Fentanyl Patch

Fentanyl Transdermal Patch

(FEN ta nil)

Duragesic

This drug may cause very bad and sometimes deadly breathing problems. Call your doctor right away if you have slow, shallow, or trouble breathing. The chance of very bad and sometimes deadly breathing problems may be greater when you first start this drug or anytime your dose is raised. Even one dose of this drug may be deadly if it is taken by someone else or by accident, especially in children. If this drug is taken by someone else or by accident, get medical help right away. Keep all drugs in a safe place. Keep all drugs out of the reach of children and pets. This drug is a strong pain drug that can put you at risk for addiction, abuse, and misuse. Misuse or abuse of this drug can lead to overdose and death. Talk with your doctor. You will be watched closely to make sure you do not misuse, abuse, or become addicted to this drug. This drug has an opioid drug in it. Severe side effects have happened when opioid drugs were used with benzodiazepines or other drugs that may make you drowsy or slow your actions. This includes slow or troubled breathing and death. Benzodiazepines include drugs like alprazolam, diazepam, and lorazepam. Benzodiazepines may be used to treat many health problems like anxiety, trouble sleeping, or seizures. If you have questions, talk with your doctor. Many drugs interact with this drug and can raise the chance of side effects like deadly breathing problems. Talk with your doctor and pharmacist to make sure it is safe to use this drug with all of your drugs. Do not take with alcohol or products that have alcohol. Unsafe and sometimes deadly effects may happen. Get medical help right away if you feel very sleepy, very dizzy, or if you pass out. Caregivers or others need to get medical help right away if the patient does not respond, does not answer or react like normal, or will not wake up. Using this drug for a long time during pregnancy may lead to withdrawal in the newborn baby. This can be life-threatening. Talk with the doctor. Avoid hot baths, sunbathing, and use of heat sources (including tanning beds, heating pads, and hot tubs). Avoid activities like heavy exercise. Tell your doctor if you get a fever. A rise in body temperature may cause too much drug to pass into your body. This can cause overdose and deadly breathing problems.

It is used to ease pain. This drug is not for mild pain or pain that only lasts a short time (like headaches, toothaches, or pain after surgery). This drug is only for use by people who have been taking pain drugs (opioids) and are used to their effects. Talk with the doctor.

If you are allergic to this drug; any part of this drug; or any other drugs, foods, or substances. Tell your doctor about the allergy and what signs you had. If you have any of these health problems: Lung or breathing problems like asthma, trouble breathing, or sleep apnea; high levels of carbon dioxide in the blood; or stomach or bowel block or narrowing. If you have any of these health problems: Kidney disease or liver disease. If you have taken certain drugs for depression or Parkinson's disease in the last 14 days. This includes isocarboxazid, phenelzine, tranylcypromine, selegiline, or rasagiline. Very high blood pressure may happen. If you are taking any of these drugs: Buprenorphine, butorphanol, linezolid, methylene blue, nalbuphine, or pentazocine. This is not a list of all drugs or health problems that interact with this drug. Tell your doctor and pharmacist about all of your drugs (prescription or OTC, natural products, vitamins) and health problems. You must check to make sure that it is safe for you to take this drug with all of your drugs and health problems. Do not start, stop, or change the dose of any drug without checking with your doctor.

Tell all of your health care providers that you take this drug. This includes your doctors, nurses, pharmacists, and dentists. Avoid driving and doing other tasks or actions that call for you to be alert until you see how this drug affects you. To lower the chance of feeling dizzy or passing out, rise slowly if you have been sitting or lying down. Be careful going up and down stairs. Long-term or regular use of opioid drugs like this drug may lead to dependence. Lowering the dose or stopping this drug all of a sudden may cause a greater risk of withdrawal or other severe problems. Talk to your doctor before you lower the dose or stop this drug. You will need to follow your doctor’s instructions. Tell your doctor if you have more pain, mood changes, thoughts of suicide, or any other bad effects. Do not take more than what your doctor told you to take. Taking more than you are told may raise your chance of very bad side effects. Do not take this drug with other strong pain drugs or if you are using a pain patch without talking to your doctor first. If you drink grapefruit juice or eat grapefruit often, talk with your doctor. This drug may raise the chance of seizures in some people, including people who have had seizures in the past. Talk to your doctor to see if you have a greater chance of seizures while taking this drug. Long-term use of an opioid drug may lead to lower sex hormone levels. Call your doctor if you have a lowered interest in sex, fertility problems, no menstrual period (women), or change in sex ability (men). The patch may have metal. Take off the patch before an MRI. If you are 65 or older, use this drug with care. You could have more side effects. This drug may cause harm to the unborn baby if you take it while you are pregnant. If you are pregnant or you get pregnant while taking this drug, call your doctor right away. Tell your doctor if you are breast-feeding or plan to breast-feed. This drug passes into breast milk and may harm your baby.

