 & L5, liver tumor (benign)."

• Dav...
• Taken for 5 to 10 years
• December 6, 2024

"My problem: the Sandoz patches are too thin, they remind me of rice paper. I use 2 100s. As soon as I move my arms, they wrinkle up, and you don't get the full benefit of the patches. Of course, I try to tell someone that in the professional field, I'm just a drug addict wanting more instead of listening to me. Both of my knees need replacement, back as far as the COVID shuttle down. The best I found, and because for some reason my Walmart pharmacy won't order them, are called TEVA, they are thick and stay flat when they are on."

• kit...
• Taken for 10 years or more
• December 20, 2022

"Have chronic neck pain 8/10 (arthritis, spurring, stenosis C3-7). Also, neck catches, suddenly locking it in place with a piercing, hot poker sensation. Loss of neck flexion, extension, and rotation. Norco initially with no relief. Soma prn when my neck locks up is helpful. I take about 1 week. Been on fentanyl 75 mcg for about 10 years with aching pain down to 3/10. Worst side effect is sweating. More recently (3-4 years), very spastic, painful long muscle lateral to rt spine at mid thoracic-lumbar level. I take the Soma for it with some relief to 6/10. It is becoming less effective. I might ask MD for Norco for breakthrough pain. Physical therapy exercises have helped less and less. FYI: Voltaren Gel (or generic) and high-quality turmeric capsules have helped my right knee arthritis pain! Added turmeric after Voltaren gel wasn't sufficient. I had no thought that the turmeric would help but figured I had nothing to lose. At least I can function now instead of just existing."

• tss...
• October 9, 2014

"Having chronic pain in my whole spine, they gave me the Fentanyl patch. They started low dosage, then they moved me up to 75mg. At this time in my life, I also had hot flashes. I saw no warnings, nothing about that. Long story short, after the second day, I started withdrawing, and that, people, is not a pretty sight. I had no idea what was going on, so I never went back on it. There should be a warning to all doctors and pharmacies. I had to pull it off the internet to show my pharmacy."

• Cat...
• Taken for 10 years or more
• September 28, 2019

"My life changed in 11/2007 from a bariatric surgery. I have been in severe pain in my back at the bra line. I just wanted to walk, and it was the only relief to a tolerable level. I take more meds than ever, been dropped by my HMO insurance due to employment sponsor insurance plan changed with acquisition, given 7 days' notice, no idea of new insurer's information, wouldn't treat non-HMO members, even with cash payment or offer a transition plan to new PPO PCP from KP HMO for new referral or transition to pmgnt program. Now I have been on a patch (Costco) for 11 months. I am hopeless, my life isn't living, just maintenance of pain by yoga, diet, no dairy, no sugar, no life. I lost my teeth because of dry mouth, and HMO gave me Dolophine, found out generic was simply methadone. What!!!"

• Lac...
• Taken for 10 years or more
• September 7, 2021

"I've been on fentanyl for around 15 years. I started at 25 mcg every 72 hours but had to move up quickly. I have DDD. My L4/5 has been fused. I just found out my S1-L3 now need to be fused. I have a spinal cord stimulator that did not help and now does not work. I have severe pain in my hips. My legs give out on me regularly. I'm now at 100 mcg every 24 hours. I also have chronic severe migraines and narcolepsy, so I'm a bucket of fun. I can't stand or sit for long. Cold weather is so hard on me. I have to be on my back, laying on heat for any type of relief. I went through the pill regiment but didn't like being off my rocker and taking 2 every 4 hours. My doctor suggested I take a blood test that actually lets you know what metabolizes better in your body. Funny thing was everything I'm on now is perfect. Pills metabolize too quickly in my system. Thankfully, I have no copay for my fentanyl. I do hope to be off all meds at some point though."

• 25m...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• December 6, 2022

"I have a fractured tailbone and slipped vertebra. It has been 9 months, then I was prescribed this Fentanyl patch for pain. It was okay at first, but I couldn’t do anything. Then the 3rd patch had me with insomnia and tremors, so I stopped, now I'm on Oxycodone when needed."

