Duragesic is a skin patch containing fentanyl, an opioid pain medication. An opioid is sometimes called a narcotic.
Duragesic skin patches are used to treat moderate to severe chronic pain around the clock.
Duragesic is not for treating mild or occasional pain or pain from surgery.
Important information
Fentanyl can slow or stop your breathing. MISUSE OF DURAGESIC CAN CAUSE DEATH, especially in a child who gets a hold of the skin patch and places it in the mouth or on the skin.
Fentanyl may be habit-forming. Never share this medicine with another person, especially someone with a history of drug abuse or addiction. Keep the medication in a place where others cannot get to it.
Do not use a Duragesic skin patch if you have a breathing problem, a blockage in your stomach or intestines, or if you are NOT already being treated with a similar opioid (narcotic) pain medicine and are tolerant to it. You may not be able to use Duragesic if you also use certain antibiotics, antifungal medications, heart or blood pressure medications, or medicines to treat HIV or AIDS.
Avoid sources of heat while you are wearing a Duragesic skin patch. Heat can increase the amount of drug your skin absorbs.
Before taking this medicine
Fentanyl may be habit-forming, and the Duragesic skin patch contains a high concentration of this medicine. Never share this medicine with another person, especially someone with a history of drug abuse or addiction. Keep the medication in a place where others cannot get to it. Selling or giving away Duragesic is against the law.
Do not use a Duragesic skin patch if you are allergic to fentanyl, or if you have:
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a severe breathing problem such as asthma attacks;
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a blockage in your digestive tract (stomach or intestines); or
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if you are NOT already being treated with a similar opioid (narcotic) pain medicine and are tolerant to it.
Some medicines can cause unwanted or dangerous effects when used with fentanyl. You may not be able to use this medicine if you also use certain antibiotics, antifungal medications, heart or blood pressure medications, or medicines to treat HIV or AIDS. Tell your doctor about all medicines you use.
To make sure Duragesic is safe for you, tell your doctor if you have:
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any type of breathing problem or lung disease;
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a history of head injury, brain tumor, mental illness, alcoholism or drug addiction;
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urination problems;
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liver or kidney disease; or
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problems with your gallbladder, pancreas, or thyroid.
Do not put a Duragesic skin patch on any child who does not have a personal prescription for this medicine.
It is not known whether Duragesic will harm an unborn baby. If you use fentanyl 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 habit-forming medicine may need medical treatment for several weeks. Tell your doctor if you are pregnant or plan to become pregnant.
Fentanyl can pass into breast milk and may cause addiction and withdrawal symptoms in a nursing infant. Do not breast-feed while using Duragesic.
The Duragesic skin patch may burn your skin if you wear the patch during an MRI (magnetic resonance imaging). Remove the patch before undergoing such a test.
How should I use Duragesic skin patches?
Use Duragesic exactly as prescribed by your doctor. Follow all directions on your prescription label. Never use Duragesic in larger amounts, or for longer than prescribed. Tell your doctor if the medicine seems to stop working as well in relieving your pain. Do not use a skin patch if it has been cut or damaged, or you could receive a fatal overdose of fentanyl.
MISUSE OF DURAGESIC TRANSDERMAL CAN CAUSE HARMFUL SIDE EFFECTS OR DEATH, especially in a child who gets a hold of the skin patch and places it in the mouth or on the skin.
Do not use this medicine on a child who does not have a prescription to use Duragesic. When placing a skin patch on a young child, choose a wearing area where the child cannot easily remove the patch unsupervised.
A Duragesic skin patch is for use only on the skin. Avoid touching the sticky side of a skin patch. Do not allow the medicine to come into contact with your eyes, nose, mouth, or lips.
Apply the patch to a flat area of the chest, back, side, or outer side of your upper arm. Trim body hair with scissors but do not shave patch-wearing areas. Clean the skin only with clear water, and dry completely. Press the patch firmly with the palm of your hand for 30 seconds. Wash your hands after applying a skin patch. Check the patch often, to make sure it is firmly on your skin at all times.
