fentanyl citrate (oral transmucosal)

Skip to the navigation

Pronunciation: FEN ta nil SIT rayt

Brand: Actiq

What is the most important information I should know about fentanyl citrate?

Fentanyl citrate (Actiq) can slow or stop your breathing, and may be habit-forming. Use only your prescribed dose. Never share this medicine with another person.

MISUSE OF ACTIQ CAN CAUSE DEATH, especially in a child who gets a hold of an Actiq unit and places it in the mouth. Keep this medicine out of the reach of children.

Fentanyl citrate may cause life-threatening withdrawal symptoms in a newborn if the mother has used this medicine during pregnancy.

Do not drink alcohol. Dangerous side effects or death could occur.

What is fentanyl citrate (Actiq)?

Fentanyl citrate is an opioid pain medication. An opioid is sometimes called a narcotic.

Fentanyl citrate treats "breakthrough" cancer pain that is not controlled by other medicines. This medicine is not for treating pain that is not cancer-related, such as migraine headaches or pain after surgery.

Fentanyl citrate may also be used for purposes not listed in this medication guide.

What should I discuss with my health care provider before using fentanyl citrate?

You should not use this medicine if you are allergic to fentanyl, or if you are NOT already being treated with a similar opioid (narcotic) pain medicine and are tolerant to it. Do not give an Actiq unit to any person who does not have a personal prescription for this medicine.

Some medicines can interact with fentanyl citrate and cause a serious condition called serotonin syndrome. Be sure your doctor knows if you also take medicine for depression, mental illness, Parkinson's disease, migraine headaches, serious infections, or prevention of nausea and vomiting. Ask your doctor before making any changes in how or when you take your medications.

To make sure fentanyl citrate is safe for you, tell your doctor if you have:

  • any type of breathing problem or lung disease;
  • a history of head injury, brain tumor, or mental illness;
  • a history of alcoholism or drug addiction;
  • a seizure disorder;
  • liver or kidney disease;
  • low blood pressure, heart disease, slow heartbeats; or
  • if you use a sedative like Valium (diazepam, alprazolam, lorazepam, Ativan, Klonopin, Restoril, Tranxene, Versed, Xanax, and others).

Fentanyl citrate is not approved for use by anyone younger than 16 years old.

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 sleepiness or breathing problems in a nursing baby. Fentanyl may also cause withdrawal symptoms in a nursing infant. Do not breast-feed while using fentanyl citrate.

How should I use fentanyl citrate?

Follow all directions on your prescription label. Never use this medicine in larger amounts, or for longer than prescribed. Tell your doctor if the medicine seems to stop working as well in relieving your pain.

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. Selling or giving away this medicine is against the law.

Fentanyl can slow or stop your breathing. MISUSE OF ACTIQ CAN CAUSE DEATH, especially in a child who gets a hold of an Actiq unit and places it in the mouth. Read all patient instructions carefully before using fentanyl citrate.

The Actiq transmucosal unit is a fentanyl citrate lozenge attached to a plastic handle. Each unit is wrapped in a child-proof blister pack. Cut the blister pack open with scissors when you are ready to use the unit.

Place the medicine in your mouth between your cheek and gum, and hold the handle with your fingers. Twirl the handle to move the medicine around in your mouth while sucking on it.

Allow the medicine to dissolve in your mouth for 15 minutes. Swallow when needed. Do not bite or chew the lozenge. Do not eat or drink anything while the unit is in your mouth. If you need to use a second unit, wait at least 15 minutes after you have finished the first unit. Use only 1 Actiq unit at a time.

If you feel dizzy or sick to your stomach before the medicine has completely dissolved, stop using the unit and call your doctor.

Do not stop using any other pain medicines your doctor has prescribed for you.

If you switch from using Actiq to using other forms of fentanyl, you will not use the same dose. Many forms of fentanyl are given at lower doses than Actiq. If you use the same dose of each medication, you may have life-threatening overdose symptoms.

Pay special attention to your dental hygiene. Fentanyl citrate can cause dry mouth leading to tooth decay.

Do not stop using fentanyl citrate suddenly, or you could have unpleasant withdrawal symptoms. Ask your doctor how to safely stop using this medicine.

Store at room temperature away from moisture and heat. Leave each unit in its child-proof blister pack until you are ready to use it.

Keep track of how many Actiq units have been used from each new supply of this medicine. Fentanyl citrate is a drug of abuse and you should be aware if anyone is using your medicine improperly or without a prescription.

