Mother warns others of deadly drug

Rose Marler remembers her 22-year-old son as a young man who always had a smile on his face even when things were bothering him.

[Dana]

I believe there can't be enough said to the general public about this drug. I too have suffered a loss. My brother overdosed on Fentanyl in 2004. But my brother didn't chew on the patch, he injected it. He died of a massive heart attack instantly. I think if the Government can put a man on the moon, there has to be something we can do about this drug. Such as a bar code inside the patch, so it can be traced back to whom ever sold them. The Family of Bryan K.(Kevin) Barron, till this day have no idea where he got the patch, but someone does, and they are guilty of a very serious and growing crime. Don't try and get this message to the "addicts", it needs to be heard by the suppliers, the doctors, and the people who are being perscribed the drug. Unless you understand the world of addication, you will never undersatnd the "addict". The pain they suffer, and the lengths that they will go through to get their drug of choice. My only hope is that someone will hear my message. Dispose of these patches the correct way, by flushing them. These patches kill people they are not intended for.

[Brian]

While I agree that there needs to be more done to educate the public about the dangerous properties of these super strength narcotic anagesic medicines, I feel it is totaly irresponsible to make a blanket statement that the transdermal fentanyl patchs should be totally removed from the arsenol of pain management doctors and patients.

Since 2003 when I injured my back, I have been through many different procedures and have run the gammut of medcations including, vicodan, percocet, soma, flexeril, skelaxin, oxycontin, oxycodone/roxicodone, nurontin, and finally duragesic.

In December 2004 I underwent the charite artificial disk replacement at L5/S1 and it was supposed to change my life. Well it hasn't and I have had to continue with pain management. It took a very long time for my doctors and I to find the combination of medicines I am on to help me to be able to live a partial life. I am currently on: Duragesic 50 mcg/hr Q72, 15mg roxicodone BID, Flexeril 10mg TID, and Motrin 800 mg TID. Without the Duragesic I was taking more than double the amount of pills and to be honest I was totally unable to get control of my pain. I also had to take a sedative prior to the patch. Ambien 10mg at night was the only way that I could sleep because I was having severe problems with restless leg syndrome.

Again while I think that education is the way to resolve these problems and the education needs to begin with the doctors that are prescribing duragesic and they need to be the first line of education of the patients, also pharmacists need to make the prescribed patient listen to an educational discussion prior to being given their medicine and there needs to be a contract of some form that states the patient understands the serious hazards to being prescribed such a strong medicine. Another help would be the use of individual id numbers printed on each patch so that if someone other than the patient is wearing the patch, it is traceable back to the patient it was prescribed to and if it is not reported as stolen, an investigation needs to be completed to figure out how their patch is on a person other than themselves.

Good Luck and best wishs,
Brian

[Brian]

Here is a story that may intrest you. This is just a bit of fortification to my other point. If someone iss out there making this drug on their own, it would be crazy to remove the medicine from the market because there are way too many peeople like me and my mom and dad that otherwise would be living a horrible life due to bad back surgeries. It is more likly that we would all be on anti-depresents and pain pills and living in bed. Please take the time to look into both side of this story and understand that the horrible times that you and others have had due to poor prescribing practices by physicians is not the fault of the people that need this medicine.

The drug fentanyl, a potent painkiller often prescribed to terminally ill patients, landed on the streets years ago, authorities said. But it's now more popular than ever before. And authorities don't know where it's coming from.
The drug usually is prescribed as patches -- dubbed "pain patches" by cancer patients -- or on lollipop-like sticks, though it also can be administered in liquid form during surgeries.
Law enforcement officials investigating fentanyl-related deaths in Wayne County say drug dealers could be crystallizing prescription fentanyl to use as a cutting agent for heroin and cocaine, but they doubt it.
They believe someone is manufacturing the drug in an illegal lab.
"It's probably clandestinely manufactured," said Daniel Isenschmid, chief toxicologist with the Wayne County Medical Examiner’s Office.
As with other painkillers, fetanyl is strictly regulated. Hospice workers are instructed to destroy whatever remains after a patient dies, and they're told to slice up used pain patches with scissors so that excess fentanyl can't be removed and used inappropriately.
That's why experts such as Dr. Bruce Goldberger, director of toxicology at the University of Florida, say the fentanyl killing people in Wayne County is likely homemade.
"You can synthesize it if you're a good chemist," he said.
A change in the fentanyl-to-heroin ratio might explain the rising body count, Isenschmid said. At least 23 people have died since May 18.
"Fentanyl is 80 times more potent than morphine," he said. "One of the problems is that users don’t know how to dose themselves."

