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Managing chronic pain has never been easy. And one of the most enduring problems in modern medicine is finding a way to help patients who suffer from chronic pain find a way to live a normal life without being dependent on powerful opioid medications. But one of the most difficult things about treating chronic pain is the fact that even opioids can’t relieve pain around the clock. And that’s why you might want to consider a Butrans patch to help with your fibromyalgia.
Unlike pills, Butrans patches work by slowly releasing pain medication through the skin. That way you don’t have to worry about the pain that comes at the end of the day when your pain medications start to wear off. But like any medication, these patches have risks and side effects. So, let’s talk about how the Butrans patch works, what the side effects are, and whether they are really a good solution to fibromyalgia pain.
What Is A Butrans Patch?
A Butrans patch goes directly on the skin, allowing the body to absorb the medication through the membrane. The primary ingredient is an opioid partial agonist called buprenorphine hydrochloride. The phrase partial agonist has to do with the way the drug works in the brain. Unlike a full agonist opioid medication, partial agonists like buprenorphine only activate a portion of the opioid receptors in the brain. That means that unlike other medications, these patches don’t cause the full opioid effect, making them less powerful and therefore less dangerous.
The idea behind the patch is that by using a less powerful opioid but allowing the body to absorb it over time, the patch gives a similar effect on pain while limiting the potential for overdoses. In addition, the slow absorption allows the effect to set in over time, which means you’ll have a longer period of relief from the pain.
What Are The Side Effects?
Butrans patches carry the same risks as any opioid medication including slowed heart rate, difficulty breathing, and a high possibility of lethal overdose. It’s important to always use these types of medications exactly the way they are prescribed. Never use more than one patch. If you feel as though it’s not effective, consult your doctor about whether or not the dosage needs to be increased rather than trying to adjust it on your own.
In addition, heat can increase the amount of the drug being absorbed through the skin, so a Butrans patch has the additional risk of delivering a fatal dose if exposed to too much heat like if you wear it into a sauna or during an especially warm day or even if you simply develop a fever.
Finally, like any opioid, your body can develop a physical dependency on the medication and suddenly quitting can lead to withdrawal symptoms. Always consult a doctor before discontinuing the medication.
Does It Work For Fibromyalgia?
These patches are different than other types of pill-delivered opioid medications, which you take as you need them for more immediate relief. That means that for a condition like fibromyalgia, where the pain is constant, they may be a more effective form of medication. They not only deliver a dose of pain medication throughout the day but also aren’t powerful enough to cloud your thinking as much as other forms of medication. And that sort of clear thinking is always valuable when you suffer from a condition that causes mental fog.
The drawback is that because these patches aren’t as powerful as other opioids, they may not provide full relief, especially when you’re suffering from severe pain.
In addition, because so many of the medications that are prescribed for fibromyalgia tend to be SSRIs, or selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors, using a Butrans patch may not be the best option for many people. The patches can be dangerous when taken with these kinds of medications as the interaction leads to a dangerous condition called serotonin syndrome that occurs when you have too much serotonin in the brain. It leads to seizures and even death if not treated quickly. So, if you are finding effective relief from SSRIs, you may not want to add a Butrans patch to your treatment plan.
But many people who use these types of slow release opioid patches find that they are effective in treating the pain of fibromyalgia, so as always, it’s bests to weigh the risks and benefits with your doctor.
So, do you use a patch for your fibromyalgia? Does it work? Let us know in the comments.
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