The prescription pain relief patch, fentanyl (Duragesic), has caused more than 100 deaths -- most of these due to improper use by patients. If you use fentanyl or another pain relief patch, follow the prescribed dose carefully and stay alert to signs of an overdose.
Patches that contain pain relief medication are an alternative to oral pain relievers, which carry an increased risk of stomach upset and gastrointestinal bleeding. The medicine in a patch is absorbed through your skin into your bloodstream. Because the drug bypasses the digestive process, less medication is needed to achieve the same effects as a pill. Also, patches provide more consistent relief, whereas pain relief from pills often wanes between doses. But a constant dose also means that people who use any type of pain patch must be extra vigilant to avoid accidental overdoses.
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The prescription pain relief patch fentanyl (Duragesic) relieves pain when other painkillers no longer help. A powerful narcotic, it should be used only by people who need around-the-clock opiates to control pain. Such people include those with long-term pain, like some cancer patients -- not surgery patients or people with short-term or occasional pain from conditions like bursitis or muscle strains. Signs of an overdose include difficulty breathing, extreme tiredness, feeling faint, and dizziness. If you experience these symptoms, you should call your doctor immediately.
Less Pain Equals Less Potent Patches Some pain relief patches are used for less severe, short-term pain. In February 2008 the FDA approved the first nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID) patch, diclofenac (Flector). Diclofenac has been available for many years in pill form (Voltarin), and the patch has been sold outside the United States since 1993. Both the pill and the patch require a prescription. Flector is less potent than fentanyl, but it's still serious medicine.
The least potent but safest pain patches are those sold at drugstores without a prescription. These patches typically contain camphor or menthol -- they are less messy versions of favorites like Bengay, Aspercreme, and Tiger Balm creams.
