Using opioid medications safely
Some people worry about the safety of opioid pain medicines and how to balance safety with pain control. Opioids are usually very safe when taken as prescribed. Even still, opioids are powerful medications and can have some serious safety problems when not handled properly. Here you will learn how to keep yourself safe when taking opioids, and the people around you.
Safety concerns with opioids
Opioids can sometimes make a person feel sleepy. Some people notice that it can slow their thinking, and it can make them unsteady on their feet. When a person has these side effects, they can be at risk for hurting themselves (or someone else) by falling or having another sort of accident. Aside from the risk of falls and injuries, the most serious safety concern with opioids is overdose. Opioid overdose almost never happens if a person is taking their opioid medications correctly.
Understanding opioid overdose
Stories about opioid overdoses are in the news almost daily, which can be scary if you need them to control your cancer pain. Overdose happens when a person takes a high dose of an opioid that their body isn’t used to. Overdose almost always happens when someone is abusing prescription opioids or buying opioids off the street.
Thankfully - opioid overdose is extremely rare if someone takes their pain medications as prescribed.
What opioid overdose looks like
When a person overdoses on opioids they lose consciousness (pass out) and their breathing becomes dangerously slow or stops. This is different from falling asleep after taking an opioid (breathing normally and easily awoken), which is very common and does NOT mean that a person has overdosed.
Although it is extremely rare, a few things might increase a person’s risk for opioid overdose:
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Being prescribed a very high dose of opioids
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Taking a higher dose than what is prescribed
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Taking opioids together with alcohol or other medications that can make a person drowsy/sedating
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Being elderly, or very frail
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Having severe problems with your kidneys or liver
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Always follow the instructions on your prescription bottle.Never take a higher dose of your opioids, or take them more often than prescribed. Instructions on medicine bottles can be confusing. Short-acting opioids are often prescribed with a range of doses you can take. For example: “Take 1-2 tablets every 3 hours as needed for pain.” This means it’s OK to take up to 2 tablets within a 3-hour time window. You can also choose to take less than this, or not take it at all (if your pain is controlled). Take them with a sip of water, with or without food.
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Take them when you have pain and need quick relief.These take about 30 minutes to start working and 1 ½ hour to get the most relief, so take them early on when you feel your pain creeping up.
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If you don’t have pain, don’t take them.If your pain is manageable and you don’t expect it to get worse, you shouldn’t take this medicine. It should be used “as needed” when you have pain.
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Take them before your pain gets severe.Try to “stay ahead” of your pain by taking your short-acting opioid early on when you notice your pain getting worse. If you wait until your pain is severe, it often takes more medication and a longer time to get your pain under control. Pay attention to your body as you learn about your pain and how you react to opioids. Most people start recognizing their body’s signals about when they need to take their short-acting opioid for breakthrough pain.
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Choose the dose that matches your pain level.Most short-acting opioid prescriptions have a range of doses you can choose to take within a given time-period. A common example is take 1-2 tablets every 3 hours as needed. If your pain is severe, start with the higher dose (for example: 2 tablets). If your pain is less severe, you can start with the lower dose (for example: 1 tablet). If your pain isn’t significantly better after 30 minutes to an hour, you can take the rest of the dose.
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Take them about 30 minutes before painful activities.Some people know they will have pain with certain activities, like walking or taking a long car ride. Think of activities that usually worsen your pain. To help you be more active, you may want to take your short-acting opioid 30 minutes beforehand.
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If your short-acting opioid is not working well, talk to your care team.Every person is different and it can take some time to find the right medicines and right doses for you. Your care team might decide to increase the dose of your opioid or change to a different medication. The important thing is to let them know how you are doing.
Important safety tips when taking opioids:
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Always follow the instructions on your prescription bottle.Never take a higher dose of your opioids, or take them more often than prescribed. Instructions on medicine bottles can be confusing. Short-acting opioids are often prescribed with a range of doses you can take. For example: “Take 1-2 tablets every 3 hours as needed for pain.” This means it’s OK to take up to 2 tablets within a 3-hour time window. You can also choose to take less than this, or not take it at all (if your pain is controlled). Take them with a sip of water, with or without food.
