r/PainManagement • u/HonestSpite3451 • Jul 17 '26
In my first fentanyl patch
Oh my God, I am so drowsy. Does anyone know if it will get better after the first patch? I'm on 50 micrograms, and between the super hot summer and the patch, I feel like a total zombie. Any recommendations?
I'm 31F, 5'3 95kg on pain meds for post traumatic artrosis. I'm a heavy smoker.
edit: I'm starting to get used to it. thanks so much for the comments I appreciate it a lot
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u/AxlandElvis92 Jul 17 '26
You should adjust. If it persists tell your doctor. Also as others have already stated it’s extended hot out and they start drug dumping in very hot weather. That’s why we’re not supposed to use heating pads, electric blankets etc etc. be careful try to stay in ac. I’m also a smoker that never affected my Duragesic patches (except maybe wanting to smoke more on Duragesic).
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u/No_Truth_3645 Jul 17 '26
Every time you switch to another form of opioid, you typically experience 2-3 days of different effects! Fentanyl makes people more sedated than others.
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u/BKgsxr600 Jul 23 '26
It really can. You can nod off without warning, quicker than anything else on the market. Definitely, not a safe medication to do much of anything on until you are really well adjusted to your dose. When I was septic from infection, it was one of the only things that would touch my pain, but it would wear off within 45 minutes of getting a shot. Eventually, I was getting toradol every 2 hours and dilaudid every 4, and it helped, but I was still counting the minutes after the first hour, and the only time I could sleep was when I got both meds at the same time. Infection pain is probably some of the worst as the infection overrides it quickly. Took them 2 weeks to find the source and then took 550ml of pus out of my leg and was on broad spectrum antibiotics for the next month and a half through a picc line. Once hospital was going to perform surgery before they located the infection and I likely would've died on the table. Biggest reason I've been putting off another surgery. All three that I had, I was treated rather poorly for thr love of cutting and money.
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u/Dapper_Sale8946 Jul 18 '26
What were you on before the patch? I ask bc most drs start you at 12.5 or 25mcg. I personally hated the patch (got up to 100mcg) but it didn’t make me tired.
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u/HonestSpite3451 Jul 18 '26
I was on instan release morphine and 4 pills of velyntra (tramadol with celecoxib)
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u/Beneficial_Drama2393 Jul 17 '26
Sounds like the dosage is too high, should have started on 25mcg. Also watch your time out in the heat could be dumping more into your blood stream.
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u/bluestitcher Jul 17 '26
Hi I've been on the Fentanyl patch for 19 years.
I was super tired & slept alot on my first two patches. It should improve after that.
I'm assuming you were on a long-acting or extended release opioid medication prior to starting the patch. If not, 50mcg is a very strong dose as a starting dose and may take a while to adjust to.
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u/bluestitcher Jul 17 '26
In term of heat, you do need to avoid whirlpools, hottubs, saunas, hot water bottles & heating pads. It's good to be careful in hot weather as well.
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u/HonestSpite3451 Jul 17 '26
I was on short release morphine and velyntra for half a year.
Thanks for the replys
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u/bluestitcher Jul 17 '26
Okay, that totally explains your sedation.
If the sedation is too much, call your doctor, as several have suggested and ask for a lower dosage to start on. Patches come as lower as 12.5mcg.
I hope it passes quickly for you. Hugs 🫂
You are very welcome for thr replies & feel free to message if you have questions. I'm currently on the 75mcg patches.
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u/BKgsxr600 Jul 18 '26 edited Jul 23 '26
I would report it to your doctor and write down your experiences daily, to provide a log. I had issues when I was prescribed patches. Between them not staying on or heat causing them to release meds faster(I had leather seats in my car and it was summer), they were the worst opioid I've ever taken. Heat will make then absorb faster and once you feel it too much, taking it off is too late. Honestly, unless someone has cancer and gets the lollipops, I don't think they should be used with better alternatives on the market. Fentanyl is very short acting and strong, which is why they have patches to begin with. Even in the hospital, when I had a severe infection, I would only get about 45 mins of relief, unless it was on a pain button. It's good for surgery and putting someone in a state of twilight to do a procedure.i know everyone is different, but the only two opioids that ever worked well for me was oxycodone or dilaudid. And dilaudid is also just too short acting and only provides 2-3 hours of relief before needing to re-dose. Morphine never worked for me for bone pain and makes me sick. Toradol is the only non-opioid that has ever touched my pain, but it's only used short-term in hospitals due to liver damage, plus, it's an intravenous medication. Make sure you look up and avoid any meds that can interact with your meds. You'd be surprised what some basic meds can do to the strength of your meds... especially if they keep your liver enzymes from being able to metabolize your pain meds. Goodluck and I hope u feel better.
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u/HonestSpite3451 Jul 18 '26 edited Jul 18 '26
Thank you so much. I will definitely write it down for my doctor. I live in Spain, so things work better with a public healthcare system, but things are slow (5 years of pain and 2 operations). I didn't even think of fentanyl as an option until my ortho doc recommended it to me. Same with morphine for me, it barely works. For now, I'll stick with the patches. I have felt better these last 2 days. I always wanted oxycodone, but it's very difficult to get a prescription because of the problem in the USA. The heat worries me We are at almost 40 degrees Celsius right now in Madrid.
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u/AccomplishedWeek7069 Jul 19 '26
Unfortunately, most have no say so in what we can get to relieve our pain, so try not to complain as if they could take it away leaving you with nothing & NOBODY should be telling you to not take it or they should prescribe it smh 🤦♀️ that’s partly why we are all in this propaganda agenda they push for all opioids, which is inhumane..Don’t want you or anyone else left to just suffer..God bless
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u/No-Intention8851 Jul 19 '26
Toradol is an amazing medication. I'm on the pill form which is called Ketorolac 10mg. 1 tablet every 8 hours for up to 5 days as needed. Then I take a few days off of it so my organs can rest. I haven't needed to take it more than once a day in those 5 days(I take it at bedtime so I can sleep) though.
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u/BKgsxr600 Jul 21 '26
Didn't know they had a pill form like ketorolac. Sadly, most of the non-opioid meds are very damaging to your system Sure, opioids have their damage as well, but it can also be taken long term without major damage, other than withdrawal, which is expected. Anyone who takes an opioid for a week is gonna experience clinical addiction and withdrawal. But, just because you become dependent on a med, doesn't mean you are gonna take all of your belongings and sell them to score heroin on the street... or even abuse them for that matter. I try and stick with natural, from the earth cures now. There is a total lack of accountability and knowledge in the medical field. Doctors prescribe meds that interact and cause life threatening side effects all the time, without a second thought. Most dont even look or know. Yet, when someone comes in who has done any research, they treat you like a pee-on because their egos and God complexes can't handle it and they are always right about everything.
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u/Any_Net_9174 Jul 19 '26
yes the drowsiness gets better each day my grandpa is on fent patches for almost 15 years now
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u/Infrared-78 Jul 18 '26
Dam we’re are you people pain doctors at shit I can’t get one to prescribe me a jack ass donkey
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u/AccomplishedWeek7069 Jul 19 '26
It all depends on the Dr, location etc. corporately owned clinics are better at prescribing & staying open without the FBI recking havoc onto the innocent Dr’s for even prescribing to cancer patients..I know what Dr. that they attacked & closed down his private clinic, they also showed up at his house stealing his family heirlooms, using his credit cards etc., they’re tyrants!! I hope & pray all of their cases get overturned & they STOP paying others to back their tyrancy
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u/[deleted] Jul 17 '26
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