Fentanyl dosage conversion
Common Questions and Answers about Fentanyl dosage conversion
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Fentanyl conversion is not a atraight conversion from one opiate to another. Because the delivery systems are very different- oral versus transdermal.
It is very likely the conversion dosage rate is fine- however since you are going from oral meds to transdermal - it needs to build up in the bloodstream and the tissues so that you are receiving a steady dose.
Conversions from one opiate to another are typically done reducing the new opiate dose by 20-30% for cross tolerance. Converting from fentanyl back to oral pain meds is a difficult conversion, and may require adjustments by your doctor. Do not adjust the dosage on your own or take more than you are currently prescribed without your doctors permission and guidance.
And the dangers with Fentanyl, especially as it comes in Micrograms and not milligrams...it makes conversion even more tricky.
We live in a world where there are people who scour the internet all day and read sites like this and use them in ways that they shouldn't...I am NOT trying to say you, or even the OP...but this is why I don't post things like the conversion tables or things in that way as I don't ever want to say that it's ok to use them ourselves...
So...
ve seen of fentanyl detox and my own year long, slow methadone recovery, I think fentanyl and methadone are only different in dosage. The full synthetic nature and side effects of both methadone and fentanyl make them very close tie for the worst detox ever. As I vomit and shat myself in my yard from methadone detox, I remember wishing I was a heroin or any other kind of addict. Anyway, mute point, but wanted to share.
How much and how long methadone use have you got under your belt bullseye?
Converting Fentanyl to equal 360 mg of Oxycontin with the opioid calculator results in 300 mcg/hr. This is the largest dose conversion that is shown in the fentanyl prescription leaflet that comes in the box with the medication. So your doctor's thoughts that you need to keep going up on the Fentanyl patch are CORRECT.
There is another option for you.
Initially when I saw that you were on 175 mcg/hr of fentanyl I was shocked as that it is a really high dosage of fentanyl! So you are getting almost twice as much oxycodone through Fentanyl TD. I'm very surprised that your doctor wants to keep upping the dosage. I don't think that is the right approach. Have you considered getting a second opinion from another pain management doctor?
It may be that the conversion to fentanyl was too high a dose... given your description of symptoms, they aren’t typical withdrawal, but sound more like the fentanyl dose was too high.
There really is no exact equivalent, but i can guarantee you that 20mcgs of bupe doesn't cover 60mgs of methadone, for anyone I have met. Maybe in someone's theory, but I have read it is closer to 1mg dupe is good for 30-60mgs of methadone. I was at about 200mgs methadone and 8 mgs bupe was about right, which is half what my doctor prescribed, but that is 50mgs methadone to 1mg bupe, was still a little off, but stabilized in a couple days.
If your doctor does it properly, there should be no withdrawals. It was a big fear of mine as we switched meds a lot. But they have a conversion chart they use so it's not usually an issue. Also, talk to your pharmacist. They have a wealth of knowledge and can help allay an fears. Having a good relationship with your pharmacist is nearly as important as having a good relationship with your doctor.
Which narcotic are you coming off and which are you switching to?
My moms doctor took her from taking 4 percocet 10s a day to fentanyl patch 50 mg every 72 hrs...is this normal? She has rheumatoid arthritis.
What I do know is there are conversion charts that physicians use to determine what dosage you will require when going from one drug to another. My question would be why your physician wants to change your medication when they are apparently working so well for you. Is this something you have requested or is he/she concerned about other issues. It was my understanding that most physicians would rather prescribe Fentanyl over Oxycontin but I do know they all have their own personally opinion.
Hi,
0.025 mg = 25 mcg.
Are you sure they are giving you the 0.025 mg and not 1/2 of the 0.250 mg?
If this dose you have written is correct it is only 1/5th of the 125 mcg, and you will be very much under medicated.
From what you said on levothyroxine you were taking 125+62.5 = 187.5 mcg x 6 days
62.5 mcg on day 7,
This gives a total dose of 1,187.5 mcg over a period of 7 days.
On the VA med (0.
Cross tolerance factors are a % of total daily dosage reduction after the unit conversion from one opioid to another opioid is complete. For many, a different opioid never tried before can be stronger even when the dosage equivalent is less than the amount received in the old opioid because of incomplete cross tolerance. Most often, doctors reduce the dosage in the new opioid down by 20-25% after the unit conversion to minimize adverse side effects from the new opioid.
I have recently found out that I have a few things going wrong with my back. I have been going to a pain management/spinal doctor for the past 2 months and am on Oxycodone, Kadian, Neurotin(sp?), & have just started the 12mcg patch of Fentanyl today (5/8/09). I am wondering what can I expect from this patch - the good, the bad & the ugly? I am not a newbie to oral pain meds as I was in a pretty bad car accident 11 years ago where I crushed part of my knee & messed up my leg.
Hello Novermhead,
You've asked a good question. Oxycontin is a sustained release medication and I am surprised that you are taking four, 40mgs tablets per day.
According to the conversion charts that I normally refer to the fentanyl patch would need to be 125 mcg to equal what you are taking now, which would be delivered over a 72 hour period.
If not, you should have these tested as soon as possible to see if there are other issues going on (e.g. conversion).
Im going to break my questions down into more manageable chunks - could anybody explain why my weight fluctuations of upto 3 stone, 20 kilos has not resulted in any thyroid dosage changes?
I've stayed at 150 mcg and varied between 16 and 19.5 stone.
My pet hobby at the moment is to try and prove some kind of rT3 problem, but my docs aren't having any of it. So time for some education.
All I know is that they will use a conversion chart to do that transition. I asked the PCP what to expect, and she said that I would feel some discomfort for the first couple of weeks but that it wouldn't be bad. She really wasn't convincing though. I have been on 75mcg/q48hrs for 4 years. I am sure that I am very dependent on this stuff. Why all the fear you may ask??
you can google it conversion armour thyroid or look online there is a thread with some conversion charts on it.
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