They were prescribed for me by the orthopedic surgeon when I was in terrible back pain. They did help some. He applied the first one for me and I had my husband just put new one where the other had been. Can you ask a pharmacist about your allergy concerns?

Have a friend that uses the 5% patches front and back on a knee that cannot have surgery. Gives her relief for sleeping. Need to look for skin reactions if using long term.

You know where it hurts the most, put the patch there. The 5 % ones require a script and whatever co pay you have.

Just wanted to mention that I used the Salon Patches one time on my shoulder over night. It worked great - but my sheets and pillow case smelled like the medicine so much I had to wash them right away. So I'm not sure how the other brands are to wear to bed.

I wish they were not so expensive. I used to use them and would cut them into the size I needed and they were so good, gave such relief. I may ask my doctor again when I go for my yearly check up before long. Good luck if you get them. I loved them.

Sue

As I recall, Sue...you have a number of pesky allergies. Make sure you're not allergic to the adhesive that's used on those patches. I tried one a long time ago for sciatica issues and created a problem far worse than the sciatica pain. I'd forgotten all about the fact that I'm allergic to the adhesives used on almost all medical type supplies. I wanted the pain relief so desperately that I never made the connection of bandage adhesive and the patch adhesives. Never again!

If you are talking to me Andi, it is not me that has a lot of allergies, I don't have a lot of them. I have used them before when they were much cheaper for me to get and they really helped me. I am not allergic to the adhesives.

Sue

Oh, I'm sorry Marilyn Sue. I was aiming my warning to Chisue. I should have been more specific. I tend to forget that we have such a nice collection of Sue's at the Table. :-) But it is a general caution...regarding the adhesive. I sure wish someone had reminded me of my own adhesive issues when I tried those patches. Not having my own thinking cap on cost me dearly. I'm so glad you don't have to worry about anything similar.

KT comes through for me again! Thank you all.

Andi -- Sorry you have such terrible reactions to adhesives. I'm only reactive to aspirin and sulfa, but the aspirin sensitivity rules out all the NASID pain medications (like Advil).

Marilyn Sue -- I see on the package that I can trim the patch to fit. I wonder if I could make the patches go further by cutting a patch in half and keeping the unused half for another day -- maybe wrapped up tightly in plastic wrap? BTW, these 4% patches come five to a box and are over-the-counter -- not prescription like the 5% patches. DH picked them up for me, but I didn't think they were terribly expensive. You might find these more affordable. Heck, if they'd HELP you, how expensive is TOO expensive!

This 'getting old' business is no darn fun.

"This 'getting old' business is no darn fun."

Definitely not for the faint of heart.

Imagine the worse case of Shingles you're ever seen and that's exactly what I looked [and felt] like after trying to use the patch. I generally don't use bandages for anything and I'd forgotten about the adhesive issue. [I'm a joy to the medicos whenever I've had to have surgery. LOL] We do, however, share the aspirin and sulfa allergies. So glad you don't have to worry about the adhesive, too. I hope the patch does the trick...quickly.

Oh, yes you can cut the patches and keep them for some time before using them. It depends on how small of a piece you need or how large. My Mother used hers for the time she had shingles. I did not have shingles bad when I had them and did not need them for that.

Sue

No cross reaction with aspirin or sulfa. It can interact with a few heart rhythm drugs -- your doctor should have asked you if you are taking any.

Don't use if you are allergic to novocaine. benzocaine or the like. Put it over the site of pain (from stenosis I would put over the edge of the spine where the stenosis pinch is, extend along the path of the pain)

If the pain is worst at night, put it on an hour before bed then take it off in the morning -- on 12 hours, off 12 hours

My doctor may have wanted me to do a trial run while I was awake. Nice to know I can use it at night, though, since that's when I hurt the most. (Pain sometimes wakes me.) I'll plan to try 'patching' during the day tomorrow July 11. If all goes well, I'll try it at night July 13. Thanks, raee!

Nice to know I can use less than the whole patch. One patch is about 4" X 5 1/2". Seems 'overkill' for a 105 lb. person with pain in a smaller area. Thanks, Marilyn Sue!

Chisue, sorry to hear that you have pain from spinal stenosis.

