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        New Message Board Archives >> Medications, Treatments, Therapies 2004 >> Actiq
        
(Message started by: Liz04 on Mar 21^st, 2004, 5:18pm)

Title: Actiq
Post by Liz04 on Mar 21^st, 2004, 5:18pm

Anyone here try the Actiq lolly pops for pain relief?

Title: Re: Actiq
Post by FZfan on Mar 21^st, 2004, 5:50pm

Never heard of it. Can you describe please?

Title: Re: Actiq
Post by UN_SOLVED on Mar 21^st, 2004, 6:25pm

I went and seen a 'specialist' at a pain clinic just a few months ago. He described this med to me and said we'd try this first along with Methadone. ( I had little faith that it would help at all since narcotics usually don't help unless given via IV in HUGE doses). Before he would prescribe anything to me, he wanted me to 'finish' my treatment at MHNI or get 'permission' from them first. I haven't been back since that visit since I'm still working with MHNI. Even though they haven't helped much, they're very compassionate and really trying to help. I think i'll stick with MHNI for awhile longer.
Plus...I'd hate to get hooked on narcotics...I got enough problems already.

Unsolved

Title: Re: Actiq
Post by pubgirl on Mar 21^st, 2004, 6:35pm

Liz

I posted on this on your other thread. Actiq is an opiate of a pretty major kind. (pretty sure the active ingredient is Fentanyl which was used as an anaesthetic gas in the Moscow siege)
Opiates rarely do much to help CH, and they are not good for you.

Wendy

Title: Re: Actiq
Post by Samantha_Smith on Mar 21^st, 2004, 9:39pm

I take 100 mcg Fentanyl Patch every 2 days plus I take 15 mg of morphine sulfate for breakthru pain and I get 100 units of Botox injected into my face and head every 3 months for chronic CH---not to mention the other meds I take for sleep and anxiety. When I get meegraines I take Imitrex or Frova. And believe it or not this is the highest quality of life I've ever had since the chronic ch's started. Ya gotta do what ya gotta do.....I faithfully tried all of the other typical and non typical ch meds and this combo is what works best. Samantha

Title: Re: Actiq
Post by Liz04 on Mar 21^st, 2004, 9:54pm

Thank you for your replies. The Actiq was suggested to me because nothing and I mean nothing works for me and my cluster tic-syndrome with the added bonus of trigeminal neuralgia on the right side. I also get botox injections on the left side underneath the eye, which stops my eye from spasming, trigger point injections in my neck on the left side, just started topomax...i'm not dopey but my tummy hurts and my feet burn...we increased my neurontin to 1800mg and i spray my neck with a methane spray twice a day..and not to mention all of the zomig nasal spray i use daily...which by the way is a gods send. you have to pick your battles with side effects vs. pain i suppose. I have the actiq lolly pops, at $25.00 a pop but have to admit have been to afraid to take them them yet. Just wanted to feed-back

Title: Re: Actiq
Post by Alan on Mar 22^nd, 2004, 1:21pm

Liz,

I'm currently taking 900 mg Lithium-daily, along with 720 mg Verapamil - daily, plus 50 mg Oxycontin-daily. And I still get multiple headaches daily - year round. I always use Oxygen to abort headaches, however for those that just keep ramping up, I shoot one snort of Lidocaine, and start sucking on a Fentanyl transmucal succer. If I dont sense any relief in the next five minutes or so, I will shoot subcutaneous Imitrex.

The Actiq does pack a punch, and does usually abort that particular headache. Also, the Fentanyl will leave you feeling pretty doped up for a while.

As someone in this thread stated earlier, you have to already be taking some type of Opiate to be able to take Fentanyl.

FYI, I've read that Fentanyl is mainly prescribed to Oncology patients for pain relief.

Alan

Title: Re: Actiq
Post by Liz04 on Mar 22^nd, 2004, 1:35pm

Alan,

I've also read that regarding the oncology and the pop. I did take one over the weekend with full relief. But i was so doped up that I do not recommend it and I do not plan on taking another one. It is hard enough to function as is.

How did you post your pic without having a url?

Thanks

Liz

Title: Re: Actiq
Post by Alan on Mar 22^nd, 2004, 4:24pm

Liz,

Believe me, I know what you mean about being 'doped up' from the Fentanyl. But I use it only when I need to, and even then (to me) it's better than doing battle with the beast again. It's six of one, and half a dozen of the other type of thing.

I was able to post my pic via a url. It's from my wifes woman owned manufacturing company: Myriad Manufacturing. Go to -->> www.myriadmfg.com to see a bigger pic plus lots more pictures (sorry Jonny - no nudes! ;;D )

Alan

Title: Re: Actiq
Post by Karla on Mar 22^nd, 2004, 4:59pm

I was taking percacet and vicadin to help with the shadows and to make 10's 8's. But I was taking so much of it daily and over all it wasn't doing anything for my quality of life. I am chronic and get hit 8x a day. I went onto a very small small dose of methadone which prevented my ch and I did not feel high or buzzed at all. I then switched over to the 25mcg fentanal duragesic patch. It did not even touch the pain. So my dr upped it to 50mcg. It did the job wonderfully and again I have no high no buzz no nothing. You would not know I was on it unless I told you. But again please realize I went this route after trying over 35 meds and going to a ha clinic and seeing a specialist who confirmed I had tried everything and to give me a quality of life they put me on that. I quit taking the patch a couple of weeks ago to see what would happen and I must say I have had no withdrawls or any problems of any kind. I am a recovering drug addict and was very cautious about going on these meds but I must say since they are not mind alternating at all I have no desire to over use them or stay on them.

Title: Re: Actiq
Post by t_h_b on Mar 25^th, 2004, 4:08am

on 03/25/04 at 01:42:34, Liz04 wrote:

I am ashamed and embarrassed that I took the lollypop (pouting with head down) over the weekend.

Well, at least you didn't try to make a solution out of it and then inject or snort it.
:o

Title: Re: Actiq
Post by SHELBY_O on Mar 25^th, 2004, 2:58pm

i was taking actiq for a few months. while i was taking this i was also taking oxycontin-two 40mg tablets every 6 hours. i did not seem to get much relief from this. i also did the duralegic patches and that made me sooo high i couldnt stand up so i only took that for a few days. i will tell you that there is NO help in taking pain medications. i took them for about 4 years and decided to get off because i could not use the bathroom anymore, i got that constipated. you will realize that pain meds do not work but they make you think maybe they are. once you do get off of them you will not feel so sick all day only the 6 times you are getting the headache. i have been chronic for 4 years now and i am only 24. botox is the best thing that ever happened to me. try it, fight with your insurance company it is well worth it.