Fentanyl Patch Lawsuits
Last Updated: August 2008 • 11 Comments
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The Duragesic and generic fentanyl pain patches have been linked to hundreds of cases of overdose and death. Poor design, manufacturing defects, inadequate warnings and poor quality controls could result in excessive amounts of fentanyl entering the body.
STATUS OF FENTANYL PATCH LITIGATION: Lawsuits have been filed throughout the United States for users who have died or entered a permanent coma from a fentanyl overdose.
>>REVIEW A CASE WITH A FENTANYL PATCH LAWYER<<
MANUFACTURER: Johnson & Johnson as well as a variety of generic fentanyl patch manufacturers
OVERVIEW: The Fentanyl Transdermal System is a prescription pain medication which is contained in a patch that is placed on the skin. It is prescribed for continuous relief from chronic moderate to severe pain. It has been sold under the brand name Duragesic, as well as a generic pain patch by a number of different drug makers.
The active ingredient is fentanyl, a powerful narcotic opiate painkiller, which binds to receptors in the brain and the nervous system. It is designed to be applied once every 72 hours, delivering a slow release of fentanyl gel through the membrane placed on the skin.
FENTANYL PATCH OVERDOSE: Since the first Duragesic fentanyl patch was introduced in 1994, a number of reports have surfaced of users suffering a fatal fentanyl overdose while wearing the patch. Design problems and manufacturing defects could result in exposure to high concentrations of the medication, potentially resulting in overdose or death.
In July 2005, the FDA issued a warning about the risk of fentanyl patch overdose after receiving reports of at least 120 deaths, primarily by those who used the drug incorrectly or never should have received the powerful painkiller. The warning labels about the fentanly patch side effects have had to be updated and strengthened several times, but reports of deaths and overdose continue to surface.
In December 2007, the FDA issued a second warning about risk of a fentanyl overdose, stressing that the patch should only be prescribed to people who take regular, daily, around the close narcotic pain medication to deal with chronic pain. Those who are not opioid tolerant and only occassionally take these types of drugs could be at an increased risk of suffering fentanyl patch problems
Symptoms of fentanyl patch overdose could include:
- Difficulty Breathing
- Slow or Shallow Breaths
- Slow Heart Beat
- Excessive Sleepiness, Dizziness or Confusion
- Clammy Skin
- Difficulty Walking or Talking
FENTANYL PATCH RECALLS: A number of fentanyl patch recalls have been issued due to manufacturing defects which resulted in patches being sold commercially which leaked fentanyl gel. The gel is supposed to be contained within the patch, and if it leaks out and comes into direct contact with the skin it poses a severe health risk.
Fentanyl patch recalls have been issued due to manufacturing errors where the patches were not properly aligned on the machine when they were cut and because of “fold over” errors inside the patch. Millions of these patches have been recalled, as they could pose a risk to both users who wear the patches and caregivers who administer the patches.
If fentanyl gel comes into direct contact with the skin, the area should be thoroughly washed with water only. Soap should not be used. Extreme care should be used in handling any patch which is found to contain a defect that allows the gel to leak out.
Comment by Terry on 4 November 2008:
I think my mom was on the patches for her pain in her neck and back. She had been admitted to the hospital back in Oct of 07, and one day when I walked in she was like she had had a stroke. I contacted the nurse she came in to check on her and she in turned called the doctor. The nurse came in and removed the patch that she was wearing and said that the doctor had told her to remove it, that the symptoms were from the patch. That was on a wednesday I beleive she passed away on a Sunday of that same week.
Comment by Karen on 11 November 2008:
My husband was diagnosed with mesothelioma and told he had 6 months to a year to live. He passed away one month later. He was on the Fentanyl patch for about 2 months. He woke up one morning with compaints of not being able to catch his breath and was very aggitated and confused acting for the remainder oftime he had. He eventually gave no response. Hespent his final week in that state until his death. I am still questionable about why his prognosis was so far off from the outcome. Did his life get cut shorter due to the treatment of the patch?
Comment by leesa on 26 November 2008:
not only did doctors fail to reveal to my mother the diagnosis immediately (neck cancer) but they prescibed fentanyl pain patch along w/ other numerous meds for pain (and other) when they should have not. she was not opiod-tolerant as she was allergic to morphine. because of careless doctors i lost my mother in march 2008. in less than 2 months after of being on the patch she had caught pneumonia and suffered a stoke at the hospital. people need to ask questions and request documentation of the problem(s), solutions and progress. i regret not doing so.
