fentanyl and hydromorphone

My Pain Management doctor wants to go up on dosage of patch, but I would like to know what other patches are available other than Morphine and Fentanyl.Someone told me there was a hydromorphone patch.If so,please list name and dosages.

Hydromorphone and hydrocodone are both semi-synthetic opioids, but hydromorphone is a much stronger pain reliever -- about 10 times stronger than hydrocodone. btw, hydrocodone does not contain acetaminophen. Medications like Vicodin and Norco contain both hydrocodone and acetaminophen, but hydrocodone is itself a semi-synthetic opioid, similar to oxycodone.

There is still some work on the liver regardless to process opioids but Fentanyl, Dilaudid (hydromorphone), and Opana (oxymorphone) put less strain on the liver. Please keep us updated on how you are feeling and the status of your transplant. I wish you all the best!

And then just make it clear you need a new and more effective break-through pain and/or acute pain treatment plan. That is when I would bring up the fentanyl patch. And, if you can say why you think it might be the right fit for you (long-term pain relief is something you mentioned above...

45PM. I have been given 60 MG morphine sulfate and 8 MG hydromorphone. I am starting to hurt through my chest and legs and hands. I am starting to have some sweats. My question is: are these pains part of cold turkey from the Subsys or new symptoms of the new meds I have been given? Lastly, how long does the fentanyl last in my system?

There is also short acting dilaudid (hydromorphone) or opana (oxymorphone) - oxymorphone is stronger than hydromorphone. The fentanyl patch strengths go up to 100 mcg/hr and the prescription leaflet shows dosing up to 300 mcg/hr so there is a lot of wiggle room with the fentanyl patches to hopefully give her some relief. That is fabulous that her cancer is in remission!!! Often even when this occurs, extreme pain can still be left behind from the treatments - especially radiation therapy.

I read that Sandee has switched to the Hydromorphone and is having great luck with it not only controlling her pain but makes her less tired. My question is, has ANYONE that was using the Fentanyl Patch switch to something else that worked as well. One of my problems is, because of the potency of the Fentanyl, I'm afraid that if I were to switch to something else that wouldn't make me so tired would also send me into W/D's.

I used the hydromorphone to get off of fentanyl which Id been addicted to for 2 years. So I badly tapered of the hydro, and have been self medicating with gabapentin to nullify my withdrawal symptoms (about 2400mg 2x a day is what I've found at this point works best after establishing a tolerance).

I would think a good Pharmacy or a Pain Clinic would order them for you. The generic is Oral Transmucosal Fentanyl Citrate (OTFC) and the trademark name is Actiq®, manufactured by Cephalon. I would also check to see if your insurance covers them. I wish you the best...

m been having myoclonus in my arm and body. My body jerks violently and causes pain in my spine. I broke my spine in 3 places from a suicide attempt I jumped off a building. So now my punishment is severe pain for life. So to get rid of the body jerks the doc wants me on fentanyl patch starting tomorrow. What's the patch like compared to hydromorphone? It feels like going on the patch is final no turning back.

10 years ago started on Tylenol 3 and slowly went to Percocet, OxyContin then to morphine MS Contin and statex to dilauded and hydro morphing ER to back to oxycodone and now on fentanyl 37 mcg. My question is should I continue with the fentanyl if I'm getting relief at about a 6 out of 10 with this dose or ask my pain management doctor for breakthrough meds or to raise the patch to 50 mcg?

I stopped taking my Suboxone strips for 24hrs. Went into immediate surgery. They gave me Fentanyl, several hydromorphone doses, and a benzo. Got out of the hospital waited 12hrs took my Suboxone. Been taking it for a week. Still feeling surgery effects and I have these weird withdrawl like symptoms. One minute the hairs on my neck stand up, the next im sweating only minor, then I get nausea, then I feel shaky. Its been 8 days since surgery.

Hi Glenn, Welcome to our Pain Management Community. Glad you found us and took the time to tell us about you. The Patch is working by now. Seventeen patches times three days each patch is fifty one days - if you're changing them every 48 hours that's still thirty four days. They should be working at full capacity within a few days, like 24 hours. You should be fine covering the edges with opsite. You may use Bioclusive or Tegaderm brand see-through dressings over the Fentanyl Patch.

