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DENPAX is used to relieve chronic or long-lasting pain, which requires strong painkillers
(when other pain relief treatment has failed).
DENPAX is only used in people who have previously been using other opioid-based pain
relief.
DENPAX is not used to treat pain that you only have once in a while.
DENPAX patches contain a medicine called fentanyl. This strong pain reliever belongs
to a group of medicines known as opioid analgesics. Fentanyl relieves pain by blocking
the nerves that recognise pain messages from the body.
Each patch is applied onto the skin every three days (72 hours). The transdermal patch
releases a continuous amount of fentanyl that is absorbed through the skin in contact
with the patch.
Ask your doctor if you have any questions about why this medicine has been prescribed
for you.
Your doctor may have prescribed DENPAX for another reason.
Warning
Opioids can be abused and misused, and you are at risk of opioid addiction, even if
you take your dose as prescribed. Opioid addiction, abuse and misuse can lead to overdose
and death.
DENPAX maybe become habit-forming causing mental and physical dependence. If abused,
it may become less able to reduce pain.
DENPAX patches may be retrieved and abused or misused illegally. Please ensure that
used patches are concealed and disposed of carefully. Return unused patches to the
pharmacy (see Disposal at the end of this leaflet).
Keep used and unused transdermal patches where children cannot reach them.
A patch may be tempting to a child. Accidental exposure or ingestion of used or unused
DENPAX patches, particularly in children, may result in breathing difficulties, with
slow or shallow breathing, that could lead to death. Improper use including DENPAX
patches sticking to another person can be life-threatening. DENPAX can cause sleep
apnoea (stopping breathing from time to time while sleeping) which can lead to low
levels of oxygen in the blood. Tell your doctor if you have a history of sleep apnoea
or if anyone notices you stop breathing from time to time whilst sleeping.
Tolerance
As with all opioid analgesics, DENPAX may lead to tolerance with continued use. Tolerance
means that the effect of the medicine may decrease and more is needed to produce the
same effect. Therefore, it is possible your doctor will prescribe a higher dose of
DENPAX after some time to produce the same result.
Dependence and withdrawal
As with all other opioids, your body may become used to you taking DENPAX after several
days to weeks of continued use resulting in physical dependence. Physical dependence
means that you may experience withdrawal symptoms if you stop taking DENPAX suddenly.
Some examples of withdrawal symptoms include feeling uneasy and unwell, restless,
agitated, anxious, increased pain, sweating, chills, weakness, stomach cramps, problems
sleeping, nausea, vomiting, diarrhoea, increased blood pressure,
fast breathing and fast heartbeat. DENPAX must be stopped by decreasing the dose gradually.
Your doctor will tell you how to do this, and will regularly monitor and support any
increase in pain or withdrawal symptoms.
Increased sensitivity to pain
Rarely, increasing the dose of this medicine can make you more sensitive to pain.
If this happens, you need to speak to your doctor about your treatment.
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