• Kat...
• Taken for 2 to 5 years
• April 30, 2022

"Moonpie, I had the same problem with Butran pain patches. I’ve worn them for over five years, and they were working. In 2020, I had to go with another brand, and it didn’t work. I had to find a pharmacy that carried the brand and drove 2 hours to get it. Now that pain patch doesn’t work. I believe this is on purpose. Big pharmacy has been taken over. People are suffering, that’s what they want."

• VA ...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• October 20, 2021

"I found that for whatever reason, it had little to no effect on my pain. I had previously been on morphine for over a decade, but the VA decided this would be better. I had previously tried it about 15 years ago and had the same reaction. I don’t know why, but patches don’t work for me."

• Pea...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• December 8, 2018

"I was put on fentanyl patch when Percocet no longer worked. After a month, I asked the doctor to give me something else. My skin turned gray, my husband said he could smell the fentanyl coming through my skin, and I just wasn't myself. Personally, I would never use it again."

• jer...
• Taken for 10 years or more
• November 28, 2023

"I was on the Fentanyl Transdermal System for twenty years and was the best pain reducer I was ever given. I was on a 100 mcg patch when the epidemic began to take over. The medical field was changed to the 75 mcg, then down to 50 mcg. I thought I would never be able to live with the pain increase, and then a couple of years went by and got sciatica. For the first time ever, I was forced to deal with full levels of pain that narcotics did nothing to relieve. I learned to deal with it and quit the patch. No withdrawal from it. Best thing I ever did. Now I take steroids for sciatica, no opioids at all."

• Anonymous
• Taken for 1 to 2 years
• March 17, 2023

"I don't know, maybe it's my weird body chemistry, but it doesn't work on me. The doctor prescribed 25 mg, then upped it to 50 mg to assist my oxy 20 working efficiently. Sometimes I forget to change the patch if I lost track of time. If I don't notice it helps during the prescribed 3 days, then I remove it at 8 days and put on a new one with no change. My hypothesis would demonstrate it is not working as a skin-transdermal medicine."

• Rel...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• August 15, 2018

"To be 100% honest with you, I tried fentanyl for about a month or so, and the first patch at 12.5 micrograms actually worked and lasted about 2 hours, but then it suddenly stopped working, so the doctor upped my dosage to 25 micrograms, then up to 50 micrograms, and then she skipped it to 100 micrograms, and they didn't do anything. I had no nausea, no pain relief, no stomach cramps, absolutely nothing, and I was wasting money on this stuff that did nothing. So I would definitely stay away, and plus these patches were only going on my skin, one patch every 3 days, which is absolutely ridiculous. A waste of time... and for a 400-pound man that has severe, severe chronic back pain, I could have easily used four or five patches a day, easy, that's if they worked. I'm just going to say this: stick to fast-acting medications because they work for me."

• Soo...
• Taken for 2 to 5 years
• June 25, 2021

"I was on a fentanyl patch for over three years for chronic pain. It took me over 18 months to come down off of it. Every few days, I would cut the patch smaller and smaller! I would never recommend this medication to anyone! My doctor at that time had me on the fentanyl pops at the same time! Also, at the same time, I was on OxyContin and regretfully lost all of my teeth due to the combination and strength of those drugs! I learned a huge lesson about doctors and narcotics! If your doctor says you should be on a narcotic for more than a week, run! Find a new doctor!"

• Tan...
• Taken for 10 years or more
• January 4, 2020

"Fentanyl is, or it is now, was an excellent analgesic. In 20 years, I've never known of anyone abusing it as this site leads you to believe."

• loo...
• Taken for 10 years or more
• July 10, 2014

"I've been using it for 10 years, and I'm heading to Stanford University for detoxification. Wish me luck."

• Anonymous
• Taken for 1 to 2 years
• August 16, 2012

"Great for chronic pain. Tough withdrawal. Patches can fall off without use of clear tape. You don't have to worry about taking a pill on time. Low to no breakthrough pain."

• Anonymous
• Taken for 5 to 10 years
• February 18, 2013

"I have moderate to severe pain from a reaction to a medication. I wear a 100 and a 25 Fentanyl patch. After trying several places, I found the patches stay best on my derriere."