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Butrans Skin Patch

Generic name: buprenorphine transdermal (skin patch) [ BUE-pre-NOR-feen ]
Brand name: Butrans
Drug class: Opioids (narcotic analgesics)

Medically reviewed by Melisa Puckey, BPharm. Last updated on Mar 1, 2024.

What is Butrans?

Butrans skin patches contain buprenorphine, an opioid pain medication. An opioid is sometimes called a narcotic.

Butrans skin patches are used for around-the-clock treatment of moderate to severe chronic pain that is not controlled by other medicines.

Butrans is not for use on an as-needed basis for pain.

Warnings

You should not use Butrans skin patches if you have severe asthma or breathing problems, or a blockage in your stomach or intestines.

Buprenorphine can slow or stop your breathing, and may be habit-forming. MISUSE OF THIS MEDICINE CAN CAUSE ADDICTION, OVERDOSE, OR DEATH, especially in a child or other person using Butrans without a prescription. Keep the medication in a place where others cannot get to it.

Using this medicine during pregnancy may cause life-threatening withdrawal symptoms in the newborn.

Fatal side effects can occur if you use Butrans with alcohol, or with other drugs that cause drowsiness or slow your breathing.

Before taking this medicine

You should not use Butrans if you are allergic to buprenorphine, or if you have:

To make sure Butrans is safe for you, tell your doctor if you have ever had:

If you use Butrans while you are pregnant, your baby could become dependent on the drug. This can cause life-threatening withdrawal symptoms in the baby after it is born. Babies born dependent on habit-forming medicine may need medical treatment for several weeks. Tell your doctor if you are pregnant or plan to become pregnant.

Buprenorphine can pass into breast milk and cause drowsiness, breathing problems, or death in a nursing baby. You should not breast-feed while you are using Butrans.

How should I use Butrans?

Use Butrans exactly as prescribed. Follow all directions on your prescription label. Buprenorphine can slow or stop your breathing. Never use Butrans in larger amounts, or for longer than prescribed. Tell your doctor if the medicine seems to stop working as well in relieving your pain.

Buprenorphine may be habit-forming, even at regular doses. Never share Butrans with another person, especially someone with a history of drug abuse or addiction. MISUSE OF NARCOTIC MEDICINE CAN CAUSE ADDICTION, OVERDOSE, OR DEATH, especially in a child or other person using the medicine without a prescription. Selling or giving away Butrans is against the law.

The Butrans skin patch is for use only on the skin. Do not allow the medicine to come into contact with your eyes, nose, mouth, or lips.

Keep both used and unused Butrans patches out of the reach of children or pets. Even the amount of buprenorphine in a used skin patch could be fatal to a child or pet who accidentally sucks or chews on the patch. Seek emergency medical attention if this happens.

Use only clear water (not soap or other chemicals) to wash the skin before you apply a patch.

Apply the Butrans patch to clean, dry skin on the chest, back, side, or outer side of your upper arm. Wear the patch around the clock for 7 days. Never wear more than 1 patch at a time unless your doctor has told you to. Remove and replace the patch after 7 days. Apply the new patch to a different skin area on the chest, back, side, or upper arm.

If the sticky side of a skin patch comes into contact with your hands, wash the skin with clear water and seek medical care at once. Do not use a Butrans skin patch if it has been cut or damaged.

Do not wear a skin patch on a part of your body where a child could reach or remove the patch from your skin. Avoid allowing children to watch you put on a skin patch. Never tell a child that the buprenorphine skin patch is a "bandage".

Do not stop using this medicine suddenly after long-term use, or you could have unpleasant withdrawal symptoms. Ask your doctor how to safely stop using Butrans.

Store the Butrans skin patches at room temperature. Keep each patch in its foil pouch until you are ready to use it. Keep track of how many skin patches have been used from each new package. Buprenorphine is a drug of abuse and you should be aware if anyone is using your medicine improperly or without a prescription.

After removing a skin patch: fold it in half firmly with the sticky side in, and flush the patch down the toilet or use the Patch-Disposal Unit provided with this medication. Do not place a used skin patch into a trash can.

Do not keep leftover opioid medication. Just one dose can cause death in someone using this medicine accidentally or improperly. Ask your pharmacist where to locate a drug take-back disposal program. If there is no take-back program, dispose of any unused skin patches in the same folded manner. Do not flush the foil pouch or patch liners; place them in a trash container out of the reach of children and pets.

What happens if I miss a dose?

If you forget to change a patch on your scheduled day, remove the patch and apply a new one as soon as you remember. Do not wear extra patches to make up a missed dose.

What happens if I overdose?

Seek emergency medical attention or call the Poison Help line at 1-800-222-1222. A buprenorphine overdose can be fatal, especially in a child or other person using the medicine without a prescription. Overdose symptoms may include severe drowsiness, muscle weakness, cold and clammy skin, pinpoint pupils, a weak pulse, very slow breathing, or coma.

