fentanyl OD?

[allyourbase]

fentanyl is supposedly for those who already have a high tolerance. I have a high tolerance but not from frequent use of opiates. I use maybe 250 mg of morphine orally, or 50 mg of hydrocodone, maybe 16 of hydromorphone to get off. I recently came across some duragesic. my doctor wanted to see how Id react to it, but after reading its info Im a little worried. its the 10 mg patch 100 mcg per hour. would I OD on that?????

[allyourbase]

BUMP - come on. will someone with no real opiate tolerance die from wearing a 100 mcg/h fentanyl patch???

[Sitbcknchill]

Allyourbase, Yes those patches, especially that high of a dose should not be taken without already having an opiate tolerance...you can't really tell someone wether they will or will not od on something as alot of factors are not considered...but with this stuff, if you don't have a tolerance which is around a week or two of daily use there is a HIGH RISK OF FATALITY....take it at your own risk dude.....rx list can explain better than me so heres a little info:



FOR USE IN OPIOID-TOLERANT PATIENTS ONLY

DURAGESIC® contains a high concentration of a potent Schedule II opioid agonist, fentanyl. Schedule II opioid substances which include fentanyl, hydromorphone, methadone, morphine, oxycodone, and oxymorphone have the highest potential for abuse and associated risk of fatal overdose due to respiratory depression. Fentanyl can be abused and is subject to criminal diversion. The high content of fentanyl in the patches (DURAGESIC®) may be a particular target for abuse and diversion.

DURAGESIC® is indicated for management of persistent, moderate to severe chronic pain that:

· requires continuous, around-the-clock opioid administration for an extended period of time, and

·cannot be managed by other means such as non-steroidal analgesics, opioid combination products, or immediate-release opioids

DURAGESIC® should ONLY be used in patients who are already receiving opioid therapy, who have demonstrated opioid tolerance, and who require a total daily dose at least equivalent to DURAGESIC® 25 mcg/h. Patients who are considered opioid-tolerant are those who have been taking, for a week or longer, at least 60 mg of morphine daily, or at least 30 mg of oral oxycodone daily, or at least 8 mg of oral hydromorphone daily or an equianalgesic dose of another opioid.

Because serious or life-threatening hypoventilation could occur, DURAGESIC® (fentanyl transdermal system) is contraindicated:

· in patients who are not opioid-tolerant

· in the management of acute pain or in patients who require opioid analgesia for a short period of time

· in the management of post-operative pain, including use after out-patient or day surgeries (e.g., tonsillectomies)

· in the management of mild pain

· in the management of intermittent pain [e.g., use on an as needed basis (prn)]

Since the peak fentanyl levels occur between 24 and 72 hours of treatment, prescribers should be aware that serious or life threatening hypoventilation may occur, even in opioidtolerant patients, during the initial application period.

The concomitant use of DURAGESIC® with potent cytochrome P450 3A4 inhibitors (ritonavir, ketoconazole, itraconazole, troleandomycin, clarithromycin, nelfinavir, and nefazodone) may result in an increase in fentanyl plasma concentrations, which could increase or prolong adverse drug effects and may cause potentially fatal respiratory depression. Patients receiving DURAGESIC® and potent CYP3A4 inhibitors should be carefully monitored for an extended period of time and dosage adjustments should be made if warranted. (See CLINICAL PHARMACOLOGY . Drug Interactions, WARNINGS, PRECAUTIONS and DOSAGE AND ADMINISTRATION for further information.)

The safety of DURAGESIC® has not been established in children under 2 years of age. DURAGESIC® should be administered to children only if they are opioid-tolerant and 2 years of age or older (see PRECAUTIONS - Pediatric Use).

DURAGESIC® is ONLY for use in patients who are already tolerant to opioid therapy of comparable potency. Use in non-opioid tolerant patients may lead to fatal respiratory depression. Overestimating the DURAGESIC® dose when converting patients from another opioid medication can result in fatal overdose with the first dose. Due to the mean elimination half-life of 17 hours of DURAGESIC®, patients who are thought to have had a serious adverse event, including overdose, will require monitoring and treatment for at least 24 hours.

DURAGESIC® can be abused in a manner similar to other opioid agonists, legal or illicit. This risk should be considered when administering, prescribing, or dispensing DURAGESIC® in situations where the healthcare professional is concerned about increased risk of misuse, abuse or diversion.

Persons at increased risk for opioid abuse include those with a personal or family history of substance abuse (including drug or alcohol abuse or addiction) or mental illness (e.g., major depression). Patients should be assessed for their clinical risks for opioid abuse or addiction prior to being prescribed opioids. All patients receiving opioids should be routinely monitored for signs of misuse, abuse and addiction. Patients at increased risk of opioid abuse may still be appropriately treated with modified-release opioid formulations; however, these patients will require intensive monitoring for signs of misuse, abuse, or addiction.

DURAGESIC® patches are intended for transdermal use (on intact skin) only. Using damaged or cut DURAGESIC® patches can lead to the rapid release of the contents of the DURAGESIC® patch and absorption of a potentially fatal dose of fentanyl.
DESCRIPTION

DURAGESIC® (fentanyl transdermal system) is a transdermal system providing continuous systemic delivery of fentanyl, a potent opioid analgesic, for 72 hours. The chemical name is N-Phenyl-N-(1-(2-phenylethyl)-4-piperidinyl) propanamide. The structural formula is:

The molecular weight of fentanyl base is 336.5, and the empirical formula is C22H28N2O. The n-octanol:water partition coefficient is 860:1. The pKa is 8.4.

System Components and Structure

The amount of fentanyl released from each system per hour is proportional to the surface area (25 mcg/h per 10 cm2). The composition per unit area of all system sizes is identical. Each system also contains 0.1 mL of alcohol USP per 10 cm2.

DURAGESIC® is a rectangular transparent unit comprising a protective liner and four functional layers. Proceeding from the outer surface toward the surface adhering to skin, these layers are:


The active component of the system is fentanyl. The remaining components are pharmacologically inactive. Less than 0.2 mL of alcohol is also released from the system during use.

Do not cut or damage DURAGESIC®. If the DURAGESIC® system is cut or damaged, controlled drug delivery will not be possible, which can lead to the rapid release and absorption of a potentially fatal dose of fentanyl.

[allyourbase]

thanks sit. yeah Im within the tolerance range fr the 100 mcg/h. Im wearing a sandoz 10 mg right now ^_^. these arent that ungodly strong, its been 16 hours since application, I feel like Im on maybe 2 watson norcos. seem to most agitate the nerve endings over the application area the most, Im itching elsewhere but thats like one big ball of itchy. Im certainly glad I didnt do anything stupid like cutting it open, licking or trying to smoke this crap. all and all it feels most like morphine but more centralized. when I take a couple 100 mg of morphine its like I can feel it in the tips of my hair. this stuff is soley in the head and back. as a narcotic I give it a 4/10.