Before Using

Drug information provided by: Merative, Micromedex®

In deciding to use a medicine, the risks of taking the medicine must be weighed against the good it will do. This is a decision you and your doctor will make. For this medicine, the following should be considered:

Allergies

Tell your doctor if you have ever had any unusual or allergic reaction to this medicine or any other medicines. Also tell your health care professional if you have any other types of allergies, such as to foods, dyes, preservatives, or animals. For non-prescription products, read the label or package ingredients carefully.

Pediatric

Appropriate studies have not been performed on the relationship of age to the effects of fentanyl in children younger than 18 years of age for the Abstral®, Fentora®, Onsolis®, and Subsys® brands, and in children younger than 16 years of age for the Actiq® brand. Safety and efficacy have not been established.

Geriatric

Appropriate studies performed to date have not demonstrated geriatric-specific problems that would limit the usefulness of fentanyl in the elderly. However, elderly patients may be more sensitive to the effects of narcotic analgesics than younger adults and are more likely to have age-related lung or kidney problems, which may require caution and an adjustment in the dose for patients receiving fentanyl in order to avoid serious side effects.

Breastfeeding

There are no adequate studies in women for determining infant risk when using this medication during breastfeeding. Weigh the potential benefits against the potential risks before taking this medication while breastfeeding.

Drug Interactions

Although certain medicines should not be used together at all, in other cases two different medicines may be used together even if an interaction might occur. In these cases, your doctor may want to change the dose, or other precautions may be necessary. When you are taking this medicine, it is especially important that your healthcare professional know if you are taking any of the medicines listed below. The following interactions have been selected on the basis of their potential significance and are not necessarily all-inclusive.

Using this medicine with any of the following medicines is not recommended. Your doctor may decide not to treat you with this medication or change some of the other medicines you take.

  • Levoketoconazole
  • Mifepristone
  • Nalmefene
  • Naltrexone
  • Safinamide
  • Samidorphan

Using this medicine with any of the following medicines is usually not recommended, but may be required in some cases. If both medicines are prescribed together, your doctor may change the dose or how often you use one or both of the medicines.

