Deep Freeze Pain Relief Cold Patches Feedback Thread NOW CLOSED

[AnnMumsnet]

Deep Freeze Pain Relief Cold Patches provide drug free soothing pain relief from pregnancy related muscular back pain. Like an ice pack, but more convenient and easy to use, Deep Freeze Pain Relief Cold Patches work by cooling the skin and underlying tissue helping to reduce both pain and swelling.

Here's what Deep Freeze say: "Back pain affects three out of four pregnant women yet many areunaware of the risks of taking certain medication during pregnancy according to new research. But there is no need to grin and bear the muscular aches and pains of pregnancy as just over half (55%) of women currently do."

They go on to say: "The cryotherapy (cold cooling pain relief therapy) provided by Deep Freeze Pain Relief Cold Patch provides fast acting, self-adhesive, cooling pain relief to the affected area for up to 3 hours."

So testers, please share on this thread your opinion on the following: all comments welcome!

Q1 Please say whether you are pregnant, breastfeeding etc and why you wanted to try the patches. Please describe how the muscular aches and pain affect you on a day to day basis.

Q2 Please describe the application of the patch- how was it to apply? How long did it last?

Q3 Did the patch help relieve muscular aches and pains?

Q4 Do you think you'd buy the patches again or continue to use them if you had a similar muscular ache or pain?

Q5 Would you recommend them to friends or relations who are also pregnant or breastfeeding or unable to take oral painkillers?

Q5 Deep Freeze Pain Relief Cold Patches cost £1.65 for a single patch and £5.49 for a 4 pack: do you consider this to be good value for money?

Everyone who tests the product and adds feedback as required will be entered into a prize draw where one tester will win £250 worth of John Lewis vouchers.

Please note your feedback and comments may be used by the team at Deep Freeze on social media and elsewhere. New pregnancy symptoms, including backache, should always be discussed with your doctor or midwife.

Thanks and good luck,

MNHQ

T&Cs for prize draw here NB closing date now Monday 11 August 9am

Q1 Please say whether you are pregnant, breastfeeding etc and why you wanted to try the patches. Please describe how the muscular aches and pain affect you on a day to day basis.
I'm 36 weeks pregnant, I had been having really bad back pain when sitting down but that seems to have subsided before I received the packs. Now it's just the day to day achey joy of being heavily pregnant.

Q2 Please describe the application of the patch- how was it to apply? How long did it last?
It could be awkward to apply when reaching round to your back as they are so floppy. They stuck well on my mid back but lower down they tended to crease up and then curl a bit as there was more movement affecting it. They lasted a couple of hours.

Q3 Did the patch help relieve muscular aches and pains?
Yes, I believe so

Q4 Do you think you'd buy the patches again or continue to use them if you had a similar muscular ache or pain?
Yes.

Q5 Deep Freeze Pain Relief Cold Patches cost £1.65 for a single patch and £5.49 for a 4 pack: do you consider this to be good value for money?
As they don't provide long lasting relief I would say that's a bit expensive and I wouldn't pay that much for something I would need to use daily for pregnancy

Okay, I'll try to remember all the questions.

1. I'm breastfeeding my 11 month old so nothing stronger than paracetamol for me

1. I put the patch on my lower back. Well, I tried and then husband took over as it wasn't all that easy.

1. Patch felt really nice but I haven't felt any longer term pain relief. Maybe I just need to use them a bit more.

1. I would probably recommend them to friends and family and the price seems fine.

Q1 the patches arrived when I was 39 weeks pregnant. I has wanted to use them to avoid ingesting painkillers, which could have an unknown impact on my unborn baby. I have used them since my baby was born to relieve backache caused by the labour itself and also poor positioning while breast feeding.

Q2 I found the patch simple to apply, going straight on and staying put.

Q3 Reading through the other responses I realise I must be hypersensitive - but I found they caused me pain. The tingling was extremely unpleasant and felt like some sort of viral attack - similar to when I get a coldsore. I tried them four separate occasions, and they were much less sore after I had baby, but still quite unpleasant. The only positive was that they did distract from the backache! (I feel the need to point out that I did not have any lasting reaction from the patches and my skin was fine as soon as I took them off).

Q4 I would actively avoid these patches, and go for the deep heat instead.

Q5 I may recommend them to others given I am clearly an anomaly in not finding them helpful for pain.

