Fentanyl: Uses, Dosage, Side Effects & Warnings

When someone uses fentanyl for longer than they’re supposed to, or they abuse it, it can quickly lead to tolerance. Tolerance is one of the primary ways fentanyl affects the body. A​ recent study examined the impact of fentanyl on the brain in part using electroencephalogram (EEG) monitoring, which records the activities of the brain. You can find out about the side effects of recreational drugs on the Frank website. Tell your doctor if you think you may take recreational drugs while you’re on fentanyl.

Fentanyl misuse is not only dangerous, but deadly

In this article, we will discuss the medical uses of fentanyl and its side effects. We will also cover misuse of fentanyl, addiction, and the risk of overdose. According to the Centers for Disease Control, it’s up to 100 times more potent than morphine. What fentanyl does to your body and how fentanyl affects the body are directly related to the fact that it’s an opioid.

Fentanyl Skin Patch

With tolerance, your body and brain become so used to the presence of fentanyl that you need higher doses to achieve the same effect or high. Then, if you don’t use fentanyl or stop suddenly, you can experience withdrawal symptoms. What fentanyl does to how long does fentanyl stay in your system your body is based on the fact that it activates the brain’s opioid receptors. Fentanyl decreases how pain messages are transmitted throughout the body in the spinal cord, and it also changes how messages from the central nervous system are relayed.

Understanding the myth of fentanyl overdoses

Producers of illicit fentanyl add it to or substitute it for other street drugs to increase profits and the potential for addiction — which keeps their customers coming back for more. If your skin gets too hot, more medication will come out of the patch and can cause a deadly overdose. Do not use hot tubs, saunas, hairdryers, heating pads, electric https://ecosoberhouse.com/ blankets, heated waterbeds, or tanning lamps. Do not do exercise that increases your body temperature. While there are some medical uses for the drug, abusing fentanyl is dangerous and often deadly. When it’s prescribed and given in a medical setting, it’s done so very carefully and under strict supervision, based on rigid dosing guidelines.

Fentanyl can also create a sense of extreme relaxation or drowsiness. In fact, it’s one of the strongest available, and it’s classified as a Schedule II drug in the U.S. This means that there is a potential for abuse with fentanyl, and when a doctor is going to prescribe it, it has to be done so carefully, with prior patient screening. Researchers in this study examined the use of fentanyl in 25 patients who were undergoing surgery.

What happens if I miss a dose?

• According to the National Vital Statistics System (NVSS) there were 106,699 drug overdose deaths in the United States in 2021 (Spencer et al., 2022).
• Do not drive, use machinery, or do anything that needs mental alertness until you know how this medication affects you.
• Two new studies show fentanyl smuggling has increased dramatically despite efforts to target the cartels and tighten border security.

It has another dangerous effect beyond those of typical opioids

Fentanyl: A Potent, Synthetic Drug