Fentanyl Sweating (Top voted first)

I am a 33 yr old woman being treated by Pain Mgmt Dr. for chronic pain as a result of 3 failed elbow surgeries and nerve damage. My current dosage is 50mcg/hr every 48 hrs with up to 4 oxycodone per day for break through pain. I know the patch is suppose to be a good medication for pain control, but I am really considering asking to change to a different medication because of the sweating problems I have on the Fentanyl and I was wondering if anyone else has had this problem. I am constantly drenched sinced I have been on the patch. Dr tried hytrin to control sweating, but all that did was cause me to bloat. I tried HRT for a year to see if that would help...no luck, still sweating. I sleep with only a sheet over me and window open at night and still wake up soaked from sweat. If I do any physical activity at all I am drenched. The patch does seem to control the pain well, but I can't deal with beads of sweat rolling down my head all the time and my family is always freezing because I get so warm. Am I doing something wrong? I wear the patch on my upper chest, I use a tegaderm patch over it. I've tried the Mylan brand and now use the SanDoz brand. Has anyone else experienced this issue? I don't want to live my life in pain, but I can't take the sweating issue anymore!!! Is there a different medication that is time released like the Fentanyl Patch? My DR is a nice man, but doesn't always explain things too well and I don't have anyone to talk to about this. Thanks for listening.

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Ok people. Let me inform you of something. After reading more of your posts, I feel I must say this.

First of all, if you are weaning off of Fentanyl, U dont HAVE to take fentanyl. It is a Opioid, U can use ANY Opioid in replacement of it. You do not HAVE to wean off Fenatnyl then start another drug! It is NOT NEEDED! If your doctor told you this, I would be suspicious of his/her motives for that.

Also, drugs like Vicodin, Percocet Lortab etc have OODLES of Acetaminophen in them. It is BAD for your liver. The DAILY MAX dose id 3300 mg. So if your doc is giving you these drugs, AND you take any tylenol in any other product you are risking your liver. If you were popping 12 Vicodin a day you were killing your liver. The effects of Acet/Tylenol on it are accumulative, over your lifetime. You should REALLY avoid it in ANY meds. But NEVER take and drug with it as your MAIN source of LONG TERM/CHRONIC pain. Not to mention that when u take these every 4 hour drugs you LIVE on a rx roller coaster. You are a 8 out of 10 on pain scale, so pop a percocet, wait 45-60 min, to BEGIN to reduce pain to a 5. Then in the 3rd hour the pain increases, slowly till 5 hours later youre back to an 8 again. It is BAD for your Nervous system and can cause you PERM pain. This is why they have drugs like Fentanyl, it will help to keep you off the roller coaster!

Also, I agree, DO NOT LICK your patch, or the envelope. The person who did this was Misappropriating the meds. Which makes it all the more hard for others to get pain control from the doctor. The guy who's friend altered the MRI, was also a reason! We need to work as a team to prevent these things to HELP preserve the right for ALL of us to get and use PROPER pain control!

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I never tell others what they should or shouldn't do in regards to pain management(presuming one is honest and using for pain) and I won't today. Just know that I too was on fentanyl 100mcq X 48 hours and was HORRIBLY sweating, then chills, then hot. Wow, enough to drive me insane, almost literally. After 5 months on fent, I decided enough. I put the last patch on and said let it run it's course. By Grace of prayer, my withdrawl was very minimal, very little discomfort and within a week, it stopped raining on me. I now know if was the fentanyl that did this to my body-extreme hot/cold flashes, sweat, yuck! It started me on the path to insomnia which is very dangerous since the mind takes over when you haven't slept. Even my hunger was affected: end result no eating, no sleeping and hot flashes from h###, I was miserable. I am now much better, and feel better. Still use oxycodone for pain, but GOODBYE FENTANYL and hopefully never again. My mind: fentanyl belongs to those dying of cancer or in such pain that their only quality of life is pain relief. Next to that, after only 5 months of it, it's one nasty drug in my mind and I say STAY AWAY!

