Lidocaine patch or butrans patch?

[Ktchard]

Hi there I wanted to know if anyone has any experiences on either the lidocaine patch or the butrans patch which one is more effective at pain relief? I take morphine, dihydrocodine & nortrypyiline. I'm suffering from pain constantly which isn't controlled very well, I'm seeing a consultant at pain clinic next week and just wanted to ask about the patches, iv tried the usual gabapentin and pregabalin but they gave terrible side effects. Iv also tried tramadol & occasionally diazepam for muscle spasms but my gp is reluctant to prescribe any more I just don't know what else I can try. Any help would be appreciated thanks 😊

[Dexter1]

Hi! Lidocaine patch is a topical anesthetic so it numbs the painful area. Butrans is a patch that delivers pain medicine to you. Very different. I've tried both but found no relief with Lidocaine, however I do use a 20mcg Butrand patch with Tepantedol and it treats my pain quite well. Try the lidocaine first as it is non addictive and if it doesn't help then go to Butrans. That's what I did anyway. if pain is severe may need something else with either of them. Keep your chin up!

[Ktchard in reply to Dexter1]

Thanks Dexter1 , that's what I was thinking, but we will have to wait & see what pain clinic recommend. I do hope I get some relief. I'm also suffering with a weak right leg & foot due to my neck issues I struggle to stand on my one leg without putting all my weight on the left leg which is now causing knee pain. Ooh I don't know what's happening to my body !!! Thanks kind regards Katie 😊

[Redhots7 in reply to Dexter1]

I need something that helps with pain in more than just one area .

[Ktchard in reply to Redhots7]

Yes I have pain all over but also get localised neck pain I think the butrans patch seems more effective thanks.

[Dexter1 in reply to Redhots7]

Then the lidocaine wouldn't be your choice😊

[masond8051 in reply to Dexter1]

Lidocaine is used at my surgery I could not get on with them

Jocelyne Cambridge

[Redhots7 in reply to Dexter1]

No , I wear Butrans patch

[Redhots7]

Lidocaine has never helped me . I am on Butrans patch that I wear 24/7 and change once a week. I have been on for couple of years and would recommend .

[laura0308]

Hi I've tried the lidocaine patches and found them useless! Hope you find something that works for you

[masond8051 in reply to laura0308]

I found them too sticky it was no fun taking them off and I became sensitive to the patches during the 12 hours with no patch I could not bear to touch those skin areas. which was in the bra line at the front to the back.

"IF THAT MAKES SENSE"

[Ktchard]

Hey Dan what is the transtec patch?

[Ktchard]

Hi Dan I take 30mg dihydrocodine up to 4 x daily but it's not helping very much I also take 20mg of nortrypyiline at night &

[Ktchard in reply to Ktchard]

Sorry tapped the submit key lol.. morphine when needed which is the liquid oramorph at 10mg × 4 daily I also take diazepam 2mg for muscle spasm but my gp won't give me any more shame because they do help. I'm going to go up on the nortrypyiline see if that helps. Only 5 days until pain clinic appointment 😊

[Louisiana]

I am on the butrane patch. Seriously, you should ask your doctor what he/she thinks. You need to persevere with them at first and then see if they help. Everyone of us is different so can't really know how you would react to them....the butrane has helped me, although I have had to have it increased at times. Good luck.

[masond8051 in reply to Louisiana]

what country are you in???

[Louisiana in reply to masond8051]

Good old England

[Ktchard in reply to masond8051]

Hi there I'm in the UK I live in South Wales where are you from??

[masond8051 in reply to Ktchard]

I live in East Anglia a little village on the boarder of Cambridge and Newmarket Its so nice to hear from UK people. May be we should make a English, Welsh, Scottish forum

Jocelyne

[Toplady in reply to Ktchard]

Hi Ktchard! Sorry to jump onto your thread but was looking for information on Lidocaine patches when I saw this. I’m on a Butrans 15mg patch but my Pain consultant wants me to try the lidocaine, but also I’m from South Wales too!

Whereabouts are you?

[masond8051 in reply to Louisiana]

hI IM IN THE UK wHAT ARE BUTRANE PATCHES WHAT ARE THEY USE FOR IF YOU DONT MIND ME ASKING

jOCELYNE

[Dexter1 in reply to masond8051]

They are transdermal patches with the pain medication Buprenorphine that is released slowly over time into your body. Patches are changed ever 7 days and come in 3 strengths- 5, 10 and 20 mcg.

[badbackjonny]

If the tramadol and diazepam worked then let your consultant know and they can over rule the GP. Then the prescription would come from them and would have to be renewed by them every 6-12 months.

Tramadol is an awful drug. I have been on it for about 6 years. After a year or so I started to build up a tolerance to it. Now I am completely addicted to it and wish I had never started it. It was designed to be used short term, not long term for chronic pain. So please be careful.

