What is this medicine?

FENTANYL (FEN ta nil) is a pain reliever. It is used to treat persistent, moderate to severe chronic pain. It is used only by people who have been taking an opioid or narcotic pain medicine for more than one week.

This medicine may be used for other purposes; ask your health care provider or pharmacist if you have questions.

What should I tell my health care provider before I take this medicine?

They need to know if you have any of these conditions:

• brain tumor
• Crohn's disease, inflammatory bowel disease, or ulcerative colitis
• drug abuse or addiction
• head injury
• heart disease
• if you frequently drink alcohol containing drinks
• kidney disease or problems going to the bathroom
• liver disease
• lung disease, asthma, or breathing problems
• mental problems
• skin problems
• taken isocarboxazid, phenelzine, tranylcypromine, or selegiline in the past 2 weeks
• an allergic or unusual reaction to fentanyl, meperidine, other medicines, foods, dyes, or preservatives
• pregnant or trying to get pregnant
• breast-feeding

How should I use this medicine?

Apply the patch to your skin. Do not cut or damage the patch. A cut or damaged patch can be very dangerous because you may get too much medicine. Select a clean, dry area of skin above your waist on your front or back. The upper back is a good spot to put the patch on children or people who are confused because it will be hard for them to remove the patch. Do not apply the patch to oily, broken, burned, cut, or irritated skin. Use only water to clean the area. Do not use soap or alcohol to clean the skin because this can increase the effects of the medicine. If the area is hairy, clip the hair with scissors, but do not shave.

Take the patch out of its wrapper, and take off the protective strip over the sticky part. Do not use a patch if the packaging or backing is damaged. Do not touch the sticky part with your fingers. Press the sticky surface to the skin using the palm of your hand. Press the patch to the skin for 30 seconds. Wash your hands at once.

Take off the old patch before putting on a new patch. Apply each new patch to a different area of skin. If a patch comes off or causes irritation, remove it and apply a new patch to different site. To get rid of used patches, fold the patch in half with the sticky sides together. Then, flush it down the toilet. Replace the patch every 3 days or as directed by your doctor or health care professional. Follow the directions on the prescription label. Do not take more medicine than you are told to take.

Talk to your pediatrician regarding the use of this medicine in children. While this drug may be prescribed for children as young as 2 years old for selected conditions, precautions do apply.

If someone accidentally uses a fentanyl patch and is not awake and alert, immediately call 911 for help. If the person is awake and alert, call a doctor, health care professional, or the Poison Control Center.