Pain patches

[Jan101]

Hi everyone I hope that you are not feeling to bad today. My doctor has just put me onto Butrans Transdermal Patch Buprenorphine. I have been on Dihydrocodeine for the last few months. I would like to know if anyone is on these patches and how well they work. My doctor said for the next 3 days to carry on with the dihydrocdeine 2 for 4 times a day then down to 1 four times then 1 two time a day then stop the Dihydrocodeine and that gives the patches time to get fully into your System. I noticed that after around 20 minutes after putting on the patch my pain was gone and before putting on the patch my pain was really bad. I woke up this morning and the pain was still not there. Also I had no Dihydrocodeine from yesterday afternoon. So looks like the patch is fast acting for me. I would really appreciate anyone's input about these patches. I wish you all as well as you can be. Jan101 xxxxxx

[Philip]

Good morning Jan, I hope you realise that you are now a junkie lol so no more remarks as your walking through your town And you'll need to give every other junkie a big hug and give them £25.00 so that they can get a fix too, lmao, there's one thing is that you need to have a little store of patches, because sometimes you might get an itch underneath the patch and they don't stick once you pull them off and you'll need to put another fresh one, move them around ya body above the waist, I don't know why but it is fun lol. Mine are 35 mg per hour and I leave them on for 4 days and then change it, mine are pretty strong but they do help, keep one in your handbag because you will need one one day when your out in case of any problems and once you start them you can not just say sod it and throw them in the bin because going cold turkey isn't nice at all and I don't know how the hell these other junkies cope I will never know lol and that's why so many go thieving to buy another fix. There you go, now go play on the park it's fun sometimes lol.

I hope this helps you in some way, if it doesn't then hard luck lol.

Philip

[WAGS56]

Hi Jan i have Been on them now for 3 yrs and they are the best pain med i have, they are 35mg and i change them every 3 to 4 days, As philip says yes they do not stick after you have disturbed them so have to be changed,i find moving them around a must as you can get sore if you keep putting them in the same place,They do control my back pain really well and with my other meds i have had no side effects just a little groggy a couple of mornings before they cut in.Cant fault them myself .. Take care of you Lou ...

[Jan101 in reply to WAGS56]

Hi Waggs56

Thank you for your reply. My doctor said to keep taking the Dihydrocodeine for 3 days as that is how long it will take for the patches to kick in. Is that how long it took for your ones when you first started them? I feel a bit headed and sick is that normal? I hope that you are keeping well. Jan101 xxx

[grace111 in reply to Jan101]

so glad to hear that your getting relief from your pain. lots of love and best wishes from grace xoxo

[Jan101]

Hi Waggs56

Also I am on 60mg of Dihydrocodeine 4 times a day and can't seem to find out what strength the patches are on the box and it says to keep them on for 7 days. Why do you change yours every 3 to 4 days? Thank you in advance for all your information. Jan101 xx

[Hidden]

Jan101 ,

Hi! I was on the patch. My RX was for 1 every 7 days. First one was AMAZING! Second only lasted two days. Then relief was over. The third one didn't work. I pray you get more than I did!

Rob,

[Jan101]

Hi robh74

Thank you for your reply. I am sorry to hear that your patches where not successful. I am on my 2nd day but also still taking Dihydrocodeine with the patches until tomorrow then I will see over the next few days if they help me. I don't know what strength the doctor has put me on as I can't see it on the box. I hope that you find something to control your pain. Good luck and take good care. Jan101 xx

[Victoriapain]

Hiya, butrans patches are my form of pain relief and find them the best for me. I've been on then 3 months. Like yourself my pain relief was effective within a small amount of time. The sickness and light headedness will pass. In my first week I found that the patches stopped working after 4 days and had the next 3 in worse pain as my doctor wouldn't let me change patch early so I took codeine even though she told me not too.. I still find the patches don't last the 7 days but have some tablets in the same form to take for breakthrough pain. What mcg are you taking xx

[Jan101 in reply to Victoriapain]

Hi Victoriapain

Thank you for your reply. I am not sure as I can't find the mg on the box or the patches. I will ask my doctor when I next see her. I really hope that they work for me because it's better than pushing tablets into me. I am glad that yours work for you. Like you if mine stop working after so many days I will take the tablets or ask for extra patches. I wish you well and take good care. Jan101 xxxx

[Victoriapain]

What colour is the box they are in..? My doctor will not prescribe extra patches. Some do some don't. Wish you well xx

[Jan101 in reply to Victoriapain]

Hi Victoriapain

Sorry for late reply. The box is green and white. If that tells you what strength they are could you please let me know. I hope you are feeling well. Take good care. Jan101xxx

[Victoriapain in reply to Jan101]

Is the manufacturer on the box?. If it's the NAPP ones I'm using it is 10mcg. X

[Jan101 in reply to Victoriapain]

Hi it say 10 microgram/hour

[Victoriapain in reply to Jan101]

Yeah that's what they are then. I started on them but I'm up to 25 mcg now. Depends on your condition? What us your health problem if you don't mind me asking xx

[Jan101 in reply to Victoriapain]

I have had 2 spine operations one was a vertoplasty that is cement put into the fractures then the other one was RF fusion I had 40 nerves cut. Maybe I need stronger ones. It says on the box 10mg per hour.