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I have been on 100 mcg every 48 and I could not track down the sweating buts it in side effects, but anytime of day mostly early morning or nights I get profuse sweating I mean I have change underwear and shirt, but my doctor told me also that chronic pain causes the adrenal glands to release adrenaline which triggers the sweat glands on high gear hope that helps peace of mind but always keep a hand towl iand a clean shirt in the car for the sweat attacks thanks craig

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Well, waterfall,big geiser,raining parade, Ive used em all!!! Fentanyl is so bad in terms of sweating and going from hot wet soaked clothes an instance later goosebumps with chills and your still wet!! I myself hate this side effect it has flipped my world into a terrible place to be , afraid , ashamed,,embarrassed,and tired of saying hormones, or menopause, I at first blamed them due to having had a complete hysto . but as I am weening from 75mcgsto 50 @ the dr.s I had him write scripts for 25mcgs and I put 2 on at a time tried to get down to just 25 but the other withdraw symptoms are killing my spirit too. I recomend never starting this drug and if not an option as w/ I you do whatever it take (safely,w/dr help) to get off! chronic pain is world crashing and I have been on so many different meds that I am willing to pop vicodin again 12-15 per day if need to , never if God wills that I am to get off Fentanyl successfully , will I ever touch em , unless I am about to die! God will provide help!!

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Please excuse my reply if you find the tone "bossy." My intention is not lo be bossy but Italy come across that way!

I recommend you have someone (or you) record a meltdown event w a smart phone. Maybe several meltdowns! Hopefully you can get them recorded from beginning through to the end, stating the date and time as you progress through it so the doc can see and know how it comes on, how long it takes to progress, and just how miserable you get.

It would be good to also record every meltdown on a calendar, noting time of day, what you had been doing/eating just prior, etc to track if there is any "trigger" or pattern. Perhaps the details should be recorded on a separate sheet so as to not muddle up the calendar, but definitely record the time of meltdown on the calendar so there is a quick overview of the occurrences. If your meltdowns vary in intensity, record a rating from 1-10 on the calendar.

Perhaps you will notice a pattern or a "trigger" to the events which you can point out to your doc. I would do it for a month or so or longer, however long it takes to get a real overview of the meltdowns. Then take a pic of the finished calendar and email the pic and video to the doc requesting a follow-up appointment after his/her review. At your follow-up appointment, bring the videos and a copy of your calendar with you, along with a copy your detailed list (noting any pattern you may have noticed), and a printout of the email you sent so he knows you did so whether he has put it in your chart or not. (Keep the originals in case these copies get misplaced.).

Then plant yourself in the exam room chair and don't leave until you reach a plan for treating these events. It may be a trial-and-error plan, so be sure to continue noting all events, changes, etc.

I know this sounds like a lot of work but it may be the only way you can relay to the doc the events he/she seems to be poo-pooing thus far. Good luck.

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I can tell U sweating is a side effect of ALL narcotic pain meds. I do have a suggestion, if you have trouble KEEPING the patch on, U can call Jansen (the drug comp) and they will send u a FREE box of Bioclusive patch covers. And they will keep providing them for the time u r on patch. This is just like the cover they put on an IV.

If you live in Canada, not so much GOOD luck n love from Drug companies. So far since i have lived here, NOT ONE drug company is or has been willing to send me the covers FREE, actually, no one has even offered to do it for money! In Canada, U will have to go to the drug store and by something called Tegaderm. It costs about $8 for a box of 8! I did find that if you go to a hospital pharmacy, they are MUCH cheaper. I get mine for 35cents each at my hospital!

The sweating side effect usually passes. In time. As for me, I sweat due to a different medical condition. So it wont go away for me. But, having a cover to keep the patch on helps.

Ive recently begun to wonder if the sweating may be making the patch LESS effective. But, Im still watching this to see.

Overall, I prefer the patch to other opioids. But EVERYONE is different, and each drug effects everyone differently!

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I was put on the Fentanyl Patch after Oxycontin didn't help with my pain. I love the stable pain control & for the most part have been very happy. I've been on 100mcg every 72 hrs for roughly 10 years. I finally found a patch that stays on better than most (Watson) so I don't have to deal with the Tegaderm anymore. It's very important to look at the placement pictures in the instructions. I've found that placing the patch on the flank gets you better pain control & it stays on better.

About 5 years ago I got hot. I was so hot that I could barely breathe & I got into a cold shower fully dressed. It gets to the point that I have to take my clothes off, cover with anything terrycloth & lie in front of a fan. I don't know what it is about terrycloth but it helps.

About 3 months after that the sweating started. It's head to toe & even my hair drips. Buying undergarments has become a hobby. I've even color coordinated my sweat rags to my clothes. Yes it's really that bad. Now for the irritating part. My neurologist has never seen me sweat. Not once! I've done enough reading to know there is no "schedule" to the sweating but don't you think he'd see it at least once!??! I don't think he believes me. He quipped "of course you'll be sweating when it 100 degrees" to which I replied "it happens when it's 32 degrees outside." He then started the menopause rant again & I had to remind him about the hysterectomy. I wonder if he looks at my chart? He says it can't be that bad because he's never seen it. I like this doctor but I'm frustrated.

