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Fentanyl Buccal Tablets Dosage
Before prescribing a dosage of fentanyl buccal tablets, your healthcare provider will consider how you respond to the drug and other medical conditions you have, among other things. This prescription medication comes in the form of a small tablet that is dissolved in the mouth. It is typically taken as needed for pain.
from eMedTV.comAn Introduction to Your Dosage of Fentanyl Buccal Tablets
The dose of fentanyl buccal tablets (Fentora®) your healthcare provider recommends will vary depending on a number of factors, including:- The type and severity of your pain
- How you respond to the medication
- Other medications you are taking, including other pain medications
- Other medical conditions you may have.
As is always the case, do not adjust your dosage unless your healthcare provider specifically tells you to do so.
Initial Dose of Fentanyl Buccal Tablets
The initial fentanyl buccal tablet dose for breakthrough pain in people who are not taking Actiq® (fentanyl lozenge) is 100 mcg. In people who are switching from Actiq, the initial fentanyl buccal tablet dosage will be based on the current Actiq dosage, normally ranging from 100 mcg to 400 mcg.If your pain is not relieved after 30 minutes, you may take one more dose. However, do not take more than two doses for each breakthrough pain episode. After a maximum of two doses, you must wait at least four hours before using this medicine again.
Dose Adjustments
You should record your initial use of fentanyl buccal tablets over several episodes of breakthrough pain. Your healthcare provider will use this information to determine if a dosage change is needed.If necessary, your healthcare provider will increase your dosage, normally by 100 or 200 mcg, until most of your breakthrough pain episodes are relieved with just one tablet. If one tablet causes severe side effects, your healthcare provider may need to decrease your dose.
Ideally, you should have only one strength of this drug available to you at a time. This helps reduce the chance of mixing up tablets of different strengths and taking too much of the medication. Therefore, there may be times during dosing adjustments that you need to use more than one tablet for your dose.
If you need to use two tablets at a time, place one tablet on each side of the mouth. If you need to use four tablets at a time, place two tablets on each side of the mouth. Do not use more than four fentanyl buccal tablets at the same time.
Written by/reviewed by: Susan Lakey, PharmD, MPH
Last reviewed by: Kristi Monson, PharmD