Meperidine may be habit forming. Take meperidine exactly as directed. Do not take more or less of it, take it more often, stop taking it suddenly, 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 had an overdose, or has overused prescription medications, or if you have or have ever had depression or another mental illness.
Meperidine 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. If you experience any of the following symptoms, call your doctor immediately or get emergency medical treatment: slowed breathing, long pauses between breaths, or shortness of breath.
Taking certain medications, drinking alcohol, or using street drugs during your treatment with meperidine may increase the risk that you will develop serious or life-threatening breathing problems, sedation, or coma. Tell your doctor and pharmacist what other prescription and nonprescription medications, vitamins, and nutritional supplements you are taking or plan to take. Your doctor may need to change the doses of your medications and will monitor you carefully.
Meperidine may harm or cause death to other people who take your medication, especially children. Keep meperidine in a safe place so that no one else can take it accidentally or on purpose.
Tell your doctor if you are pregnant or plan to become pregnant. If you take meperidine regularly during your pregnancy, your baby may experience life-threatening withdrawal symptoms after birth.
Your doctor or pharmacist will give you the manufacturer's patient information sheet (Medication Guide) when you begin treatment with meperidine and each time you fill 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 ) or the manufacturer's website to obtain the Medication Guide.Talk to your doctor about the risks of taking meperidine.
Why is this medicine prescribed?
Meperidine is used to relieve severe pain. Meperidine is in a class of medications called opiate (narcotic) analgesics. It works by changing the way the brain and nervous system respond to pain.
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?
Meperidine comes as a tablet and a syrup (liquid) to take by mouth. Take with or without food every 3 to 4 hours as needed for pain.
If you are taking the meperidine tablets, swallow them whole; do not chew or crush them.
If you are taking meperidine syrup, use a dose-measuring spoon or cup to measure the correct amount of liquid for each dose, not a regular household spoon. Mix your dose with half a glass of water and swallow the mixture. Ask your pharmacist if you need help getting or using a measuring device,
Your doctor may adjust your dose of meperidine during your treatment, depending on how well your pain is controlled and on the side effects that you experience. Talk to your doctor about how you are feeling during your treatment with meperidine. 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 while you are taking meperidine, call your doctor. Do not take more of it or take it more often than prescribed by your doctor.
Talk to your doctor or pharmacist about access to rescue medicines, naloxone or nalmefene, while taking meperidine. Rescue medications can reverse the life-threatening effects of an opioid overdose and are available over the counter or with a prescription. Make sure that you and your family members and people usually around you know how to recognize an overdose, how to use naloxone or nalmefene, and what to do until emergency medical help arrives. Your doctor or pharmacist will show you and others how to use it. If symptoms of an overdose occur, they 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, the person should give you another dose of the rescue medication. Additional doses may be given every 2 to 3 minutes, if symptoms return before medical help arrives.
If you have taken meperidine for longer than a few weeks, do not stop taking the medication without talking to your doctor. Your doctor will probably decrease your dose gradually. If you suddenly stop taking meperidine, you may experience withdrawal symptoms. Withdrawal symptoms may include restlessness, watery eyes, stuffy nose, yawning, sweating, chills, muscle pain, irritability, nervousness, stomach pain, upset stomach, vomiting, loss of appetite, diarrhea, fast breathing, fast heartbeat, and back pain.
What special precautions should I follow?
Before taking meperidine,
- 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 meperidine. Make sure you have discussed any medications you are currently taking or plan to take before starting meperidine with your doctor and pharmacist. Before starting, stopping, or changing any medications while taking meperidine, please get the advice of your doctor or pharmacist.
- 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.
- the following nonprescription or herbal products may interact with meperidine: 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 meperidine. Do not start this medication while taking meperidine without discussing it with your healthcare provider.
- tell your doctor if you have slowed breathing, asthma, chronic pulmonary disease (COPD), or other lung problem or paralytic ileus (condition in which digested food does not move through the intestines) or a blockage in the stomach or intestines. Your doctor may tell you not to take meperidine.
- tell your doctor if you have or have ever had pheochromocytoma (a type of tumor); a fast or irregular heartbeat; a brain tumor, or any condition that increases the amount of pressure in your brain; seizures; or thyroid, pancreas, gallbladder, heart, liver, or kidney disease.
- tell your doctor if you are pregnant, plan to become pregnant, or are breast-feeding. If you become pregnant while taking meperidine, call your doctor.
- you should know that this medication may decrease fertility in men and women. Talk to your doctor about the risks of taking meperidine.
- you should know that meperidine may make you drowsy. Do not drive a car or operate machinery until you know how this medication affects you.
- you should know that meperidine 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 meperidine. 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 that meperidine may cause constipation. Talk to your doctor about changing your diet or using other medications to prevent or treat constipation while you are taking meperidine.
- you should know to not drink alcoholic beverages while you are taking meperidine. Alcohol can make the side effects from meperidine worse.
What special dietary instructions should I follow?
Unless your doctor tells you otherwise, continue your normal diet.
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 meperidine 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.
Symptoms of overdose may include the following:
- slow or shallow breathing, difficulty breathing
- extreme sleepiness, unable to respond or wake up
- cold, clammy skin
- slow heartbeat
- narrowing or widening of the pupils (black circles in the center of the eye)
What side effects can this medicine cause?
Meperidine may cause side effects. Tell your doctor if any of these symptoms or those in the SPECIAL PRECAUTIONS section are severe or do not go away:
- nausea, vomiting
- sweating
- decreased sexual desire, inability to get or keep an erection
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:
- 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, nausea, vomiting, or diarrhea
- nausea, vomiting, loss of appetite, weakness, or dizziness
- seizures
- chest pain, change in heartbeat
- new pain or pain from touch or doing ordinary tasks such as combing your hair
- unusual snoring or long pauses during breaths during sleep
- difficulty swallowing, regurgitation (bringing up swallowed food into throat and mouth), pain in the chest area
- extreme drowsiness
- rash; hives; itching; or swelling of your face, tongue or throat
Meperidine 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, out of reach of children, and in a location that is not easily accessible by others, including visitors to the home. Store it at room temperature and away from excess heat and moisture (not in the bathroom).
Dispose of any medication that is outdated or no longer needed through a medicine take-back program. If you do not have a take-back program nearby or one that you can access promptly, flush any meperidine tablets or solution that are outdated or no longer needed down the toilet. Talk to your pharmacist about the proper disposal of your medication.
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.orgWhat 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 meperidine.
Do not let anyone else take your medication. It is against the law to give this medication to anyone else. Ask your pharmacist any questions you have about refilling your prescription.
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.