[Linda from Oregon]

I have been in chronic pain with my back since the fall of 2003. I had back surgery in 98 and was
pretty much pain free for nearly 5 yrs. I took a couple freak falls and my pain was at a 10. I was in-
itially put on Vicodin and Valium in Oct/03. I found that the Vicodin was NOT helping me and made
me feel quite nausous. In march/04 I was started on Methadone which made me feel horrible. Af-
ter 6-7 days of feeling too sedated and nausiated my Dr put me on MS Contin..15mg.3Xday. It
seemed to help for about the first 2 months but then was NOT working very well..but better than I
was on the Vicodin. I was on the same dose for 2yrs..which I find ridiculous as MOST people with
chronic pain...which I have -need their doses modified on a regular basis. I started on the Durages-
ic Patch in March/06 50mcg/72hrs. I am also using Percocet 5mg(up to 4 in 24hrs) and was NOT
getting the pain under control. My Dr upped me to 75mcg and we tried that for a month with me
changing the patch every 72hrs. I found that the Patch did NOT last 72hrs..more like 48. In May/06
my Dr allowed me to change my Patch at 48hrs..and it has been a godsend. I find the Patches easy
to use and I am getting BETTER pain management. I still have to use up to 4 Percocet 5mg as need-
ed. I have noticed that I DONOT have to take as much Phenergan/25mg tabs as I did when I was on
the MS Contin 15mg. I LOVE the Patch and feel GRATEFUL that I can get them through a Drug
Assistance Program.We are VERY low income but cannot qualify for any HELP through the state.
I am able to get 15- 75mcg Patches for a 30day supply. The cost on these at Rite-Aid would be a-
bout $723/mo. The only complaint I have now is the increased weight loss.
I am NOT sure if this has anything to do with Duragesic but I have read where some people have a
decreased appetite, Perhaps they are already overweight and welcome the weight loss. I CANNOT
afford it...as I am 55 yo 5f 1 and currently weigh 105. I was 115 in highschool. I have found that app-
lying the Patch to my side where the ribs are works best for me. I originally was applying them to my
chest and getting an irritating rash. My only complaint..is that when I first apply the Patch I sometimes
feel kinda poorly for about 3-4 hrs. Mostly feel nausous. All in ALL I LOVE the Duragesic Patch and
only am sorry that my previous Dr did NOT try me on this GOOD medication for severe chronic pain.
I am TRULY getting my life back without feeling totally sedated. I feel it is VERY valuable in treating
the SEVERE pain I find myself in 24/7.

[Jenn from NY]

I understand how Fentanyl can be abused...just like any prescription drug out there. It is a shame that this misuse happens, but unfortunately it will never stop. I saw a documentary about an ordanary housewife addicted to prescription pain meds (I think she abused everything from Vicodin to Percocet and MSContin) she even bought them from an elderly neighbor. Very sad and yes, I do agree that more of this type of abuse needs to be exposed more.
But, as others have stated, it can be a god send for those who are in pain. Pain wears on you mentally and physically. I personally just started the Duragesic patch a month ago and it is doing well for me, better than those pills. The switch from oral to patch was a bit rough at first but once the docs got the dosage right, I felt so much better. I have bone, muscle and thoracic problems from muscular dystrophy...I had pain day in and day out and wasn't sleeping. So yes, I am grateful for the availability of these drugs.

[Halloween jack]

i to use fentanyl 100mg patch +4 percett a day 10-325 mg with out i could not work my job its very hard to even stand for extened amount of time i work in a meat dept in a well known groc store and i sould not have to work in this dept but my employer sees it diff then me i hurt myself on the job over 6 years ago its not any fun trying to do this job but i feel they want me to quit then there problem would be gone ...not going to do it got 1year left to get penshion work over 30 years here.so yes i do need it or i could not be a real feeling person

[Confused]

My Papa died of an over dos of the patch. If anyone has had this happen to them or knows anything about anyone that has died because of this please post back to me or reply. I am not really sure how this all works.

