Using Prescription Opioids Safely

Opioids, sometimes called narcotics, are a type of drug. They include strong prescription pain relievers such as oxycodone, hydrocodone, fentanyl and tramadol. Heroin, an illegal drug, is also an opioid.

A health care provider may prescribe an opioid to ease pain after a major injury or surgery, or for severe pain from a condition such as cancer; some also prescribe them for chronic pain. Taken for a short time and as prescribed, prescription opioids for pain are generally safe.

Anyone taking opioids, though, is at risk of opioid use disorder (OUD) and overdose — and the risk rises when the drugs are misused. Misuse includes taking a bigger dose or taking it more often than prescribed, using opioids to get high, or taking someone else's.

Before you start: questions to discuss

Talk with your provider about whether you need an opioid at all. Cover:

• other medicines or therapies that might treat the pain;
• the risks and benefits of opioids;
• your medical history, and whether you or anyone in your family has had substance misuse, drug addiction or alcohol use disorder;
• every other medicine and supplement you take;
• how much alcohol you drink;
• whether you are pregnant or planning to become pregnant.

If you do take them, know:

• how to take it — how much and how often — and for how long;
• the possible side effects;
• how to stop. After taking opioids for a while, stopping suddenly can be dangerous; you may need to come off them slowly;
• the warning signs of addiction, so you can watch for them:
• • regularly taking more than you are supposed to;
  • taking someone else's opioids;
  • taking the medicine to get high;
  • mood swings, depression or anxiety;
  • sleeping too much or too little;
  • trouble making decisions;
  • feeling high or sedated.

If you are at high risk of overdose, get naloxone from a pharmacy and carry it wherever you go. Naloxone can reverse the effects of an opioid overdose.

Taking them safely

Take extra care with opioids:

• Take the medicine exactly as prescribed, with no extra doses, and check the instructions every time.
• Don't break, chew, crush or dissolve opioid pills.
• Opioids can make you drowsy. Don't drive or use machinery that could hurt you, especially when you first start.
• Contact your provider about side effects.
• Use one pharmacy for all your medicines if you can: its computer system alerts the pharmacist when two or more of your medicines could interact dangerously.

Storing them

• Keep opioids and other medicines in a safe place. With children at home, a lockbox is a good idea — even one accidental dose of an adult's opioid pain medicine can kill a child.
• Someone who lives with you or visits may look for your opioids to take or sell.
• When traveling, carry the current bottle with you, which also helps you answer questions about the medicine.

Getting rid of leftovers

Unused opioids at the end of treatment can be disposed of through:

• a local drug take-back program;
• a pharmacy mail-back program;
• in some cases, flushing down the toilet — the Food and Drug Administration's website lists which ones can be flushed.

Never sell or share your medicine. A prescription is for one person, and your provider weighed many factors in writing it: a dose that is safe for you could cause an overdose in someone else. If your opioids or your prescription are stolen, report it to the police.

Sources

• MedlinePlus, National Library of Medicine: "Safe Opioid Use."