Fentanyl - Reactions with Other Drugs or Substances

Reactions with Other Drugs or Substances

The list of substances that react poorly with fentanyl is very long. Users run a higher risk of suffocation if they combine the drug with alcohol, any other narcotic painkiller, sleeping pills, over-the-counter antihistaminesDrugs that block histamine, a chemical that causes nasal congestion related to allergies. such as Benadryl, tranquilizers such as Valium or Xanax, muscle relaxers, or antipsychotic drugs such as Mellaril or Thorazine. The drug should not be used with antifungal medicines like Diflucan, or the protease inhibitors prescribed for human immunodeficiency virus (HIV). Fentanyl also reacts badly with certain antibiotics.

Despite the claims of drug dealers, fentanyl is not safer than heroin. Users of any opiate drug, from heroin and morphine to prescription painkillers, run a great risk of deadly overdose if they switch to fentanyl or take fentanyl while using any of the opiates. Symptoms of fentanyl overdose include slow breathing or suffocation; cold, clammy skin; slowed heartbeat; low blood pressure; and pinpoint pupils.