Q6 The cost is far too high. A bag of ice or peas costs a quid! If they worked for me, I would pay perhaps around £1 per patch, but would hope they were slightly bigger as I would probably need two to cover the area of my back that is sore.

I didn't receive the link to a survey either

I've used two patches now. One for the shoulder/neck pain, and then today on my upper back. I have no idea what's triggered the back pain today, maybe lifting the car seat.

I think they feel very pleasant and so would use them again. I think they would be particularly handy to keep in the baby change bag when your out and about, or in my gym bag or in the car for the kids when they twist an ankle.

I'd be interested to know whether there is a genuine cooling effect on the muscles or whether it just feels cooling on the skin. I expect that an actual reduction in temperature would be more beneficial and I'm just not sure I believe a gel is capable of that. But like I said, it feels nice and sometimes not much does when you're uncomfortable and trying to stay away from paracetamol. It's not like you can slap an ice pack from the freezer on your neck while you do the school run, so i think the patches have their place.

Would I buy them again? yes i might do. i will certainly continue to use the samples sent to me. and i would recommend them to friends although i don't know anybody else pregnant or breastfeeding at the moment.

I think the price is over what I'd want to pay. Up to £1 per patch would be more reasonable, especially as i have a new flipping injury almost daily. I'd probably buy them on offer though.

Q1 I'm 26 weeks pregnant and avoid taking over the counter painkillers, so thought these sounded ideal for relieving aches and pains! I have a long term knee injury as well as the usual back and leg aches in pregnancy and have used these patches for all of them.

Q2 They are very easy to apply. I felt the relief was very long lasting - longer than what I get with applying Deep Heat type stuff.

Q3 Yes, they work great - my knee felt a lot better after using it and very relaxing for back ache too!

Q4 Yes, I'd happily use them again. I've often disliked the messy/smelling fingers after using Deep Heat cream, so a non-messy patch like this is great!

Q5 Defo would recommend them!

Q5 Only drawback is the price. I'm actually rather surprised they cost so much! The £5.49 price would be great if it was for a pack of 12 - but not 4! :-O

Q1 Please say whether you are pregnant, breastfeeding etc and why you wanted to try the patches. Please describe how the muscular aches and pain affect you on a day to day basis.
At the time of applying for the product was pregnant, although sadly miscarried. I regularly suffer from lower back pain due to an old injury and this was badly aggravated in my last pregnancy and while breastfeeding (which I did for a year). It can be very debilitating and makes you very conscious of how you move and sit. It makes me reluctant to play with my daughter when I'm having a flare up. My back hasn't been helped by lugging round a heavy toddler. I normally take ibuprofen when not pregnant or breastfeeding which I find very effective, occasionally adding in prescribed pain relief when it flares up very badly. Although I'm able to use oral pain relief again, I still gave the product a fair test to see how it compared.

Q2 Please describe the application of the patch- how was it to apply? How long did it last?
It was fairly easy to apply although I did take my top off to apply it to stop it getting in the way so couldn't pop it on while out and about. I had one occasion where it seemed to fold on itself which was very annoying and one day when my back was particularly bad (day at zoo with no pushchair, daughter decided she didn't want to walk which resulted in a huge evening flare up) I found it awkward and painful to twist and get it into the right position. My husband helped me apply it on this occasion. When in a lot of pain I think you need another person (assuming lower backache). Once in position it seemed to last well but I tended to use them in the evening so was sitting quietly, I think they might slip/roll if I was very active while using them but haven't tested this. To be honest if I was able to be very active I probably wouldn't need them!

Q3 Did the patch help relieve muscular aches and pains?
Yes, I was really surprised by how effective it was. I really liked the sensation and I think this may have helped take my mind off the pain as much as reducing it initially They lasted a good couple of hours and reduced all symptoms of my pain by the time I took them off. On my worst flare up ibuprofen alone wouldn't have worked but I was really surprised to find the patch alone was sufficient in reducing the pain and discomfort to a minimal and tolerable level, despite finding it hard to apply without help on this particular occasion (see above).

Q4 Do you think you'd buy the patches again or continue to use them if you had a similar muscular ache or pain?
I was really impressed by the product and would definitely use them when oral pain relief wasn't an option. The price would be a barrier if I wasn't pregnant / breastfeeding though.