I'm a big fan of hydromorphone for chronic pain. it's much stronger so you need less but in terms of side effects it has much less than others. Percs are about the worst unless you are looking to get 'high'. The hydromorphone, for me, took away the pain but didn't impact my ability to think and work. They just took away the pain and didn't mess with my head.

I'm taking Opana ER 10 mg and it's not on the list of approved drugs for my new RX plan. Fentanyl patches weren't effective. What's a good substitute? oxymorphone is not listed but hydromorphone is.

I am currently taking Opana ER 30mg /2 TID for long term spinal pain due to breaks and fusions. I am going to try replacing that for a short time with a Fentanyl Patch to see if I have any improvement in Pain Mgmt. I am just wondering what regimen I should use to safely do this. For example. Is it as easy as waiting 12 hrs. after my last Opana ER and then apply the patch (it's a 3 day patch) then take another ER once the 3 days has expired?

I was prescribed 8 10MG Oxycodones and a 75MCG Fentanyl patch for pain. Well, The percocets stopped working and it seemed like I could take 15 and they still did nothing! I was SOO tired of the rollercoaster and my body was obviouslly dependant on the opiates so I decided to try Suboxone. Well today is day 3 of the the 8mg film strips 3X's a day and I am STILL having withdrawl symptoms. I dont feel good AT ALL! I am thinking about pills constantly.

These include Methadone, Fentanyl and hydromorphone for brake threw pain. I feel so tired when all the time. I know exercise helps but it is hard for me to exercise as the pain gets worse when I do. I am so tired i fall asleep in my chair at work. I know I am getting enough sleep i just can not seem to stay awake and alert. Any ideas on what might help?

Long acting opioids include MS Contin, Kadian, Avinza (these are morphine based), Butrans patch (patch is worn for 7 days), Fentanyl patch (patch is worn for 48-72 hours - this is the long acting medication that I use and I find it extremely effective), Opana ER (oxymorphone), Exalgo (hydromorphone). I have also tried MS Contin and Opana ER. Fentanyl Transdermal has been the most effective and consistent pain medication for me compared to the others I have tried.

I was on a 75mic patch last year, every 48 hrs, and the pain doc informed me that Fentanyl would not show up on the typical drug screen. I was lucky enough to have never been randomly selected and I am subject to random drug tests. According to him Fentanyl can be found but the test is quite expensive so most screening stations just dont do it. If the drug screen you are going to take is job related I would not chance it.

Been on 75mcg fent patch for over two years with 4 mg hydromorphone for break-through pain episodes. Recently become tolerant to fent and docs feel moving to methadone would be best course of treatment. Have studied some and know that conversion can be tricky and is less toxic to liver (have stage 2 cirrhosis), so hoping it will be the right decision. Will it be a rough ride, up down, during change, will methadone be as effective helping pain and what different side effects can I expect.

I think dilaudid is the short acting form of hydromorphone??? But both the hydromorphone and oxymorphone are stronger than oxycodone and could provide significant relief and when combined with the actiq lolipops, you could be well covered for both your baseline pain level and any breakthrough pain that occurs. Stay positive! You will beat this and we are here always for support. You are always welcome to send me a personal note whenever you like.

Yes I did mean Fentanyl. He has many health issues but the pain is from 5 ruptured discs in his lower back. Because of his health he is not a candidate for any type of surgical repair. The doctor said a fall or car accident will likely severe his spine due to the way the discs have moved. He gets pool therapy to make the muscles stronger but it really does not help much. The pain doctor said his pain has been stable for some time so why make and changes.

LOL Well I went through gastric bypass surgery in May of last year and the pain management team from that hospital put me on the Fentanyl patch and Oxycodone .... wouldn't you know that I thought I was in heaven!! The pain level went down so low I could actually function!! My pain was like yours in that it didn't go away but it was tolerable and that was a blessing!! I hope that the patch continues to give you your life back as it did me and so many others.

There are other opioids with fewer attenuate side effects than fentanyl. Hydromorphone is one of those I recommend. What exactly have you read about fentanyl? That it might result in physical dependence? Given that you are clearly a chronic pain patient, why is this an issue for you? It is your medication. Would anybody ask a diabetic to stop taking insulin? A Crohn's/Colitis patient to stop mesalamine? If it is something that you need, it is something that you need.

Fentanyl and hydromorphone

Common Questions and Answers about Fentanyl and hydromorphone

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