Fentanyl and Nausea: What Users Say

• mlb...
• October 23, 2008

Fentanyl for Pain "Thank God for this medication. It has allowed me to have a life. Initially there was some nausea, but after a couple of days it subsided. Before I was honestly suicidal because I could not get relief from my back/hip pain. Now, most of the time, I'm able to function like a normal person."

• Ano...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• January 30, 2017

For Chronic Pain "After a month of continuous surgery, I shifted to oxycodone 30 mg every four hours. It sedated me to the point of uselessness. My MD put me on the equivalence of fentanyl patches, and bam, no sedation, no euphoria, few side effects like nausea and mild insomnia. Very tolerable. The best part was great pain control without the baggage. I had to severely reduce Klonopin during all this due to interactions but still find that half the previous dose of Klonopin is still effective. Only real negative I've noted is interdose withdrawal symptoms prior to changing the patch. Always on the third day, so I'm going through patches a bit faster, though still close to 72 hours. Maybe I'm just a fast metabolizer?"

• TMD...
• June 29, 2009

Fentanyl for Pain "I have been on Fentanyl for about 3 years due to spinal fractures. This is the only medication that has given me any relief. On a scale of 1-10, I would rate my pain at a 2-3 now, whereas before it was a 7. I am currently on 37 mcg/hr (1 x 25 mcg patch and 1 x 12 mcg patch). I have only two issues with the medication. First is that occasionally it causes extreme nausea (this usually occurs the day after applying a new patch) and blisters on my back where I applied the patches. However, this is probably due to sensitivity to the adhesive and not the medication. Even with these issues, the positives far outweigh the negatives with me."

• Anonymous
• April 24, 2009

Fentanyl for Pain "This medication is supposed to be continual pain relief, but on day one it gives mediocre results, day two somewhat okay results although my pain is still at a 4. Then on day three, watch out. Pain level back to a level 8 to 10. I then go through the sweats on day three, and the chills and nausea the entire day. I have only been on this patch 1 month."

• isa...
• Taken for 2 to 5 years
• November 1, 2016

For Chronic Pain "This drug works great for me, it takes for me 16 hours to fully seem to get into my system. In the past, I took Vicoprofen (hydrocodone & ibuprofen) 7.5 mg. I started out with a 12.5 patch, after 1 1/2 years, it was changed to applying every 48 hours. After 2 years, my dose is now a 25 patch. Your body does get used to it, if after a year or so you become nervous, nauseated, have headaches, or feel dizzy and sick with headache, nausea, and pain, it's no doubt time to change your patch application time or dose. I didn't know why I was getting too sick, the ER doctor explained to me it was withdrawal symptoms. I didn't like to hear that, but being we are dependent on them for pain (rather than being an addict), it can happen. IMPORTANT: start taking a stool softener."

• Cul...
• Taken for 6 months to 1 year
• October 6, 2016

For Pain "Very effective for pain. Have been on pain meds for 11 yrs. Tried many others, i.e., hydrocodone, morphine, Percocet, oxymorphone, several others, but nothing worked like fentanyl. However, I have had some serious side effects. First, I froze at 78 degrees inside our home in southwest Florida. Then my left eye started getting really hazy. I thought my glasses were filthy. By the way, it's still hazy after going through almost four months of withdrawal. Then my right leg felt like dead weight at night. My left leg felt like it was wrapped with a very tight sock from below the knee to my ankle. I felt like I was going to vomit any minute, my mouth started to get watery. My gut hurt like anything."

• Wol...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• May 3, 2014

For Chronic Pain "My first full day on the patch (12 mcg), about 15 hours after starting it, I started throwing up and threw up quite a bit all day long. I have been paralyzed before with a spinal cord infection, I am able to walk now, but massive chronic pain and nerve damage from the surgery. I can tell already that my pain level has gone down, I have not had to take as many Lortabs today than normal. I am looking to stop taking as many pills as I have so many other health issues that I have to take pills for. Interaction with other medicines increases the side effects."

• Anonymous
• September 19, 2011

For Pain "I've been on fentanyl patches for a couple of years - 150 (100, 50) for degenerative disc disease, and in the past few months, they have been working less well, starting about 22 hours into the 2nd day (so, almost at day 3). The 3rd day is the worst, and it's almost (not quite) as bad as what happens if I forget to change it on the 3rd day (which only happened once or twice!). Apparently, the medicines are just running out, and I start feeling more nauseous and exhausted, and my arms feel like they are going to fall off (I don't normally have pain in my arms). The pain relief on day #1 is outstanding, and I get all my housework, chores done, and spend lots of time being ACTIVE with my kids on day 1."

• san...
• May 13, 2008

For Pain "I have been on the fentanyl patch for 5 years. Started on 50 mcg but am taking 125 mcg now. Other than having nausea for the first few days whenever they increase the dosage, it works fine. For breakthrough pain, I use 25 mg liquid morphine, and it works. From what my doctor says, I'll always need to be on the patch because I have cerebral palsy and because of my body's spastic movements, which weakens my bones and creates more pain."

• NAa...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• May 3, 2018

For Postoperative Pain "Had this for pain for a minor surgical procedure and for some pain afterwards, and it's great stuff! I metabolize meds quickly, but this stuff took my 5 on a pain scale to a 2 in about a minute and lasted for 6 hours. Definitely would get again if I ever have to have a surgical procedure. Also had it during the operation with Propofol. No nausea either from the anti-nausea meds. Worked great."

• Win...
• November 24, 2008

For Pain "I was prescribed this drug in a 100 mg dose patch when the Vicodin I was taking couldn't control the pain I was having from kidney stone surgery. The patch worked great at eliminating the pain, but it made me very nauseated. Still better than the pain I had."

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

Fentanyl for Chronic Pain "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."

• die...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• May 19, 2012

Fentanyl for Postoperative Pain "I have been given this a lot after surgery. It is great for post-surgical pain because it kills the pain, but it doesn't give you nausea and constipation like others do."