  • Abametapir
  • Acepromazine
  • Adagrasib
  • Alefacept
  • Alfentanil
  • Almotriptan
  • Alprazolam
  • Amifampridine
  • Amineptine
  • Amiodarone
  • Amitriptyline
  • Amitriptylinoxide
  • Amobarbital
  • Amoxapine
  • Amphetamine
  • Amprenavir
  • Anileridine
  • Aprepitant
  • Aripiprazole
  • Armodafinil
  • Asciminib
  • Asenapine
  • Atazanavir
  • Avacopan
  • Baclofen
  • Benperidol
  • Benzhydrocodone
  • Benzphetamine
  • Berotralstat
  • Boceprevir
  • Bosentan
  • Bromazepam
  • Bromopride
  • Brompheniramine
  • Buprenorphine
  • Bupropion
  • Buspirone
  • Butabarbital
  • Butorphanol
  • Calcium Oxybate
  • Cannabidiol
  • Cannabis
  • Carbamazepine
  • Carbinoxamine
  • Cariprazine
  • Carisoprodol
  • Carphenazine
  • Ceritinib
  • Cetirizine
  • Chloral Hydrate
  • Chlordiazepoxide
  • Chlorpheniramine
  • Chlorpromazine
  • Chlorzoxazone
  • Ciprofloxacin
  • Citalopram
  • Clarithromycin
  • Clobazam
  • Clomipramine
  • Clonazepam
  • Clopidogrel
  • Clorazepate
  • Clozapine
  • Cobicistat
  • Cocaine
  • Codeine
  • Conivaptan
  • Crizotinib
  • Cyclobenzaprine
  • Cyclosporine
  • Dabrafenib
  • Daridorexant
  • Darunavir
  • Delavirdine
  • Desipramine
  • Desmopressin
  • Desvenlafaxine
  • Dexamethasone
  • Dexmedetomidine
  • Dextroamphetamine
  • Dextromethorphan
  • Dezocine
  • Diazepam
  • Dibenzepin
  • Dichloralphenazone
  • Difenoxin
  • Dihydrocodeine
  • Diltiazem
  • Diphenhydramine
  • Diphenoxylate
  • Dolasetron
  • Donepezil
  • Doxepin
  • Dronedarone
  • Droperidol
  • Duloxetine
  • Efavirenz
  • Eletriptan
  • Enasidenib
  • Enflurane
  • Enzalutamide
  • Erythromycin
  • Escitalopram
  • Esketamine
  • Eslicarbazepine Acetate
  • Estazolam
  • Eszopiclone
  • Ethchlorvynol
  • Ethopropazine
  • Ethylmorphine
  • Etravirine
  • Fedratinib
  • Fenfluramine
  • Fexinidazole
  • Flibanserin
  • Fluconazole
  • Fluoxetine
  • Fluphenazine
  • Flurazepam
  • Fluspirilene
  • Fluvoxamine
  • Fosamprenavir
  • Fosaprepitant
  • Fosnetupitant
  • Fosphenytoin
  • Fospropofol
  • Frovatriptan
  • Furazolidone
  • Gabapentin
  • Gabapentin Enacarbil
  • Gepirone
  • Granisetron
  • Halazepam
  • Haloperidol
  • Halothane
  • Hexobarbital
  • Hydrocodone
  • Hydromorphone
  • Hydroxyamphetamine
  • Hydroxytryptophan
  • Hydroxyzine
  • Idelalisib
  • Imatinib
  • Imipramine
  • Indinavir
  • Iproniazid
  • Isocarboxazid
  • Isoflurane
  • Itraconazole
  • Ivacaftor
  • Ketamine
  • Ketobemidone
  • Ketoconazole
  • Lacosamide
  • Lanreotide
  • Lasmiditan
  • Lefamulin
  • Lemborexant
  • Lenacapavir
  • Levocetirizine
  • Levomilnacipran
  • Levorphanol
  • Linezolid
  • Lisdexamfetamine
  • Lithium
  • Lofepramine
  • Lofexidine
  • Lomitapide
  • Lopinavir
  • Lorazepam
  • Lorcaserin
  • Lorlatinib
  • Loxapine
  • Lumacaftor
  • Magnesium Oxybate
  • Mavacamten
  • Meclizine
  • Melitracen
  • Melperone
  • Meperidine
  • Mephobarbital
  • Meprobamate
  • Meptazinol
  • Mesoridazine
  • Metaxalone
  • Methadone
  • Methamphetamine
  • Methdilazine
  • Methocarbamol
  • Methohexital
  • Methotrimeprazine
  • Methylene Blue
  • Metoclopramide
  • Mibefradil
  • Midazolam
  • Milnacipran
  • Mirtazapine
  • Mitotane
  • Mobocertinib
  • Moclobemide
  • Modafinil
  • Molindone
  • Moricizine
  • Morphine
  • Morphine Sulfate Liposome
  • Nafcillin
  • Nalbuphine
  • Naratriptan
  • Nefazodone
  • Nelfinavir
  • Netupitant
  • Nevirapine
  • Nialamide
  • Nicardipine
  • Nicomorphine
  • Nifedipine
  • Nilotinib
  • Nirmatrelvir
  • Nirogacestat
  • Nitrazepam
  • Nitrous Oxide
  • Nortriptyline
  • Octreotide
  • Olanzapine
  • Omaveloxolone
  • Ondansetron
  • Opipramol
  • Opium
  • Opium Alkaloids
  • Orphenadrine
  • Oxazepam
  • Oxcarbazepine
  • Oxycodone
  • Oxymorphone
  • Ozanimod
  • Palbociclib
  • Palonosetron
  • Papaveretum
  • Paregoric
  • Paroxetine
  • Pazopanib
  • Pentazocine
  • Pentobarbital
  • Perampanel
  • Perazine
  • Periciazine
  • Perphenazine
  • Phenelzine
  • Phenobarbital
  • Phenytoin
  • Pimozide
  • Piperacetazine
  • Pipotiazine
  • Piritramide
  • Pirtobrutinib
  • Posaconazole
  • Potassium Oxybate
  • Prazepam
  • Prednisone
  • Pregabalin
  • Primidone
  • Procarbazine
  • Prochlorperazine
  • Promazine
  • Promethazine
  • Propofol
  • Protriptyline
  • Quazepam
  • Quetiapine
  • Ramelteon
  • Ranitidine
  • Ranolazine
  • Rasagiline
  • Remifentanil
  • Remimazolam
  • Remoxipride
  • Repotrectinib
  • Ribociclib
  • Rifabutin
  • Rifampin
  • Rifapentine
  • Ritlecitinib
  • Ritonavir
  • Rizatriptan
  • Ropeginterferon Alfa-2b-njft
  • Saquinavir
  • Scopolamine
  • Secobarbital
  • Selegiline
  • Selpercatinib
  • Sertindole
  • Sertraline
  • Sibutramine
  • Sodium Oxybate
  • Sotorasib
  • St John's Wort
  • Sufentanil
  • Sulpiride
  • Sumatriptan
  • Suvorexant
  • Tacrolimus
  • Tapentadol
  • Taurursodiol
  • Telaprevir
  • Telithromycin
  • Temazepam
  • Thiethylperazine
  • Thiopental
  • Thiopropazate
  • Thioridazine
  • Tianeptine
  • Tilidine
  • Tizanidine
  • Tocilizumab
  • Tolonium Chloride
  • Topiramate
  • Tramadol
  • Tranylcypromine
  • Trazodone
  • Triazolam
  • Trifluoperazine
  • Trifluperidol
  • Triflupromazine
  • Trimeprazine
  • Trimipramine
  • Trofinetide
  • Tryptophan
  • Tucatinib
  • Venlafaxine
  • Verapamil
  • Vilazodone
  • Vonoprazan
  • Voriconazole
  • Vortioxetine
  • Zaleplon
  • Ziprasidone
  • Zolmitriptan
  • Zolpidem
  • Zopiclone
  • Zotepine
  • Zuranolone