[Evelyn Walker]

Confused wrote:

My Papa died of an over dos of the patch. If anyone has had this happen to them or knows anything about anyone that has died because of this please post back to me or reply. I am not really sure how this all works.

Yes, feel free to e-mail me at [e-mail]. I too lost a loved one who overdosed on this patch, and no, he was not an abuser. There are an untold number of people who have lost loved ones who were not abusers. I can tell you a lot about it based on the symptoms that I witnessed from my deceased family member. I have also researched it for the past year and a half. I prefer to communicate with you directly to avoid "heated exchanges" from those who get relief from it.

[Halloween jack]

Evelyn Walker wrote:

<quoted text>
Yes, feel free to e-mail me at [e-mail]. I too lost a loved one who overdosed on this patch, and no, he was not an abuser. There are an untold number of people who have lost loved ones who were not abusers. I can tell you a lot about it based on the symptoms that I witnessed from my deceased family member. I have also researched it for the past year and a half. I prefer to communicate with you directly to avoid "heated exchanges" from those who get relief from it.

please let me know more about it who knows you might save my life ...doctors dont tell you every thing you should know before i put my own life in my hands

[Sherrie]

They forget to tell you that heat produces a surge that can kill you. I read of a woman who died on a 24mg patch because she slept on a heat pad directly over the patch.

[Townsi]

My name is Townsi and I am the sister of Michaelynn Thompson who was killed by the pain patch Duragesic manufactured by Alza Corporation (owned by Jansen Pharmacutical Company, a wholly owned subisidiary of Johnson & Johnson. Our trial was the first of wrongful death trail related to this drug. It's not the drug, it's the manufacturing of that product that I would so want to warn people about. The companies quality control measures are inadequate - utilizing two people to visually look at 4 patches/second spitting out of a machine. They have cameras now, but don't let this fool you either - neither the naked eye nor the camera can dedect the gap in the seal of the patch. The company admitted that out of 500,000 patches per lot manufactured up to 3,600 defective "complaints" (who knows how many deaths) were considered "acceptable". PLEASE BEWARE. My sister was only 42 and her daughter (13 at the time) witnessed her mother's death in an emergency room - where she had been for six hours before she died. Niether the emergency room doctor or staff new what was making her sick - the patch was recalled three days after her death - but I'm here to tell you that after witnessing the trial for three weeks last month - NO ONE is safe on these patches. Further, I would advise not utilize a PATCH of any sort. I agree pain management is extremely cruicial, my sister suffered from chronic back pain for years and I know how much it hurts having spent many times in the ER with her to get relief. But remember one thing - "NO ONE DIES FROM PAIN" nor should they trying to get relief from it. There are other methods of treatment. Yes, we won the case - absolutely, but because of one hmmm what's the right word "ignorant" juror who "just didn't get it" and must have been sleeping through the trial we did not get punative damages, but were awarded $772,500 for compensatory damages - so put a price on your loved ones and then decide is it worth it? NOOOOO..... I'd give all of it back for my sister.

[Brian]

While I am sorry that your sister passed away due to inadequate qc methods at the time and also inadequate medical doctor skills in the ER that easily could have stopped the process by having removed the patiend supplied pain medicine and begun to treat with the hospitals own medicine. She would still be here. How the hospital is not negligent in this I don't know. Your sister should not have been self medicated inside the walls of that emergency room, espically when she was showing signs of opiate sickness and probably increased pain sensitivity too.

As far as the statement, "NO ONE DIES FROM PAIN". You are right, but many people a year commit suicide because they are not being properly treated by qualified doctors and are being told that they have to live in pain forever. These patchs have a place in medicine, they have made my family life 1000% more than it was and there are millions of Americans that are living a more fruitful life not being tied to a pill bottle simply because of these patchs. If pain management would put pain pumps in every back pain patient, than there would be no need for patchs but since they do not, the patchs are totally necessary.

