75 years. On chemo and radiation therapy for lung cancer. On 100mcg fentanyl patches along with 30mg morphine every 2 hours. Normal?
Patient: my father has been taking chemo and radiation therapy for lung cancer. he is 75 yrs old and has stage IIA cancer he is stopped taking treatment due to hoapitalization for confusion  but my question is that he is currently being administered (3) 100mcg fentanyl patches at the same time and new ones are put on daily. is it unusual for someone to be given such a large dos of fentanyl  along with 30mg of morphine every 2 hrs Doctor: Fentanyl is approximately 100-150 times more potent than oral morphine;Fentanyl patch 100 mcg/hr is equivalent to 360 mg of oral morphine dose in 24 hrs.Oral morphine is preferred when an opioid is required for severe chronic painbecause of its familiarity, availability and the ease of dose adjustment.Reserve fentanyl patches for use in opioid-tolerant patients with chronic pain and established opioid needs who cannot take oral morphine, for example in severe renal impairment .Fentanyl is also useful when oral morphine cannot be used due to vomiting or difficulty in swallowing.