It depends on the pain and the patient, but over time if you're getting better (or not sure) there comes a point where you need to lower your dose enough to get a better determination of where your actual pain levels are. The problem with patches is that the withdrawal pain can be worse than your actual pain, and while you're using patches, you can never get a good handle on where your real pain truly is at.
Lowering your dosage enough to stop using them isn't easy, and it's harder the longer you've been using them and the higher the dose. It's not impossible, but you need to be physically and mentally prepared to do it. That's a decision only the patient can make, as everyone knows when they're ready or not.
It depends on the person and how long patches have been used, but in general you'll start feeling withdrawals around 6-8 hours after the patch dose expires. It takes another few days before it's really out of your system. If you've been using Fentanyl for a long time, it'll take days or weeks depending on how much and how long.
At least 2 days.
Anywhere from a few weeks, months, or years. It's all dependent on the patient and pain relief requirements.
What does it matter? You'll probably be dead.
If it is your first patch ever, about 24 to 48 hours. -Jennapsyche.
if you rub it on your gums and are not opiod tolerant; 1-2hrs maxium, re rubbing fentanyl opiod analgesic onto gums.
Vicodin, like Percocet, is prescribed for patch users as a pain breakthrough drug. Normally, you'd take it in instances where increased activity has increased your pain level beyond the patch's control point (breakthrough) and you need something short term to handle the pain. You can also use it if you've waited a bit too long to change out your patch to a new one. It usually takes a while for a new patch dose to ramp up to where you're feeling the effects, so in those cases, you can use Vicodin to bridge the withdrawals until the Fentanyl takes effect.
Depends entirely on the person and how long they've been taking it. The longer it's been taken, the longer it takes to leave. In general though, if another patch isn't put on, around 2-4 days.
This refers to a Fentanyl Transdermal patch, which is commonly used for chronic pain patients like myself that need continuous long-term opiate therapy. It is regulated by body heat, and is extremely effective. There are several doses - 12.5, 25, 50, 75 and 100mcg patches, all of which can be used with one another to make specific dosages. For example, though my normal dose is 100mcg, I typically have to use 200mcg, so I'll use 2 100mcg patches.
Everyone's different, but in general it takes several hours (especially if you're already opiate tolerant by using OxyContin) for Fentanyl to achieve a dosage equivalent to what you're taking. You want to adjust your patch attachment time so that when your OxyContin dose is going down, the patch dose is ramping up. Your doctor should have already told you this; keep in mind that initial patch doses are skewed toward the low end of the dosage chart for safety, so your initial dose might not cut it. Make sure you've got enough breakthrough meds available until you can get your patch dose correct.
Yes - as long as the patch has been kept cool and dry in its original packaging, it's okay to use, though the dosage effectiveness may be reduced depending on how much time has passed.
How long can a lidoderm patch be used?