Fentanyl

It can, but generally doctors prefer to prescribe Percocet or plain Oxycodone rather than Dilaudid (hydromorphone), unless the patient has problems with morphine intolerance (both Dilaudid and Fentanyl are synthetic opiates).

Fentanyl is 100 times stronger than morphine, and is not to be messed with.

It's different for each individual, based on body size, opiate tolerance/intolerance, health factors, etc. Even a minimum patch dose can be fatal if it's used by someone who isn't already opiate tolerant, meaning they've already been using opiates on a regular basis for a long period and they need something more effective.

Fentanyl N-oxide is formed by your liver -- a typical metabolic activity. Your body responds to foreign substances by "placing an oxygen or hydroxyl group in the 4 position". This is only a generalization, but quite useful as a rule of thumb. Drugs which "block" the 4 position, for example Shulgin's DOB (4-bromo-2,5-dimethoxyamphetamine) is two orders of magnitude more active than similar structures, and removing the bromine (from the 4 position) makes the compound inactive!

Forensic geeks can mimic metabolism by shining uv lights on chemicals, heating them, subjecting them to stress, calling them mean names... In vitro, fentanyl is quickly oxidized by hydrogen peroxide of suitable strength, and probably other oxidizing reagents.

Patching a server is the process of applying updates to the software that the server runs on that improve the security of the software, fix bugs in the software, or improve the performance of the software. "Server patching" may refer to applying these "software patches" to the operating system or to other software running on the server, such as web servers, databases and application servers.

gloves prevent the medication from being absorbed through the skin.

Wash your hands afterwards and never touch the medicinal side of the patch.

yes, it is. Taking overdose without doctor's advice caused risk on constipation.

The only thing to be cognizant and aware of is that it might exacerbate mood swings, which are common with high doses of opiates, and especially Fentanyl patches. However, if you prepare yourself and your family/friends to watch out for such a problem, you shouldn't have any issues with it.

Duragesic/Fentanyl generic patch side effects are pretty much consistent with those of morphine and other similar opiate derivatives. It's important to understand that you shouldn't even be using patches unless you've been using other types of opiates for some time (e.g., Percocet, OxyContin, Morphine, Demerol, etc.). Fentanyl is 100x stronger than morphine, and if you're not already tolerant to opiate side effects, it can be a lot tougher to adjust (deadly if you've no experience with it at all.

Typically though, the most common are constipation, urinary retention, withdrawal effects (as the patch dose winds down after 2-3 days, depending on your usage). Euphoria is a common misconception for those not familiar with regular patch use - you might feel some effects as you get used to it, but after a few weeks, you'll feel pretty normal.

The biggest problem most people have, and the one that friends and family (and co-workers if you're still working) need to be aware of are mood swings and depression. Depression isn't necessarily a side effect of Fentanyl, but it is a common problem with chronic pain patients. Anyone in real, constant pain who says they're not depressed is either not in pain, lying, or in total denial. Pain and depression are constant companions.

The combination of constant pain (even with Fentanyl you'll have some pain) and the opiate effects can cause mood swings when you least expect it. It's what usually alienates friends first, and family members who aren't aware of the complications often think they're the problem, you've gone nuts, or you've got some other type of mental problem. As long as you're aware of the effects, and your friends and family know what can happen and why, you have a much better chance of dealing with it. Most families of chronic pain patients don't survive this because they just don't understand it.

My own family just closes my bedroom door and leaves me alone - I'm amazed they've stuck by me for so many years.

The one potentially harmful side-effect is caused by increased body temperature (fever, sunlight, hot tub, etc.). Fentanyl patch doses are regulated by body temperature, and as long as you're within normal limits or cool, you're okay. However, if your core temp rises, or the patch itself is heated directly while it's applied, it will increase the dosage delivery rate, which can make you delirious or dizzy at best, and send you into respiratory arrest at worst if you're not that tolerant. There have been several times over the years where I've experienced this as a result of increased physical activity, and it's not fun, even when you know what's happening. It's important to let friends and family know what to do if they find you in such a state. My daughter's saved me a couple of times when I was that way.

The quickest way to deal with it is to remove your patch (you can re-apply it later if you maintain the edges) and then get yourself into a cool shower. You can put the patch back on (see my post on doing that) after you've recovered.