Q5 Would you recommend them to friends or relations who are also pregnant or breastfeeding or unable to take oral painkillers?
Yes definitely. I've also recommended them to my mother who really doesn't like swallowing tablets and has an unusual allergy to something sometimes used in covering pills which makes her a bit wary of taking any.

Q5 Deep Freeze Pain Relief Cold Patches cost £1.65 for a single patch and £5.49 for a 4 pack: do you consider this to be good value for money?
They are obviously a lot more expensive than oral pain relief; ibuprofen is very cheap and I get free prescriptions too (I'm diabetic). Like others I feel a more appealing price point would be £4.99 for a pack of five. However, I really liked the product and found it very effective so would still have no hesitation in buying it during pregnancy / breastfeeding although only for significant pain - they are too expensive for just a bit of discomfort. I'm very conscious about not using any oral medication in pregnancy, even paracetamol (probably overly so). We'll be trying to conceive again in a few months so fingers crossed I'll be needing these again soon!

Thank you for including me in this test. It's great when you discover a product that you think you will purchase and continue using!

Is it possible to get a link to the survey via PM? I can't find the email.

Q1 Please say whether you are pregnant, breastfeeding etc and why you wanted to try the patches. Please describe how the muscular aches and pain affect you on a day to day basis.

• I am breast feeding my 13 week old baby. Since having my DD1 bearly 4 years ago i have suffered terribly from back ache both upper and lower. I struggle to sit in anything other than a high backed solid chair, so sofa's are a no go for me, especially when feeding, as the support is just not there. I also find lying on the floor is much more comfortable than my bed.

Q2 Please describe the application of the patch- how was it to apply? How long did it last?

• very easy to apply with clear instructions. I did need DP to help when applying lower than the shoulder blade but that was due to the position of the pain and not the patch itself. Patch lasted around 2hours.

Q3 Did the patch help relieve muscular aches and pains?

• the patch did help with pain and allowed me to sit comfortably on the sofa.

Q4 Do you think you'd buy the patches again or continue to use them if you had a similar muscular ache or pain?

• i would be tempted to use them again yes.

Q5 Would you recommend them to friends or relations who are also pregnant or breastfeeding or unable to take oral painkillers?

Yes, i have mentioned them to my friend who is currently 19weeks pregnant with twins and struggeling with back pain.

Q5 Deep Freeze Pain Relief Cold Patches cost £1.65 for a single patch and £5.49 for a 4 pack: do you consider this to be good value for money?

• they are expensive, though i think due to the fast action of the patch working it makes this worth while. I would only use them when the pain is terribly bad though as personally i would be unable to afford them long term and often.

Thank you for choosing me to test this product :)

Q1, I am currently breastfeeding my ten month old son, I suffered a bad car accident during the early stages of pregnancy and have suffered with severe back pain since then. I can't take oral painkillers due to the pregnancy/breastfeeding. The pain I suffer from affects everything I do, from lifting my son to driving. It makes life increasingly difficult, as there is nothing visibly wrong with me and the accident was so long ago people are generally unsympathetic which leaves me feeling miserable.

Q2, The patch was easy enough to apply, although it is obviously harder to reach some places (for example on your back) than others, or depending on your problems movement, bending and twisting to get the patch on unaided might be difficult. It lasted about 2 hours, which was great during the day less so at night.

Q3, Overall yes.

Q4, I think so, they're certainly one of the best over the counter and safe for pregnancy/breastfeeding remedies I've tried, and I've tried a lot!

Q5, Definitely, no one should have to suffer in pain, especially when they are pregnant or breastfeeding.

Q6, I personally think it's quite expensive, but money is quite tight for us so we try to cut back wherever we can.

Q1 Please say whether you are pregnant, breastfeeding etc and why you wanted to try the patches. Please describe how the muscular aches and pain affect you on a day to day basis.

I'm breastfeeding and regularly get back and neck pain.

Q2 Please describe the application of the patch- how was it to apply? How long did it last?

It was easy to apply and I had it on for about 3 hours. I woke up in pain and it eased the pain enough for me to go back to sleep but had worn off by the time I woke up.

Q3 Did the patch help relieve muscular aches and pains?

Yes for a short time.

Q4 Do you think you'd buy the patches again or continue to use them if you had a similar muscular ache or pain?

The pain relief was not long lasting enough, I find the heat patches last longer.

Q5 Would you recommend them to friends or relations who are also pregnant or breastfeeding or unable to take oral painkillers?

