Pollyanna,
There are 2 types of patches used for pain. One is the Lidoderm which has Lidocaine in it, it basically "numbs" the area where the patch covers. I use them when my hips are bad and I can't sleep. They are worn 12 hours on and 12 hours off. This one does NOT contain narcotics.
The other patch is the Duragesic aka Fentanyl and it is a narcotic. In fact it is a very strong narcotic but it is wonderful. I am definitely dependent on the fentanyl patch and would have to be switched to another medication and then weaned down if my pain ever goes away.
There are 2 classes of Narcotic Pain Medications. I forget the actual "number" attached to each group.
One group has the weaker narcotics and they generally need to be taken every 4 hours. Darvocet, Vicodin, Norco, Hydrocodone, Lorcet ....
The second group has the stonger narcotics. They are "controlled" substances and patients are never given refills for them ( at least not in the USA). They are rarely used as the first narcotic for a patient with pain. Patients should be opiate dependent before starting at this level. These medications are often longer acting than the meds in group one. Oxycodone, Oxycontin, Percocet, Fentanyl Patch, Methadone, Morphine, Avinza , MS contin....
The medications I listed above are sometimes the exact same narcotic that has different names at different strengths and when combined with other meds like Tylenol, Acetaminophen , there are different names for this in the UK and Australia and ...
I hope this helps explain things better.
Karen