Oxycodone combination products may be habit forming. Do not take more of it, take it more often, or take it in a different way than directed by your doctor. Tell your doctor if you or anyone in your family drinks or has ever drunk large amounts of alcohol, uses or has ever used street drugs, or has overused prescription medications, or has had an overdose, or if you have or have ever had depression or another mental illness.
Oxycodone may cause serious or life-threatening breathing problems, especially during the first 24 to 72 hours of your treatment and any time your dose is increased. Tell your doctor if you have you experienced any of the following symptoms, call your doctor immediately or get emergency medical treatment: slowed breathing, long pauses between breaths, or shortness of breath.
Oxycodone combination products may harm or cause death to other people who take your medication, especially children. Keep oxycodone combination products in a safe place so that no one else can take it accidentally or on purpose.
Taking certain medications or drinking alcohol with an oxycodone combination product may increase the risk of serious or life-threatening breathing problems, sedation, or coma. Tell your doctor and pharmacist what prescription and nonprescription medications, vitamins, nutritional supplements, and herbal products you are taking or plan to take. Your doctor may need to change your medications or change your dose and will monitor you carefully.
Tell your doctor if you are pregnant or plan to become pregnant. If you take an oxycodone combination product regularly during your pregnancy, your baby may experience life-threatening withdrawal symptoms after birth.
Your doctor or pharmacist will give you the Medication Guide when you begin treatment with an oxycodone combination product and each time you refill your prescription. Read the information carefully and ask your doctor or pharmacist if you have any questions. You can also visit the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) website ( https://www.fda.gov/Drugs/DrugSafety/ucm085729.htm ).
Talk to your doctor about the risk(s) of taking oxycodone combination products.
Why is this medicine prescribed?
Oxycodone is available in combination with other ingredients. Oxycodone combination products are used to relieve severe pain in people whose symptoms cannot be controlled by other pain medications. Oxycodone is in a class of medications called opiate (narcotic) analgesics. Oxycodone relieves pain by changing the way the brain and nervous system respond to pain.
You will take oxycodone in combination with at least one other medication, but this monograph only provides information about oxycodone. Be sure to read information about the other ingredient(s) in the oxycodone product you are taking. Ask your doctor or pharmacist if you have any questions.
Are there other uses for this medicine?
This medication may be prescribed for other uses; ask your doctor or pharmacist for more information.
How should this medicine be used?
Oxycodone combination products come as a tablet and solution to take by mouth. It is usually taken every 6 hours as needed for pain.
Use an oral syringe or dosing cup (measuring device) to accurately measure and take your dose of oxycodone combination product solution. Do not use a household spoon or cup. Ask your pharmacist for a measuring device if one is not included with your medication.
Your doctor may adjust your dose of oxycodone during your treatment, depending on how well your pain is controlled and on the side effects that you experience. Tell your doctor if you feel that your pain is not controlled or if your pain increases, becomes worse, or if you have new pain or an increased sensitivity to pain during your treatment with an oxycodone combination product. Do not take more of it or take it more often than prescribed by your doctor. You may receive a dangerous overdose if you take more medication or take your medication more often than prescribed by your doctor.
If you have been taking an oxycodone combination product regularly, do not stop taking it without talking to your doctor. If you suddenly stop taking an oxycodone combination product, you may experience withdrawal symptoms such as restlessness, teary eyes, runny nose, yawning, sweating, chills, muscle pain, widened pupils (black circles in the middle of the eyes), irritability, anxiety, back or joint pain, weakness, stomach cramps, difficulty falling asleep or staying asleep, nausea, loss of appetite, vomiting, diarrhea, fast breathing, or fast heartbeat. Your doctor will probably decrease your dose gradually.
What special precautions should I follow?
Before taking oxycodone combination products,
- tell your doctor or pharmacist if you are allergic to this drug, any part of this drug, or any other drugs, foods or substances. Tell your doctor or pharmacist about the allergy and what symptoms you had.
- some medications should not be taken with oxycodone combination products. Make sure you have discussed any medications you are currently taking or plan to take before starting oxycodone combination products with your doctor and pharmacist. Before starting, stopping, or changing any medications while taking oxycodone combination products, please get the advice of your doctor or pharmacist.
- the following nonprescription or herbal products may interact with: St. John's wort and tryptophan. Be sure to let your doctor and pharmacist know that you are taking these medications before you start taking oxycodone combination products. Do not start any of these medications while taking oxycodone combination products without discussing with your healthcare provider.
- tell your doctor or pharmacist if you are taking the following medications or have stopped taking them within the past two weeks: isocarboxazid , linezolid , methylene blue, phenelzine, selegiline, or tranylcypromine.
- tell your doctor if you have slowed breathing, asthma, chronic pulmonary disease (COPD), or other lung problems, a bowel blockage, or narrowing of the stomach or intestines. Your doctor will probably tell you not to take oxycodone combination products.