Comment by sandy on 27 December 2008:
I have had chronic pancreatitis for over 9 yrs. I have been hospitalized too much to count. I have also been on every pain med. there is. Well about a yr. ans a half ago my dr. prescribed the Fentanyl patch, starting at 25, I am now on 75 every 3 days. I would like to comment that it keeps me out of the hospital most of the time . I usually get admitted for DKA and along with that comes pancreatitis which requires additional pain meds. for a few days. I do not like the way It makes me feel on the 2nd. night going into the 3rd day. I can’t sit still, I can’t sleep and my pancreas starts hurting real bad at times. Is there another form of pain meds. I can take for break-thur pain on theses days? These patches along with other narcotic meds. have both the good and bad. I have one question for any one to answer that knows about this. I have heard Fentanyl patches can cause Pancreatits. Any answers would be great.
Comment by Amanda on 29 December 2008:
My mother passed away in July of 2008 from a accidental Fentanyl overdose. I am so upset with the careless doctors that gave her this medicine she wasn’t on a regularly prescibed opiate and she was just diagnosed with kidney failure. She was disable from asthma and depression. She had back pain and had 1 surgery.
Comment by judeezoom on 27 February 2009:
My step-son died from a fentanyl overdose from the first 50mcg patch he was administered in 2006. He was 31 years old and had survived a tour in Iraq and was being treated for chronic pain from his injuries in Iraq. We were so happy that he was back with us and putting his life back together – this was a terrible terrible shock and we still are grieving his loss. We are suing the drug company and our attorneys say we have a very strong case. If you believe your loved one was killed or disabled by a fentanyl patch, I encourage you to contact an attorney who specializes in these cases.
Comment by Layeredflesh on 21 March 2009:
I had cranial surgery almost 4 years ago and my pain worsened over time due to nerve damage. I was on the fetanyl patch for quite some time and experienced sever difficulty breathing ( I eventually had to have an inhaler constantly), was confused all the time, couldn’t hold a conversation and couldn’t walk on my own. I was also experiencing bouts of dizziness to the point I would pass out. I’ve been off the patch for months now and my symptoms have mostly gone. I can only assume the leftover symptoms are from being constantly overdosed by this drug. Even better, all the lawyers I spoke with won’t help me because I am alive. I have memory problems now, get confused pretty easily and find it difficult to concentrate, issues I never had before this.
Comment by elijah on 10 June 2009:
I put on a patch and it leaked through. I wiped it off and put another on and thought I was fine. A couple hours later I was rushed to the hospital where I was revived
Comment by Rob on 8 July 2009:
I hurt my back and went in for anepaderal lower lumbar steoid injection and prescribed 50 mcg fentanyl patch.I was to change it every 3 days.I don’t remember much until the third day I was in bad pain and my wife removed the old patch and put on a new one. I remember about an hour after that,then went in a coma and woke up in the hospital 20 days later,still on breathing equipment,dizzy,can’t concentrate,forget what I’m talking about most of the time,I have severe pain all over my body especially my legs,arms,and hands. Dr has me on parkinsons medicine for the pain and shaking,even though he believes I have nerve damage from the overdose,it seems to help. He has since doubled the dose,and I take it 5 times a day instead of 3 now.And all the lawyers I have talked to said they would only take my case if I died.I am un able to work any more and had to let my business go.I don’t know why a lawyer won’t take the case ,but I was told that Texas has that law something about $250,000.00 is all the attorney can sue for in this state, so that isn’t enough for them to mess with.
God bless all (even lawyers)
Comment by DWIGHT on 15 July 2009:
AS A CHRONIC BACK PAIN SUFFERER DUE TO SEVERAL BACK INJURIES AND SURGERY, I WAS PRESCRIBED THE DURAGESIC FENTANYL PAIN PATCH BY MY DOCTOR. ON THE FIRST NIGHT I CAREFULLY PLACED THE PATCH DIRECTLY ON THE SCAR FROM MY SURGERY ON THE SMALL OF MY BACK (L-4/L-5). I LEFT THE BATHROOM AND SAT IN A RECLINER IN THE LIVING ROOM IN FRONT OF THE TV TO WAIT FOR THE MEDICINE IN THE PATCHES TO KICK IN, BECAUSE THE PAIN WAS BEGINNING TO BE UNBEARABLE.
WITHIN MINUTES I COULD FEEL THE MEDICINE IN THE PATCH WORKING AS MY PAIN SLOWLY DIMINISHED. A FEW MINUTES LATER MY PAIN WAS COMPLETELY GONE. I WAS AMAZED, EVEN THE NARCOTIC PILLS I TOOK DID NOT ELIMINATE MY PAIN ENTIRELY, BUT THE PATCH DID. BUT, MOMENTS AFTER, I NOTICED MY HEART WAS A BIT RACEY. I THOUGHT MAYBE IT WAS BECAUSE IT WAS THE FIRST I USED THE PATCH, SO I DISMISSED IT. YET, THE NEXT MOMENT, MY HEART BEAT BECAME FASTER THAN BEFORE. I BECAME ALARMED, SO I STOOD UP AND WHEN I DID, IT SEEM TO MAKE MY HEART BEAT FASTER. I ALSO HAD TO CATCH MY BREATH WHEN I STOOD UP, MY BREATHING BECAME SLIGHTLY DIFFICULT. AFRAID NOW, I DECIDED TO GO BACK TO THE BATHROOM. ON MY WAY I BEGAN TO STUMBLE, HAVING TROUBLE WITH MY BALANCE. SO I STUCK MY LEFT HAND OUT AGAINST THE WALL TO STABILIZE MY BODY AS I WENT DOWN THE HALL. WHEN I GOT TO THE BATHROOM I LOOKED INTO THE MIRROR. MY FACE WAS COVERED IN SWEAT, I WAS SWEATING PROFUSELY, BUT AT THE SAME TIME I FELT COLD.
