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Medical Forum / Diseases and Disorders / Arthritis / November 2006Lidoderm questions from a lurker
Good eveving all :-) I hope everyone else is sleepingt and no one wakes up to see/reply to my post until morning (after daylight). My pain doc gave me samples today of lidoderm patches. I've read all the prescribing info but as usual have questions they never answer. I'm hoping those who have used them or something similar can share some exprience. First question: Do they have a 'cumulative' (for lack of a better word) effect or is the response you get from the first one as good as it gets? Second question: Can I use a heating pad with it? Third question: The area I need to place it in difficult/impossible for me to reach. Inside of my right shoulder blade. Through the week I live alone with the cats, my daughter comes home most weekends from college. Addinbg to the difficulty is the fact I am in a long arm cast on my left arm, trying to get my elbow settled down. Thankfully, the cast should come off tomorrow and I will "discuss my options" with my ortho doc. I have tennis elbow.... again. I had the tendon repaireed 17 months ago. It popped again 7 weeks ago. I expect he'll get to redo the repair. Even with oxycontin, lortab 10, and the multitude of RA meds, the pain from this area under and inside my shoulderblade is near intolerable and none of the docs have any answers. On a positive note, my Orencia infusions seem to be helping get better control of my RA symptoms. I hope the benefit will continue to improve. Thank you to everyone and know that the folks on this group are in my prayers. Angela > Good eveving all :-) I hope everyone else is sleepingt and no one > wakes up to see/reply to my post until morning (after daylight). It's only 9:25 p.m. here. Another hour before heading to the bedroom. > My pain doc gave me samples today of lidoderm patches. I've read all > the prescribing info but as usual have questions they never answer. > I'm hoping those who have used them or something similar can share > some exprience. > First question: Do they have a 'cumulative' (for lack of a better > word) effect or is the response you get from the first one as good as > it gets? I've been using the patches 3 or 4 years on an "as needed" basis. 2, 3, 4 days a week. I haven't felt any cumulative effect from them. The doctor explained that they are "slow release" over the 12 hours of wearing them. That's why he also wrote a 'script for Ketoprofen salve. It's instant relief! I found that using it a few hours before a patch really, really helps. > Second question: Can I use a heating pad with it? I haven't seen anything pro or con about that. Perhaps the phamacist is the best place to get that answer. > Third question: The area I need to place it in difficult/impossible > for me to reach. Inside of my right shoulder blade. Through the week [quoted text clipped - 5 lines] > 17 months ago. It popped again 7 weeks ago. I expect he'll get to > redo the repair. I don't have that problem. I can apply a patch to back of my neck, between the shoulders. Other places I use one is the right groin and right knee. > Even with oxycontin, lortab 10, and the multitude of RA meds, the pain > from this area under and inside my shoulderblade is near intolerable > and none of the docs have any answers. I haven't gotten to the oxycontin state yet. The RD this week changed my meds from Tylenol #3 to Ultram. > On a positive note, my Orencia infusions Haven't heard of that before. How often, and how long do the infusions take? > seem to be helping get better control of my RA symptoms. I > I hope the benefit will continue to improve. That's good news to hear. We'll be hoping and praying right along with you for continuous success with it. ... Filthy rich? I'm part way there. Thank you Fire chief! Helpful and kind as always. > > Second question: Can I use a heating pad with it? > [quoted text clipped - 5 lines] > Haven't heard of that before. How often, and how long do > the infusions take? The Orencia infusions take 30 minutes (medication infusion time, not setting up, discharging, etc.). The first 3 infusions are 14 days apart, as a loading dose. After that, the infusions are every 28 days. > > seem to be helping get better control of my RA symptoms. I > > I hope the benefit will continue to improve. > That's good news to hear. We'll be hoping and praying right > along with you for continuous success with it. Thank you. I need any prayers that I can get. Angela > ... Filthy rich? I'm part way there. > > Angela wrote:Thank you Fire chief! Helpful and kind as always. > [quoted