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Had to take the pach off :(

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Posted 4/6/2013 6:56 PM (GMT 0)
Well,

it looks like the Butrans Patch isn't going to work out for me.

I put it on Thursday at 6pm, without any significant effect that night.

Friday morning, I woke up with markedly less pain than usual, but had a mild headache. Through the day, I was nearly pain free -- at least hip and back. But the headache got worse and worse.

Just in case the headache was due to withdrawal, I made sure I didn't totally cut tramadol or oxycodone out (i.e. eventually, took a 200mg ER of the former and 5mg of the latter just in case the headache was due to withdrawal).

Over the day, I also tried ibuprofen, tylenol, naproxin, ice packs, hot showers, neck massage, etc.. But the headache never let up.

By the evening, it was a full-blown migraine with light sensitivity, nausea, etc.. So, I finally decided I had to take the patch off.

Today, I woke up headache-free THANKFULLY! But I'm back to standard pain levels. I will, however, give the Patch one more try -- next weekend, once I get back from my trip. If the headache recurs, it looks like this is a med that however much it helped with the pain, I just can't tolerate.
Posted 4/7/2013 3:31 AM (GMT 0)
I don't know what dose you tried but it may be that given you stopped the other meds this particular dose was too high for where you are now. If this was a medium or higher dose I would try a lower dose and see how that works.
Posted 4/7/2013 4:40 AM (GMT 0)
Hey Cogito....

I'm w/ Sandi.... I've had that type of headache w/ a new med... when the dose was too high. Don't know about the dosing on butran.... but I, too, would see if you could start lower and taper up.

Take care --Tina
Posted 4/7/2013 4:47 PM (GMT 0)
I thought about a lower dose -- and will talk to my PM. Sadly, I thought I was getting very good relief from it.

Perhaps I'll call on Monday and ask for the 5mg patch.
Posted 4/7/2013 5:33 PM (GMT 0)
Generally butrans is started on 5mg and then increased to 10mg after a week. If you're on opiates already then you may be opiate tolerant to some degree but butrans blocks receptors and so can stop the other opiates working as well (as well as meaning it takes some time for the blood levels to drop after you take it off). As a result of this I'd never start on 10mg regardless of the lack of opiate naivety, I'd always go for 5 and assess efficacy after 3 days before deciding if it's worth going up on the dose. I'd consider giving it a couple of weeks before increasing it.

Personal note - this stuff was great for me, but the patches never went down well with my eczema.
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