How can you avoid Fentanyl?

Answer 1

Fentanyl isn't really something you have to try to avoid. First off, avoid having a serious chronic pain issue like cancer, then avoid having a doctor write a prescription for duragesic. If somehow obtain a prescription, your next step would be to avoid filling it at your pharmacy. If you somehow have managed to fail at this point, your last option would be to NOT place the patch on your skin.

Answer 2

Fentanyl in any form is a DEA Schedule II Opiate, and as such, has major restrictions on its use. Legally, it must be prescribed by doctor, and usually it's only prescribed for patients who have been regularly using other opiates (e.g., Percocet, Vicodin, OxyContin, etc) and are opiate tolerant.

This is due to the high level of Fentanyl's effects - it is 100x stronger than morphine, and anyone not opiate tolerant who uses it can easily die of respiratory depression.

Don't ask your doctor outright for it, or you could be labeled a drug seeker. However, if your using acute pain meds on a level that borders on the ridiculous (e.g., several Percocet daily) then it's okay to make the suggestion, but it shouldn't be considered lightly. There are many factors that go along with being a Schedule 2 opiate / Fentanly patient, not the least of which is you need a new, written prescription each month to obtain refills. They can't be called in, and they can only give you a month's worth at a time.

The side effects, while not terribly uncomfortable if you know how to recognize and deal with them, can still be dangerous if you're careless. One of the biggest problems Fentanyl patch patients always need to be aware of is overheating, either core body temperature, or exposing the patch itself to sunlight/heat for any extended period. Since the dosage is delivered transdermally through the skin and regulated by body heat, any increase can speed up the delivery rate, causing an overdose if you're not careful.