text clipped - 9 lines] > setting up, discharging, etc.). The first 3 infusions are 14 days > apart, as a loading dose. After that, the infusions are every 28 days. Wow, your first 3 were more frequent than mine, I had one first of June, one mid June and the 3rd was 28 days after the second. Didn't notice any improvement until they put me on Imuran as well, now I'm seeing some settling of symptoms, don't know if it's the Orencia or the Imuran or a combination of the two. Fire Chief: I think this stuff used to be Abatacept during trial phase. Angela: Are you eligible to have someone come by your house, like a CNA (certified nursing aide) or a person to help with housecleaning? Would they be able to help you out with the patch? I use mine sparingly, but I use them (on my hips and knees mostly, they don't seem to work on my hands, wrists, elbows, or shoulders). I just remember the doc saying not to wear one for more than 12 hours, and to not put another on for at least 12 hours <sigh>, just one more thing to remember, huh? Smokie Darling (Annie) - > I just remember the doc saying not to wear one for more than 12 hours, > and to not put another on for at least 12 hours <sigh>, just one more > thing to remember, huh? From the insert, and on each individual package: Apply up to three (3) LIDODERM patches at one time to cover the most painful area. Apply patches only once for up to 12 hours in a 24-hour period (12 hours on and 12 hours off). Remove patch if irritation occurs. Those are the same instruction my RD gave me a couple years ago. At the moment, I'm wearing one, but usually use 3. ... Eagles may soar, but weasels don't get sucked into jet engines. Angela - I use the lidocaine patches on an "as needed" basis (LOVE my RD!). I use one each day to quiet my sciatic pain and it is a little difficult to get it positioned right...after all it's on my backside and I can't reach all of that. :-P I haven't noticed a cumulative effect, but each time it's as good as the first. It works for me when I need it. I don't even have to use them on my shoulder very often anymore. It stopped the pain long enough for the shoulder to calm down. I have used a heating pad in conjunction with the lidocaine patch and have had no ill effects. I never asked the doc if that was a problem. HTH, DeeTee > Good eveving all :-) I hope everyone else is sleepingt and no one > wakes up to see/reply to my post until morning (after daylight). [quoted text clipped - 30 lines] > > Angela Angela, I have pain in the same place at times. Mine moves around because of scoliosis. When it is just inside the shoulder blade I would like to put a hot patch on it, but like you say, I can't reach it! Very frustrating, isn't it. Hope you can get some helpful information from your orthopedist. Gwen > Good eveving all :-) I hope everyone else is sleepingt and no one > wakes up to see/reply to my post until morning (after daylight). [quoted text clipped - 30 lines] > > Angela same here and for the same reasons as gwen. but i do resort to a long heating pad, i've velcroed to my chairback. wouldn't it be cool if somebody decided to perfect some kind of doublesided tape idea (like carpet tape, but stickier on the doorjamb side of it and like painter's tape slight tackiness on the patch side of the tape) for one of those patches? like stick the tape to a doorjamb about however high you need it to be; and then, stick the patch to the slight tacky side of the tape; and then, you can gently back into the doorjamb to make it stick to your back exactly where you need it. my mind is loaded with these kinds desperate fantasies about pain relief. sigh . . . kate Angela, I have pain in the same place at times. Mine moves around because of scoliosis. When it is just inside the shoulder blade I would like to put a hot patch on it, but like you say, I can't reach it! Very frustrating, isn't it. Hope you can get some helpful information from your orthopedist. Gwen > Good eveving all :-) I hope everyone else is sleepingt and no one > wakes up to see/reply to my post until morning (after daylight). [quoted text clipped - 30 lines] > > Angela Kate wrote: > wouldn't it be cool if somebody decided to perfect some kind of doublesided > tape idea (like carpet tape, but stickier on the doorjamb side of it and [quoted text clipped - 4 lines] > your back exactly where you need it. my mind is loaded with these kinds > desperate fantasies about pain relief. sigh . . . It could probably be accomplished with double sided Scotch tape. Or regular Scotch tape doubled over. ... Confucius say too damn much! |
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