Avoid sources of heat while you are wearing the Duragesic patch. Do not use a heating pad or electric blanket, a waterbed heater, tanning bed or sauna. Do not sit in hot water, sunbathe, or raise your body temperature with vigorous activity. Heat can increase the amount of drug you absorb through your skin and may cause an overdose or death.
Remove and replace the Duragesic patch every 72 hours. Apply the new patch to a different skin area on the chest, back, side, or upper arm. After removing a skin patch: fold it in half firmly with the sticky side in, and flush the patch down the toilet right away. Do not place a used skin patch into a trash can.
Do not keep any unused skin patches. Ask your pharmacist where to locate a drug take-back disposal program. If there is no take-back program, flush the unused patches in the same folded manner described above. Do not flush the foil pouch or patch liners; place them in a trash container out of the reach of children and pets.
Keep both used and unused Duragesic skin patches out of the reach of children or pets. The amount of fentanyl in a used skin patch could be fatal to a child or pet who accidentally chews, sucks on, or swallows the patch. Seek emergency medical attention if this happens.
Store Duragesic skin patches at room temperature. Keep each patch in its foil pouch until you are ready to use it. Keep track of how many skin patches have been used from each new package. Fentanyl is a drug of abuse and you should be aware if anyone is using your medicine improperly or without a prescription.
What happens if I miss a dose?
If you are using the skin patches on a schedule, apply the missed patch as soon as you remember. Continue wearing the Duragesic patch for up to 72 hours and then apply a new one if needed for pain. Do not wear extra patches to make up a missed dose.
What happens if I overdose?
Seek emergency medical attention or call the Poison Help line at 1-800-222-1222. A fentanyl overdose can be fatal, especially in a child or other person using the medicine without a prescription. Overdose symptoms may include slow breathing and heart rate, severe drowsiness, muscle weakness, cold and clammy skin, pinpoint pupils, and fainting.
What should I avoid while using a Duragesic patch?
This medication may impair your thinking or reactions. Do not drive or operate machinery until you know how fentanyl will affect you. Dizziness or severe drowsiness can cause falls or other accidents.
Do not drink alcohol or dangerous side effects and death could occur. Check your food and medicine labels to be sure these products do not contain alcohol.
Avoid wearing a Duragesic skin patch on a part of your body where a child could reach or remove the patch from your skin. Avoid allowing children to watch you put on a skin patch. Never tell a child that the Duragesic skin patch is a "bandage."
Duragesic skin patch side effects
Get emergency medical help if you have any signs of an allergic reaction to Duragesic: hives; difficult breathing; swelling of your face, lips, tongue, or throat.
Remove the skin patch and call your doctor at once if you have:
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slow heart rate, sighing, weak or shallow breathing (up to several days after removing the skin patch);
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chest pain, fast or pounding heartbeats; or
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extreme drowsiness, feeling like you might pass out.
Common Duragesic side effects may include:
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nausea, vomiting, stomach pain, loss of appetite, diarrhea, constipation;
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drowsiness, dizziness, tired feeling;
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sleep problems (insomnia); or
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increased sweating, or cold feeling.
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.
See also: Side effects (in more detail)
What other drugs will affect Duragesic?
Using this medicine with other drugs that make you sleepy or slow your breathing can cause dangerous or life-threatening side effects. Ask your doctor before using Duragesic with a sleeping pill, a sedative or tranquilizer, other narcotic pain medicine, muscle relaxer, or medicine for anxiety, depression, or seizures.
You should not use Duragesic if you have used an MAO inhibitor in the past 14 days. A dangerous drug interaction could occur. MAO inhibitors include isocarboxazid, linezolid, methylene blue injection, phenelzine, rasagiline, selegiline, tranylcypromine, and others.
Other drugs may interact with fentanyl transdermal, including prescription and over-the-counter medicines, vitamins, and herbal products. Not all possible interactions are listed in this medication guide. Tell your doctor about all your medications and any you start or stop using during treatment with Duragesic.