Buprenorphine can cause death in a child who gets a hold of a skin patch and places it in the mouth or on the skin.

What should I avoid while using Butrans?

Avoid sources of heat while wearing the patch. Tell your doctor if you have a fever. Do not use a heating pad or electric blanket, tanning bed or sauna. Do not sit in hot water, sunbathe, or raise your body temperature with vigorous activity. Heat can increase the amount of drug you absorb through your skin and may cause an overdose or death.

Do not drink alcohol. Dangerous side effects or death could occur.

This medication may impair your thinking or reactions. Avoid driving or operating machinery until you know how buprenorphine will affect you. Dizziness or severe drowsiness can cause falls or other accidents.

Butrans side effects

Get emergency medical help if you have signs of an allergic reaction to Butrans: hives; difficult breathing; swelling of your face, lips, tongue, or throat.

Opioid medicine can slow or stop your breathing, and death may occur. A person caring for you should give naloxone and/or seek emergency medical attention if you have slow breathing with long pauses, blue colored lips, or if you are hard to wake up.

Stop using Butrans and call your doctor at once if you have:

Seek medical attention right away if you have symptoms of serotonin syndrome, such as: agitation, hallucinations, fever, sweating, shivering, fast heart rate, muscle stiffness, twitching, loss of coordination, nausea, vomiting, or diarrhea.

Serious side effects may be more likely in older adults and those who are overweight, malnourished, or debilitated.

Long-term use of opioid medication may affect fertility (ability to have children) in men or women. It is not known whether opioid effects on fertility are permanent.

Common Butrans side effects may include:

This is not a complete list of side effects and others may occur. Call your doctor for medical advice about side effects. You may report side effects to FDA at 1-800-FDA-1088.

What other drugs will affect Butrans Skin Patches?

Narcotic (opioid) medication can interact with many other drugs and cause dangerous side effects or death. Be sure your doctor knows if you also use:

This list is not complete. Other drugs may interact with buprenorphine, including prescription and over-the-counter medicines, vitamins, and herbal products. Not all possible interactions are listed in this medication guide.

Does Butrans interact with my other drugs?

Enter medications to view a detailed interaction report using our Drug Interaction Checker.

Popular FAQ

What are the different brands of buprenorphine?

It is available in a number of dosage forms under the brand names Sublocade, Brixadi, Probuphine (discontinued), Belbuca, Butrans, Buprenex, and Subutex (discontinued). Continue reading

How long does opioid withdrawal last?

How long opioid withdrawal lasts depends on the opioid you have been taking and whether it is a short-acting or long acting opioid.

If you have been using a short-acting opioid, acute opioid withdrawal lasts 4 to 10 days, with withdrawal symptoms starting 8 to 24 hours after last use.

If you have been using a long-acting opioid, acute opioid withdrawal lasts 10 to 20 days, with withdrawal symptoms starting 12 to 48 hours after last use. Continue reading

How long does buprenorphine stay in your system?

After one sublingual (under the tongue) or buccal (in the cheek) dose, buprenorphine stays in your system for about 5 to 8 days if you are healthy or 7 to 12 days if you have liver disease. Continue reading

What is the difference between Sublocade and Brixadi?

Sublocade and Brixadi are both subcutaneous long-acting buprenorphine injections that may be used for the maintenance treatment of opioid misuse disorder in adults. Sublocade was approved on November 30, 2017, and Brixadi was approved on May 23, 2023. Sublocade is administered once a month, with a minimum of 26 days between doses. If extended travel is deemed necessary, a single 300mg injection may be given to cover 2 months. Brixadi is given once a week or once a month. Continue reading

What are the different types of buprenorphine/naloxone?

Buprenorphine and naloxone is a combination medicine used for the maintenance treatment of opioid dependence in adults. It is available in sublingual film and sublingual tablet dosage forms under the brand names Suboxone, Zubsolv, Bunavail (discontinued), and Cassipa (discontinued). Continue reading

How long do you take buprenorphine for?

There is no one-size-fits-all treatment duration for patients taking buprenorphine. There are many factors involved in determining the length of treatment when administering buprenorphine. Continue reading

Is Buprenex the same as buprenorphine?

Yes, Buprenex is the brand name for an injectable form of buprenorphine. Buprenex (generic name: buprenorphine) is a potent opioid (narcotic) medication used to manage pain severe enough to require an opioid analgesic and for which alternate treatments are inadequate. Continue reading

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Further information

Remember, keep this and all other medicines out of the reach of children, never share your medicines with others, and use Butrans only for the indication prescribed.

Always consult your healthcare provider to ensure the information displayed on this page applies to your personal circumstances.

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