Posted 2/19/2015 11:46 PM (GMT 0)
Hi all,
I have a question for anyone who is prescribed fentanyl patches for their pain. I have been using Duragesic for some time now - I am in Canada so this is the Duragesic Matrix format - and have occasionally been substituted the Ranbaxy Matrix patch. Both of those brands were 50mcg/hr and had a total fentanyl content of 8.4mg per patch - don't ask me why there is additional fentanyl, perhaps some is lost on the patch or something.
In any case, it has always been effective and has worked well for my around the clock pain. This month, the pharmacy could not get access to the brand name soon enough for my refill so they got another brand - called Mylan-Fentanyl Matrix patch. The dose is still 50mcg/hr, however the total fentanyl content is a few mg lower - only 5.1mg compared to the previous two brands I've been using of 8.4mg.
Does anyone know why this might be? And on that note, has anyone used the Mylan patches and found them just as or less effective than the Duragesic Matrix brand name patch? I told the pharmacist that I would try it and see if it continues to work as well as the others but if not I would have my Doctor change the script to a no substitution order.
Basically - my question is will I notice a difference? Most of the time with generic substitution everything is identical to the brand name so I don't have any issue with it, but this one seems to contain less fentanyl but claims the same hourly distribution rate.
Thanks for any feedback!
Cheers