Yes, I'd say it was worth trying.

Q5 Deep Freeze Pain Relief Cold Patches cost £1.65 for a single patch and £5.49 for a 4 pack: do you consider this to be good value for money?

It's quite expensive but if paracetamol isn't working then it's worth it for some relief.

Q1 Please say whether you are pregnant, breastfeeding etc and why you wanted to try the patches. Please describe how the muscular aches and pain affect you on a day to day basis......after having my little boy 4 months ago I suffered a lot with back pain and restless legs I couldn't hardly sleep and when I did it took forever tiger to sleep!

Q2 Please describe the application of the patch- how was it to apply? How long did it last? It was simple to apply just peel and stick but after about half hour they began to roll of!

Q3 Did the patch help relieve muscular aches and pains? Yes they worked writhing minutes to bad they came of so quick!

Q4 Do you think you'd buy the patches again or continue to use them if you had a similar muscular ache or pain? Yes if they weren't so dear!

Q5 Would you recommend them to friends or relations who are also pregnant or breastfeeding or unable to take oral painkillers? I would defiantly!

Q5 Deep Freeze Pain Relief Cold Patches cost £1.65 for a single patch and £5.49 for a 4 pack: do you consider this to be good value for money? I consider this to be a bit much for the patches considering you can get pain relief quite cheap!

Q1 Please say whether you are pregnant, breastfeeding etc and why you wanted to try the patches. Please describe how the muscular aches and pain affect you on a day to day basis.
Fractured coccyx during delivery, ongoing low back/coccyx pain- particularly when sitting. Breastfeeding my 1 year old. Ice therapy recommended by physio

Q2 Please describe the application of the patch- how was it to apply? How long did it last?
Easy to apply - althougsh I did trim mine down to size first. Did get some sticky residue on my clothes. Cool for around 2 hours.

Q3 Did the patch help relieve muscular aches and pains?
Yes. Not as cold/effective as a bag of peas but lasted longer and clearly much more convenient to use when out and about/at work!

Q4 Do you think you'd buy the patches again or continue to use them if you had a similar muscular ache or pain?
Probably. I didn't find them as cold and effective as some other patches (eg migraleve patches for headaches), but they were bigger and covered a better area/stuck better. But more convenient than an icepack

QWould you recommend them to friends or relations who are also pregnant or breastfeeding or unable to take oral painkillers?
Yes.

Q5 Deep Freeze Pain Relief Cold Patches cost £1.65 for a single patch and £5.49 for a 4 pack: do you consider this to be good value for money?
Pretty expensive considering price of paracetamol/ibuprofen/bag of peas! would save for when at work/travelling and ice not an option.

Q1) pregnant with second child and have been really struggling with lower back pain since about 16 weeks. Really struggle to swallow tablets for pain relief.

Q2) Partner applied it to my lower back for me and it seemed pretty easy to apply and stuck well. Lasted for pretty much the 3 hours as suggests by the packet.

Q3) I found the patch over effective at easing the pain. More effective than heat patches and quicker than tablets.

Q4) I would definitely use and purchase these patches again.

Q5) have already sung their praises to family and friends with similar pains.

Q6) although a little expensive I would say it is in line with other similar heat patch products so I would pay it but think it would encourage people to try them if they were slightly cheaper.

Q1 Please say whether you are pregnant, breastfeeding etc and why you wanted to try the patches. Please describe how the muscular aches and pain affect you on a day to day basis. - Am still breastfeeding 8 month old DD. I find I get aches at the bottom of my back and around my collar bone as she will no longer stay still when feeding so I am constantly moving, probably not into the best positions.

Q2 Please describe the application of the patch- how was it to apply? How long did it last? - Easy to apply, stuck very well and lasted the 3 hours.

Q3 Did the patch help relieve muscular aches and pains? Yes, I felt that it helped, especially with my lower back. I also hurt my wrist during the trial and used one on that and that was brilliant.

Q4 Do you think you'd buy the patches again or continue to use them if you had a similar muscular ache or pain? Yes most certainly, although am always a bit confused as to when to use the hot ones and when to use the cold ones!

Q5 Would you recommend them to friends or relations who are also pregnant or breastfeeding or unable to take oral painkillers? Yes, most certainly.

