I have a problem with getting blisters and rash under my patch. It is probably an allergic reation to the adhesive because I get rashes from some bandades and tapes. My doctor prescribed a medication called Luquix (or something like that) to apply to the skin before I put the patch on. It is normally prescribed for a scalp condition. It is a mouse type foam and has been a God send. Patches stick better and don't get the rashes and blisters.

I have been on the patch for several years now and was started on 25mcg, and then moved to 50mcg. I kept having a problem with feeling really rotten and then would feel better about 4 - 5 hours after changing the patch. I couldn't get one of the PAs that I was seeing at my Pain Mgt Dr to understand. Then they thought I was overdosing myself by soaking in hot baths (that is a NO NO), which in turn was decreasing the amount of meds left to absorb. I stopped taking the long hot baths even though it is one of the things that make me feel better and saw a little releif but still not even good.

Then I had surgery and that Dr gave me Vicodin. Once I was not having as much pain from the surgery and was only taking the Vicodin a couple of times a day, I realized how much better I would feel on that second-third day when I felt so bad before. My Pain Dr reduced my patch to 25 and added Vicodin. Some help but still not great. Then they got a new PA. He looked at my chart the first time that I saw him and he said that what was happening is that my body would either absorb the meds faster and it would be out before the 72 hours or my body would only absorb through the adhesive for that long. He said it is a problem that some have with the patch. They change my RX to be where I change the patch every 48 hours. Changing PAs was the greatest thing the DR could have done for me. I decided to stay on the 25mcg/vicodin combination instead of moving back up to the 50mcg because of bowel problems due to my conditions now complicated from recotile casued during Hysterectomy.

Bottom line to this long respone......you might want to ask about getting a RX for Luquix it helped me tremendously with patch sticking and rash.

Also, work with your doctor....if they are not willing to listen to your concerns....get a new one. No one deserves to be in the kind of pain that we experience.

One last thought....for Maggie....I hope your Friend is a doctor who is specifically educated on the use of these meds. The Feds are cracking down more and more and getting RXs is getting harder and harder. I used to only have to go in to see my Dr every 3 months and the other 2 months would just have to go pick up my RX. It changed to where patients cannot get that RX without going in to be seen each month. They are also required to do random drug tests to verify that the patient is actually using the meds and that they are not using other meds that are not listed in their file. The person that comes in is not the Drs staff but one that is sent by either the State or Feds.....their office does not even know ahead of time that this person is coming.