Any ideas? I'm very happy with not having to take pills around the clock. They never lasted anyway & I'd be watching the clock waiting for it to be time for the next one. That's not living.

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I, like all of you, especially the last post, am on Fentanyl, Hydrocodone/Acetomeniphen, and Neurontin (which I just read helps with sweating). I started with Hypothyroid, Hypoglycemia, Low Blood Pressure, Fibromyalgia, Total Hysterectomy, and Peripheral Neuropathy. I then got POTS (Postural Orthostatic Tachychardia Syndrome) from the Low Blood Pressure which is under the umbrella of Dysautonomia (Dysregulation of the Autonomic Nervous System). Look it up! (POTS Symptoms) You'll find a lot of your complaints and be surprised. I'm having a reprieve from hell today after literally not being able to stand, sit, go online, tidy up, cook, work, shop because I literally drop and wrap in towels from instantly burning up, heart racing, being dizzy and nauseous, drenching with sweat, chills, no intercourse as I'm afraid to even move or I'll sweat, and yes, me too, I am constantly changing my clothes, and now have a pile of sweat towels near me; always doing laundry. I'm a worthless rock. So after reading all your posts and doing research that I never get to do, that's it folks! I'm done. With God's help, I am going off of the Opiates, NOW!!, because yesterday I told my husband I couldn't take it any more and wanted to be with God. But to say one more thing. He talked me into having a little cannabis, and an hour later, after 5 years of severe torture from almost combusting into flames from burning up and heart racing and then being freezing, the sweating stopped. No smoke today, yet, but I actually still feel good, as if it's still in my body. My next search is for a doctor to prescribe edibles as I now have asthma, yes, from the drugs, and will get back to my herbal and nutrient remedies and see an acupuncturist. Google Common and Rare Side Effects of Fentanyl (or Vicodin) and click on the WebMD site and you'll freak. So good luck and go with God!

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Hi, OMG, I thought it was just me! I can't handle the constant sweating! I was wondering if it was from the Fentynal or the oxycodone or both.
it's a no win situation cuz if I don't have the patch which is constant, the pain wakes me up a few times a night. I don't know what to do!

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I'm just going to get right to the point. WHY WOULD ANYONE LICK THE PATCH! Stop messing around just to feel high! Its not the medications fault that you stopped breathing and almost died its YOUR fault for misusing it. Come on! It's people like you that mess around doing stupid things that make it harder for the ones of us who are in serious pain and need these medicines. Furthermore, there is no way a you can alter your MRI so if your gonna make up a story at least make it a little more believable. STOP saying do not take Fentanyl because if you take it the way YOUR DOCTOR TELLS YOU TO it ready works well. Instead I will say stop being stupid and go to rehab! I have NO patience for this kind of stupid.

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I am so glad that someone else lives in the world of the waterfall. I have been so embarrassed as the last 13 years on fentanyl., my favorite part of the waterfall is when the other person or persons dodge you or keep a fair distance. Summer, winter or fall spring time don't matter. I always hoped that it would lessen with time-NOT- so i look at those who are embarrassed by me I look at them and say either menopause or hormones. If I was to say that I am on one of the strongest pain medicine in the world and this is a side effect. I would give you some hints is after 13 years on this drug, I take 225 mcg every 36 hours. I think it is time to go off this. My pain is most of the time. I don't want to do this anymore. I pay thirteen hundred a month for insurance. My bill would be over 6000.00 a month. Which is more than i can afford thanks

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This overheating and sweating is a fairly normal side effect that some people experience from narcotic pain medications.

I went through it for years when I was on pain management and taking Morphine and Oxycodone.

Unfortunately, it can also last for a long time, even if you stop taking the medication. I still have trouble with excessive sweating and I stopped the medications almost 2 years ago, now.

There are a couple of other time released options, such as Oxycontin and MS Contin, but you may still experience the same issue. Some people don't and some do, there is no way to know for sure, until you try something.

https:/­/­rxchat.com/­wiki/­Fentanyl/­

I can only suggest talking to your doctor, again, and letting them know how severely bothersome the problem has become.

When I was still married, I used to drive both my husband and son crazy with my overheating.

