Posted by Elizabeth on April 16, 2002, at 22:09:25
In reply to RE Opiates and MAOIs - Elizabeth, anyone, posted by shelliR on April 15, 2002, at 21:45:57
Shelli --
Sorry about the delay. I've been offline for a couple days, owing to extreme fatigue!
> Anyway, my pdoc told me today that it is too dangerous to use the fentanyl patch with nardil.
I don't think that's true. Some doctors believe that you shouldn't take opioids with MAOIs *at all*. Obviously this is wrong. Morphine is definitely safe, and therefore codeine is too. The semisynthetic derivatives of these two drugs -- hydrocodone, oxycodone, hydromorphone, oxymorphone, and diacetylmorphine (i.e., heroin) -- are probably safe as well. As for the synthetic opioids, the only ones that are *known* to be unsafe are Demerol, Ultram, and Talwin (pentazocine). I've read of cases where fentanyl and fentanyl analogs were given to patients on MAOIs without adverse reactions. I'd ask if your pdoc has any specific reason for believing this. It's probably just one of those unjustified assumptions that people make a lot. Definitely ask, though, just in case there's a real reason!
-elizabeth
p.s. I took buprenorphine with Parnate, not Nardil.
p.p.s. You can take antihistamines with MAOIs; it's decongestants that you need to avoid.
poster:Elizabeth
thread:103187
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/20020416/msgs/103292.html