I found the patches to be absolutely useless for nerve pain.

petalique -- I'm sorry this didn't help you. Could be my pain is not even from the spinal stenosis.

The (half) patch did help. Took 30 minutes to start numbing. I used it one night after overdoing my errands one day. The patch did want to roll up like a rug unless I wore my panties to bed!

I'm glad to have something on hand, but will reserve it for more-than-average pain. Funny thing, I had relief where I had the patch, but then became more conscious of the pain mid-thigh!

I still think this is related to the hip prosthesis, although the ortho guy claims my MRI's say that is fine. Well...*something* isn't 'fine'!

Great to hear you're getting some relief, Chisue. Maybe the mid-thigh pain has been out-shouted by the spine pain; now it gets to be heard ;-/

Just thinking -- if the thigh pain is sort of lateral (side), maybe it's sciatica. Or is that the side of your prosthesis? I hope you get more comfortable soon.

I was sure the pain low in my right back and outside of both thighs had to do with my hip prostheses (L-2004; R-2008). MRI's were interpreted to say, no, all they could see was spinal stenosis. The right hip was never as good as the left outcome.

OK, I 'bought' what the orthopedic doctor said. I have shrunk an inch, so the stenosis is likely. (I've also lost my waist, which I am blaming on shrinking. Couldn't be too many cookies and too little exercise.)

I'm sure you are right, petalique. Relieving the back pain removes competition for the lesser hip pain to announce itself. Both legs have localized pain right where the 'leg' of a prosthesis meets the bone -- not all down the leg as in sciatica. I've had that -- before hip surgery.

Geez, that is an utter drag, Chisue. Back, hip, bony-nervy pain Cain be so difficult. Very impolite to the human (patient/victim/hero/inflictee/sufferer) body, and it can be tough to diagnose. I'm betting that some people never get an answer. Not because doctors don't care or are not talented (although some deserve that description), but there are real limitations in trying to evaluate pain and its causes.

As a bit of a sidebar here, I want to say that if an MRI is ordered, I much prefer the diagnostic centers with a "High T (Tesla)" MRI unit that is closed. You get better detail. Because (apparently) a lot of patients are anxious and claustrophobic, and perhaps also because of cost and logistics, many diagnostic imaging facilities opt for the "open" and lower (magnetic) field MRI machines.

My advice to any person (patient) with hard to visualize and diagnose pain, is to find a way to condition yourself to calm down and overcome any claustrophobia. And HOLD STILL!

One of my friends has has bilateral hip replacements, and her last one didn't seem to go as well as the first. But she also had non-hip surgical or hospital "cooties" (?) complications. She also elected to go to what I'd consider a quasi country bumpkin (okay, yeah, slap me) hospital because she liked the doctor. A single so so doctor does not determine the quality of a facility or its diligence with infection control. A hospital is a complex place and many factors can contribute to standards, training, available staff and their training, infection control and so on. The culture of both the medical staff and patient community also plays its part.

Many of us struggle with weight control, healthful eating habits and exersize, sleep, relaxation. When a person is coping with chronic, unrelenting pain and other challenges, finding the way to successfully manage these things can be tough. It can be difficult to get enough quality, restorative sleep when in pain. And without sufficient sleep we don't tend to function as well or cope with pain and frustration as well as we might if fully rested. We might crave (do crave) comfort (often) in the form of yummy snacks and sweets, shopping or escape activities, or slurping too much alcohol. Understandable, but not helpful.

There are many many people in daily pain. If you're young, it can be isolating. If older, you have a lot of company. It can be helpful to find a group with similar challenges, share commiserating, exercise hour, but also the joy of living.

My my. Have I gone on.

I wish you comfort and some solutions, Chisue. I have pain 24/7, and although no "answer" to relief, it sometimes helps a bit to do certain gentle yoga like stretches. Of course, go easy and perhaps ask your "medical team" (hmm) if you might be okay trying some simple gentle non-bouncing stretches. One that is frequently suggested for people with low back pain is the piraformis stretch. Various ways. One is to lie on back. Bend one knee a bit, then with your hands guiding you, gently "try" to stretch the other knee to touch your opposite shoulder (which, unless you work for a circus, you're not likely to even get close. Do not bounce, but hold the stretch a few seconds, then relax. A PT or decent book or reputable site can offer better explanations.