[Victoriapain in reply to Jan101]

You will probably need higher strength than that but see how you go and report back to your doctor. They release 10 microgram per hour. I have cervical spine issues and I'm seeing surgeon in ten days. The joys of pain x

[Jan101 in reply to Victoriapain]

I will go back and see my doctor and I am sure that she will give stronger ones if I need them. Tomorrow is only my 3rd day so I will have to see how I go. I can't stand the pain. I am also seeing my specialist on the 26th of this nth. I think he may operate again that's what he put in his letter to me and my gp. I truly wish you well 10 days time. I would like to know how you get on if you don't mind? Take care and good luck 😉 xxx

[Victoriapain in reply to Jan101]

I will certainly let you know. The highest they go to is 35mcg. I started at 10 and have gone up over the last few months. I'm sick of pain so I sympathise with you xx

[Jan101 in reply to Victoriapain]

I was just thinking the same about you as you are on such a high strength. I really feel for you. Does the 35mcg take the pain away from you? Do you think my doctor would put me on 35mcg sooner than having to build up slowly? xx

[Victoriapain in reply to Jan101]

I'm only on 25mcg. My doctor wants to up them but in currently off sick at work so spend alot of time resting so I'm resisting the increase for as long as I can. I do have tablets aswell which I take everyday on top of the patches. I'm not quite sure but I think doctors increase them rather slowly due to the fact of them being opiods. I have problems with every part of my cervical spine. From c7 to c1,4 bulging discs and cervical stenosis pretty bad. You can only ask. Wish you well x

[Victoriapain in reply to Jan101]

May I add the tablets I take are not codeine but bupremorphine the same as the patches x

[Jan101 in reply to Victoriapain]

O my god you really do have problems I can only imagine the pain that you are in. Before my operation I could not move even when I was in bed I was screaming with the pain. My heart goes out to you. I really hope that your surgeon can help you. I truly wish you all the luck when you see him in 10 days. I will speak to you again once you have seen your surgeon until then you take good care. I will keep my fingers crossed for you. xxxx

[Victoriapain in reply to Jan101]

Many thanks, I am sure things will be fine. I try not too worry too much if I'm honest. I'm a laid back person.I've got a amazing husband who has basically took over the household duties etc. I've spoke to people who have had a similar diagnosis to myself and although not 100% she is doing ok. Will keep you updated xx

[luckyjim]

Jan

Only one comment & already mentioned by others and that is the patches do not last as they should. A 7 day patch will do 5 at best and so on.

There should not be a problem with your GP, he must have been told this by numerous patients and can adjust your prescription accordingly.

Best Wishes

Jim

[Jan101 in reply to luckyjim]

Hi Jim

Thank you for your reply. I will watch out for how long they last. I am sure my doctor would let me have more if they work for me. I hope that you are well. Take care xxxx

[birdkeith]

hi, ive been on gutrans for a few years now and to be honest they havnt done much good for me i was put on them after other treatments including cannabis hadnt worked , i was put on these by the pain clinic, i recently went back to my doctors who put me on codein to be used alongside the patches ,15 mg by the way ;and paracetamol, i tried the first one yesterday and the pain; whilst still being there , it was at a much lower level, i still have pain but i dont seem to have the shooting pains right up into my head ,so it seems that the mixture is having some effect , nwhilst not total ;a bit more bearable.

[Jan101 in reply to birdkeith]

Birdkeith

Thank you for your reply. Maybe I will also have to still take tablets with them as well. Will see how I go over the next few days. I wish you well and take good care. XX

[JeffMett]

I'm on the patches and they do work well, there isn't as many side effects but there is question do they last a week I have at times they only last six days. Myself I think they probably do last a week even though on occasions I have been in pain on the last day and think they, but my condition is that I am likely to be in pain on any day.

[Jan101 in reply to JeffMett]

Hi JeffMett

Thank you for your reply. I am really hoping that they work for me as well even if it's only for a few days. It will be better that the pain coming back and I have to keep taking tablets. I am keeping my fingers crossed. Can you get stronger ones I wonder I think the ones I am on are 10mg per hour I think. I need to make an appointment again with my doctor to find out how strong they are. I wish you well and take good care. Jan101 xxx

[JeffMett in reply to Jan101]

Hi jan101

Yes you can stronger ones I'm on 20mg per hour. I don't know what the limit is but I used be on 2 patches a 10mg and 5mg one on each arm.

[birdkeith]

i dont know if my comment got through or not ;but just in case ive been on 15mg butrans patches for about five years and to be honest they havnt helped much, i have an inoperable mid line disc protusion which causes me constant none stop pain, although i was put on them through the pain clinic at the hospital i went to see my doctor this week who put me on codien ,along with paracetamol and the patches, i have to repost some improvement in my situation.

[Jan101 in reply to birdkeith]

Hi birdkeith

Thank you for your reply. Sorry too hear that you had none stop pain, but glad to hear you now have some improvement. It's early days for me as it's only 3 days tomorrow so I will have to see how the patches do for me. But it seems to me that a lot off people on here have to take tablets with the patches. Maybe like you and the others I might end up with tablets as well as the patches. I am hoping that the patches work as I would like to give up the tablets. I truly hope that your not in to much pain and I wish you well. Take good care. Jan101 xxx