As for the patches, I to am on 20mcg of butrans. It worked extremely well to start with but again, after a couple of years I built up a tolerancea nd it's one more problem I have.

I would only recommend it for short term use with Strickland guidelines for stopping.

Have you thought of nerve blocks or anything down that road. Instead of these addictive drugs? If you spend a couple of hours looking through old posts on this group you will see more than a few about addiction to both the patches and tramadol.

Diazepam is great for muscle spasms. I use it for just that purpus. I take 5mg 3 times a day. It really helps.

I also have to take a number of other pills to counteract the side affects of the stronger ones.

Please be careful and look in to other options as well.

Good luck!

J.

[Ktchard in reply to badbackjonny]

Yes I take my medication for a week or two then I have a small withdrawal I don't like to be dependant although I can't do that with the norttrypyiline as you have to take them daily. I am waiting for facet joint injections in my neck & hope that will help to some degree but iv tried so long not taking medication the ones that seem more effective are diazepam and morphine along with the norttrypyiline. I just need to try the jabs I do think I'd benefit from a nerve block too as I get terrible shoulder and arm pain have done for about a year now iv had the neck problems for three years which include foraminal & canal stenosis 4 discs have lost water & height plus bone spurs which are causing two nerve root compressions & curvature of the spine with depression of the mid thorax since I was 15 after an accident. My bad days are bad my good days I still struggle with bad pain. Thanks for replying 😊

[Haz999 in reply to Ktchard]

I had high hopes for both nerve blockers and facet joint injections but unfortunately neither worked so I hope you have more luck

[Dexter1]

I definitely agree about the tramadol. Withdrawels are hell. Transtec patches are basically Butrans patches at a higher dose. Don't know why they don't just have one or the other name with all the doses. Maybe someone in the UK has that answer because I don't think we have Transtec in US.

[Ktchard]

Oh ok it's something I can discuss with my consultant thanks. Iv withdrawn from pregabalin & gabapentin also dihydrocodine & morphine it's all he'll but I realize I do need to take these drugs but I manage going days without to keep a 0 tolerance not easy but I'm in control.

[Dexter1]

20mcg Butrans patch is equal to 30mg of morphine daily.

[Ponywoman]

Hello ktchard...I am living on my horse farm near Kansas City Missouri. USA. I am severly crippled everywhere with 45 yrs of rheumatoid arthritis + have 1 knee completely gone, the other knee is bad Recently became close to being paralyzed with huge swelling in legs & feet. 40 doctor appointments this past 6 months could find no diagnosis--- have all symptoms of myasthenia gravis &/or vasculitis. Lost 5" height down from original 5'2" which really increased the pain in my spine which was curved from birth (scoliosis).

That said, regarding your question, I USED to use the Lidocaine patches on my painful back & they did help. They are about 4x larger than the fentynal patches I also used-- the latter being a narcotic pain reliever method of transport & the Lidocaine patches are non narcotic & only deliver a numbing agent to the area they are put on. Learning to place the Lidocaine patches on takes awhile if doing it alone. Also in the U.S., we only had non-generic patches called Lidoderm. Very expensive being ,oh, maybe $5 each if I recall. Recently I've discovered a rub on bottle of gel with 4% lidocain in it-- called Aspercream. It works very well on knees, painful tendons, joints, etc. In fact, I just buy this little bottle now & get more pain relief than I did from the Lidoderm patches for which I quit filling my scripts. The patches probably last longer than the gel does during the day. I rub the gel on 2-3 x's per day. 1 Lidoderm patch can only be used for 1 day's time of use. The Lidoderm/lidicaine patches require a doctor's script but the Aspercream my husband buys for me over the counter at our grocery store or at Walmarts altho we seldom go to the latter store...

Praying all your heavy problems are soon lifted from you, ponywoman

[Ktchard in reply to Ponywoman]

Aww thanks pony woman, I'm sorry for the problems you have & Il definitely ask the Dr for some lidocaine gel. I do get all over pain around my neck and back today I have a bad migraine too. I do think I need strong painkillers as these pains are slowly getting worse hey Ho I see a pain specailst on Friday hope he has some answers. I do wish you all the best kind regards Katie 😊

[masond8051 in reply to Ponywoman]

iN THE UK i HAD USED 3 LIDOCANE PATCHES YOU CAN ONLY KEEP THEM ON FOR 12 HOURS THEN YOU HAD TO TAKE THEM OFF FOR 12 HOURS. BUT i FOUND THEM TO STICKY WHEN TAKING THEM OFF BUT DURING THE 12 HOURS ON i WAS ABLE TO WORK AND BE PAIN FREE "BUT" ONCE OFF SO MUCH PAIN WITH IN HALF HOUR. i WISH I COULD FIND SOME THING TO KEEP THE PAIN AWAY

