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Posted 7/5/2013 1:32 PM (GMT 0)
Hi everyone,my name is Nereida and I just started on 25mcg of fentanyl patch for pain I have used Percocet 5mg but now I heard of this medicine called exalgo 16 mgs. I m really want to know if anyone use it for breakthrough pain Can some advise me. I'm pretty new to this forum. Thanks
Posted 7/5/2013 1:56 PM (GMT 0)
Hello Nereida & welcome to the forum. Glad you found us but sorry you have to be here. I am thinking Exalgo is an extended release medication there since you on the Fentanyl patch I really doubt a dr would rx it to you. From what I have seen drs only prescribe one extended release medication. Did the dr give you anything for BT pain or are you just on the patch?

Take care...Susie
Posted 7/5/2013 3:15 PM (GMT 0)
Hi Susie. And thank you for responding yes I do take Percocet. 5/325mg every 6 hours. But I had a bad fall and the pain was really terrible I have scoliosis as well 30 screws keeping my spine aligned so I think this is for added breakthrough but I'm a bit nervous taking this since I just normally just take my Percs. And I only have the patch for 3 weeks now so I was just wanting feed back from other chronic pain suffers. Thanks
Posted 7/5/2013 3:31 PM (GMT 0)
Hi there....Welcome to the boards....

I'm a bit confused...lol...If I may ask a few questions for clarification....

When you say you are "nervous about taking this"....are you referring to the Exalgo? In your first post you say you have heard of this med, but are you saying you have an actual prescription for it from your Dr.?

As Susie mentioned...Exalgo is a long acting med, not a "Breakthrough" medication....
Posted 7/5/2013 3:48 PM (GMT 0)
I've been prescribed Exalgo recently but after visiting 8 different pharmacies I cannot get it filled. One thing I know about Exalgo is don't crush it or cut it in half as its a extended relief pain narcotic. They warn that it'll release all at once if you tamper with it which on the warning says could be "deadly".

I've tried those Fentanyl patches and whatever you do don't sweat with that patch on. It releases the patch in a heavy dose when your pores are open. I don't take them anymore.

Currently with my neck condition (surgery in 2009 and another coming) I use Percocet 10 / 325 and Nucynta 200MG Extended release together per my Pain Management doctor. The Nucynta to me isn't very strong but in ER form it extends the Perc a lot longer.
Posted 7/5/2013 4:15 PM (GMT 0)
Yes Susie I have a script for exalgo so what your saying is fentanyl and exalgo both are long acting. I must tell the dr he must of made a error or he gave it to me for added breAkthrough thanks again
Posted 7/5/2013 4:30 PM (GMT 0)
PLEASE contact your Dr. ASAP before taking this med!!! If you just got put on the Fentanyl patch 3 weeks ago, the medication builds up in your system every 3 days.

Fentanyl is the strongest opiate there is....It also sounds like you are still taking the Percocet every 6 hours as well...So...by adding Exalgo at 16mg could absolutely cause an overdose!!!!!

May I ask what kind of Dr. you are seeing that is prescribing all of this? To make such an error by giving you another long acting med and telling you to use for breakthrough pain is very scary!!!

What does the prescription say on the bottle for the Exalgo??? It should read something that says ER or Extended Release as well as "take every 24 hours"....

Plus...all the literature that comes with Exalgo has written everywhere that it is NOT an "as needed" medication....that it is for continuous, round the clock, pain relief only!

I'm sorry, but I would be searching for another Dr. to be handling your care for them to make such an egregious error in prescribing to you and not making ABSOLUTE sure to talk with you at the appt. when handing you these prescriptions to make sure that you, the patient, understands what each med is, what it's for, and how is should be taken!
Posted 7/5/2013 5:07 PM (GMT 0)
Thank you again I am no longer taking percocets he gave exalgo extended release. And fentanyl 25mcg. Every 72 hours I have only had this for 3 weeks. I again I lo get on percocets. But what I'm goi g to do is listen to you and just stay on my fentanyl and go see him ASAP He is my Ortho surgeon md. Thanks thanks thank. That why it is so good to read before you just take these meds
Posted 7/5/2013 5:24 PM (GMT 0)
Personally speaking I would not use the Fentanyl & Exalgo together since both are basically extended release. I am not a dr but I know enough not to use these two together. What kind of a dr are you seeing that has rx'd these meds to you? As someone else mentioned with the patches you need to stay inside where its cool, because if you get hot & your body temp changes it will cause more Fentanyl to be released and give you to much medication. Something I will point out about the patches, if you fin on the 3rd day you are not getting much relief with the pain, then talk to your dr & tell him. He can let you change the patches every 48 hours instead of every 72 hours. This has to be done with the drs permission. A lot of people have to change the patch every 48 hours.

Let us know what the dr says.A very good web site to look up drugs is called www.drugs.com. Take care.......Susie
Posted 7/5/2013 5:50 PM (GMT 0)
Just so you can learn about meds....you wrote that he gave you Exalgo extended release...This is where you can know what a medication is because extended release means just that....long acting....Not IR (immediate release or short acting like Percocet)....

And it should say right on the bottle take ONE every 24 hours and in all the literature that came with the prescription from the Pharmacy. And to give you the 16mg as well is astonishing along with the Fentanyl.....The 16mg is the 3rd strongest mg of that med!!!

I would call them TODAY!!! It is just so scary that you could have taken these two meds together and overdosed!!