Does anyone else have any advice?

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So, my tolerance finally stabalizes to where i can actually go 12 hrs on opana 20mg ER, instead of every eight hours and surprise! Ins will not cover it due to me never having been on fentanyl patch..i already have hot flashes from menapause and have read that that will cause quicker absorption of the med and will need to change latch every 48 hours instead of 72. Do doctors prescribe more of them to folks who for whatever reason will absorb them quicker? What about summer at the pool? Wont the sun cause them to absorb quicker? Will swimming affect the patch? I have about 3 days to tell them. My other options are kadian and mscontin which obviously dont work, thats why ive been on oxycontin and now opana.

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See #15 below. It was my very first post ever on May 2nd and I decided then to go off the patch. I was burning up and sweating 95% of the time, I was even afraid to move or I would sweat. I could never sleep any more finally hitting my nervous system so bad I almost broke down. My nerves got so frayed from being on the patch, which is now considered a side effect that the doctors don't tell you about, and thankfully I am now down to my last 4mcgs. from cutting the patch up. Two and a half months later from Winnie off of the patch I am now 95% sweat free. Thank you Jesus! I'm done! Get off of it when you can and very slowly.

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Yes, the sweating is driving me crazy. It never gets better, I kept hoping with time side effects decrease as the drs love to say, but, no go. Years now. Drains me totally of any energy I might have, which is precious little due to pain levels. As others have said, the fentanyl is the best med for pain control for me and I think I have tried them all. I hate to say misery loves company, but reading these posts has made me feel better, just in the sense of not feeling alone in my struggle. Tammy, you made me laugh about color coordinating your sweat rags to your clothes! Hang in there! I have simply given up underclothes myself. What's the point? Adds heat and damp trapping layer, who needs it? Since I can't function well from pain and no longer can work, I live in open, airy cotton caftans that I soak thru, hang to dry, wear another, soak thru, hang to dry. If I am lucky the first might dry by the time the second gets soaked. Or I introduce a third into rotation. Plus I spend a large portion of my life naked in front of a fan. My caftan collection has grown, but I recently had to purchase 3 more since the laundry so quickly piles up and I was running out of clothes. It's summer now so at least I don't cycle thru the hot then freezing routine. Just hot to bearable for a while. I've been searching for an answer or at least an explanation of WHY this occurs, but medical consensus is best summed up in a statement I read, "the causes are not well understood". Evidently there are many meds that cause sweating, including my thyroid, blood pressure, amitryptiline, and oxicodone. Maybe the fentanyl was the tipping point? If I could stand the pain I would stop. Right not it's just down to being stuck between a rock and a hard place. Tammy, I agree to document the number, duration, intensity of sweating and talk to your dr again. Maybe you can do better on another med. But do not let him minimize your problem. The best thing I do is to have my husband with me for every single dr appt. drs talk to you MUCH better when there is a third party present, friend, family, whoever can reinforce the reality of the symptoms and the intensity of the problems. Milo, great point about acetaminophen! After years of taking Vicodin, then Norco,(which worked SO poorly) my husband researched the acetaminophen issue. How can drs justify damaging your liver that way when they know the effects, but just don't want to write a stronger prescription? And are constantly told how poor pain control they offer? Okay, I will stop ranting now! If anyone finds anything that helps with the sweating, please post!

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I'm very sorry that you're going through this. None of us wish it on anyone else. I've written a long post that I'd like to post here & I believe it will help you also.

Now I'm not a doctor & I don't pretend to be & I certainly don't know your medical history but I'd like to comment on a few things that you wrote. I'm hoping that you're off the Hytrin. I'm surprised your doctor put you on it. It's normally for men who have prostate problems & high blood pressure. If you're on any type of blood pressure medicine you need to be watched closely because excessive sweating can cause dangerously low blood pressure. While Hytrin does reduce sweating it's only when it's caused by an anti-depressant.

One of the great things about the Fentanyl Patch is that it has wonderful pain control & eliminates or drastically reduces the need for breakthrough pain pills. Hopefully your doctor stressed how importanr it is to be on a strict 'every 6 hrs' schedule for the Oxy. I don't know your dosage or whether it has acetaminophen but 4 Oxy a day just seems like a lot to take while on the Fentanyl patch. Again, I'm not a doctor. Way back they put me on HRT, just to see, men! argh!! I asked him if he ever read my chart because I'd had a hysterectomy at 28 & menopause was long over. I did like that the HRT increased my bra size lol a little twinkle in my gloomy day. I took myself off after the report came out about the cancer increase.

