What should I know about fentanyl before taking it?

Fentanyl is a narcotic analgesic drug, which means it can be habit-forming. It should only be used to treat moderate to severe pain. It should never be used to treat temporary or mild pain or pain that can be controlled using any other substance. You should only use fentanyl if you have already been using and tolerating other narcotic pain medications for at least one week. This drug comes as skin patches, tablets, lozenges, ingestible film and injection. This medicine should always be stored in a locked storage cabinet. It can cause serious harm or even be fatal if ingested by children or pets. For the patch form of this drug, if anyone other than the person for whom it is prescribed happens to touch the sticky side of the patch or gets it attached to their skin, they should immediately remove the patch, wash the affected area with water and seek immediate medical attention. You should not drink alcohol while using this medication, as it may cause serious side effects. This drug can make you drowsy, dizzy, lightheaded or faint. You should get up and down carefully and slowly while using this drug.