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Fentanyl Users- Please help!

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Posted 8/13/2014 10:12 PM (GMT 0)
Hello. I was put on Fentanyl patch about a week ago. I cannot get these darn things to stick to me. They'll stay on for like 6 hours. Then half of it will peel up. Only half though. I am not sure if my skin is too dry or what, but it just will not stay on. I called Mylan and they are sending me the overlay stickers, I just have to wait for them to be shipped. Last night I had to change my patch after only one day, and now my new one is already peeling up also. Suggestions? Thank you!

Annah
Posted 8/13/2014 11:48 PM (GMT 0)
You should go to a good drugstore and get some therapedic pads big enough to cover your patch and more. This is the stuff they use in hospitals for IV catheters. It's a bit pricey about $5 a pad as I recall. I use to just use the paper surgical tape you find by the bandages. Just don't get it wet and tape it up really well . . . Q
Posted 8/13/2014 11:58 PM (GMT 0)
I think he is talking about Tegaderm, this is what I used when I was on Fentanyl. This worked fine for me & kept my patch on.

Good luck.
Posted 8/14/2014 12:02 AM (GMT 0)
Thanks Susie, it is tegaderm. It's been too many years since I was using the patch and I hate to give out wrong info. The paper tape will work in a pinch though . . . Q
Posted 8/14/2014 12:26 AM (GMT 0)
1. Make sure you shower before you change the patch. The cleaner your skin is, the better it will stick.

2. Do not use lotions or anything else on or around patch location.

3. When you put the patch on, press firmly all around the edges, almost like you're smoothing it down.

The key is to get a good first seal, so that dirt and moisture doesnt work its way in right away and neutralize the adhesive material.

Also, some brands seem to have better adhesive than others. I found the Watson brand worked best for me.

If you need to, you can use regular tape around the edges as a quick fix until you get the patch covers.

Also, where are you placing the patch? That also makes a difference as to how well it will stick.
Posted 8/14/2014 6:45 PM (GMT 0)
When I was on that for a very short time I used bandages to hold it on because I'm so darn hairy. Wasn't fun taking them off.
Posted 8/15/2014 4:48 AM (GMT 0)
There is a "pink" tape that many nurse use for this situation. Can't remember the exact name or brand. I have been on the Fentanyl patches for over 2 years now, but have never had one come loose or off, in fact, I have to struggle to pull them off when I switch every 48 hours.

The pink tape works well, I have an Ostomy as well, and I have used the pink tape to help keep the device in place if I know its going to get wet, i.e. swimming. So I know first hand it could help you.

Perhaps someone here will know the specific brand I am referring to.

Hope you find an answer, as that would be very aggravating to deal with.
Posted 8/15/2014 9:27 AM (GMT 0)
David I believe your referring to Hy-tape? Been around a long time probably because it works so well.

You won't find it in most drugstores but you will in the medical supply stores or online many places. It's really cheap a few bucks for the standard 1 inch kind. Allegro made the origional and I know they have an online medical supply outlet. If you need the link let me know and I will try to find it.
Posted 8/15/2014 11:03 AM (GMT 0)
Allegro medical.com Is the website. They also have wipes to clean the patch area
Posted 8/15/2014 11:14 AM (GMT 0)
Thank you Quincy! Sometimes just cleaning your body oils off before you put the patch on helps greatly. Women are more prone to have sticking issues because we use more lotions, powders, and lotion based soaps or body washes. Here's another tip, if you use hair conditioners wash your body off thoroughly after you rinse it out of your hair because the heavy lotions and fragrances in the conditioner adheres to your body.

This info is for all types of patch wearers not fentenyl alone. Butrans, clonidine, even nicotine,HRT, wearers have many of the same issues.
Posted 8/15/2014 11:36 AM (GMT 0)
I don't know if it's available for you guys, but I found a version of opsite (essentially the same as tegaderm) last week in a non-sterile tape/roll form. It's still not particularly cheap, but much cheaper than the individual sterile dressings - $10 for a 10cm x 1m roll as against $8 for (I think) 5 individual dressings. It's called Opsite Flexifix - transparent adhesive film roll. I have trouble keeping the patches on as I have to pretreat my skin with cortisone cream for 48 hours prior to putting a patch on, then clean the area just before I apply - otherwise I blister within a couple of hours of it going on.

L
Posted 8/15/2014 5:57 PM (GMT 0)
If you use the Mylan brand, they will send you patch covers for free. You only have to give them the lot number on the box. It saves me about $50 a month. Also, if your skin is sensitive to patches, like mine, you can spray a little albuteral before applying the patch. It's an inhaler, but it has a little bit of steroid in it.
Posted 8/16/2014 12:54 AM (GMT 0)
I have been using patches for nearly 10 years and have always needed a cover to make them stick, except one version with a foil back that made me break out, I havent seen those in years though. I buy generic Tegaderm on Ebay or Amazon. They are about 5 X 2 and cut them in half. It about $25 for a box of 100. So that box last me way over a year. I got so tired of calling the company every month to get them sent to me.

Helplessly hopeful said...
Also, if your skin is sensitive to patches, like mine, you can spray a little albuteral before applying the patch. It's an inhaler, but it has a little bit of steroid in it.

Is this something your dr recommends? I would be curious and may ask my dr what he thinks. I break out if I use it anywhere but my upper shoulder area. During winter thats not bad, but in summer time I hate advertising that I am wearing a patch, I would love to stick it somewhere less obvious. I frequently have people coming up to me telling me I have something stuck on me.
Posted 8/16/2014 10:38 AM (GMT 0)
use the bicep shave it like said shower let it dry

rub get it red with a towel

put patch on then the mylan patch covers make sure you get mylan centered

also go to drug store get large water proof band aids make sure you get the sticky not the easy to remove

be careful the cvs ones i use are painful to get off never yank them i ripped a chunk of skin of small not enough to bleed but it ripped

also i take the back not the clear but the back off mylan gently hold between finger and thumb and put it on that way it tends to get the square patch centered under the mylan

and there are days at least for me where nothing make the cover stick and band aids wont stick

luckily thats not often and i wouldn't take showers with it one unless no tabs are popping up

sounds nasty but i do every 3 days with patch rotation(im disabled i dont do enough to sweat)

and when they fall off wait the days till next change or your schedule and time get messed up and you run out or dont have for the bad days

Post Edited (Brain Fart Blew My Mind) : 8/16/2014 4:44:54 AM (GMT-6)

Posted 8/16/2014 9:42 PM (GMT 0)
After showering use alcohol to clean the skin
Let dry a few finutes

If skin breaks out
Try another brand of patch

And/or
Spray area w/fluticasone (nasal spray)
Let dry

Apply patch

I have also set my timer for 10 min & applied heating pad over a towel on top of patch to kind of soften the adhesive
So it sticks better.. do NOT fall asleep w/heat on patch - dangerous.
I set timer + ask someone in house to chek on mr when timer rings.

(Better way than applying heat over patch
Is to slightly warm patch under a WARM not hot!! Heating pad before putting it on )

Good luck
Posted 8/18/2014 12:32 AM (GMT 0)
i use to use big band-aids over mine. usually worked
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