Fentanyll patch warnings

http://www.latimes.com/news/printedition/asection/la-na-patch22dec22,1,4417645.story?coll=la-news-a_section

Great topic, thanks for posting.

I've never had a problem with mine from taking a shower, but I don't take super hot ones anyway.  I have used a heating pad, say on my shoulders/neck when the patch is on my low back/buttock, but won't be doing that anymore.  For some reason I had taken the warning in my packet to mean direct heat, like the heating pad right over the patch.  But after reading that article, I did go read it again and found I was wrong....glad nothing happened.  I love using my patch, I was so tired of taking so many pills during a day.  I still need BT meds, but at least I'm not taking 12-15 pills (different kinds) every day.  I am also bummed that if I want to sit in a hot tub I have to wait for a day that I am changing the patch, take it off, sit in hot tub, wait a few hours to "cool down" then put a new one on....but that I can deal with for the relief it offers me.

I did have a pharmacist (very uncaring one by the way) ask why I was using it (he said he asked everyone who was on pain meds why they were, it was an interest of his I guess) and when I told him it was failed back syndrome he said "oh, so you had back surgery and have pain....this is supposed to be used for cancer patients."  "Do you see your doctor often."  Yes, every month for a checkup and refill.  "I've never seen anyone who didn't have cancer on this medication and dosage."  I felt horrible, thought I was on too much meds, and began self-doubting.  Then I was MAD....how dare he.  I called Walgreens, the pharmacy where this butthead was, and told them I was PO'd.  They said it would be dealt with.  Now, either he's been fired or I've only gone on days or times when he is not working....I didn't follow up, I just asked that he be spoken with and that people are in chronic pain for different reasons, I don't have to have cancer to receive the benefit of a med that works.  I got mad because I felt he was accusing me or my doctor of wrongdoing.  I'm on the 50 mcg patch, and I know they go up to at least 100 mcg, so it isn't like I am on a huge dosage.  I've had CP for over 7 years, my body definitely has a tolerance, so I thought I was doing good being on 50 mcg.

Sorry so long, that last part hit a nerve and brought it all back like it was yesterday!

Chutz, the feeling bad about my meds lasted a day or two, then I was mad and made the call to the pharmacy. The thought that finally pulled me out of the feeling bad was why was he confronting me, not my doctor. Although, his comments may be a reason I have been a bit reluctant to allow my doctor to up my meds (posted this in a different thread). I never did tell my doctor what this guy said. She's getting out of pain management now anyway and referring me over to a pain management specialist.

Anyway, Razzle, didn't mean to hijack the thread with that comment. I did find the article thought provoking. Like I said, it made me go read my patient literature again and I've been on the patch about 1-1/2 years. It is a good reminder for all of us to re-read the patient literature on our meds even though we may have been on them for years. There are new studies and new press releases all the time that may have the companies changing their literature. It would be horrific to me to know that someone from this forum could come to a bad end. I've not been here long, but you folks have become my family and I look forward to coming here every day.

Walgreens is the WORST for playing DEA Cop. My sister's pain doc told her that to her face and recommended she use another pharmacy. She takes vicoprofen and 30 pills last her for 3 whole months. Walgreens gives her a ration of crape every time she phones in a refill, so she brought the subject up with the doctor. Pretty sad when even the doctors know how awful Walgreens treat their patients.

My personal experience is that national chain pharmacies could care less about their customers and care more about playing Dea cop. The smaller private pharmacies or grocery store pharms are wonderful. I've used the same one for several years after firing Walgreens and they've been nothing but caring and informative. Every time I'm in that grocery store the staff calls out a greeting to me. Can't buy that kind of service!

TexasJen said...
Walgreens is the WORST for playing DEA Cop. My sister's pain doc told her that to her face and recommended she use another pharmacy. She takes vicoprofen and 30 pills last her for 3 whole months. Walgreens gives her a ration of crape every time she phones in a refill, so she brought the subject up with the doctor. Pretty sad when even the doctors know how awful Walgreens treat their patients.

My personal experience is that national chain pharmacies could care less about their customers and care more about playing Dea cop. The smaller private pharmacies or grocery store pharms are wonderful. I've used the same one for several years after firing Walgreens and they've been nothing but caring and informative. Every time I'm in that grocery store the staff calls out a greeting to me. Can't buy that kind of service!

Hey, I live in Texas too...so I'm guessing HEB? :D I go to HEB to use their wonderful pharmacy, the staff and the pharmacists there know me by my name. :)

I am on Fentanyl patches, Dilaudid and Fentora and use Walgreen's here in Indiana and love them. In fact, they are one of the only Pharmacy's that stock strong narcotic's like Actiq, Fentora and the stronger dose patches. Around here, you usually have to drop off an Rx and they have it special ordered. When this happens it takes an extra few days to get what you need right now. The Pharmacist to me that the CEO of the chain had an ill wife and tried to get narcotic RX's filled at night and it was a nightmare. He made it a corporate policy that narcotic's be stocked. I will have to admit that the Pharmacist had called my doctor several times, if the script was written incorrectly or the combination of medication doses appeared dangerously high. But in my opinion, each time they called they were either making sure that I would not be at risk with the Rx or the doctor was not writing an accurate Rx. The Pharmacist told me that Walgreen's does such a high volume of narcotics that the DEA routinely reviews all of the narcotic Rx's. They do not want the doctor to be penalized for writing an Rx that put's a patient at risk. So they do make it a practice to call on incorrect or odd Rx's. Like all companies, I am sure there are a few Walgreen's that have over zealous Pharmacists that take their job a little too serious. But on a whole theu have been more then great for me.