HELP ME PLEASE ANY ONE IN THE UK AS WELL HELP ME IM GOING TO LOSE MY JOB POSSIBLY I HAVE A SCARY MEETING ON THURSDAY AT 9 AM TO TALK ABOUT HAVING SO MUCH TIME OFF BECAUSE OF THE SHINGLES NERVE PAIN. WHY ME I KEEP ASKING. WHY ME i LOST MY PARTNER TO CANCER 3 YEARS AGO AND SINCE THEN MY ILLNESSES HAVE COME OUT ON ME i WAS FIT WHEN I WAS LOOKING AFTER MY PARTNER, THE CANCER WAS SO AGRESSIVE HE ONLY HAD A FEW MONTHS GOD I MISS HIM ITS HARD NOW WHEN I GET THIS SHINGLES NERVE PAIN, HE IS NOT HERE TO HELP ME

i OFTEN QUESTION MY RELIGON AND EVEN IS IT WORTH IT GOING THROUGH ALL THIS PAIN ALONE i HAVE FOUND MY SELF WISHING i COULD JOIN HIM, AND WHEN IM THIS LOW IT SCARES ME BUT IN FRONT OF PEOPLE AT WORK AND IN THE STREETS AT HOME I PUT ON A SMILE SO NO ONE KNOWS. ITS MAD HOW I GET SOME TIMES, WE WERE MEANT TO BE TOGETHER IN RETIREMENT, NOW WELL I HATE LIFE AS IT IS AT THE MOMENT SORRY IVE GONE ON , TALKING TO THE KEY BOARD.

[Ktchard in reply to masond8051]

To Mason8510 I'm so sorry for the loss of your partner nothing can ever prepare you for that happening, on top of that you are struggling with pain & worry about your job your going through alot darling. I was wondering what you do for work? Is there any way you could go back with help modifications or a reduced work load? It can be depressing at times I haven't lost my partner but I do understand chronic pain iv lived with it now for over 10 years Ialso have 3 children & a dog to look after. If you feel the need you could see your gp for a chat about your circumstances regarding your issues with pain & worry about loosing your job. I don't really know what to suggest but if you need a chat I'm here to listen chin up things will get better 😊

[masond8051]

Hi I use the Lidecain patches - you put them on for 12 hours and then take them off for 12 hours They are fantastic well so I thought, but for me I contracted shingles and the after nerve pain.PHN it was under my right breast and round my back but because I cant use my arms as such I cant wrap my arm around my shoulder because of arthritas I had to get my friend to help me put the patches on the pain area.

At first they were great no pain while I worked in school, but after 2 weeks taking them off became an issue the areas where I used the patches became very painful to the touch. and the 12 hours with out the patches I could not bear my clothes or bedding to touch the areas.

[Ktchard in reply to masond8051]

Oh that don't sound good thats a skin reaction. What do you do now for pain ?? 😊

[masond8051]

jocelyne

[masond8051]

I was given lidocaine patches I had to get some one every 12 hours on 12 hours off to help put them around my bra line right round to my shoulder back. at first they were great I could go to school and work with the pupils, but then I had to take them off at the end of the 12 hours. At first they were fantastic but I had to stop as my bra line area and back would not allow my cloths and bedding to touch the skin, because of the pain. I did try it the other way 12 hours on at night and 12 hours off at school, I was sent home because I was in so much pain...

All I would say depending on where you need to put them a max of three have a go you might feel that you feel good with them. wish you well

jocelyne

[majria]

hello all,

I have a slipped disc and very painful sciatica, i'm due to go to the pain clinic in March and wondered am i going to be helped or NOT?? it will be my first appointment and don't know what to expect. The reality is coming ever so clearer now that i may never be pain free and that has taken some time to sink in, but i need some advice on this please, anyone

Thank You

[Dexter1 in reply to majria]

Wait until you see the pain specialist before you give up hope! Pain can be treated in many ways!

[Ktchard]

Hi Dan what is discogenic pain ?? Is it pain due to a prolapse? Im getting a nerve block as they said epidural in cervical spine carrys more risk, all I know is since I have lhad prolapsed disks and nerve impingements I now suffer severe pain numbness tingling & weakness. I'm being referred to a neurologist but there's a long wait.

[Steve49]

Hi.

I have used the butrans patches to the max doses.

Unfortunately they didn't seem to work for me.

I'm now on Trans Tec Patches.

I haven't used the other patches.

But I'm on Pergabiline 600mgs per day.

Yes I have also tried Tramadol which didn't do anything.

Don't worry about my experiences to date.

Please wait until your appointment at the pain clinic next week to see what the consultant has too say.

But please let me know if I can help you further???

Steve.

[6092177588]

I have pain daily as well. I am not sure about patch but I will try.