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Fentanyl Buccal Soluble Film Dosage
Before prescribing a dosage of fentanyl buccal soluble film, your healthcare provider will consider other medications you are taking and other medical conditions you have, among other things. This painkiller comes in the form of a small film that is placed on the inside of the cheek to dissolve. It is used on an as-needed basis every two hours, but not to exceed four doses a day.
The dose of fentanyl buccal soluble film (Onsolis™) 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
- Other medical conditions you may have.
As is always the case, do not adjust your dose unless your healthcare provider specifically tells you to do so.
The initial dose of fentanyl buccal soluble film for treating breakthrough pain is one 200-mcg film, applied to the inside of the cheek. If this amount does not adequately relieve pain, it will be slowly increased to one that effectively treats pain with minimal side effects. Normally, the dose is increased by 200 mcg at each breakthrough pain episode until the pain is effectively relieved.
For example, if the initial 200-mcg dose does not adequately relieve pain, the next breakthrough pain episode is treated with 400 mcg (two 200-mcg films). If the 400-mcg dose does not adequately relieve pain, the following breakthrough pain episode is treated with 600 mcg (three 200-mcg films).
Dosage increases continue in this manner up to 800 mcg (four 200-mcg films). If the 800-mcg dose does not cause adequate pain relief and side effects are tolerable, the next breakthrough pain episode will be treated with one 1200-mcg film.
You must wait at least two hours between fentanyl buccal soluble film doses. In addition, this medicine can only be used once for each breakthrough pain episode. Do not retreat an episode with fentanyl buccal soluble film, even if the first dose did not work. Your healthcare provider may give you another pain medication to use as needed in the event fentanyl buccal soluble film does not relieve your pain after 30 minutes.
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Fentanyl Buccal Soluble Film Information
Written by/reviewed by: Susan Lakey, PharmD, MPH
Last reviewed by: Kristi Monson, PharmD