WARNING/CAUTION: Even though it may be rare, some people may have very bad and sometimes deadly side effects when taking a drug. Tell your doctor or get medical help right away if you have any of the following signs or symptoms that may be related to a very bad side effect: Signs of an allergic reaction, like rash; hives; itching; red, swollen, blistered, or peeling skin with or without fever; wheezing; tightness in the chest or throat; trouble breathing, swallowing, or talking; unusual hoarseness; or swelling of the mouth, face, lips, tongue, or throat. Very bad dizziness or passing out. Feeling confused. Severe constipation or stomach pain. These may be signs of a severe bowel problem. Trouble breathing, slow breathing, or shallow breathing. Noisy breathing. Breathing problems during sleep (sleep apnea). Chest pain. Fast or slow heartbeat. Seizures. Low mood (depression). Trouble controlling body movements. Swelling in the arms or legs. Change in eyesight. A severe and sometimes deadly problem called serotonin syndrome may happen if you take this drug with certain other drugs. Call your doctor right away if you have agitation; change in balance; confusion; hallucinations; fever; fast or abnormal heartbeat; flushing; muscle twitching or stiffness; seizures; shivering or shaking; sweating a lot; severe diarrhea, upset stomach, or throwing up; or severe headache. Taking an opioid drug like this drug may lead to a rare but very bad adrenal gland problem. Call your doctor right away if you have very bad dizziness or passing out, very bad upset stomach or throwing up, or if you feel less hungry, very tired, or very weak.

All drugs may cause side effects. However, many people have no side effects or only have minor side effects. Call your doctor or get medical help if any of these side effects or any other side effects bother you or do not go away: Feeling dizzy, sleepy, tired, or weak. Dry mouth. Constipation, diarrhea, stomach pain, upset stomach, throwing up, or feeling less hungry. Headache. Feeling cold. Trouble sleeping. Sweating a lot. Irritation where this drug is used. These are not all of the side effects that may occur. If you have questions about side effects, call your doctor. Call your doctor for medical advice about side effects. You may report side effects to the FDA at 1-800-332-1088. You may also report side effects at https://www.fda.gov/medwatch.

Use this drug as ordered by your doctor. Read all information given to you. Follow all instructions closely. Misuse or abuse of this drug by placing it in the mouth or chewing, swallowing, injecting, or snorting it can lead to overdose and death. Wash your hands before and after use. Take off old patch first. Put patch on clean, dry, healthy skin on the chest, back, upper leg, or upper arm. Put the patch in a new area each time you change the patch. If there is hair where you are putting the patch, clip the hair as close to the skin as you can. Do not shave the hair. Do not put on skin where you have just used creams, oils, lotions, or other skin products. Do not put the patch on the belt line, bra line, or skin folds. You do not need to put the patch on or near where you are having pain for it to work. You may bathe, shower, or swim for short periods after putting on the patch. Cover the patch with plastic wrap and tape to help keep it in place. If the patch falls off, put a new one on. If you have a problem with the patch not sticking, you may put first aid tape on the edges of the patch to hold it in place. If the patch still will not stick, you may put a see-through film dressing (like Bioclusive or Askina Derm) over the patch. Be sure you know what kind of see-through dressing you can use. Do not cover the patch with any other bandage or tape. Do not use patches that are cut or do not look right. Do not let the area where the patch was placed touch anyone else's skin. If you or anyone else touches the gel, wash the skin with lots of water. Do not use soap. The patch has a lot of drug in it even after it is used. Carefully follow how to handle, store, and throw out this drug. Talk with the doctor.

Put on a missed patch as soon as you think about it after taking off the old one. Do not apply double dose or extra doses.

Store at room temperature in a dry place. Do not store in a bathroom. After you take off a skin patch, be sure to fold the sticky sides of the patch to each other. Throw away used patches where children and pets cannot get to them. Store this drug in a safe place where children cannot see or reach it, and where other people cannot get to it. A locked box or area may help keep this drug safe. Keep all drugs away from pets. Follow the information that comes with this drug for throwing out doses that are not needed. Check with your pharmacist if you have questions about how to throw out this drug.

If your symptoms or health problems do not get better or if they become worse, call your doctor. Do not share your drugs with others and do not take anyone else's drugs. This drug comes with an extra patient fact sheet called a Medication Guide. Read it with care. Read it again each time this drug is refilled. If you have any questions about this drug, please talk with the doctor, pharmacist, or other health care provider. If you think there has been an overdose, call your poison control center or get medical care right away. Be ready to tell or show what was taken, how much, and when it happened.

This information should not be used to decide whether or not to take this medicine or any other medicine. Only the healthcare provider has the knowledge and training to decide which medicines are right for a specific patient. This information does not endorse any medicine as safe, effective, or approved for treating any patient or health condition. This is only a brief summary of general information about this medicine. It does NOT include all information about the possible uses, directions, warnings, precautions, interactions, adverse effects, or risks that may apply to this medicine. This information is not specific medical advice and does not replace information you receive from the healthcare provider. You must talk with the healthcare provider for complete information about the risks and benefits of using this medicine.