If you are holding or caring for children, make sure that they do not touch your patch. If the patch accidentally comes off of your body and sticks to another person's skin, immediately remove the patch, wash the area with clear water, and get emergency medical attention.
Fentanyl patches that have been worn for 3 days still contain enough medication to cause serious harm or death to adults or children who are not being treated with the medication. Never throw used or unused patches in a trash can or leave them in a place where they may be found by others, especially children. Dispose of used and unwanted patches properly according to instructions.
If your fentanyl patch is exposed to extreme heat, it may release too much medication into your body at once. This can cause serious or life-threatening symptoms. Do not expose your patch or the skin around it to direct heat such as heating pads, electric blankets, heat lamps, saunas, hot tubs, and heated water beds. Do not take long, hot baths or sunbathe while you are wearing the patch. Your patch may also release too much medication if you have a fever or if you get very hot after physical activity.
Avoid physical activity that might cause you to get very hot. Call your doctor right away if you have a fever. Your doctor may need to adjust your dose. Tell your doctor if you are pregnant or plan to become pregnant. If you use fentanyl patches regularly during your pregnancy, your baby may experience life-threatening withdrawal symptoms after birth.
Tell your baby's doctor right away if your baby experiences any of the following symptoms: irritability, hyperactivity, abnormal sleep, high-pitched cry, uncontrollable shaking of a part of the body, vomiting, diarrhea, or failure to gain weight.
Your doctor or pharmacist will give you the manufacturer's patient information sheet Medication Guide when you begin treatment with fentanyl patches and each time you fill your prescription. Read the information carefully and ask your doctor or pharmacist if you have any questions. Fentanyl patches are used to relieve severe pain in people who are expected to need pain medication around the clock for a long time and who cannot be treated with other medications.
Fentanyl is in a class of medications called opiate narcotic analgesics. It works by changing the way the brain and nervous system respond to pain. Transdermal fentanyl comes as a patch to apply to the skin. The patch is usually applied to the skin once every 72 hours. Change your patch at about the same time of day every time you change it. Follow the directions on your prescription label carefully, and ask your doctor or pharmacist to explain any part you do not understand. Apply fentanyl patches exactly as directed.
Your doctor may start you on a low dose fentanyl patch and gradually increase your dose, not more often than once every 3 days at first, and then not more often than once every 6 days. Your doctor may decrease your dose if you experience side effects. Talk to your doctor about how you are feeling during your treatment with fentanyl patches. Fentanyl patches are only for use on the skin.
Do not place patches in your mouth or chew or swallow the patches. Do not stop using fentanyl patches without talking to your doctor. Your doctor will probably decrease your dose gradually. If you suddenly stop using fentanyl patches you may have symptoms of withdrawal. Call your doctor if you experience any of these symptoms of withdrawal: restlessness, teary eyes, runny nose, yawning, sweating, chills, muscle pain, large pupils black circles in the center of the eyes , irritability, anxiety, backache, pain in the joints, weakness, stomach cramps, difficulty falling asleep or staying asleep, nausea, loss of appetite, vomiting, diarrhea, fast heartbeat, or rapid breathing.
Do not use a fentanyl patch that is cut, damaged, or changed in any way. If you use cut or damaged patches, you may receive most or all of the medication at once, instead of slowly over 3 days. This may cause serious problems, including overdose and death. You may bathe, swim, or shower while you are wearing a fentanyl patch. If the patch falls off during these activities, dispose of it properly. Then dry your skin completely and apply a new patch.
Leave the new patch in place for 72 hours after you apply it. You can apply a fentanyl patch to your chest, back, upper arms, or the sides of your waist. If you are applying the patch to a child or to a person who is unable to think clearly, choose an area on the upper back to make it more difficult for the person to remove the patch and place it in his or her mouth. Choose an area of skin that is flat and hairless.
Do not apply the patch to parts of the body that move a lot or to skin that has been exposed to radiation or that is sensitive, very oily, broken out, irritated, broken, cut or damaged.
If there is hair on the skin, use scissors to clip the hair as close to the skin as possible. Do not shave the area. This medication is sometimes prescribed for other uses; ask your doctor or pharmacist for more information.
Talk to your doctor about eating grapefruit and drinking grapefruit juice while using this medication. If you forget to apply or change a fentanyl patch, apply the patch as soon as you remember it.
Be sure to remove your used patch before applying a new patch. Wear the new patch for the period of time prescribed by your doctor usually 3 days and then replace it. Illegally Made Fentanyl Some people make an illegal fentanyl powder. All Rights Reserved. This page does not provide medical advice. Questions About Treatment? Call Now. We respect your privacy. People also read. Dangers Of Fentanyl Abuse. Fentanyl Overdose.
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Our Massachusetts Facilities. Continuum of Care. Usually, abusers of the drug get fentanyl from illegal manufacturers.
Often, heroin abusers seek out fentanyl as a substitute to alleviate the side effects of heroin withdrawal. Heroin or cocaine users may also take fentanyl without knowing, as heroin or cocaine manufacturers will substitute fentanyl powder to reduce costs and increase potency. Illegal manufacturers may also use the powder to create tablets that are meant to mimic other opioids.
Common side effects of fentanyl include nausea, vomiting, itching, difficulty breathing, drowsiness, and unconsciousness. These side effects are also associated with heroin use.
If heroin use is suspected, be on the lookout for signs that fentanyl may be involved. So, while a patient may present only mild side effects, you should still be alert to a potential overdose. Fentanyl is an opioid, so the signs of a fentanyl overdose are like those of a heroin overdose.
The user may have bluish nails or lips in addition to difficulty breathing, remaining conscious, or speaking. Unlike other opioids, fentanyl has relatively little effect on heart function. Naloxone is used to reverse overdose symptoms for opioids. Fentanyl overdoses are no exception to this method. However, because fentanyl is so potent, overdosed patients often need multiple applications of Naloxone. For first responders, estimating even an approximate dosage is difficult. As mentioned, fentanyl is often laced with other drugs and will contain other impurities.
However, knowing the dosages used in medical applications may provide a useful perspective. Those are , , , , , and mcg doses. The half-life of lozenges varies but can be up to 12 hours. Similar to lozenges, the half-life of patches varies but is generally around 17 hours.
Fentanyl taken via injection has a significantly lower half-life of around 3. However, estimating dosage via injection from illegal means is very difficult.
Fentanyl is so potent that patients need to have a tolerance of opioids for it to be safely prescribed. Whether fentanyl has been used legally or illegally, first responders should always look for the signs of a potential overdose when a patient is unresponsive.
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