This is my first post here. I have just put on my first 25mcg patch and have a few questions.
The reason I asked my Dr to try the patch was to get off the oxy's as they are no longer working well and the dose is going to keep spiraling up.
Is the patch different enough that my tolerance to the oxy's will not affect the efficacy of the fentanyl patch?
Second, is there some sort of chart that equates the pain relief of Oxycontin and fentanyl?
I have been on Oxycontin for over 5 years and am taking a much higher dose to get the same relief and had to try something different.
My 'plan' is to be able to switch back and forth between the 2 different meds maybe once or twice a year to keep the efficacy up and the dose down.
Does this stragedy have any merit?
Thanks.
Last edited by sueperdave; 06-14-2011 at 08:09 PM.
No, not really. Since these are both narcotics and work on the same receptors in the brain, your tolerane is going to rise regardless of which you are on. Also having a plan that involves switching meds once a year is something I doubt you will get your doc to sign off on.
As to the chart between Fentanyl and Oxy, if you were taking between 30 - 65mgs of Oxy, you would need a 25mcg patch/72 hrs.
Fentanyl is the strongest pain med out there, so if you took it for a while and it was effective, but then you wanted to switch back to Oxy, you would most likely need much more oxy than before, so that your body didn't go into w/d's from the lack of med.
The best pain plan is to find a med that you tolerate well with few side effects and try to use the least amount possible to keep your pain at a manageable level. Remember its Pain Management, not Pain Completely Gone.
Katlin, you are right in that fentanyl is the strongest pain med out there but that is why it is prescribed in micrograms. This way it is given in equianalgesic dosages. For example, 10 mg morphine is equal to 0.1 mg fentanyl or 100 micrograms. So even though it is the strongest, it is given in equianalgesic dosages so it would be like any other med.
Right, I listed it in mcg's to the original poster, so not sure what your point is?
If it's the point that switching from Fentanyl to Oxy or another med, generally requires a higher dose than previously...that's coming from experience and research. It doesn't matter that it's an equianalgesic dosage. That theory trickles down with most of the stronger meds, when you go to a stronger level for a large length of time, and then try to go back down to a less potent one, generally it requires a higher dosage that what you might have used before.
Well, there goes that hope.
I was 'hoping' that these drugs would be different enough, with different pain receptors, that the patch would be like a 'new' drug.
My pain is no worse that it was a year ago, but the efficacy of the oxy's are just not working. I was wanting to get off the oxy's long enough to get my system completely unaccustomed to it. It took several years to get the drugs efficacy down to this point so if I could start again...that would be awesome.
Sounds like it is a pipe dream as the patch is working on the same pathways...oh well.