Q5 Deep Freeze Pain Relief Cold Patches cost £1.65 for a single patch and £5.49 for a 4 pack: do you consider this to be good value for money? I thought they would be more expensive, so yes I think they are very good value for money.

Q1 Please say whether you are pregnant, breastfeeding etc and why you wanted to try the patches. Please describe how the muscular aches and pain affect you on a day to day basis.

I am breastfeeding 17mo ds2, I've had lower back pain for years which was exacerbated by being very overweight and three pregnancies resulting in 3 big babies. Despite losing more than 3 stone my back is painful most days, especially when I've been on my feet all day or after sitting in bed breastfeeding. I wanted to try the patches as an alternative to regular painkillers as I'm asthmatic and therefore limited in what I can take.

Q2 Please describe the application of the patch- how was it to apply? How long did it last?

The patch was fairly easy to apply though was easier when my husband helped! It lasted for a good 2 hours and my skin still felt cool for some time after it was removed.

Q3 Did the patch help relieve muscular aches and pains?

The patch certainly eased my back ache, though it was still slightly painful, I think this is due to my having walked for 3 hours earlier in the day rather than the efficacy of the patch.

Q4 Do you think you'd buy the patches again or continue to use them if you had a similar muscular ache or pain?

I will try them again yes.

Q5 Would you recommend them to friends or relations who are also pregnant or breastfeeding or unable to take oral painkillers?

I have already recommended them to my Dad as he has a condition which can be affected by traditional painkillers.

Q5 Deep Freeze Pain Relief Cold Patches cost £1.65 for a single patch and £5.49 for a 4 pack: do you consider this to be good value for money?

They are a bit on the expensive side but much less hassle then trying to use a cool hot water bottle and not as freezing cold so more comfortable than an ice pack.

Thank you for choosing me to participate in this trial.

Q1 Please say whether you are pregnant, breastfeeding etc and why you wanted to try the patches. Please describe how the muscular aches and pain affect you on a day to day basis:
I am 30 weeks pregnant, and suffer from back pain on and off which I have had for several years previous to this pregnancy and during it

Q2 Please describe the application of the patch- how was it to apply? How long did it last? as it was on my lower back I asked my husband to apply the patch, he said it was difficult and ridiculously sticky, I had to remove the patch within 30 mins because although it was initially cold it started burning, after I removed it I was in pain for almost an hour

Q3 Did the patch help relieve muscular aches and pains? no

Q4 Do you think you'd buy the patches again or continue to use them if you had a similar muscular ache or pain? no

Q5 Would you recommend them to friends or relations who are also pregnant or breastfeeding or unable to take oral painkillers? I might recommend it assuming my friend's were really struggling with pain as a last resort I wouldn't want any to feel the pain I felt using it

Q5 Deep Freeze Pain Relief Cold Patches cost £1.65 for a single patch and £5.49 for a 4 pack: do you consider this to be good value for money? no, as pain killers are much cheaper

Q1 Please say whether you are pregnant, breastfeeding etc and why you wanted to try the patches. Please describe how the muscular aches and pain affect you on a day to day basis.
I am breastfeeding and my daughter is 13 months. I have general lower back pain a couple of days every fortnight since my first pregnancy.

Q2 Please describe the application of the patch- how was it to apply? How long did it last?
Yes it was fairly easy I would say a couple of hours.

Q3 Did the patch help relieve muscular aches and pains?
Yes I did notice it eased the pAin

Q4 Do you think you'd buy the patches again or continue to use them if you had a similar muscular ache or pain?
I think they are quite expensive so probably would stick to paracetamol unless I was in severe pain.

Q5 Would you recommend them to friends or relations who are also pregnant or breastfeeding or unable to take oral painkillers?
Yes

Q5 Deep Freeze Pain Relief Cold Patches cost £1.65 for a single patch and £5.49 for a 4 pack: do you consider this to be good value for money?
No this is quite expensive in My opinion

• 22 weeks preg. Suffering (10 years+) from inflammation of sacro-illiac joints, prolonged hormone induced migraine (lasting 6-17 weeks - blacking out unable to keep liquids down & being administered Gas & Air, oxygen, steroids & Morphine for pain relief, unable to sit up in bed in dark/work/drive for weeks at a time) as well as bone fusion in my coccyx meaning I can't put my own socks/shoes on/ bend down to pick items off floor, empty dishwasher etc)

• Having tried a rival brand, I was more impressed with the lasting effect of Deep Freeze for my eye & head pain. I liked that DH could cut the patch to fit whereas the rival company size wasn't large enough at all to even apply to painful area. Due to the nature of my pain, I was always horizontal which meant it stayed on me for hours. DH helped me apply the ones to my spine/lower back (Due to my restricted flexibility to reach) & I was impressed with how these stayed in place with the help of elasticated maternity waistbands. I removed after just over an hour.

