Fentanyl

Generic name: Fentanyl
Dosage form: injection, nasal spray, transdermal patch, sublingual tablet, sublingual spray, transmucosal lozenge (lollipop)
Drug class: Opioids (narcotic analgesics)

Usage of Fentanyl

Fentanyl is a synthetic opioid medicine used to treat moderate to severe pain, it is up to 100 times stronger than other opioids like morphine, heroin or oxycodone. Fentanyl is from the class of medicines called narcotic analgesics.

What is Fentanyl used for?

Fentanyl patches are used for long lasting pain relief for constant, around the clock cancer pain.

Fentanyl nasal sprays, lollipops, injections, sublingual tablets and sprays are immediate acting and used for breakthrough pain. Breakthrough pain is when you have a flare up of pain, even though you are taking regular pain medicine for chronic or persistent pain.

Because fentanyl is a powerful prescription opioid it can be misused, abused and cause overdose deaths.

Fentanyl is classified as schedule 2 under the controlled substances act (CSA).

Fentanyl side effects

Get emergency medical help if you have signs of an allergic reaction to fentanyl: hives; difficulty breathing; swelling of your face, lips, tongue, or throat.

Like other narcotic medicines, fentanyl can slow your breathing. Death may occur if breathing becomes too weak. A person caring for you should seek emergency medical attention if you have slow breathing with long pauses, blue colored lips, or if you are hard to wake up.

Fentanyl may cause serious side effects. Call your doctor at once if you have:

slow heart rate, sighing, shallow breathing, breathing that stops during sleep;

severe drowsiness, feeling like you might pass out;

confusion, extreme fear, unusual thoughts or behavior; or

low cortisol levels - nausea, vomiting, loss of appetite, dizziness, worsening tiredness or weakness.

Seek medical attention right away if you have symptoms of serotonin syndrome, such as: agitation, hallucinations, fever, sweating, shivering, fast heart rate, muscle stiffness, twitching, loss of coordination, nausea, vomiting, or diarrhea.

Serious side effects may be more likely in older adults and those who are malnourished or debilitated.

Long-term use of opioid medication may affect fertility (ability to have children) in men or women. It is not known whether opioid effects on fertility are permanent.

Common fentanyl side effects may include:

headache, dizziness, drowsiness, pale skin, feeling weak or tired

constipation, nausea, vomiting, stomach pain or

sleep problems (insomnia)

swelling in your hands or feet

increased sweating, or cold feeling

for patches itching, redness, or rash where a patch was worn.

This is not a complete list of side effects and others may occur. Call your doctor for medical advice about side effects. You may report side effects to FDA at 1-800-FDA-1088.

Before taking Fentanyl

If you use opioid medicine while you are pregnant, your baby could become Dependent on the drug. This can cause life-threatening withdrawal symptoms in the baby after it is born. Babies born dependent on opioids may need medical treatment for several weeks so it is important that appropriate treatment will be available after delivery.

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How to use Fentanyl

Do not use fentanyl unless you are already being treated with a similar opioid pain medicine and your body is tolerant to it. Talk with your doctor if you are not sure you are opioid-tolerant.

Take fentanyl exactly as prescribed by your healthcare provider. Follow the directions on your prescription label and read all medication guides. Never use fentanyl in larger amounts, or for longer than prescribed. Tell your doctor if you feel an increased urge to use more fentanyl.

Never share opioid medicine with another person, especially someone with a history of drug abuse or addiction. MISUSE CAN CAUSE ADDICTION, OVERDOSE, OR DEATH. Keep the medication in a place where others cannot get to it. Selling or giving away opioid medicine is against the law.

Do not replace one form of fentanyl with any other form of fentanyl, such as injection, skin patch, nasal spray, under the tongue spray, sublingual tablet or "lollipop" device).

Store fentanyl in its original packaging at room temperature.

Keep fentanyl out of the reach of children or pets. A small amount of fentanyl can be fatal to a child or pet who accidentally ingests or absorbs it. Seek emergency medical attention if this happens.

Do not keep leftover opioid medication. Just one dose can cause death in someone using this medicine accidentally or improperly. Ask your pharmacist where to locate a drug take-back disposal program. If there is no take-back program, dispose of any unused skin patches in the same folded manner. Do not flush the fentanyl patch foil pouch or patch liners; place them in a trash container out of the reach of children and pets. For sublingual tablets, sublingual sprays, nasal sprays, lozenges carefully follow disposal instructions when this medicine is no longer needed.

Warnings

Fentanyl can slow or stop your breathing, and may be habit-forming. MISUSE OF NARCOTIC MEDICINE CAN CAUSE ADDICTION, OVERDOSE, OR DEATH, especially in a child or other person using the medicine without a prescription.

Using this medicine during pregnancy may cause life-threatening withdrawal symptoms in the newborn.

Fatal side effects can occur if you use this medicine with alcohol, or with other drugs that cause drowsiness or slow your breathing.

What other drugs will affect Fentanyl

You may have breathing problems or withdrawal symptoms if you start or stop taking certain other medicines. Tell your doctor if you also use an antibiotic, antifungal medication, heart or blood pressure medication, seizure medication, or medicine to treat HIV or hepatitis C.

Fentanyl can interact with many other drugs and cause dangerous side effects or death. Be sure your doctor knows if you also use:

other narcotic medications - opioid pain medicine or prescription cough medicine;

a sedative like Valium - Diazepam, alprazolam, lorazepam, Ativan, Klonopin, Restoril, Tranxene, Versed, Xanax, and others;

drugs that make you sleepy or slow your breathing - a sleeping pill, muscle relaxer, tranquilizer, antidepressant, or antipsychotic medicine;

cold or allergy medicines, bronchodilator asthma/COPD medication, or a diuretic ("water pill");

medicines for motion sickness, irritable bowel syndrome, or overactive bladder;

drugs that affect serotonin levels in your body - medicine for depression, Parkinson's disease, migraine headaches, serious infections, or prevention of nausea and vomiting.

This list is not complete. Other drugs may interact with fentanyl, including prescription and over-the-counter medicines, vitamins, and herbal products. Not all possible interactions are listed in this medication guide.

Disclaimer

Every effort has been made to ensure that the information provided by Drugslib.com is accurate, up-to-date, and complete, but no guarantee is made to that effect. Drug information contained herein may be time sensitive. Drugslib.com information has been compiled for use by healthcare practitioners and consumers in the United States and therefore Drugslib.com does not warrant that uses outside of the United States are appropriate, unless specifically indicated otherwise. Drugslib.com's drug information does not endorse drugs, diagnose patients or recommend therapy. Drugslib.com's drug information is an informational resource designed to assist licensed healthcare practitioners in caring for their patients and/or to serve consumers viewing this service as a supplement to, and not a substitute for, the expertise, skill, knowledge and judgment of healthcare practitioners.

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