National Institutes of Health

The primary NIH organization for research on Safe Opioid Use is theNational Institute on Drug Abuse

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MedlinePlus: Safe Opioid Use

08/27/2018 03:06 PM EDT

Opioids are strong pain relievers. There are risks to taking them, including side effects, dependence, addiction, and overdose. Learn what you can do to take opioids safely and lower these risks.

MedlinePlus: Opioid Abuse and Addiction Treatment

08/27/2018 03:05 PM EDT

Opioid abuse and addiction are serious problems. Treatments include medicines and counseling. Combining these two treatments, which is called medication-assisted therapy (MAT), can increase your chance of a successful recovery.

MedlinePlus: Opioid Overdose

08/27/2018 03:05 PM EDT

Opioids affect the part of the brain that regulates breathing. When people take high doses of opioids, it can lead to an overdose, with the slowing or stopping of breathing and sometimes death. Learn how to prevent and treat opioid overdoses.

MedlinePlus: Pregnancy and Opioids

08/27/2018 03:05 PM EDT

There are risks to both you and your baby if you take opioids during pregnancy. Learn about these risks, what you should do if you get pregnant while taking opioids, and how opioid use disorders are treated in pregnancy.

MedlinePlus: Non-Drug Pain Management

08/27/2018 03:04 PM EDT

There are risks to taking pain medicines, especially opioids. Learn about different techniques and treatments which may help you manage your pain without taking medicines.

Safe Opioid Use

Summary

What are opioids?

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

A health care provider may give you a prescription opioid to reduce pain after you have had a major injury or surgery. You may get them if you have severe pain from health conditions like cancer. Some health care providers prescribe them for chronic pain.

Prescription opioids used for pain relief are generally safe when taken for a short time and as prescribed by your health care provider. However, people who take opioids are at risk for opioid dependence, addiction, and overdose. These risks increase when opioids are misused. Misuse means you are not taking the medicines according to your provider's instructions, you are using them to get high, or you are taking someone else's opioids.

How do I know if I need to take opioid medicines?

First, you need to talk with your health care provider about whether you need to take opioids. You should discuss

Whether there are other medicines or therapies that might treat your pain
The risks and benefits of taking opioids
Your medical history and if you or anyone in your family has a history of substance misuse or addiction to drugs or alcohol
Any other medicines and supplements you are taking
How much alcohol you drink
For women - If you are pregnant or planning to become pregnant

What do I need to know if I am going to take opioid medicines?

If you and your provider decide that you need to take opioids, make sure that you understand

How to take the medicine - how much and how often
How long you will need to take the medicine
What the possible side effects are
How you should stop the medicines when you no longer need them. If you have been taking opioids for a while, it can be dangerous to just stop suddenly. You may need to get off the medicines slowly.
What the warning signs of addiction are, so you can watch for them. They include

Regularly taking more medicine than you are supposed to
Taking someone else's opioids
Taking the medicine to get high
Mood swings, depression, and/or anxiety
Needing too much or too little sleep
Trouble making decisions
Feeling high or sedated

If you have a high risk for an overdose, you may also want to get a prescription for naloxone. Naloxone is a drug that can reverse the effects of an opioid overdose.

How can I take my opioid medicine safely?

You should always be careful when taking any medicine, but you need to take extra care when taking opioids:

Take your medicine exactly as prescribed - do not take extra doses
Check the instructions every time you take a dose
Do not break, chew, crush, or dissolve opioid pills
Opioids can cause drowsiness. Do not drive or use any machinery that may injure you, especially when you first start the medicine.
Contact your provider if you have side effects
If you can, use the same pharmacy for all your medicines. The pharmacy's computer system will alert the pharmacist if you are taking two or more medicines that could cause a dangerous interaction.

How can I safely store and dispose opioid medicines?

It is important to store and dispose of opioid medicines properly:

Store your opioids and other medicines in a safe place. If you have children at home, it's a good idea to store your medicines in a lockbox. Even one accidental dose of an opioid pain medicine meant for an adult can cause a fatal overdose in a child. Also, someone who lives with you or visits your house may look for and steal your opioid medicines to take or sell them.
If you travel, carry the current bottle of opioids with you for safety. This will help you answer any questions about your medicine.
Dispose of your unused medicine properly. If you have unused opioid medicines at the end of your treatment, you can get rid of them by

Finding a local drug take-back program
Finding a pharmacy mail-back program
In some cases, flushing them down the toilet - check the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) web site to find out which ones you can flush away

Never sell or share your medicines. Your prescription is for you. Your health care provider considers many factors when prescribing opioids. What's safe for you might lead to an overdose for someone else.
If someone steals your opioid medicines or prescription, report the theft to the police.