Journal of pain & palliative care pharmacotherapy
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J Pain Palliat Care Pharmacother · Mar 2023
Case ReportsCase Reports of Transdermal Fentanyl Patch Administration Difficulties in Cancer Patients with Excess Sweating.
(Case 1) A 45-year-old male was diagnosed with prostate cancer. Treatment was administered using bicalutamide and leuprorelin acetate, while a transdermal fentanyl (TDF) was applied for pain relief. However, TDF continued to peel off owing to excessive sweating, even when reinforced by a protective layer. ⋯ During this period, full body sweating began to occur to a large extent due to unknown causes, and it was thought that the absorption of fentanyl decreased. When using a TDF, it is necessary to monitor patients for any sweating during treatment, while also considering changes in medication in some cases. This should promote the maintenance and improvement of the quality of life of the affected patients.
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J Pain Palliat Care Pharmacother · Mar 2023
Case ReportsThe Impact of Provider Communication on Prescription Opioid Use: A Case Report.
Over the past few decades, prescription opioids have greatly impacted our society, providing much needed relief for those in severe pain while simultaneously leading many to develop opioid use disorder. Although the scientific community has made great progress in combating this epidemic, there is still much work to be done. ⋯ In this piece, we describe the case of a 62-year-old woman who experienced debilitating, cyclic opioid withdrawals after years of inappropriate prescription opioid use and how much of her suffering could have been avoided. Her case highlights the importance of patient-provider communication and the willingness of many patients to discontinue opioids.
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J Pain Palliat Care Pharmacother · Mar 2023
Case Series: Synergistic Effect of Gabapentin and Adjuvant Pregabalin in Neuropathic Pain.
Gabapentin and pregabalin both exert high affinity to the α2δ subunit of the voltage-gated calcium channels which inhibits excitatory neurotransmitter release. The synergistic mechanism was described in rats given combinations of gabapentin and pregabalin. ⋯ Low dose pregabalin was added to therapeutic gabapentin to achieve appreciable pain reduction in one case and improved quality of life in another case. Further research with more enrollment and longer study duration may help elucidate the appropriate dosing and potential associated side effects.