It's also quite strange to have an Orthopedic surgeon prescribing these strong meds...How long has it been since he did your surgery? Normally they are extremely hesitant to prescribe anything more than some Percocet after surgery which is acute pain, and then send you to an actual Board Certified Pain Management Dr. to handle any chronic pain..

I hate to think that this Dr. is doing this kind of thing with other patients out there as he doesn't know what meds he is prescribing and for what type of pain nor is he educating his patient which can be deadly!!
Posted 7/5/2013 8:05 PM (GMT 0)
Well thanks for all of this information I of course went today to my primary physician and explain all of this and he just took the script and rip it told me never should take them together and gave me my bthrough. Medicine. Thanks for this forum I also went to patient relation department to discuss this situation
Posted 7/5/2013 8:12 PM (GMT 0)
Just another word of caution with getting pain meds from two different Drs. as this is usually a big no-no. You need to make sure that you didn't sign any type of agreement with your other Dr. the Orthopedic surgeon. Even without the contract, it's important that all Drs. are on the same page since he is the one prescribing you the Fentanyl patch.

As well as call the Ortho Dr. today and tell them that you are NOT taking that med and what med you got prescribed for BT meds. Did your primary put you back on the Percocet?

All Drs. who prescribe controlled medication are watched very closely by the state and the DEA. And most all states now have the Prescription Monitoring Program which monitor all of these medications no matter which Pharmacy they are filled.

So, just trying to make sure that you don't get into trouble for something that isn't your fault to start.
Posted 7/5/2013 9:30 PM (GMT 0)
Yes I know that my primary physician is aware of all my meds at the hospital I attend my Ortho and my primary are the only ones that are giving prescriptions and the scripts on given by computer so you see all meds. At all times. My primary is my referring doctor so for my gastric by pass my thyroid cancer even my back problems he has been my referring. Doctor. Thank you so if I am not content with a situation I go straight to him
Posted 7/6/2013 3:14 AM (GMT 0)
I am glad you were able to see the dr on such a short notice. Hopefully between the patches & your Percocet for BT pain you can get things calmed down & get good pain control. Maybe this will be a good combination for you, I sure hope so.

Keep us posted on how you are doing......Susie
Posted 7/6/2013 3:24 AM (GMT 0)
Exalgo is the Extended Release version of Dilaudid...which can be used as a BT med with the Fentanyl patch, so maybe dilaudid is what the doc meant to give you, but made the mistake and gave it to you in the extended release form.

I would give the patches a little more time to work for you, sometimes it can take about a month for the levels to even out. But if you're still having terrible pain in a week or so, tell your doc so there can be some changes.

Really glad you did the smart thing and asked about mixing the meds and waited for some answers before you took them. Docs make mistakes too and its up to us as patients to watch our own backs.
Posted 7/6/2013 4:21 AM (GMT 0)
Hi Nereida! Well I'm glad you got that little mess straightened out! I think LexiRae may be right - he might have confused the short-acting and long-acting forms of hydromorphone. Yes, it is a serious mistake, but it doesn't automatically make him a bad doctor/surgeon. Has he made mistakes before? How has his overall treatment of you been? I would speak with him about it the next time you see him. And you definitely did the right thing by asking questions.

I don't see anything unusual about an orthopedic surgeon prescribing these types of medications. Between myself, my fiance, my mom, dad (r.i.p), and my sis - we have had at least seven different ortho surgeons prescribe these types of medications beyond the acute pain phase. We haven't all had surgeries - there have also been accidents, injuries, and hereditary conditions that we've received treatment for. Just continue to make sure that your primary and ortho work together - and that they each know what the other is doing. Hope you are feeling better soon! :-)
Posted 7/6/2013 9:22 AM (GMT 0)
Hi Lexi Rae thank you for being so informative in reference to these meds so exalgo is er for dilaudid. It's the the generic form. Ok we'll now I feel a bit better my dr is a great surgeon. They reconstruction my entire spine and fixed my kyphosis as well I will speak to him during the week coming and let u know the outcome thanks again
Posted 7/6/2013 9:29 AM (GMT 0)
Hi slash dancer. Thanks for the response yes he a great surgeon. Never had he made any mistakes. Just a mixed up it can happen so I really hope I feel better and with this wheather I just feel extra tired and achy. I do hope these meds start really working at times I just get a bit tired of all these different pills thanks again. Nereida
Posted 8/5/2013 7:15 PM (GMT 0)
I've been on Exalgo 8MG for over a week now and WOW what a difference. I take an Exalgo every day at 8AM. I take my normal pain meds when needed still (Percocet & Nucynta) and my qualify of life has certainly improved. Went on vacation and normally I'm in the room with pain, not this time.
Posted 8/7/2013 1:07 PM (GMT 0)
I've only been in this forum for a few days, but I am hearing a lot about a drug called Nucynta. Could someone fill me in on what it is and how it works. I am looking to get off of strong opiates that I have been on for years. Pain doctor has never mentioned this particular drug.
Posted 8/7/2013 1:18 PM (GMT 0)
I also wanted to add that I am so so so impressed with the discussions in this forum. I have searched others that claim to be similar; however, a lot of them seem like a place that people go to actually try and buy drugs. I was looking at a supposed chronic pain support forum and was "blown away" by the fact that people were listing their meds and stating what they would sell them for. It kind of made me scared to look at other forums. I was nervous to star a dialogue here, but I am so glad I did. I am learning a lot. It is good to talk to people who understand.
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