Tell your care team if your pain does not go away, if it gets worse, or if you have new or a different type of pain. You may develop tolerance to this medication. Tolerance means that you will need a higher dose of the medication for pain relief. Tolerance is normal and is expected if you take this medication for a long time.
Do not suddenly stop taking your medication because you may develop a severe reaction. Your body becomes used to the medication. This does NOT mean you are addicted. Addiction is a behavior related to getting and using a medication for a nonmedical reason. If you have pain, you have a medical reason to take pain medication. Your care team will tell you how much medication to take. If your care team wants you to stop the medication, the dose will be slowly lowered over time to avoid any side effects.
If you take other medications that also cause drowsiness like other narcotic pain medications, benzodiazepines, or other medications for sleep, you may have more side effects. Give your care team a list of all medications you use. They will tell you how much medication to take. Do not take more medication than directed. Get emergency help right away if you have trouble breathing or are unusually tired or sleepy.
Talk to your care team about naloxone and how to get it. Naloxone is an emergency medication used for an opioid overdose. An overdose can happen if you take too much opioid. It can also happen if an opioid is taken with some other medications or substances, like alcohol. Know the symptoms of an overdose, like trouble breathing, being unusually tired or sleepy, or not being able to respond or wake up. Make sure to tell caregivers and close contacts where it is stored. Make sure they know how to use it. After naloxone is given, you must get emergency help right away. Naloxone is a temporary treatment. Repeat doses may be needed.
This medication will cause constipation. If you do not have a bowel movement for 3 days, call your care team.
Check with your care team if you have severe diarrhea, nausea, and vomiting, or if you sweat a lot. The loss of too much body fluid may make it dangerous for you to take this medication.
Do not take other medications that contain aspirin, ibuprofen, or naproxen with this medication. Side effects such as stomach upset, nausea, or ulcers may be more likely to occur. Many non-prescription medications contain aspirin, ibuprofen, or naproxen. Always read labels carefully.
This medication can cause serious ulcers and bleeding in the stomach. It can happen with no warning. Smoking, drinking alcohol, older age, and poor health can also increase risks. Call your care team right away if you have stomach pain or blood in your vomit or stool.
This medication may cause serious skin reactions. They can happen weeks to months after starting the medication. Contact your care team right away if you notice fevers or flu-like symptoms with a rash. The rash may be red or purple and then turn into blisters or peeling of the skin. Or, you might notice a red rash with swelling of the face, lips or lymph nodes in your neck or under your arms.
Talk to your care team if you are pregnant before taking this medication. Taking this medication between weeks 20 and 30 of pregnancy may harm your unborn baby. Your care team will monitor you closely if you need to take it. After 30 weeks of pregnancy, do not take this medication.
You may get drowsy or dizzy. Do not drive, use machinery, or do anything that needs mental alertness until you know how this medication affects you. Do not stand up or sit up quickly, especially if you are an older patient. This reduces the risk of dizzy or fainting spells. Alcohol may interfere with the effects of this medication. Avoid alcoholic drinks.
Your mouth may get dry. Chewing sugarless gum or sucking hard candy and drinking plenty of water may help. Contact your care team if the problem does not go away or is severe.