Posted 12/12/2012 4:20 AM (GMT 0)
Hi GT!
Welcome to HW! We're happy to have you on board, although saddened to hear of one more person suffering from CP! I'm so glad to hear that you have found a new, good doc to work with! Finding the right doc is half the battle. I feel confident in saying that ALL of us here have been through our fair share of bad docs. It took me personally several years to find the team that I have now. It is so important to have doctors that you can trust!
As for the acupuncture, is there any way that you can see a different acupuncturist, or do you need to see the one at your pain clinic, specifically. There are usually many acupuncture clinics in any given area, as you do not have to be a MD to be a LAc. You should be able to find a clinic without a waiting list without too much trouble. Perhaps you can get a referral to another practice in your area, either from your GP, or from your PM. Acupuncture does help a great many people, and it is definitely something worth trying!
As for the fentanyl patches, they definitely take some getting used to, as you have to be sure to change them at the appropriate time, and to avoid situations in which your body will overheat (ie working out strenuously, hot tubs, heating pads, etc). An increased core body temp will increase the rate at which your body absorbs the fentanyl, and that could be dangerous, as it could potentially lead to an overdose. Some people also have trouble getting the patch to stick to their skin (especially when you taking higher dosages/have larger patches). If you find that to be the case, you can get tegaderm patches, or medical tape from the pharmacy. Just read the directions that come with the patch, as I believe that only clear tape can be used on the patch, if you are taping anything other than the edges, but it has been a while since I was on the patch.
Also, although the patch is supposed to last 3 days, some people find that it only seems to last them two. Some doctors will let you change patches ever 48 hrs, but definitely don't change your patch any more frequently than instructed by your doctor, especially in the beginning, as it takes a few day for the meds to build up in your system, and you could unknowingly overdose.
Anyways, best of luck with the med change! Many people find the patch to be helpful. Just don't get discourage if you don't get much relief initially. As I mentioned above, it takes several days for the meds in the patch to build up in your system, so although you may increase your dosage on day 1, you may not notice any additional relief until day 3. The patch definitely takes some getting used to. I personally, did not like them/did not find them helpful, but as I said, many people do! Good luck! Keep us posted as to your progress!
Skeye