-
Take them when you have pain and need quick relief.These take about 30 minutes to start working and 1 ½ hour to get the most relief, so take them early on when you feel your pain creeping up.
-
If you don’t have pain, don’t take them.If your pain is manageable and you don’t expect it to get worse, you shouldn’t take this medicine. It should be used “as needed” when you have pain.
-
Take them before your pain gets severe.Try to “stay ahead” of your pain by taking your short-acting opioid early on when you notice your pain getting worse. If you wait until your pain is severe, it often takes more medication and a longer time to get your pain under control. Pay attention to your body as you learn about your pain and how you react to opioids. Most people start recognizing their body’s signals about when they need to take their short-acting opioid for breakthrough pain.
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Choose the dose that matches your pain level.Most short-acting opioid prescriptions have a range of doses you can choose to take within a given time-period. A common example is take 1-2 tablets every 3 hours as needed. If your pain is severe, start with the higher dose (for example: 2 tablets). If your pain is less severe, you can start with the lower dose (for example: 1 tablet). If your pain isn’t significantly better after 30 minutes to an hour, you can take the rest of the dose.
-
Take them about 30 minutes before painful activities.Some people know they will have pain with certain activities, like walking or taking a long car ride. Think of activities that usually worsen your pain. To help you be more active, you may want to take your short-acting opioid 30 minutes beforehand.
-
If your short-acting opioid is not working well, talk to your care team.Every person is different and it can take some time to find the right medicines and right doses for you. Your care team might decide to increase the dose of your opioid or change to a different medication. The important thing is to let them know how you are doing.
Other safety tips:
Tips to keep the people around you safe:
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Always follow the instructions on your prescription bottle.Never take a higher dose of your opioids, or take them more often than prescribed. Instructions on medicine bottles can be confusing. Short-acting opioids are often prescribed with a range of doses you can take. For example: “Take 1-2 tablets every 3 hours as needed for pain.” This means it’s OK to take up to 2 tablets within a 3-hour time window. You can also choose to take less than this, or not take it at all (if your pain is controlled). Take them with a sip of water, with or without food.
-
Take them when you have pain and need quick relief.These take about 30 minutes to start working and 1 ½ hour to get the most relief, so take them early on when you feel your pain creeping up.
-
If you don’t have pain, don’t take them.If your pain is manageable and you don’t expect it to get worse, you shouldn’t take this medicine. It should be used “as needed” when you have pain.
-
Take them before your pain gets severe.Try to “stay ahead” of your pain by taking your short-acting opioid early on when you notice your pain getting worse. If you wait until your pain is severe, it often takes more medication and a longer time to get your pain under control. Pay attention to your body as you learn about your pain and how you react to opioids. Most people start recognizing their body’s signals about when they need to take their short-acting opioid for breakthrough pain.
-
Choose the dose that matches your pain level.Most short-acting opioid prescriptions have a range of doses you can choose to take within a given time-period. A common example is take 1-2 tablets every 3 hours as needed. If your pain is severe, start with the higher dose (for example: 2 tablets). If your pain is less severe, you can start with the lower dose (for example: 1 tablet). If your pain isn’t significantly better after 30 minutes to an hour, you can take the rest of the dose.
-
Take them about 30 minutes before painful activities.Some people know they will have pain with certain activities, like walking or taking a long car ride. Think of activities that usually worsen your pain. To help you be more active, you may want to take your short-acting opioid 30 minutes beforehand.
-
If your short-acting opioid is not working well, talk to your care team.Every person is different and it can take some time to find the right medicines and right doses for you. Your care team might decide to increase the dose of your opioid or change to a different medication. The important thing is to let them know how you are doing.
It is dangerous for anyone other than you to take your opioid pain medication. For this reason, keep your medications safe and secure so that no one (like a small child) could accidentally take them. Most people know someone who has struggled with opioid addiction or other forms of substance abuse. Keeping your medications safe and secure can also protect these people from the dangers of opioids. Here are some specific steps you can take:
If you are worried about someone you know, you can call 1-800-662-HELP (4357) at any time to find drug treatment centers near you.
Also, this website has good information if you would like to learn more about opioid safety, abuse and addiction: https://easyread.drugabuse.gov/
