Butec 5

[Patjamber]

Morning everyone. My doctor has prescribed me the above pain patches. I am going into my fourth day but my pain is still there and I feel like a zombie. Not myself at all. Previously I was on dihydrocodeine and recently I they weren’t quite cutting the pain but I felt ok in the head. Now my doctor has said I can take these as well as the patches. Has anyone had any experience with these ? I know I am going too up my injections. But don’t think that is going-too help the overall feeling they are giving me. Thanks

[Patjamber]

Sorry that should have been Butec 5

[fbirder]

Those are serious pain killers. What sort of pain are they being used to treat?

[Patjamber in reply to fbirder]

Arthritus. Fibro. Who knows it all get mixed in together. I am in constant pain x x x

[Foggyme Administrator]

Patjamber

Butec 5 and dihydrocoedine are both really strong painkillers. Can you take them together - no idea, but I'd approach with caution and be aware that dihydrocoeidine is addictive and usually only recommended for three days use - unless under direct medical supervision (which you are - but I'd still be cautious).

Here's the patient information leaflet for Butec 5, which will,give you more information about use and potential contraindications:

medicines.org.uk/emc/produc...

However, as you may be having side effects from the Butec 5 patches, then best to discuss this with your GP - there may be another pain killer that suits you better.

Take them with dihydrocoedine - if your GP is not aware that you are having potential side effects from the Butec 5, then think I'd 'play it safe' and discuss with them first.

Note: the side effects you are having with the Butec 5 patches may be made worse if you add in the dihydrocodiene - the combination of both may depress breathing and certainly make you feel more sleepy and 'zombie' like.

Best place to get advice at the weekend (in the UK, anyway) is from a pharmacist - they're often more knowledgable about drugs, drug interactions and side effects than many GPs.

So...and in light of the fact that you feel like a zombie and are 'not yourself', think you'd be better to consult with a pharmacist (at least) before taking the dihydrocoedine as well.

And certainly return to your GP to discuss further.

👍

[bdole2018]

The other problem is buprenorphine tends to hog your opioid receptors. This would make it hard for other opioids to have an effect. It's used in substance replacement therapy for this reason. Buprenorphine oral-mucosal tablets would be a better companion drug for breakthrough pain. I gave up on those patches years ago and I had the 10mcg ones. I take 400mg of Meptazinol 4 times daily instead. 1600mg meptazinol is equivalent to 60mg oral morphine daily. Doctors seem far more willing to prescribe it than morphine though!

[Patjamber in reply to bdole2018]

Thank you all very much for the advice but after four and a half days I have taken it off I really could not cope. I had an op end of last year for hiatus hernia and a Neilson wrap and it appears to have affected this area as I am in awful pain almost if it’s raw. Back too docs tomorrow. Thank you all

[Foggyme Administrator in reply to Patjamber]

Hi Patjamber. Just a thought...it's very unusual to have post-operative pain nearly a year after surgery, especially to the extent that you have.

I've been reading about Neilson's Fundoplication and Hiatus Repair and the pain level following surgery is described as 'mild for upto a week'.

Here's what one hospital says about the surgery and recovery rate etc.:

hey.nhs.uk/patient-leaflet/...

Based on this, it would appear that the level of pain you have is not what would be expected...it certainly shouldn’t require the powerful pain killers that you are having to take...and for so long.

The guidelines above (albeit from a different hospital) suggest urgent referral back to the surgical team (as an out patient) if this kind of complication occurs.

Think if it was me I'd ask my GP for an urgent referral back to the surgical team who did the surgery (usually via an urgent out-patient appointment).

What's happening to you is not usual and I'm really surprised that your GP is just doling out ever-stronger pain killers rather than sending you back for re-assessment and further investigations, if necessary.

In the meantime, hope that your GP manages to find more suitable pain medications for you...and that the reasons for your continued high levels of atypical pain following this type of procedure are throughly investigated.

Good luck.

👍

[spacey1]

I agree with the above. Butec is a really strong painkiller, and it doesn't sound like it suited you well at all. The worry these days with strong pain relief is that it becomes less effective over time (hence short term prescribing where possible). If you get to the top of the dose of the strong meds, there's nowhere to go should you have a flare of pain, plus they can even cause pain as a side effect if used long term. Talk to your GP about that re-referral back to the surgical team. Much better to get the root cause sorted!

[Patjamber in reply to spacey1]

God morning spacey1 Foggyme and everyone else who has been kind enough too reply to me. Very much appreciated. I would just like to point out that the pain killers are actually for my arthritis or fibro and maybe some of the PA pain !!!! I have been on dihydrocodeine 30mg for a long while plus paracetamol for the days I need more. I try not too take pain killers in unless essential. My doctor decided to put me on the patches as I had been on the tablets for a length of time and said to carry on with the dihydrocodeine for a couple of weeks. I tried this. I stopped the dihydrocodeine too see if it would help. It didn’t, so I have removed the patch and gone back to what I know best where I can have a normal life as possible. The day I had the patch out on my first meal felt as if I was eating razor blades and the area around the op has been extra painful on a permanent basis now. I have had trouble since the op, when I went too gp they sent me too hospital ( twice) saying it was my heart and need to be checked Nothing my heart was fine. I have seen the consultant twice who wanted too see if it settled down. I am due back in October this time I am not leaving until something is done. I am not sure if it is my imagination but since I hit 66 the attitude towards me seems to have changed. I find this unfair as I don’t complain a lot I look after myself and I keep as active mentally and physically as I can under the circumstances. I have days where I could curl up in a ball and not move but I still try to make the best of a bad day. So I do feel cheated when the people who are there too help me give me a look of total boredom and appear to rush me out of the surgery. Anyway today is not quite a bad day so far. Thank you all again. X

[onyx33]

Hi Patjamber could you tell me what has been identified as PA pain please, I have PA and experience a lot of pain walking any distance, gets worse with every step but I've never come across pain listed as a PA symptom, sorry you having to cope with more tham one chronic illness it complicates sorting out what is causing what, I also have Hashimoto's Disease and a 10 min GP appointment gives little time for anything other than a quick discussion about blood test results and treatment based purely on these results.

[Patjamber]

Hi onyx33. To be honest it all gets a. It muddled up pain wise. When I was originally diagnosed over forty years ago it was muscle pain amongst the usual symptoms. I know I get less pain in some areas because I inject at home So leg muscles don’t burn and ache so much. It is very difficult too tell you which pain is associated to what apart from the obvious which is my gnarly pain ridden hands I know what you mean about the ten minute slot. I often go in with a list of bullet points one for him one for me so he can look down and see if any are related and take it from there. Good luck