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In this Article

• What is fentanyl buccal (Fentora)?
• What are the possible side effects of fentanyl buccal (Fentora)?
• What is the most important information I should know about fentanyl buccal (Fentora)?
• What should I discuss with my healthcare provider before using fentanyl buccal (Fentora)?
• How should I use fentanyl buccal (Fentora)?
• What happens if I miss a dose (Fentora)?
• What happens if I overdose (Fentora)?
• What should I avoid while using fentanyl buccal (Fentora)?
• What other drugs will affect fentanyl buccal (Fentora)?
• Where can I get more information?

What should I discuss with my healthcare provider before using fentanyl buccal (Fentora)?

Do not use fentanyl unless you are already being treated with a similar opioid pain medicine and your body is tolerant to it. Opioid medicines include morphine (Kadian, MS Contin, Oramorph, and others), oxycodone (Oxycontin), and hydromorphone (Dilaudid). Talk with your doctor if you are not sure you are opioid-tolerant.

Do not use fentanyl if you have used an MAO inhibitor such as isocarboxazid (Marplan), phenelzine (Nardil), rasagiline (Azilect), selegiline (Eldepryl, Emsam), or tranylcypromine (Parnate) within the past 14 days. Serious, life-threatening side effects can occur if you take fentanyl before the MAO inhibitor has cleared from your body.

If you have any of these other conditions, you may need a dose adjustment or special tests to safely use fentanyl buccal:

• a breathing disorder such as chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD);
• a history of head injury or brain tumor;
• a heart rhythm disorder;
• seizures or epilepsy;
• mental illness such as depression, hallucinations;
• low blood pressure;
• liver disease;
• kidney disease; or
• a history of drug or alcohol addiction.

FDA pregnancy category C. It is not known whether fentanyl buccal is harmful to an unborn baby. Before taking this medication, tell your doctor if you are pregnant or plan to become pregnant during treatment.

Fentanyl may also cause addiction and withdrawal symptoms in a nursing infant. Do not use fentanyl buccal without telling your doctor if you are breast-feeding a baby.

Fentanyl buccal may be habit-forming and should be used only by the person it was prescribed for. This medication should never be given to another person, especially someone who has a history of drug abuse or addiction. Keep the medication in a secure place where others cannot get to it.

How should I use fentanyl buccal (Fentora)?

Use this medication exactly as it was prescribed for you. Do not use the medication in larger amounts or use it for longer than recommended by your doctor. Using too much fentanyl can be very harmful or fatal. Follow the directions on your prescription label.

Your doctor may occasionally change your dose to make sure you get the best results from this medication.

If you switch from using Actiq (fentanyl oral transmucosal devices) to using Fentora (fentanyl buccal tablets), you will not use the same fentanyl dose. Fentora is given at lower doses than Actiq. If you use the same dose of each medication, you may have life-threatening overdose symptoms.

To use fentanyl buccal tablets (Fentora):

• Keep the tablet in its blister pack until you are ready to take the medicine. Separate a single blister from the rest of the pack by tearing along the dotted lines. Bend the blister unit on the fold line and peel the foil backing off. Do not push a tablet through the foil or you may damage the tablet.
• Tip the blister unit and drop the tablet into the palm of your hand. Using dry fingers, place the tablet between your upper gum and your cheek, near your back teeth. The tablet will begin to dissolve right away. You may feel a slight bubbling while the tablet dissolves.
• Do not break, chew, or swallow the tablet whole. Allow it to dissolve in your mouth without chewing. This should take about 14 to 25 minutes.
• If any pieces of the tablet remain in your mouth after 30 minutes, drink a glass of water to wash them down.

You may use a second tablet 30 minutes after the first. Use only the same strength and amount you used for the first dose. Call your doctor if you have breakthrough pain more than 4 times in one day while using this medicine.

If you feel dizzy, nauseated, or very sleepy while the tablet is still in your mouth, spit the medicine out into a sink or toilet and rinse your mouth with water to remove all remaining pieces of the tablet. Call your doctor for instructions.

Call your doctor if your pain does not improve, or if it gets worse after using this medication.

You may have withdrawal symptoms when you stop using fentanyl after using it over a long period of time. Do not stop using this medication suddenly without first talking to your doctor. You may need to use less and less before you stop the medication completely.

Store this medication at room temperature, away from heat and moisture. Do not allow the tablets to freeze.

Keep this medicine out of the reach of children or pets. The amount of fentanyl in each fentanyl buccal tablet can be fatal to a child or pet who accidentally sucks on or swallows it. Seek emergency medical attention if this happens.

Keep track of how many tablets have been used from each new package of this medicine. Fentanyl is a drug of abuse and you should be aware if any person in the household is using this medicine improperly or without a prescription.

If you end up not using a tablet that has been removed from the blister pack, flush the tablet down a toilet. Do not use a fentanyl buccal tablet that has been left out of the blister pack for more than a few minutes.

Throw away any other unused tablets by removing them from the blister pack and flushing them down a toilet.