I hope you get leveled out & I hope the following info can help you. Take care - Tammy

I've been on 100mcg/72 hrs for almost 15 yrs & I too deal with extreme sweating. Recently my doc added 1 Percocet a day which is Oxycodone & Acetaminophen 10-325 for breakthrough pain. In all honesty I sometimes need 2 & it's probably time to increase my patch dose. I have 6 fractured vertebrae, severe & very painful osteoporosis, 5 herniated discs, a bone spur, Fibromyalgia, 48 degrees scoliosis & Arnold Chiari Malformation.

I've been paying close attention to my emotions & activities around the sweating episodes & have realized that getting upset when it happens makes it worse. I've come to the conclusion that any strong emotion can trigger it. I also found that remaining calm & taking deep breathes will stop it. These activities help to stabilize the ANS.

The ANS controls things we don't think about like blood pressure, heartrate, breathing, digestion, AND sweating. The ANS has a direct relationship with pain, anger, sadness, anxiety, frustration & the Fentanyl patch. The ANS doesn't cause pain but it can make the pain chronic. The next time you have a sweating attack notice if your heart is beating faster. If so it's your ANS at fault. The Fentanyl causes a change in the way your ANS works with your brain. Most of my research said the sweating won't stop even after we stop using the patch. It said there were permanent chemical changes in the brain caused by the Fentanyl. My pain doctor agreed.

I found a pdf you can use to talk to your doctor. It discusses what drugs cause hyperhidrosis (excessive sweating), hypohidrosis (little or no sweating), and how to possible correct the problem. There are several treatment suggestions for your doctor to try.

I was surprised when it said Fentanyl causes Histamine to be increased in the body. That makes sense as I itch like crazy. It's very deep inside & it's maddening. It also says Histamine causes sweating. It looks like there are several ways to fix these issues. (Please don't run out & buy Benadryl without talking to your doctor. Benadryl can make you very sleepy & can react poorly with Fentanyl)

sweathelp.org/pdf/Drug-induced-hyperhidrosis-%20Cheshire.pdf

The International Hyperhidrosis Society has a section for adults, teens & doctors. It also has a doctor finder section.

sweathelp.org/en/sweat-help-home/about-the-international-hyperhidrosis-society.html

This site lightly discusses the effects of too much histamine on your body.

ehow.com/list_7479008_signs-much-histamine.html

I'm excited as this is the closest I've come to a "cure." Good luck everyone! Let me know how it goes for you

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Omg.... I have the same issue and need terry cloth or Egyptian cotton to help w cold painfull sweats. I've been on fentanyl (from 100mcg-37.5 mcg) over the past 4 years. I have also been on dilauted for break through pain off and on. My sweating has been so intense that it has caused anxiety, depression, humiliation and caused me to stop going in public. Drs have been NO help through it all until recently I found new pain management dr that could give me actual onsite on it... Not only does the fentanyl cause profuse sweating but when we heat up and sweat it causes the patch to release medication at uneven rates. So if u wear it for 72 hrs u may have lost most the medication within first 24hours. This can throw ur body into withdrawal and possibly overdose if ur body can not handle the dose released to quickly. Because I have been on higher doses I knew what it felt like to be over medicated. When I sweat and receive uneven dose I can feel over medicated at times and in horrible pain from lack of mess at others. I am currently wheeling off fentanyl and am down to 25mcg. I feel crudy, exhausted, edgy but I pray the end result will stop this sweating madness. I'm only 35 yrs female and I want my life back. I want to do my hair and make up and go somewhere without changing clothes when I arrive. I'm at the end of my rope dealing with sweating like a waterfall for no reason and at anytime.

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I had the same problem and had to stop using it

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I'm trying to keep track of my own sweating since being on the patch and honestly, it seems to kick in when I'm low on my breakthrough meds near the end of the month, so I'm going with my original theory that doses are too low..sweating is a symptom of withdrawal and I never sweat if I still have enough oxycodone each day--while on patch

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I'm giving hubby detox bath every day veiken femur 6 months on fentanyl patch weaning him SUCKS... DETOX. bath HELPS. HOT WATER, 1 CUP EPSOM SALTS, 1/2 CUP BAKING SODA..... COUPLE DROPS OF ORANGE OIL. stay in as least 10 min. Out will help with the sweating. I got to turn on the heater for the 1st x today!

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