If you used Duragesic Pain Patches, you've probably learned by now that this medical treatment has been recalled. In fact, you may even be experiencing medical problems associated with the recall. While most news reports give you information about the exact patches being recalled, some patients are a bit in the dark as to how there is a problem in the first place. Here's what you need to know about the reason for the recall:

Duragesic Pain Patches are produced with an active ingredient called fentanyl, which is an opiate that is 100 times as strong as morphine. The patches are designed to release the medication very slowly, over the course of a long time. Therefore, quality control is very important to ensure that patients do not receive too much medication.

The problem with the Duragesic Pain Patches is that the pouch that encloses the fentanyl is damaged. One of the seals on the patch is damaged, allowing the fentanyl to escape the patch. This does not cause the patch to operate differently; rather, it makes it possible for the fentanyl to touch the skin unregulated.

In addition to skin problems stemming from the fentanyl touching the skin directly, this causes an overdose of medication. Overdose of fentanyl can cause sleepiness, dizziness, vision problems, and very dangerous breathing problems. Over time, too much fentanyl can even cause you to fall into a coma and die.

This all occurs because of the damaged seal. You may not notice the fentanyl leaking at first, but over time the seal can break and cause these problems. Therefore, if you have any of the Duragesic Pain Patches affected by the recall, it is important to replace them even if they look ok. More importantly, talk to a lawyer if you've been affected by this recall. With Anapol Schwartz, you can learn about your legal rights.