Keep both used and unused Actiq units out of the reach of children or pets. The amount of fentanyl citrate in the Actiq unit can be fatal to a child who accidentally sucks on or swallows the unit. Seek emergency medical attention if this happens.

Actiq comes with a kit and instructions for storing and disposing of the Actiq units.

After you have stopped using this medication, use wire-cutting pliers to cut the handles off any unused Actiq lozenges. Do not keep leftover lozenges. Ask your pharmacist where to locate a drug take-back disposal program. If there is no take-back program, follow the instructions provided with Actiq when disposing of unused medicine.

What happens if I miss a dose?

Since fentanyl citrate is used for pain, you are not likely to miss a dose. Skip any missed dose if it is almost time for your next scheduled dose. Do not use extra medicine to make up the 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 fentanyl citrate?

Do not drink alcohol. Dangerous side effects or death could occur.

Fentanyl citrate may impair your thinking or reactions. Avoid driving or operating machinery until you know how this medicine will affect you. Dizziness or severe drowsiness can cause falls or other accidents.

Grapefruit and grapefruit juice may interact with fentanyl citrate and lead to unwanted side effects. Discuss the use of grapefruit products with your doctor.

What are the possible side effects of fentanyl citrate?

Get emergency medical help if you have signs of an allergic reaction: hives; difficult breathing; swelling of your face, lips, tongue, or throat.

Like other narcotic medicines, fentanyl can slow your breathing. Death may occur if breathing becomes too weak.

Remove the Actiq unit from your mouth and call your doctor at once if you have:

  • weak or shallow breathing;
  • confusion, extreme drowsiness; or
  • a light-headed feeling, like you might pass out.

Seek medical attention right away if you have symptoms of serotonin syndrome, such as: agitation, hallucinations, fever, sweating, shivering, fast heart rate, muscle stiffness, twitching, loss of coordination, nausea, vomiting, or diarrhea.

Common side effects may include:

  • dizziness, mild drowsiness, depressed mood;
  • sleep problems (insomnia);
  • headache, weakness, anxiety;
  • nausea, vomiting, constipation; or
  • mild rash.

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.

What other drugs will affect fentanyl citrate?

Some drugs can raise or lower your blood levels of fentanyl, which may cause side effects or make fentanyl less effective. Tell your doctor if you also use certain antibiotics, antifungal medications, heart or blood pressure medications, or medicines to treat HIV or AIDS.

Fentanyl can interact with many other drugs and cause dangerous side effects or death. Be sure your doctor knows if you also use:

  • other narcotic medications --opioid pain medicine or prescription cough medicine;
  • drugs that make you sleepy or slow your breathing --a sleeping pill, muscle relaxer, sedative, tranquilizer, or antipsychotic medicine; or
  • drugs that affect serotonin levels in your body --medicine for depression, Parkinson's disease, migraine headaches, serious infections, or prevention of nausea and vomiting.

This list is not complete. Other drugs may interact with fentanyl citrate, including prescription and over-the-counter medicines, vitamins, and herbal products. Not all possible interactions are listed in this medication guide.

Where can I get more information?

Your pharmacist can provide more information about fentanyl citrate.

Remember, keep this and all other medicines out of the reach of children, never share your medicines with others, and use this medication only for the indication prescribed.

Every effort has been made to ensure that the information provided by Cerner Multum, Inc. ('Multum') is accurate, up-to-date, and complete, but no guarantee is made to that effect. Drug information contained herein may be time sensitive. Multum information has been compiled for use by healthcare practitioners and consumers in the United States and therefore Multum does not warrant that uses outside of the United States are appropriate, unless specifically indicated otherwise. Multum's drug information does not endorse drugs, diagnose patients or recommend therapy. Multum's drug information is an informational resource designed to assist licensed healthcare practitioners in caring for their patients and/or to serve consumers viewing this service as a supplement to, and not a substitute for, the expertise, skill, knowledge and judgment of healthcare practitioners. The absence of a warning for a given drug or drug combination in no way should be construed to indicate that the drug or drug combination is safe, effective or appropriate for any given patient. Multum does not assume any responsibility for any aspect of healthcare administered with the aid of information Multum provides. The information contained herein is not intended to cover all possible uses, directions, precautions, warnings, drug interactions, allergic reactions, or adverse effects. If you have questions about the drugs you are taking, check with your doctor, nurse or pharmacist.

Copyright 1996-2017 Cerner Multum, Inc. Version: 5.04. Revision date: 9/30/2016.

Your use of the content provided in this service indicates that you have read, understood and agree to the End-User License Agreement, which can be accessed by clicking on this link.