Do you use the Fentanyl transdermal system for pain relief? If your doctor has offered this as a solution to control your pain, there are things you need to know. Used properly, this strong pain Duragesic patch can help immeasurably as pain control for those people with chronic, hard-to-manage pain such as cancer patients.
Fentanyl transdermal system is for pain that is not expected to go away for weeks or longer, and it is ten times (some reports it as 80 times higher) stronger then morphine. The duragesic patch works very well for patients who have chronic around the clock pain that is hard to control with other pain medications. Patient must have been on morphine at some point before moving up to the fentanyl transdermal system
There are some very improper uses for this Duragesic patch in use today and the misuse of this very strong pain relief is causing life-threatening side effects and even death because of how it is used. You should not use the fentanyl transdermal system for post surgical pain or dental pain, although some doctors prescribe it for those uses.
Overdosing & Side effects
Using this fentanyl transdermal system for other then it is intended puts you at a very high risk for over dosing on it, and you could die or have the serious side effects. These side effects include, trouble breathing especially if it is mixed with sleepiness, low breathing, feel faint or dizzy, or confused. This is a serious side effect and you need to seek help very quickly. Serious side effects could lead to death if not treated very quickly.
Other common side effects include sleepiness, confusion, and low blood pressure. Constipation is another common by very real side effect, so make sure the patient has plenty of fiber, stool softeners, and fluids to help ease this.
Do not use more then one Duragesic patch at a time unless ordered to do so by your doctor. Even then, you should question this as over dosing can happen quickly.
Nursing moms should not use this fentanyl transdermal system as it goes straight into the blood stream and may harm the baby.
Other signs of a fentanyl overdose include inability to think, talk or walk normally, if these signs occur in this paragraph occur patients or their caregivers should get medical attention right away.
If you have a fever inform your doctor right away as this duragesic patch will release more fentanyl into your system at once. The hotter body temperature will cause the fentanyl to release quicker into your body, and this could cause on overdose quickly.
You are not supposed to sunbathe, use a heating pad, sleep on a heated waterbed or take a hot bath while using this duragesic patch for the same reasons; it will cause more fentanyl to release into your body. It quickly builds up the levels of fentanyl into your body and you could hit toxic levels without realizing it.
Patients with a history of the following medical conditions should not use the duragesic patch, asthma or other lung problems, a past head injury or brain problems, a slow heartbeat, liver or kidney problems, or problems urinating among other medical problems..
Since the fentanyl, which is in this duragesic patch, is highly addictive if you have a history of alcohol or drug abuse, have serious depression or hallucinations you should not use this patch.
Deaths
Over dosing on fentanyl either by accident or on purpose happens in alarming numbers and the FDA says there has only been 120 cases nationwide but I found a web page that list many more then that and that is incredibly sad.
An over dose of this duragesic patch can occur as quickly as half an hour depending on factors outlined in this article, and removing the patch does not help because the fentanyl levels keep building up into the body for up to seventeen hours after it is removed.
When toxic levels of fentanyl have occurred the patient will experiences sleepiness and then they will lapse into a coma. In this coma, the body is so relaxed that breathing stops.
While there have been accidental overdoses from patients using the medicine correctly, there have been even more cases of drug addicts trying to get high off this duragesic patch and often a fatal overdose occurs. Alcohol and other drugs can make the toxic levels of the fentanyl rise quickly.
If a loved one has had a serious side effect or died because of the use of the duragesic patch, also known as the fentanyl transdermal system there is an ongoing lawsuit so you can seek damages. This law firm will handle you case and they have a very informative website.
Remedies
Sure, you could take this drug off the market because it is so easy to over dose on, but what about the cancer patients and patients with chronic pain who depend on this duragesic patch to control their pain.
You are always going to have patients selling their fentanyl patches to afford bills, especially senior citizens, who are struggling on social security. It is a well know fact that they sell medication. You are always going to have some unethical medical people stealing it etc, and what can be done?
Sources for this articles include:
http://www.fda.gov/cder/drug/InfoSheets/patient/fentanylPIS.htm
http://www.answers.com/topic/fentanyl-transdermal-system-duragesic?cat=health
http://www.cancer.org/docroot/CDG/content/CDG_fentanyl_transdermal_system.asp
http://www.pharmscope.com/ptjournal/fulltext/27/3/PTJ2703132.pdf
http://www.drugs.com/ppa/fentanyl-transdermal-system.html
http://www.lawyersandsettlements.com/articles/fentanyl.html.
http://www.fda.gov/cder/drug/InfoSheets/patient/fentanylPIS.htm
http://www.fentanylclaimcenter.org/
