How FENTORA works
About half of the fentanyl in FENTORA is absorbed through the lining of your mouth and into your bloodstream. The other portion gets swallowed and absorbed more slowly through your stomach and intestines, like the medicine in a pill.
As soon as the fentanyl enters the bloodstream, it is carried throughout your body. It travels to your central nervous system — the brain and spinal cord — where it works to relieve your pain.
Use FENTORA exactly as prescribed by your doctor
Wait at least 30 minutes before taking an additional dose of FENTORA for an unrelieved flare
Wait at least 4 hours before treating another flare
When can I expect FENTORA to work?
Some patients may start to feel relief as early as 15 minutes.
If a flare or episode of breakthrough pain is not relieved within 30 minutes, your doctor may instruct you to take only one additional dose. Click here to learn more or see the special instructions for taking an additional dose in the Medication Guide.
IMPORTANT:
- Do not use FENTORA unless you are regularly using other opioid pain medicines around-the-clock
for your constant cancer pain and your body is used to these medicines.
- Keep FENTORA in a safe place away from children. Accidental use by a child is a
medical emergency and can result in death. If a child accidentally takes FENTORA,
get emergency help right away.
Read the Medication Guide that comes with FENTORA
before you start taking it and each time you get a new prescription. There may be
new information. This Medication Guide does not take the place of
talking to your doctor about your medical condition or your treatment. Share this
important information with members of your household.
The most important information you should know about FENTORA is:
- FENTORA can cause life-threatening breathing problems which can lead to
death:
- If you are not regularly using other opioid pain medicines around-the-clock for
your constant cancer pain and your body is not used to these medicines. This means
that you are not opioid tolerant
- If you do not use it exactly as prescribed by your doctor
- Your doctor will prescribe a starting dose of FENTORA that is different
than other fentanyl containing medicines you may have been taking. Do not substitute
FENTORA for other fentanyl medicines, including Actiq®, without talking
with your doctor.