Other Interactions

Certain medicines should not be used at or around the time of eating food or eating certain types of food since interactions may occur. Using alcohol or tobacco with certain medicines may also cause interactions to occur. The following interactions have been selected on the basis of their potential significance and are not necessarily all-inclusive.

Using this medicine with any of the following is usually not recommended, but may be unavoidable in some cases. If used together, your doctor may change the dose or how often you use this medicine, or give you special instructions about the use of food, alcohol, or tobacco.

  • Ethanol
  • Grapefruit Juice

Other Medical Problems

The presence of other medical problems may affect the use of this medicine. Make sure you tell your doctor if you have any other medical problems, especially:

  • Addison disease (adrenal gland problem) or
  • Alcohol abuse, or history of or
  • Brain tumor, history of or
  • Breathing problems (eg, asthma, sleep apnea) or
  • Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) or
  • Cor pulmonale (serious heart condition) or
  • Depression, history of or
  • Drug dependence, especially narcotic abuse, history of or
  • Head injury, history of or
  • Increased pressure in the head or
  • Mental health problems, history of—Use with caution. May cause side effects to become worse.
  • Bradyarrhythmia (slow heart rhythm) or
  • Hypotension (low blood pressure) or
  • Pancreatitis (inflammation of the pancreas) or
  • Seizures, history of—Use with caution. May make these conditions worse.
  • Diabetes—Use the Actiq® brand with caution. There are 2 grams of sugar in each unit.
  • Kidney disease or
  • Liver disease—Use with caution. The effects may be increased because of slower removal of the medicine from the body.
  • Asthma, acute or severe or
  • Short-term pain (eg, pain after surgery, headache, migraine, dental pain) or
  • Respiratory depression (serious breathing problem) or
  • Stomach or bowel blockage (including paralytic ileus), known or suspected—Should not be used in patients with these conditions.