Fentanyl and Actiq

erfan

Actiq has been approved for cancer b/t pain only although many Docs do rx off-label. However, after reading some articles about this in the WSJ and other credible papers, I'd expect a crackdown on off-label use. Insurance might not cover it of not for cancer b/t pain.

Actiq is absorbed through the cheek and it starts working in as fast as 5
minutes.

Is it better to have same med for base abd b/t? Some say yes, others say no.

It might be best to have different receptors covered.

KEVINNKY

I Currently Use The Fentanly Patch And Oxycodone For Bt Pain. My Pain Doctor Has Discussed Actiq With Me But The Problem Is That It Has A Very Short Half Life And Is Only Good For About 1 Hour Of Bt Pain Relief. I Have Recently Switched To Hydromorphone For Bt Pain And It Works Much Better Than The Oxycodone. My Pain Doc Trys To Switch The Bt Meds Alot To Avoid Tolerance. Hope This Was A Help. I Was Offered Actiq And Tried It For About A Week It Was Useless.. It Nocks You Out For An Hour And Then You Are Right Back In Pain. Hope This Helps.

KEVINNKY

I Currently Use The Fentanly Patch And Oxycodone For Bt Pain. My Pain Doctor Has Discussed Actiq With Me But The Problem Is That It Has A Very Short Half Life And Is Only Good For About 1 Hour Of Bt Pain Relief. I Have Recently Switched To Hydromorphone For Bt Pain And It Works Much Better Than The Oxycodone. My Pain Doc Trys To Switch The Bt Meds Alot To Avoid Tolerance. Hope This Was A Help. I Was Offered Actiq And Tried It For About A Week It Was Useless.. It Nocks You Out For An Hour And Then You Are Right Back In Pain. Hope This Helps.

KEVINNKY

I Currently Use The Fentanly Patch And Oxycodone For Bt Pain. My Pain Doctor Has Discussed Actiq With Me But The Problem Is That It Has A Very Short Half Life And Is Only Good For About 1 Hour Of Bt Pain Relief. I Have Recently Switched To Hydromorphone For Bt Pain And It Works Much Better Than The Oxycodone. My Pain Doc Trys To Switch The Bt Meds Alot To Avoid Tolerance. Hope This Was A Help. I Was Offered Actiq And Tried It For About A Week It Was Useless.. It Nocks You Out For An Hour And Then You Are Right Back In Pain. Hope This Helps.

KEVINNKY

I Currently Use The Fentanly Patch And Oxycodone For Bt Pain. My Pain Doctor Has Discussed Actiq With Me But The Problem Is That It Has A Very Short Half Life And Is Only Good For About 1 Hour Of Bt Pain Relief. I Have Recently Switched To Hydromorphone For Bt Pain And It Works Much Better Than The Oxycodone. My Pain Doc Trys To Switch The Bt Meds Alot To Avoid Tolerance. Hope This Was A Help. I Was Offered Actiq And Tried It For About A Week It Was Useless.. It Nocks You Out For An Hour And Then You Are Right Back In Pain. Hope This Helps.

conductor

I have Lupus and use Duragesic, Actiq, and Dilaudid. For me Actiq works very well. As stated, it is also made of fentanyl like the patch. Actiq is available as a generic, which is much--MUCH--less expensive than the brand name. As I've mentioned before, my co-pay went from approximately $950 to $10!!

I believe that Actiq works very well for my particular pain. For some reason, there seems to be a severe angst shown by many against this medication. This may be due to the fact that Actiq is probably one of the strongest--if not THE strongest--short-acting opiates on the market. Nonetheless, this medication works for me and allows me to function.

Sincerely,
Jon (Conductor)

djemcee

Jon,

How long do you think the actiq works for you? More than 1 hr?

I like the fact it is quick acting. How long after you start using it, do you feel the effects?

Chris

conductor

Dear Chris,

When I use Actiq (800 mcg), I start to notice relief within 20 minutes or so. For me, the relief lasts several hours. It's true, the BT relief doesn't last as long as other medicines. However, it boosts the fentanyl level in your body--in addition to what's already there from the patch. I understand the reasoning behind its use...I guess.

Now, I also use Dilaudid 8 mg. I use the Dilaudid for certain types of pain, while I use the Actiq for the neuropathy in my knees and hips. Yes, it's a balancing act, but it's working for me!

The one thing that's difficult to remember about Actiq is the manner in which you should use it. It's so easy to treat it like a sucker--and continue swallowing the saliva. However, it works best by keeping it actively moved within the sides of your cheeks. This way (supposedly), it absorbs through the oral mucosa and relieves your pain more quickly. If it has to go through your stomach because of swallowing the medicine, not much of it will make it! That's the way my doctor AND pharmacist explained it to me.

Sincerely,
Jon (Conductor)

P.S. The generic form made by Barr Labs is actually made by the same company who makes the brand. In fact, the boxes are almost identical. Instead of "Actiq", it says "Oral Transmucosal Fentanyl Citrate". It even has the same taste!