• On my eye/head, yes - I even managed to fall asleep with it on whereas prior to this I would have been woken every 3 hours overnight from pain & having to take painkillers. I woke up 7 hours later very pleasantly surprised that I had slept through for the first time in 2 months & eye/head pain had calmed down a little.
  B) On my spinal bone fusion - no, sadly not. The only time I noticed I was when the coolness reminded me as I moved around. I kept each patch on there for just over an hour each time but regrettably Deep Freeze for this particular area did nothing.

• I'd proceed with caution, to be honest. I would have them on standby as back-up for my migraine drugs as these patches weren't effective enough for me to stop taking them. I'd use them to AID & SUPPLEMENT the usual drugs. Sadly I wouldn't be able to rely on them them for coccyx pain relief.

• I would but I would also advise to bear in mind that these are more likely to be an add-on to drugs/alternative therapies rather than a replacement.

• I would pay for the convenience of having them in my car/handbag should another migraine attack come on unannounced however, I wouldn't go out of my way or add them to the shopping list specifically to keep in the house when I could use something from the freezer that costs pennies.

Q1

35 weeks pregnant. Struggling with lower back pain at the moment, especially if I have been on my feet all day. This was making sleep very difficult as I just could not get comfortable.

The pain is still daily and can be very difficult at the end of the day when I am trying to relax/sleep.

Q2

Very easy to apply with assistance from DH or DD as it was difficult to place well myself given it was on my lower back. Cool for around 2-3 hours.

Q3

It did give me some relief which helped me to sleep more easily. I would use alongside prescribed pain medication and they definitely made a positive difference to my ability to fall and stay asleep without waking in pain.

Q4

Probably, my DS also used one after straining his back during football and found it really helpful. I think they would be useful to keep in the medicine cabinet for minor muscular pain.

Q5

Yes, they definitely made a difference for me and I preferred the sensation compared to using a heat pack. Especially during the hot weather.

Q6

I wouldn't buy a single patch but would be happy to pay £5.49 for 4. I would expect to pay around this price based on the price of heat patches and the migraine patches currently on the market.

Q1 Please say whether you are pregnant, breastfeeding etc and why you wanted to try the patches. Please describe how the muscular aches and pain affect you on a day to day basis.
I'm currently breastfeeding a 5 month old and have a very heavy 2 and a half year old to wrangle as well. Whilst pregnant I suffered with sciatica but post birth this subsided but I was left with continuous lower back and shoulder pain. I struggle to lift my toddler and towards the end of the day I am aching and sore. I wanted to find a non drug based solution for backache as I don't want to use painkillers or NSAIDs indefinitely.

Q2 Please describe the application of the patch- how was it to apply? How long did it last?
My partner had to apply them for me as they were floppy and stuck to themselves. It lasted about 3-4 hours. Slightly longer on my lower back than on my shoulder.

Q3 Did the patch help relieve muscular aches and pains?
Yes. It had quite a long lasting effect and my back pain was relieved for about 2 days following application.

Q4 Do you think you'd buy the patches again or continue to use them if you had a similar muscular ache or pain?
I would consider buying but the cost is slightly prohibitive (see 5)

Q5 Deep Freeze Pain Relief Cold Patches cost £1.65 for a single patch and £5.49 for a 4 pack: do you consider this to be good value for money?
I think they're quite expensive and would probably use a cold pack for relief instead for my kind of continuous back pain. If the pain was intermittent or short term I would buy the patches.

Oh and I have recommended them to family. Dp used one for his shoulder pain and for an old knee injury and found them very helpful.

Q1 Please say whether you are pregnant, breastfeeding etc and why you wanted to try the patches. Please describe how the muscular aches and pain affect you on a day to day basis.
I am in the late stages of pregnancy (currently a week overdue). I used these patches because I've been getting a lot of back pain, almost constantly in the last couple of weeks.

