Fentanyl is an opioid analgesic that is frequently used in the treatment of chronic pain, usually in patients with cancer. Like most opiates, this type of drug can be highly addictive, causing some patients to lose interest in anything that does not involve taking this medication. As their tolerance increases, they may exhibit drug-seeking behavior, such as altering prescriptions to get more refills, going to different doctors or stealing the drug from others. Patients who regularly rely on this drug to stop pain may experience painful symptoms of withdrawal when they abruptly lower their fentanyl dosage or stop using it altogether.
A major sign of fentanyl addiction is that the patient stays on the drug almost all the time, because this is the only way to feel the euphoria for which many opiates are known. The patient may be addicted to this feeling, especially since the euphoria cancels out the pain, so he may begin to lose interest in all activities that do not include taking this drug. Family members, friends and employers may notice that the patient becomes withdrawn, because he can no longer derive pleasure from the things that used to make him happy. Many patients facing fentanyl addiction continue using the drug even when their pain is gone, such as after their condition is treated.
As patients continue taking this drug, their tolerance often increases, which means they need more to get the same effect as when they first started it. For this reason, they may start altering prescriptions so they appear to have several refills, allowing them to increase the dosage and stay on the drug nearly all the time. Patients whose doctors stop prescribing the drug, perhaps because they suspect a fentanyl addiction, may begin going to different doctors so they can gather several prescriptions for this medication. They also may seek ways to get the drug without a prescription, such as through purchasing it online, traveling to other countries or even stealing it from other people.
Some physical signs of fentanyl addiction occur when the patient abruptly stops taking the medication. For example, many patients experience nausea, vomiting and diarrhea after taking a break from the drug. They also may have a runny nose and often feel sweaty, fatigued and irritable. In addition, some patients experience frequent headaches and may twitch uncontrollably when they are suddenly without this drug, which also may signal fentanyl addiction. They may be able to avoid these uncomfortable symptoms by decreasing the dosage gradually and seeking a doctor's supervision before stopping this drug.