I have severe nerve damage at base of spine that gives me extreme pain also in hip, numbness and twitches etc. My pain as been well managed with fentanyl patches for a long time, but my doctor has put me on a generic patch this doesn't stick well often falls off or lifts. The pain relief is delivered through the adhesive so needless to say my pain as escalated dramatically I'm back to being a cripple, I have spoken to my doctor he says he can't give me the branded its to dear. I've studied the internet and this doesn't seem to be true it is quite common for a generic not to be up to the standard of the branded. Can I get him to change or do I need to change doctors I can't cope with this level of pain. At the end of the day he has a duty of care surely. Can anyone help or advise me
Do you have to accept the generic: I have... - Pain Concern
Do you have to accept the generic
Try using micropore tape to hold it down.
Works very well
x
Have tried that was not very successful it's like my skin rejects the adhesive
Some people do react to plasters etc.
Rub a little hydrocautizone cream over the area. Used to do that to help reaction to TeNS pads.
x
Didn't know about that one but I can't understand his issue the ones that work brilliantly only cost 87p more for a box of 5 it's ludicrous
Lol sorry for laughing but I too have had the same problem as in summer I sweat a lot and have found patches stuck to my socks which should of been on my upper arm,however apart from them deciding to leave my arm in aa hurry they are very good for pain,I have crps and on 100mcg per hour for 72hrs,only problem I have with these patches is that they are addictive,I never even touch weed but this legal stuff from the docs is far deadly than the stuff on the streets,I'm hooked for the remainder of my life and that sad,good luck Lizzy lass,all the best Steve.
David was on them for over 12 years very successfully. Increased up to 125 which was just a wee bit too much. So came back to 100like you.
We weaned him off them over about 6 months before starting on Oxycontin. Still feel they ere the past relief he ever had.
You said about them getting stuck to your sox...made me smile as in the leaflet it tells you what to do if they get stuck to another person!!!!
x
Thankyou for that Banana it's nice when people take a few seconds out to write a small reply,all the best Steve.
Yes your right doctors are good at turning us into junkies aren't they lol
Surely you GP will help you off the patches to which you're addicted
No. Go back and say these are not working. Weve asked our gp recently. They try to reduce costs like this but expect a certain percentage will not find the change acceptable and swap you back without quibble. On average ten per cent get changed back so they still save overall. Gradually all medicines will be looked at to ensure where possible the cheapest medicines are being used.
Thank you for your reply I know he can change me back and that he's aloud to but for some reason he says they suit everyone else and I shouldn't have a problem I've also explained my 4 year old grandson lives with me and 9 times out of 10 ends up in my bed which is usually where they come off and he's putting his life at risk my granddaughter died of cot death a few years ago. Which makes me more upset at his attitude I could understand it better if they were really expensive but they are less than a tenner a packet
Accidental exposure:
Accidental exposure to this medication may lead to serious complications or death. Accidental exposure can occur when a patch is transferred to someone else through hugging or moving them in bed. If this happens, immediately remove the patch from the person, wash the area with water, and seek immediate medical attention. If you are applying the patch for someone, wash your hands with water only immediately after applying or removing the patch.
If they refuse take your case to a medical solicitor and tell your gp you are doing that. They will change their mind and swap you back.
Hi Lizzylily - firstly I fully sympathise with your pain. I have chronic pain at the base of my spine and it has take ages (and a change of doctor) to get it anywhere near less pain! I don't know if that makes sense lol as I've also had a stroke. I used to be a practice manager so I have a little knowledge in this area. The doctor is given regularly by the hospital pharmacist, a list of medications that the doctor has to swap over what he gives the patient. So it's not really the doctors fault. However as somebody said earlier, the GP recognises that not everyone will agree to the change. I would go to see him and explain very sensitively and quietly, what you feel about the change and why you want to remain on the patches that work, how much pain you are in when you don't have it. Follow it up in writing, even if it turns out to just be a record of what you said. I really feel then that the GP will change 'his' decision about the patch. I wish you all the best - dealing with things like this is 100 times worse when you are in pain. One thing I would say that you might not like is that I think you should try to get your grandson in his own bed. Until that time I think you should remove the patch at nights when he is in your bed, eliminating the very real possibility of him dying. A serious responsibility and a hugely important one. Good luck with it all xx
I have refused to have the dangerous patches fortunately I have got spares of the good ones until I can get a face to face with him which even that is proving difficult my grandson is in no danger. Is sneaking into my bed is not so easy to cure either I do return him when he's gone back to sleep though I suppose time or tying him to the bed might help lol kidding l am beginning to think changing doctor might be the way to go it's getting untenable I'm at a loss why he won't talk to me or listen all the other doctors don't seem to have a problem with the patch that works especially as their is only 87p difference in price
Are you pressing firmly for a minimum of 30 seconds when you first apply them? The heat you create at this initial contact helps bind them to the skin so it’s important to follow directions as once it starts to peel it’s too late. It may help if you put tape on top when you apply it before it has any chance to peel just to try to stop the edges lifting. It’s a difficult one prescribers are under so much pressure to save money in any they can and even if it is just a few pence a month it does soon mount up, but equally if it’s not staying on then having to fork out for more prescriptions due to more frequent changes will soon end up costing more and that’s before we look at your quality of life. The trouble that for a lot of people the switch may not make a difference but some people’s skin just doesn’t seem compatible with some adhesive and find it won’t stick well. You could try telling your prescriber that the adhesive on the new patch causes rashes, but in the absence of having a rash to show them and given you’ve already told them you want to switch due to them not sticking they may be suspicious.
Doctors and pharmacists do meet a lot of patients who have some sort of bizarre snobbery towards generic brands without good reason, even though a generic drug has to be proven to be just as good to be given a licence, so occasionally they come from a somewhat jaded point of view. I’m not excusing it but it is understandable sometimes. I’ve known people say that a drug made in the same factory on the same production line by the same company and to the same specifications swear blind that the one originally packaged for distribution in a different country is inferior to the one originally packaged in English for the UK market. Unfortunately these people make it harder for patientsto get things changed when there is a genuine issue, for example an allergy to a colour used in a generic version or a problem with adhesives such as yours.
Thank you for your message nimueh I have been on patches for many years and they have changed them before sometimes they have been unable to get them from the manufacturers they seem to flow on and off the market yes I do follow the instructions to the letter all the other patches have adhered well pain relief has been up and down with each different one but there is some reason that the matrifen alone won't adhere to my skin properly I've tried to explain that all other patches stick and I've had a few but this one won't but still not getting anywhere
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