The easiest way to avoid that is to be aware of situations you're in that might increase your body temperature.

Patches aren't to be abused or considered taking lightly - they should only be considered when you're not getting long-term benefits from any other opiates, and it's become a quality of life decision. I'm not saying don't use them or avoid or them altogether, but they're not like swallowing a pill every few hours.

It depends - it'll certainly be picked up on the screen, but if you're under a doctor's care and it's your prescription, and you've noted it on the screening documents, then there's not much they can say unless the job involved driving or something that might require a doctor's approval. If they deny you employment based on your medical history only, and there's no specific requirement that you NOT be using that kind of med, then you've got a great discrimination lawsuit.

this sounds ridiculous. the opiate family of drugs are so similar that i would think explaining the previous days procedure would clear it up. codeine is turned into hydromorphone by the liver, so this person clearly has a legitimate reason for the positive drug test.

Yes - if you request that your doctor enter "Brand Name Only" on your prescription, and ask him to prescribe Duragesic rather than generics, Duragesic boxes come with a $50 coupon that you can use at your pharmacy. You can also download them from their site.

It's enough for me as it pays my copay for them every month.

I don't know but if you try it your a fool

Duragesic and other Fentanyl patches contain Fentanyl suspended in a gel solution, which is delivered transdermally over a 2-3 day period to the patient. Since it's a timed-release drug, cutting the patch and eating the gel bypasses the timed-release function and instantly gives the person a massive dose of Fentanyl, which even for highly opiate tolerant patients like myself, can be extremely dangerous or fatal. For most who are on high doses, the effects are usually confusion or delirium; for those who aren't opiate tolerant or use drugs like Cocaine or Heroin, the effects are usually fatal, since Fentanyl is 100 times stronger than Morphine.

Fentanyl users have the drug in their systems 24/7, and as such, build up a very high tolerance to its effects. Patient who start using it have already used other opiates for some time, and already have a high tolerance before using it. Those who aren't regular users and aren't tolerant to the effects usually die of respiratory or cardiac arrest, or a combination of both. The most common cause of death though is ignorance and a lack of respect for how powerful an opiate Fentanyl is.

Fentanyl is a powerful opioid pain medication that should only be used under a doctor's supervision due to its high potential for addiction and overdose. The duration of use depends on individual circumstances, including the condition being treated, your response to the medication, and any side effects experienced. It's crucial to follow your healthcare provider's prescription and guidelines closely. Never use fentanyl without medical oversight to ensure safety and effectiveness.

Scientists don't yet know why. The original research was done on patients taking oral amiodarone to control abnormal heart rythms who subsequently received a fentanyl infusion during surgery. These patients had a greater risk of severe bradycardia (very low heart rate), hypotension (low blood pressure) and cardiac arrest.

Fentanyl patches are better for pain (chronic pain) due to the idea that the patch releases a steady stream of medicine over time whereas taking a methadone tablet what happens is that you get the first pass effect, meaning that your liver begins to detoxify the methadone right from the beginning. Also, if you forget to take the tablet exactly on schedule then you could end up chasing the pain, ie. it is much easier and takes much less drug to maintain your analgesia rather than trying to catch up after forgetting to take your tablets, even for just an hour or so.

a drug called naloxone

First, remember that not everyone gets a full 72 hours, and the longer you use them, the less time you'll get from them. Point is, don't think that 72 hours is a hard and fast number; there are some of us who only get 48 hours. If you're getting less than 72 hours, you probably need a higher dose. If you've not been on them that long, it's important to note that the initial patch dose conversion from oral opiates is skewed to the low side for safety reasons, and most first-time patch users get a dose that's initially too low if they've been using oral opiates for a long period.

The trick is to overlap your patch replacement time; I used to use both biceps (when using 1 or 2 patches) for patch placement, as they're flat and don't flex much, making it the ideal spot. When only using 1 patch, add the new patch on your other arm (or another area above the waistline) as the old one is winding down, at around the 70 hour mark (or whenever you've determined is a good point). I used to put my new one on about 4 hours before I knew the old one would get real low.

As a result, the new patch has enough time to ramp up to full dosage delivery as the old one winds down and runs out. This way, your overall dosage remains fairly constant, and you won't experience any withdrawal symptoms.

