My Gp is taking me off 100mcg of Fentanyl onto 5mgs of Longtec. Surely this dose of Longtec is nowhere near the same strength as Fentanyl? Anybody know the equivalent dose of Longtec? I'm very scared of getting more pain by being underdosed with analgesic. Any suggestions?
Annie x
Not sure on the conversion of the two, but I get 80mg of longtec x3 daily.. I was told fentanyl is the next drug up in strength by my pain doc, and I didn't want it tbqh. So stayed on longtec + pregabalin to enhance the oxycodone.
Thanks gindy,
I know that my gp is being careful but I also know that 5mgs of Longtec after 100 of Fentanyl won't help me at all! Why is everything such a fight?!
Annie x
Hi gindy. May I ask about you taking g Longtec 3 times a day ? My understanding is that each dose is supposed to last 12 hours, so 2 times a day.
Dee
Yes it is, but it doesn't last the full 12hrs. My dose is actually 120mg x2 but I split it into 3 doses, so 80x3 I get 80's and 20's so it is easy to split it into 3 separate doses.
My doctor is aware of this and thinks if it works for me then it's ok.
Me too, I have a similar routine 3 times a day with my longtec 80's and 40's as well as the normal release (shortec/oxynorm) 20mg's for breakthrough pain. I found that the longtec never lasted the full 12 hours and if you look on Wikipedia, under oxycodone hydrochloride it'll tell you more about timings of it getting into your system and out......half shelf life I think they call it but don't quote me!! 😉
C x
Annie, your doctor is frightened about you becoming a drug addict. He/she may not be a great communicator, so you are feeling that your pain is not being recognised when it is very much the opposite. What other alternative treatments have you tried in combination with your opiates, eg., massage, acupuncture, exercise in a warm swimming pool, physio, osteo etc. For instance if you have pain in your leg, it will be important to build up the muscles to support the injury.
In my case, a combination pain killer of paracetamol and codeine works much better than stronger medications. Is there a combination drug you can try, or even some of the antidepressants have greatly helped others with pain management.
My late father used to make up "wonder tonics" for his rich clients who felt a little under the weather. These "wonder tonics" were a combination of vitamins and fruit juice. The majority of patients felt remarkably better after taking the tonics, but the reality was the benefit was in the conversation and someone caring and making them feel special - not the tonic! This is the case in a lot of tribal medicine, and foot doctors in ancient lands, pain is often a mind over matter situation.
I may have opened a can of worms, but too often I read of people looking to magic pills, and surgery rather than looking for alternatives that may prove more helpful in the longer term.
I was on 50mcg of Fentanyl and went onto 15 mg X2 daily of Longtec with breakthrough 5mg of shortec. What you are describing sounds wron but I am not your doctor. There are conversion charts online. Type in fentanyl + convert to longtec or something similar.
But your best answers will come from your GP.
Dee
Hi,
I rang the pharmacist and asked him if he could work out the dose of Longtec that would give me the same pain relief as 100mcg of Fentanyl. It was 150mgs a day. So a long way off 2 x5 Longtec and 4 x 5 Shortec - so 30mgs daily.
I've stayed on my Fentanyl until I can get in touch with my gp, because I'm not happy starting with such a low dose. I'd be crawling the walls!
I know she has to be careful, but I'm not opiate naive.
Thanks for you replies.
Annie x
Hi All,
I rang my pharmacist who told me that the equivalent dose of Longtec would be 150mgs of Longtec to bring it up to the same as 100mcgs of Fentanyl.
Annie x
My pharmacis worked it out for me. 100mcg of Fentanyl is equal to 150mgs of Longtec. And I've been given 30mgs.
Annie x
Sorry, didn't mean to repeat myself!
Hi Annie, I just wondered how you are getting on with your new pain relief.........good I hope?!
It can be so frustrating dealing with high levels of pain and therefore taking high levels of analgesia. It can be a fight every time you visit the Dr or try and order repeat prescriptions (even when you've been on that particular opiate for a while hence "repeat" prescription!!) because it is controlled drugs that we're dealing with. Obviously they need to careful but as you said, you're "not opiate naive". And when the word "drug addict" is thrown around it can be quite demoralising too.
My pharmacist once asked my GP if i was flushing my longtec down the toilet as they had received my repeat prescription request!! I didn't order them before they were due or anything. This particular prescription is due every two weeks because they don't want me to have big quantities at home for security reasons, and I've been on it for a while so I'm not new to them (the tablets or the pharmacy)! I even have to call the pharmacy ahead of time so they can order the stock in as they don't "stock it in my quantities". So to go through all that trouble, why the hell would I then just flush them down the toilet?!! 😕
My GP is great though, she laughed and told them they're worrying needlessly and being over cautious with me. She had my back as it were!! Lol!
Anyway, sorry to go on. It just hurts to hear the words drug addict when all you want is for the pain to stop after trying many many different treatments and medication.
I hope you've settled well on the longtec and its at the right level for you.
Take care and best wishes,
C x
How long have you been on fentanyl? New pain guidelines that specialists have to go by would state you're dose is too high. Drs no longer feel that high doses of opiates for chronic pain are therapeutic. I've just had to detox off 125 patch down to 60mg of Oxycontin a day. Just a warning as the NHS will be actioning this.
Fentanyl
Fentanyl patches and tiredness
Fentanyl 
