go ahead and take the norco, , my experience was 4-12 hours. Or, not like the instructions say, a medium blowdryer setting will do the trick. I was slightly nautious(sp) and sleepy for a day or so, also, write the company, e-mail them. to get the free things that go on over them so they don't come off easily. Hope the patches help, beats taking pills all the time. My doc did give me vicoden to take along with the patches for breakthrough, any questions ask your doc, not the office nurse. Sometimes something new scares us a bit.