It depends entirely on the patient, length of use, and overall dosage of the patch. In general, the longer you've used it, the longer it will take you to wean yourself off of it, unless you're switching to an acute med of a lower strength. In those cases, the dosage equivalent of the target drug needs to be matched with the current patch dose (keeping in mind that the dosage tables for patches are conservative estimates), and then from there incrementally reduce the dose until you're completely off of it, or you're at a new maintenance level using the new drug.

I know from experience (having had to increase and decrease my dosages) that it takes longer than you might think if you've been using them for some time. After 10 years of continual use (200mcg's), last year I spent approximately 8 months dropping my dosage levels to the point where I was able to finally stop using them and continue solely on Percocet. That was accompanied by 2 major withdrawal periods; one that lasted 5 days, the other one 3 weeks. Having been through such periods several times over the years, I knew what to expect, but it still wasn't easy. The key is to do it slowly, and when you're at a mental state that you can deal with the hard withdrawal periods (something you can't avoid), hydration, sedation, and good movies, music, or games are essential in getting through it. Toward the end, an anti-anxiety med from your doctor will really help the last stages as it purges from your system.

Keeping hydrated is very important - not only does it help flush it out of your system faster, you'll be sweating buckets while freezing at the same time. Think having the flu, only 10 times worse. I always use water and Gatorade for hydration - Gatorade helps replace what your body is sweating out. You'll know the Fentanyl is coming out too - you can literally smell it as it sweats out of your pores.

As far as sedation, anything you can do to stay asleep or relaxed really helps as well. For music, my personal preference is David Gilmour's "Night to Remember" BD, recorded at the Royal Albert Hall.

It's important that you're both physically and mentally prepared for such an attempt, and that you've got time set aside to accomplish it. To say you're going to be extremely irritable and not good company is an understatement, so doing it while you've got work/school/family commitments on a regular basis isn't recommended. You need someone who can help you and knows what to expect, as your pain will of course get worse as the drug leaves your system. At some point, the withdrawal pain will go away, leaving you with a true indication of your normal pain levels.

Always have a good supply of an acute med on hand as well to help alleviate the symptoms. Percocet or Vicodin works pretty well - you can cut them in half to stretch your supply. A good anti-inflammtory (Naproxen, Bextra) as well as OTC meds (I use Bayer Back & Body Aspirin and Tylenol Rapid Release Gel Tabs) will also help you through the process.

Having said all that, I know that at some point soon I'll need to start using them again, as my pain levels are too high for just Percocet or OTC meds.

Fentanyl is significantly stronger than xylazine, with fentanyl being approximately 50 to 100 times more potent than morphine, while xylazine is primarily a sedative and muscle relaxant used in veterinary medicine. Xylazine does not have the same analgesic properties as fentanyl, making it less effective for pain relief. Additionally, the two substances have different uses and mechanisms of action, with fentanyl being an opioid and xylazine being an alpha-2 adrenergic agonist.

Patches come in 5 dosages:

12.5 mcg (micrograms)

25 mcg

50 mcg

75 mcg

100 mcg

Patient dosages are prescribed as a single patch dose, or if needed, a combination of doses to get the desired result. For example, my primary dose is 100mcg, but I've had to increase to 150 and 200mcg as necessary over the years. I once met a lady who had a brother that was a former cancer patient (he's since passed away) that was using 6 100mcg patches.

Three hours is barely enough time to get the full dosage effects, and that's if you've already been using it. Patches can be reused, but only in cases where they need to be removed for emergencies, or they've come off due to adhesive failure.

It's important to understand that they're not meant to be removed, and if you need to remove a patch in so short a time, you shouldn't be using them to begin with.

If you are peeing at a methadone clinic, they cannot specifically test for fentanyl as it is synthetic and shows the same as alcohol. To 'appear' clean, when they ask you if you have had anything to drink just tell them yes (either earlier in the day before the test or late the night before). If you say that you haven't had any alcohol and the test comes back positive, they assume it is dirty with something like fentanyl. This holds true if you have worn the patch, eaten it or smoked it. I know this from experience, I have been dirty with fentanyl but was able to hide it with the admission of alcohol. This only holds true for the pee test at a meth clinic, I don't know if it works for other drug tests for work or if on parole.