MY HEART WAS BEATING MUCH FASTER NOW, WITHOUT WARNING I FELT A SHARP PAIN HIT ME IN THE CENTER OF MY CHEST. I GRABBED MY CHEST WITH MY RIGHT HAND OUT OF REFLEX. MY DIZZINESS BECAME WORSE AS MY VISION BECAME SLIGHTLY BLURRED AND MY BREATHING GOT WORSE AS WELL. IT WAS THEN I KNEW I WAS HAVING AN OVERDOSE, SO I REACH AROUND MY BACK AND PULL THE PATCH OFF, THINKING IT WOULD REVERSE THESE SYMPTONS, BUT IT DID NOT. I KNEW IT WAS TIME TO CALL AN AMBULANCE. SO TOOK ONE STEP TOWARD THE DOOR, WITH THE SECOND STEP, I DID NOT MAKE IT. I HAD TO GRAB THE FRAME OF THE BATHROOM DOOR TO KEEP FROM FALLING.
I KNEW I WOULD NOT BE ABLE TO MAKE IT TO THE LIVING ROOM WHERE THE PHONE WAS. BY NOW, EVERYTHING I WAS FEELING BECAME INTENSIFIED, MY HEART FELT LIKE IT WAS GOING TO EXPLODE, I WAS SWEATING LIKE A PIG FEELING SO COLD, I COULD BARELY SEE AND MY HEAD WAS SPINNING. I KNEW THAT I WAS ABOUT TO DIE AND I SAID TO GOD, “PLEASE, GOD DON’T LET ME DIE LIKE THIS, PLEASE”. SUDDENLY A THOUGHT POPPED IN MY HEAD. I TAKE MEDICINE FOR HIGH BLOOD PRESSURE AND MY HEART, SO WITHOUT HESITATION, I OPENED THE MEDICINE CABINET AND REACHED FOR THE MEDICATION, FRANTICALLY KNOCKING THINGS INTO THE SINK. AS I DESPERATELY OPENED THE PILL BOTTLE, I SPILLED THE MAJORITY OF THEM. THERE WERE ONLY EIGHT LEFT IN MY HAND, THERE WERE CALLED ATENOLOL, AT 100 MGMS A PIECE. I HAD
800 MGMS OF ATENOLOL IN MY HAND. I QUICKLY TOSSED THEM DOWN MY THROAT, SWALLOWING THEM WITHOUT WATER. WITHOUT WARNING, I FELT MYSELF FALLING AND THERE WAS NOTHING I COULD DO. SO, I THREW OUT MY RIGHT ARM IN FRONT OF ME AND THE NEXT THING EVERYTHING WHEN BLACK!………
I DON’T KNOW HOW LONG AFTER I AWOKE TO FIND MYSELF ON THE BATHROOM FLOOR, LOOKING UP, REALIZING THAT MY HEAD WAS A COUPLE INCHES FROM THE COMMODE. MY SHIRT WAS SATURATED WITH SWEAT AND I WAS COLD. I DON’T KNOW WHETHER IT WAS GOD OR THE PILLS THAT SAVED MY LIFE, MAYBE IT WAS BOTH. I WILL NEVER FORGET AS LONG AS I LIVE. MY DOCTOR NEVER TOLD ME ABOUT ANY DANGERS INVOLVING THE PATCHES, NO ONE EVER TOLD MY DOCTOR ABOUT ANY DANGERS ASSOCIATED WITH THE PATCHES. THIS HAPPENED ONE NIGHT IN NOVEMBER 2004. I ONLY FOUND OUT ABOUT THE FLAW IN THE PATCHES AND THE RECALL JUST A COUPLE OF MONTHS AGO. I HAVE BEEN TRYING TO GET AN ATTORNEY BUT, NO ONE WILL HELP REPRESENT ME, I DON’T UNDERSTAND.
Comment by Selin on 3 January 2010:
In my country many deaths occurred but nobody is performing autopsy. Medics use durogesic much more in small countries because are well paid by manufacturers. In pulmonary malignant despute everyone has a patch even without pain. It is used like cough suppressor instead of codeine methadone or others