Q2 Please describe the application of the patch- how was it to apply? How long did it last?
My husband helped the first time, then I used a mirror to help apply them. They could be adjusted if needed which was good as sometimes I didn't get them spread out properly to start with. They lasted at least the promised three hours and although they did wear off towards the end I tended to leave them on for longer than that and still felt some benefit.

Q3 Did the patch help relieve muscular aches and pains?
Yes, absolutely. I was surprised that they had such a strong effect. I found them really helpful and when I used a patch I could forget about back pain for a few hours.

Q4 Do you think you'd buy the patches again or continue to use them if you had a similar muscular ache or pain?
Yes, definitely, especially if I was pregnant or breastfeeding and so trying to avoid using drugs.

Q5 Would you recommend them to friends or relations who are also pregnant or breastfeeding or unable to take oral painkillers?
Definitely. I've already recommended them to my sister who's also pregnant.

Q5 Deep Freeze Pain Relief Cold Patches cost £1.65 for a single patch and £5.49 for a 4 pack: do you consider this to be good value for money?
They aren't cheap - £4.99 for the 4 pack would be a nicer price point - but I would buy them at this price now that I know they work for me. I would be more likely to buy a single patch as a trial if I hadn't already used them; it's good that they are available individually too.

Thank you for sending me the patches to try, I'm very grateful!

I haven't read the thread so as to give uninfluenced answers.

Q1 Please say whether you are pregnant, breastfeeding etc and why you wanted to try the patches. Please describe how the muscular aches and pain affect you on a day to day basis.

I'm breastfeeding and have had to take quite a few paracetamol to manage pain from feeding and then pain in my neck and back and really wanted something I could apply/use for the pain that wasn't tablets. The pain in my neck has been so severe that I have been unable to drive for several days at a time until it eased. It has made it difficult to even pick up the baby, who is only around 11lbs. I couldn't pick up the older children at all. Lifting my arms above my head and turning my neck all around was almost impossible. The pain in my back made bending and twisting very difficult, driving hurt and putting kids in and out of car seats and fitting the baby car seat into the car extremely hard.

Q2 Please describe the application of the patch- how was it to apply? How long did it last?

I found the patch did last for around three hours but there was less tingly menthol feeling towards the end, which was a shame. I found the patch quite difficult to apply on my neck/shoulder blade and unless I kept still, they moved around and peeled off in places. I think that's more to do with the location though than a fault with the patches, I actually think they are well designed for the job they have to do.

Q3 Did the patch help relieve muscular aches and pains?

Yes they did. I think I was expecting too much though because I thought they might have provided some relief that lasted once the patch was removed but this wasn't the case. I thought they might help to relax the muscles that were aching/pulled and that would help them recover.

Q4 Do you think you'd buy the patches again or continue to use them if you had a similar muscular ache or pain?

Yes I think I would, they are great.

Q5 Would you recommend them to friends or relations who are also pregnant or breastfeeding or unable to take oral painkillers?

Yes, definitely.

Q5 Deep Freeze Pain Relief Cold Patches cost £1.65 for a single patch and £5.49 for a 4 pack: do you consider this to be good value for money?

That's really expensive. I'm so glad there are 12 in the pack we got sent! I have a spray bottle of deep heat in the cupboard and I think that was less. I would perceive that to be better value for money because you can't see how much you use each time. With the patch, you know you are only getting 4 uses out of a pack. I used two at a time as I had pain on both sides of my neck, so I would be thinking I've only got one more go at getting pain relief out of this pack. Having said that, they were good, so if I had a one off thing again, I would spend the money on them. The problem I have at the moment seems to be ongoing and I suspect it will remain until I finish feeding as I don't have very good posture, so it would be an expensive habit to maintain.

Hiya

Q1
Pregnant with 5th child, and i suffer really bac spd, im 14 weeks and already i can feel very achy and find stairs and standing very painful.
General day to day tasks become a struggle

Q2 Please describe the application of the patch- how was it to apply? How long did it last?

Very easy to apply. It did not seem to last three hours.

Q3
I did not really notice a change in my pain levels sadly.

Q4
Yes, i was recommand cold compress by my chiro, these are useful in times when i don't have much time, or i lack being organsied. But i would warn them it may not work.

Q5
Yes, already have to my husband who has bad lower back pain.

Q6
I think as others have said under £5, but it would be more for convience and travelling, as day to day it will work out to expensive.

Thank you once again for letting me be part of this trial.