FDA Fentanyl Warning

[mmglobal]

Interesting email from Dr. Baumbach included a warning about use of Fentanyl transdermal patches. This is an update (posted last month) to a 2005 advisory.

http://www.ispine.org/article-librar...tanyl-fda.html

I'm curious to hear from patch users. Were you told that running a fever of 102 or sunbathing with the patch on can cause dangerous levels of fentanyl to be delivered?

I hope this helps someone.

Mark

[KL Aguilar]

Mark, I don't know much about these patches, but I have Lidoderm patches and they really help. Are these also dangerous? I know I can only use two at a time, and twelve hours on and twelve hours off. I was not told, but would've guessed that using heat with them would be a no-no.

I am now seeing a physiatrist in Fullerton. He is questioning the last two surgeons' recommendation of a two-level fusion instead of something less invasive. (To refresh your memory, I am referring to Dr. Lauryssen and Dr. Samudrala, the latter of Cedar Sinai).

The physiatrist gave me three trigger point injections around the right scapular area and the areas no longer hurt! It still hurts above and below the areas he injected though. Twelve and a half years of being a cervie and this is the first medical professional to recommend trigger point injections...

[martyusa]

Thanks for the update, Mark. I passed this onto my Wifes employer @ the hospital. According to her, they do not prescribe this all that often. But, knowledge is power.

[Poncho]

Hummm....I can't say that when I was on the fentanyl patch that this fever & heat thing was mentioned. Lack of working at low dosages and nausea at higher levels is why I quit taking it.

It makes sense though - perhaps because the heat would make the medication more liquid - like and the skin pores opening up to the heat would make for quicker rate of absorbing the medication. Interesting thread.

[teg]

I was on the patches for a year starting 5 mcg. My frustration with the patches was the fact that the medication did not touch my pain and they did not stay on during the summer.

My doctor never gave me any instructions for using the patch. I put the patch on my upper arm every 72 hours. I am glad to be off the patch now. I also had a reaction to the glue from the patch where I would have red welts.

Anyway, thank you for the information Mark. I think that the Duragesic patch is a good pain management tool. Just like other pain management alternatives, complications may occur and it is good to be informed.

Thelma

[rosedee]

I was prescribed Fentanyl last year by my Pain Specialist. I was not given these warnings. As I increased the dose I developed oedema in both feet, ankles and above. I was told that this was not a known side effect, but he agreed that it did seem to be due to the patches - I had never had oedema before and there was nothing to indicate it was a symptom of any other problem. As I decreased the dose to come of it, the oedema gradually went down. (Despite a slow decrease in dose, I had bad withdrawal). Another doctor I informed about this (orthopaedic surgeon who is reported to be one of the leading ADR surgeons in the UK), just dismissed out of hand the idea that it was related to the Fentanyl.