Fentanyl how long

However, if you're using fentanyl to relieve pain rather than using it as a recreational drug it's very unlikely you will get addicted to it because you're not using it to get a "high". You're more likely to get addicted if you use fentanyl when you're not in pain. It is also more likely if you've been addicted to alcohol or drugs in the past, or you have severe depression or anxiety.

This does not mean you cannot use fentanyl. However, your doctor will need to know about your past and current drug and alcohol use to be able to prescribe fentanyl safely. They will help you watch out for any warning signs of addiction. If you're addicted to fentanyl you may find it difficult to stop using it or feel you want to use it more often than you need to. Talk to your doctor about getting help with addiction if you're worried or you want to stop taking fentanyl.

If you need to take fentanyl for a long time your body can become tolerant to it. This is not usually a problem. However, you could get withdrawal symptoms if you stop taking it suddenly. If you want to stop taking fentanyl, talk to your doctor first. Your dose can be reduced gradually so you do not get withdrawal symptoms. If you have been taking fentanyl for more than a few weeks, do not stop taking it without speaking to your doctor first.

Fold your used patches in half so that the sticky sides stick to each other and then put it back in the packet it came in. Return any used or unused patches to your pharmacist who will destroy them safely. Fentanyl acts on different pain signals in the brain to some other opioids. The pain relief and side effects will be different for everyone. Your doctor may prescribe fentanyl if you have had side effects from other opioids. The way you take fentanyl is different to some other painkillers.

Fentanyl is not absorbed very well by swallowing tablets. Instead your body absorbs it through your skin, your nostrils, or your tongue or the inside of your cheek. Some people find skin patches more convenient as it means they do not need to take tablets or capsules regularly.

It's best not to drink alcohol when you first start taking or using fentanyl until you see how it affects you. Drinking alcohol while taking fentanyl will make you more sleepy and increases the risk of serious side effects. Grapefruit juice can increase the amount of fentanyl in your body so it's a good idea not to drink more than a large glass of it.

Fentanyl does not affect any type of contraception including the combined pill or emergency contraception. But if fentanyl makes you sick vomit your contraceptive pills may not protect you from pregnancy. If this happens, follow the instructions in the leaflet that comes with your contraceptive pills. Find out what to do if you're on the pill and you're sick or have diarrhoea. There's no clear evidence to suggest that fentanyl reduces fertility in women or men.

Speak to a pharmacist or your doctor if you're trying for a baby. They may want to review your treatment. Do not drive a car or ride a bike if fentanyl makes you sleepy, gives you blurred vision or makes you feel dizzy, clumsy or unable to concentrate or make decisions. This may be more likely when you first start on fentanyl but could happen at any time — for example when starting another medicine. It's an offence to drive a car if your ability to drive safely is affected.

It's your responsibility to decide if it's safe to drive. If you're in any doubt, do not drive. Even if your ability to drive is not affected, the police have the right to request a saliva sample to check how much fentanyl is in your body. UK has more information on the law on drugs and driving.

Talk to your doctor or pharmacist if you're unsure whether it's safe for you to drive while taking fentanyl. If you take recreational drugs, such as cannabis, cocaine and heroin, while you're taking fentanyl, you're more likely to get the serious side effects.

These include breathing difficulties, heart problems such as high blood pressure , seizure or fits and even going into a coma. Some recreational drugs, such as cannabis, will also increase the risk of side effects from fentanyl — it may make you feel really sleepy or dizzy. Taking heroin while you're on fentanyl is especially dangerous. You're more likely to get all the side effects of fentanyl. Tell your doctor if you think you may take recreational drugs while you're on fentanyl.

Page last reviewed: 15 April Next review due: 15 April Fentanyl - Brand names: Durogesic, Matrifen, Fencino, Fentalis, Suplimaze, Actiq On this page About fentanyl Key facts Who can and cannot take fentanyl How and when to take it Taking fentanyl with other painkillers Side effects How to cope with side effects Pregnancy and breastfeeding Cautions with other medicines Common questions. About fentanyl Fentanyl is a strong opioid painkiller.

Fentanyl is available only on prescription. It comes as: patches to be put on your skin lozenges and tablets that dissolve in the mouth nasal spray injections usually only given in hospital Fentanyl patches are used for long-lasting pain.

Help us improve our website Can you answer a quick question about your visit today? The most common side effects of fentanyl are constipation, and feeling sick and sleepy.

It is possible to become addicted to fentanyl, but your doctor will explain how to reduce the risks of becoming addicted. If you need to take fentanyl for more than a few weeks, your treatment plan may include details of how and when to stop taking this medicine. It's best not to drink alcohol when you first start taking or using fentanyl. You're more likely to get side effects such as feeling sleepy or drowsy.

Tell a doctor or nurse about your fentanyl patch if you're having any treatment or tests. Also, remind your pharmacist about your patch when you collect prescriptions or buy other medicines. Fentanyl can be used by most adults. Tell your doctor before starting this medicine if you: have ever had an allergic reaction to fentanyl or any other medicines have breathing difficulties such as asthma or a lung condition are addicted to alcohol or a heavy drinker have a head injury or condition that causes fits or seizures have irregular heartbeats arrhythmia have adrenal gland problems have kidney or liver problems have an enlarged prostate have low blood pressure are trying to get pregnant, are pregnant or breastfeeding.