- tell your doctor if you have or have ever had a head injury, a brain tumor, or any condition that increases pressure in the brain; seizures; or pancreas, gallbladder, liver, kidney, or thyroid disease.
- tell your doctor if you are pregnant, plan to become pregnant, or are breast-feeding. If you become pregnant while taking oxycodone combination products, call your doctor.
- you should know that oxycodone may make you drowsy. Do not drive a car or operate machinery until you know how this medication affects you.
- you should know that oxycodone may cause dizziness, lightheadedness, and fainting when you get up too quickly from a lying position. This is more common when you first start taking oxycodone combination products. To avoid this problem, get out of bed slowly, resting your feet on the floor for a few minutes before standing up.
- you should know to not drink alcoholic beverages while you are taking oxycodone combination products. Alcohol can make the side effects from oxycodone worse.
What special dietary instructions should I follow?
Talk to your doctor about eating grapefruit and drinking grapefruit juice while taking this medication.
What should I do if I forget to take a dose?
This medication is usually taken as needed. If your doctor has told you to take oxycodone combination products regularly, take the missed dose as soon as you remember it. However, if it is almost time for the next dose, skip the missed dose and continue your regular dosing schedule. Do not take a double dose to make up for a missed one.
What should I do in case of overdose?
In case of overdose, call the poison control helpline at 1-800-222-1222
. Information is also available online at https://www.poisonhelp.org/help . If the victim has collapsed, had a seizure, has trouble breathing, or can't be awakened, immediately call emergency services at 911.
While taking oxycodone combination products, you should talk to your doctor about having a rescue medication called naloxone readily available at all times (e.g., home, office). Naloxone is used to reverse the life-threatening effects of an overdose. You should make sure that you and your family members, caregivers, or the people who spend time with you know how to recognize an overdose, how to use naloxone, and what to do until emergency medical help arrives. If symptoms of an overdose occur, a friend or family member should give the first dose of naloxone, call 911 immediately, and stay with you and watch you closely until emergency medical help arrives. If your symptoms return within a few minutes, the person should give you another dose of naloxone. Additional doses may be given every 2 to 3 minutes, if symptoms return before medical help arrives.
Symptoms of overdose may include:
- difficulty breathing, slowed or shallow breathing, unusual snoring
- excessive sleepiness, unable to wake up or respond
- limp or weak muscles
- narrowing or widening of the pupils (dark circle in the eye)
- cold, clammy skin
- slowed heartbeat
What side effects can this medicine cause?
oxycodone combination products may cause side effects. Tell your doctor if any of these symptoms are severe or do not go away:
- nausea, vomiting
- constipation, stomach pain
- mood changes
- headache
- inability to get or keep an erection, decreased sexual desire
Some side effects can be serious. If you experience any of these symptoms or those listed in the IMPORTANT WARNING section, call your doctor immediately or get emergency medical treatment:
- rash; itching; hives; hoarseness; difficulty breathing or swallowing; or swelling of the face, mouth, tongue, lips, or throat
- agitation, hallucinations (seeing things or hearing voices that do not exist), fever, sweating, confusion, fast heartbeat, shivering, severe muscle stiffness or twitching, loss of coordination, or diarrhea
- changes in heartbeat, chest pain
- seizure
- extreme drowsiness
- unusual snoring or long pauses during breaths during sleep
Oxycodone combination products may cause other side effects. Call your doctor if you have any unusual problems while taking this medication.
If you experience a serious side effect, you or your doctor may send a report to the Food and Drug Administration's (FDA) MedWatch Adverse Event Reporting program online ( https://www.fda.gov/Safety/MedWatch ) or by phone (
1-800-332-1088).What should I know about storage and disposal of this medication?
Keep this medication in the container it came in, tightly closed, and out of reach of children. Store it at room temperature and away from excess heat and moisture (not in the bathroom).
Store oxycodone combination products in a safe place so that no one else can take it accidentally or on purpose. Keep track of how many tablets or solution is left so you will know if any are missing.
Keep all medication out of sight and reach of children as many containers are not child resistant. Always lock safety caps. Place the medication in a safe location – one that is up and away and out of their sight and reach. https://www.upandaway.org
Dispose of unneeded medications in a way so that pets, children, and other people cannot take them. Do not flush this medication down the toilet. Use a medicine take-back program. Talk to your pharmacist about take-back programs in your community. Visit the FDA's Safe Disposal of Medicines website ( https://goo.gl/c4Rm4p ) for more information.
What other information should I know?
Keep all appointments with your doctor.
Before having any laboratory test, tell your doctor and the laboratory personnel that you are taking oxycodone.
This prescription is not refillable. If you continue to have pain (or other symptoms) after you finish oxycodone combination products, call your doctor.
Keep a written list of all of the prescription and nonprescription (over-the-counter) medicines vitamins, minerals, and dietary supplements you are taking. Bring this list with you each time you visit a doctor or if you are admitted to the hospital. You should carry the list with you in case of emergencies.