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Headaches with the Patch?

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Posted 8/26/2007 7:13 PM (GMT 0)
I've been on the 100mcg of the Fentanyl patch and it works really well controlling my pain. However, about twice a month I get these horrible headaches, like overdose headaches. My sinuses and the back of my head down into my neck hurt. Feels like someone shot a pole through the front and came out the back. Then I get really nauseas. Normally lasts 2 days but yesterday only lasted 1, thank goodness. The patch is what is new in my life so I have to believe it's that. I've tried keeping my sinuses moist with a nasal spray, thinking maybe my sinuses are getting too dried out. That didn't help.

When I first started the patch the doctor didn't prescribe enough so she had me put on 2 additional patches so I went from 1 to 3 and it was horrible for me. I felt like I was going to overdose. When I get these headaches, that's what it feels like, a little. I've been on the 100mcg for at least 6 months so I don't know why my body would react this way.

Any thoughts?

Thanks.
Posted 8/27/2007 12:05 AM (GMT 0)
I have been having headaches like this too.  I'm only on a 25mcg patch right now.  I was on 75mcg and moved down to 50mcg without any problem, but going down to 25mcg hasn't been easy.  I assumed the headache was a withdrawal symptom.  Last night it was so bad I couldn't move without being afraid that I would throw up.  All I could think about was that I couldn't get sick with my toilet being so disgusting.  Now that I feel better, the toilet got a good scrubbing. tongue    I'm also taking dilaudid and oxycodone for break thru pain.  I have Crohn's Disease and I had surgery in February and then developed a post surgery infection that lasted forever.  I was on IV anti biotics until mid June.  I still have adhesions and inflamation which is causing the pain.  I'm really worried about being addicted to the pain meds, so I might be trying to get off the pain meds too soon and too fast.  I dont' know.  I'm sorry I guess I'm not very much help for your problem.  Are you changing your patches on time?  Maybe your body is going thru a bit of withdrawal waiting for the next patch?  I don't know, it's a thought.  Sorry I can't offer anything more except understanding how you are feeling.
Posted 8/28/2007 9:36 PM (GMT 0)
Thanks for the reply Soccergirl. Sorry to hear about your situation. Be very careful about getting of pain medication. I would encourage you to talk with your doctor before you attempt it.

Looks like headaches/sickness may not be that common then. I get this feeling after I've changed the patch, like the day after so my body isn't going through withdrawals. It's not even every time and I can't figure a correlation so I'm stumped. I will ask my doctor. Thanks again and I wish you the best.
Posted 8/28/2007 9:44 PM (GMT 0)

You are welcome for my post.  Don't worry, I'm not getting off of the meds without my doctor's knowledge and help.  In fact, I just got off the phone with him.  I check in with him every week.  He did tell me that I am making good progress and that this is probably the hardest thing I will ever do.  He's right about that.  I had an easier time just being sick.  Of course I couldn't handle the amount of pain I had without the meds.  I swear, it's always something.

Good luck with you and I hope you figure out what is causing the headaches.  Doesn't it seem weird that you can be on strong pain meds and still have headaches? 

Posted 8/29/2007 1:15 AM (GMT 0)

Hi Helpless,

So sorry to hear about the h/a the day after you change the patch. You know I think by day 3 on the patch it has lost so much of its punch. I know when I was on the patch by the 3rd day, at times I felt like like I was beginning some W/D symptoms. I am thinking your patch is the culprit, because you have a fair amt of meds in your system I would think on that. There has been alot of talk on the forum about people only getting 2 days relief on the patch, in fact some drs had their patients change the patch every 2 days. Did you have the h/a o the 75mc? I sure hope you get it taken care of.

Soccergirl, I just read your post and WOW you have really been thru the ringer. Whats worse I feel so bad cause I did not know about any of this. I am guilty of not visiting the cd board much. I just kind of got tired of it. We lost so many of our regulars there I just was not as comfortable there as I use to be. I do hang out here alot when I can. Please post here and let us know how you are doing. Hugs, Susie

Posted 8/29/2007 3:34 AM (GMT 0)
Hey guys, just a thought. Although I cannot site the source for this (probably their are clinical trials and research in JAMA and Medline), I do believe that opiates themselves can cause headaches. I am not sure of the mechanism for this, but I have heard of it happening....People who were being treated for chronic pain due to some ailment and then mysteriously developing migraine-like headaches during the duration of the opioid treatment. In the case that I read about, a patient's doctor was giving her in-clinic injections of dilaudid for her headaches. As she came to find out, when she stopped taking the dilaudid injections, her headaches went away. I AM NOT trained in medicine, but headaches may be a necessary evil with opiate medication. I myself never used to get headaches, but, once in awhile, I do get headaches. I have no allergies, have no migraines, no rhinitis or any sinus problems to speak of. The only correlation I personally made was between the time I started taking opiates and the start of the headaches. I'm not saying this is the cause of yours, but its an idea of what to look at.
Posted 8/29/2007 9:00 PM (GMT 0)
Thanks everyone for your replies. I think my reaction is caused by the patch. However, it's not because I'm losing the effect of the patch because I get the headache after I've changed it. It's almost like too much of the medication. But it doesn't happen every time. It's not just a headache either, it's debilitating nausea, so much where I only want to lay in bed or on the couch and do nothing else.

I need to call my doctor because it sounds like not a common thing for the patch. The patch has been the best thing for my back pain so I really don't want to give it up, but I can't keep getting 'sick' like this, it's awful.

Thanks again.
Posted 8/29/2007 9:02 PM (GMT 0)
Yes, it does sound like you need to call your doctor. Be sure to let us know what he says. I hope he can help you. I know, headaches are no fun!!!
Posted 8/31/2007 2:40 AM (GMT 0)
I think that you are on to strong of a dose and maybe you can get your doctor to lower you back down to the 75's.
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