breakthrough pain
"Used several years ago.  I was prescribed the fentanyl patch for 72 hrs (3) days.  Actiq was prescribed for breakthrough pain.  What a God-send!  Finally research supported that people have differing degrees of metabolism and my patch was changed to every 48 hours.  Still. fentanyl in patch for around the clock pain control WITH the Actiq Lollipop-type medication for "breakthrough" pain was a life savior.  I  was a mother of 3 boys with the severest form of neck, back and fibromylagia putting my pain level off the charts.  This med allowed me (after taking a dose of Actiq) to 1) go grocery shopping, 2)take, pick-up and volunteer for a whole hour, 3) cook dinner and go to church and lastly, 4)participate in activities lasting 1 hr."