Again, sorry for your loss but before your sister passed, was she helped by this medicine? If you can say yes, become an advocate for better quality control or new pain medicines, don't fight to make millions of americans suffer because the ER and Alza made a mistake. If it were me, I would think that you would be able to sue for negligant medical treaatment and Malpractice because your sister passed away.(Unless the hospital doesn't have any of thier own pain medicine why did they let her self medicate while there?)

[Halloween jack]

thank you Brian, there are a lot of non - pain folks out there that think pain meds are nothing but evil but for folks like myself how work a job 40 hours aweek day in and day out never miss much work cuz of my back pain , but with out the patch i could not leave my bedroom let alone go to a job ,so we all know things happen in life un forseen if i happen to die because of takeing this drug , well at least i could enjoy life while i was here and not hate beeing alive cuz of pain so bad i would have to kill myself pain will driver you over the edge an i for one am glad there are drugs out there to help me some one who writes about how bad pain drugs are ...never had to live with this un welcome friend day after day after day ,,,thats not liven life its just exsisting and for what any day of PAIN so bad death looks better

[Evelyn Walker]

Townsi wrote:

My name is Townsi and I am the sister of Michaelynn Thompson who was killed by the pain patch Duragesic manufactured by Alza Corporation (owned by Jansen Pharmacutical Company, a wholly owned subisidiary of Johnson & Johnson. Our trial was the first of wrongful death trail related to this drug. It's not the drug, it's the manufacturing of that product that I would so want to warn people about. The companies quality control measures are inadequate - utilizing two people to visually look at 4 patches/second spitting out of a machine. They have cameras now, but don't let this fool you either - neither the naked eye nor the camera can dedect the gap in the seal of the patch. The company admitted that out of 500,000 patches per lot manufactured up to 3,600 defective "complaints" (who knows how many deaths) were considered "acceptable". PLEASE BEWARE. My sister was only 42 and her daughter (13 at the time) witnessed her mother's death in an emergency room - where she had been for six hours before she died. Niether the emergency room doctor or staff new what was making her sick - the patch was recalled three days after her death - but I'm here to tell you that after witnessing the trial for three weeks last month - NO ONE is safe on these patches. Further, I would advise not utilize a PATCH of any sort. I agree pain management is extremely cruicial, my sister suffered from chronic back pain for years and I know how much it hurts having spent many times in the ER with her to get relief. But remember one thing - "NO ONE DIES FROM PAIN" nor should they trying to get relief from it. There are other methods of treatment. Yes, we won the case - absolutely, but because of one hmmm what's the right word "ignorant" juror who "just didn't get it" and must have been sleeping through the trial we did not get punative damages, but were awarded $772,500 for compensatory damages - so put a price on your loved ones and then decide is it worth it? NOOOOO..... I'd give all of it back for my sister.

Hi Townsi,
I followed the story of your sister and how she died on the patch, and I'm sorry for your loss. I lost my elderly father to the patch, but because of his age and the idea that there is a "magic" number called a lifespan, and after reaching that age, your life is worth nothing, we could not file a lawsuit. In his case the doctor was ignorant to the dangers of the patch, and to this day, we don't know why he prescribed it, my dad was not in ANY chronic pain and was not in any end-stage cancer pain. I did file a complaint with the state medial board. I say to the people who get relief using the patch, by all means keep using it, and would hope that people could communicate their different experiences with the effects of the patch, whether it helps or kills. The labeling states that it is not for opiate naive patients, those who have not previously taken other opiates such as morphine. I believe that once you have a tolerance to it, or if you have pain that "buffers" the effect, then maybe you can handle it better that someone like my father who never had any reason to take morphine or any other opiate. I plan to continue spreading the word that all these deaths are not from addicts and abuses,lke many would have you to believe. There are those such as your sister and my father and God only know how many others who have died from the faulty patches, or like my father, used it because his doctor prescribed it. Please e-mail me at [e-mail]. I don't want to start an exchange with those who have used it successfully, this is about those who have lost loved ones, and like you, there is no amount of money I would take if it meant having my happy, elderly father back.