How often to take or use fentanyl How often you take or use fentanyl depends on the type that you've been prescribed: patches — apply a new patch every 3 days remove the old one first tablets, lozenges and nasal spray — usually only when you need them Some patches keep working after they've been removed as they "store" fentanyl under the skin.

Important: Overdose warning Do not apply more than 1 patch at a time, unless your doctor tells you to. Using more patches than recommended could lead to a fatal overdose. Strength of fentanyl The different types of fentanyl come in a range of strengths: patches — these release 12 micrograms to micrograms of fentanyl every hour nasal spray — 50 micrograms to micrograms tablets — micrograms to micrograms lozenges — micrograms to 1, micrograms Will my dose go up or down?

How to apply a fentanyl patch Read the instructions that come with your patch carefully. Remove the patch from the packet — do not use scissors to open it as you may cut the patch.

Do not cut patches unless your doctor has told you to. Keep the empty packet — you will need to put your used patch in this to keep it safe. You will then need to return it to your pharmacist who will destroy it in the right way. Peel off the plastic from the back of the patch.

Do not touch the sticky side of the patch. Apply the patch to clean, dry, flat, undamaged skin. Choose somewhere you can reach easily such as the top of your chest or top of your arm. Try to avoid very hairy areas, or clip the hairs first before applying the patch. If you find shaving easier, shave the area a few days before you apply the patch to make sure shaving does not irritate your skin.

If your doctor tells you to use more than 1 patch, follow the instructions that come with the patches. Do not let the patches overlap on your skin. Do not cover the patch or patches with anything, including a dressing or tape. Talk to your doctor or pharmacist if you find your patch does not stick very well. Wash your hands after touching a patch. What to do if your patch falls off Check your patch every day to make sure it stays stuck to you, especially around the edges.

Future Med Chem. Department of Justice. Carfentanil: A dangerous new factor in the U. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Updated March 19, Updated April 20, An analysis of the duration of fentanyl and its metabolites in urine and saliva. Anesth Analg. Testing hair for fentanyl exposure: a method to inform harm reduction behavior among individuals who use heroin.

Am J Drug Alcohol Abuse. Jeal W, Benfield P. Transdermal fentanyl: A review of its pharmacological properties and therapeutic efficacy in pain control. Your Privacy Rights.

To change or withdraw your consent choices for VerywellMind. At any time, you can update your settings through the "EU Privacy" link at the bottom of any page. These choices will be signaled globally to our partners and will not affect browsing data. We and our partners process data to: Actively scan device characteristics for identification. I Accept Show Purposes. Table of Contents View All. Table of Contents. Detection Time. Symptoms of Overdose.

Getting Help. Understanding Opioid Overdoses. Treatment for Opioid Addiction. Was this page helpful? Thanks for your feedback! Sign Up. What are your concerns? Verywell Mind uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read our editorial process to learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy. It generally takes five half-lives to remove a drug from the body.

There are three classifications of opioid half-life: long-acting, short-acting, and rapid-onset. Medical staff take these durations into account when prescribing opioids.

If the pain is chronic, a long-acting opioid may be the most effective at minimizing pain for large periods of time. Conversely, if the patient has breakthrough pain acute pain overcoming current medication , then a dual prescription of long-acting and short-acting opioids may help them manage the pain response more effectively.

The length of time Opioids stay in the body depends on a variety of factors. The amount of drugs taken at once, level of habitual use, weight of the person tested, and speed of metabolism can all affect the window of time when testing for Opioids. The following averages are based on the amount of time a urine test could detect their presence. Drug testing is most commonly a precaution employers take in order to ensure a prospective employee will be productive and reliable. Contrary to popular stereotypes, not all tests sample urine or look for the same drugs.

Some testing methods can detect drug use from long before the test date. Stereotypes have some basis in fact, and it is true that this test is by far the most common. As the body metabolizes different substances, the byproducts are often passed through the kidneys and into urine for disposal. These byproducts are specific to each drug and this test can identify those byproducts that end up in urine. Saliva testing is often chosen due to its less invasive nature, but its window for accurately detecting drug use is much smaller than urine testing.

Unless drugs are consumed within several hours of testing, the test may not identify their presence accurately. Make a Call Like the urine test, this one relies on detecting the metabolic byproducts produced by your body after consuming drugs.

This test can detect some drugs, like Marijuana , months after use. As your body metabolizes the drug, the metabolites byproduct molecule can flow through blood in the scalp and deposit on growing hairs. As such, hair can function as a months long log of what substances a person digests. This testing is less common, seeing as most workplace drug tests are meant to look for recent or ongoing drug use. It is the only of these tests that can guarantee a result during the test, others usually rely on specialized test facilities to verify results.

The cost and rigor of performing this test often dissuade employers from using it. This is one of the newer and less common ways to test for drugs.

Testing sweat takes much longer, up to two weeks, and is more commonly used to monitor someone on probation rather than testing someone for employment. If you or a loved one is struggling with addiction, contact a treatment provider for rehab-related help. Michael Muldoon earned a B. He enjoys spending his free time at the climbing gym with friends. All of the information on this page has been reviewed and verified by a certified addiction professional. Theresa is also a Certified Professional Life Coach and volunteers at a local mental health facility helping individuals who struggle with homelessness and addiction.