[Joanne Deeter]

I am suffering from a compression fracture in my thoracic spine.Initially on fentanyl patch 50mcg/hr which is not helping.Now they have added valium and vicodin.It only help's for a little while.I think I need pain management.But because of my insurance,I've been waitimg six month's already.

[Alan]

I have 4 levels of disc herniations, 2 levels of spinal stenosis, scoliosis, a deformed thecal sac, spondy;osis, facet joint arthritis, DDD and more. I live in pain 24/7. I use a 100 mcg Fentanyl patch by Mylan and 30 mg Roxicodone for b/t pain. Without these meds, I could not have a normal life. I'd be curled up like a ball on the couch. Now, I still have pain but I can take my kid to music lessons, shop, see a movie with the family.

We need to separate the medicine itself from those who abuse it and those Docs who do not prescribe correctly. But problems like that can happen with any med.

I feel for those who have been affected. But I also know firsthand how the patch and the Roxicodone have helped me.

By the way, I got very little relief from the patch until I switched to the Mylan generic. The Mylan generic uses a different delivery system that the brand name Duragesic and generic Sandoz. If you have found the patch not working for you, try the Mylan generics!

[Halloween jack]

well i am donig the sandoz 100mcg and sue enought i was on the mylan and it was not working as good as the leakeeeeeee sandoz patch no just kiding. no leaks yet but i check before puting on i may have pain day afer day but not just reddy to kick the bucket yet...and thank goodness i have a doc who gives me oxycodne for break threw pain 10mg 6 times a day and still have days that are little to no movement but the same people who say you cant hurt that much i can only say when it happens to you i will be the 1st to say IT cant Posabley hurt that much......kiss my broken back disks you duumm ass,sorry but i to get sick of most every one talkn about me and talking stupid talk ......so people out there if you dont know what its like dont say any thing its better to let people think your stupid then to open your mouth and remove all doubt.....

[Joanne Deeter]

I had forgotten to tell you's that my doctor's won't go up on the patch,which i'm on 50mcg/hr for about six month's now. They recently put me on vicodin and valium like i had written previously,but only one regular strenth vicodin which is not working.I am aloud to take up to 4 pills a day.If there is any one out there that cou;d be some help.Please do.

[Evelyn Walker]

Halloween jack wrote:

well i am donig the sandoz 100mcg and sue enought i was on the mylan and it was not working as good as the leakeeeeeee sandoz patch no just kiding. no leaks yet but i check before puting on i may have pain day afer day but not just reddy to kick the bucket yet...and thank goodness i have a doc who gives me oxycodne for break threw pain 10mg 6 times a day and still have days that are little to no movement but the same people who say you cant hurt that much i can only say when it happens to you i will be the 1st to say IT cant Posabley hurt that much......kiss my broken back disks you duumm ass,sorry but i to get sick of most every one talkn about me and talking stupid talk ......so people out there if you dont know what its like dont say any thing its better to let people think your stupid then to open your mouth and remove all doubt.....

Funny how you say you're "not ready to kick the bucket yet" --my father wasn't either, but because of a negligent doctor, he still went before his time, even at an elderly age, from overdose of the fentanyl in the Duragesic patch. I know I can't relate to people who live in constant pain, because I don't. If I ever get to that point, I want the RIGHT to make the decision of what I get and whether I get opiates for pain, not because an incompetent doctor who, for God knows what reason, prescribed this stuff to someone not even suffering with pain.(Money??-Experimenting on an elderly person??- or just totally stupid?) My father's case is not an isolated one, If I know of several in this small area, then chances are on a broader sense, there might be thousands or more. The people in this category don't get to sue and become national news. Personally, even if I was in chronic pain and was getting relief from a drug, I would still be open-minded enough to want to hear others experiences with it, that might be totally different than mine, simple just to become "educated" about the effects of it on different people. Also in the event that I would start having bad side effects, just hearing of someone else's negative experiences might make a "light bulb" come on and might save my life.

[Halloween jack]

well i can only say YOU MUST Be OPIATE TALERENT , and any doctor who gives this out should know .because its death if your not ...i was and still am taken 6 oxycodone a day before going on this patch ..and it works very well to lessen the pain but it never gos away it always there but in less intens ...and im sorry about your father that doctor was a dope and should not be a doctor