Meperidine Injection

pronounced as (me per' i deen)

Brand Name(s): Demerol®, also available generically

Why is this medicine prescribed?

Meperidine injection is used to relieve moderate to severe pain. It may also be used before and during surgery or other medical procedures. Meperidine injection is in a class of medications called opiate (narcotic) analgesics. It works by changing the way the body senses 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 injection comes as a solution (liquid) to inject subcutaneously (just under the skin), intramuscularly (into a muscle), or intravenously (into a vein). It is usually injected subcutaneously or intramuscularly once every 3 to 4 hours as needed. Use meperidine injection exactly as directed.

Your doctor may adjust your dose of meperidine injection 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 injection.

If you have used meperidine injection for longer than a few days, do not stop using it suddenly. If you suddenly stop using meperidine injection, you may experience withdrawal symptoms including restlessness; teary eyes; runny nose; yawning; sweating; chills; muscle, back or joint pain; widening of the pupils; irritability; anxiety; 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 using meperidine injection

  • tell your doctor and pharmacist if you are allergic to meperidine, any other medications, or ingredients in meperidine injection. Ask your pharmacist for a list of the ingredients.
  • do not use meperidine injection if you are taking a monoamine oxidase (MAO) inhibitor such as isocarboxazid (Marplan), linezolid (Zyvox), methylene blue, phenelzine (Nardil), procarbazine (Matulane), selegiline (Eldepryl, Emsam, Zelapar), or tranylcypromine (Parnate) or if you have stopped taking any of these medications within the past 2 weeks. Your doctor will probably tell you not to use meperidine injection if you are taking one or more of these medications.
  • tell your doctor and pharmacist what prescription and nonprescription medications, vitamins, nutritional supplements, and herbal products you are taking or plan to take. Be sure to mention any of the following: cyclobenzaprine (Amrix); dextromethorphan (found in many cough medications; in Nuedexta); lithium (Lithobid, in Librax); medications for migraine headaches such as almotriptan (Axert), eletriptan (Relpax), frovatriptan (Frova), naratriptan (Amerge), rizatriptan (Maxalt), sumatriptan (Imitrex, in Treximet), and zolmitriptan (Zomig); mirtazapine (Remeron); 5HT 3 serotonin blockers such as alosetron (Lotronex), dolasetron (Anzemet), granisetron (Kytril), ondansetron (Zofran, Zuplenz), or palonosetron (Aloxi); selective serotonin-reuptake inhibitors such as citalopram (Celexa), escitalopram (Lexapro), fluoxetine (Prozac, Sarafem, in Symbyax), fluvoxamine (Luvox), paroxetine (Brisdelle, Prozac, Pexeva), and sertraline (Zoloft); serotonin and norepinephrine reuptake inhibitors such as duloxetine (Cymbalta), desvenlafaxine (Khedezla, Pristiq), milnacipran (Savella), and venlafaxine (Effexor); tramadol (Conzip, Ultram); trazodone (Oleptro); or tricyclic antidepressants ('mood elevators') such as amitriptyline, clomipramine (Anafranil), desipramine (Norpramin), doxepin (Silenor), imipramine (Tofranil), nortriptyline (Pamelor), protriptyline (Vivactil), and trimipramine (Surmontil). Many other medications may also interact with meperidine, so be sure to tell your doctor about all the medications you are taking, even those that do not appear on this list. Also tell your doctor or pharmacist if you are taking narcotic medications for pain or if you have recently taken these medications. Your doctor may need to change the doses of your medications or monitor you carefully for side effects.
  • tell your doctor what herbal products you are taking, especially St. John's wort and tryptophan.
  • tell your doctor if you have or have ever had problems urinating; Addison's disease (a condition in which the body does not produce certain important chemicals); prostatic hypertrophy (enlargement of a male reproductive gland called the prostate); urethral stricture (narrowing of the opening through which urine leaves the body); seizures; or thyroid, heart, kidney, or liver disease.
  • tell your doctor if you are pregnant, plan to become pregnant, or are breastfeeding. If you become pregnant while using meperidine injection, call your doctor.
  • you should know that this medication may decrease fertility in men and women. Talk to your doctor about the risks of using 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. To avoid this problem, get out of bed slowly, resting your feet on the floor for a few minutes before standing up.
  • if you are having surgery, including dental surgery, tell the doctor or dentist that you are using meperidine injection.

What special dietary instructions should I follow?

Unless your doctor tells you otherwise, continue your normal diet.

What should I do in case of overdose?

While using meperidine injection, you should talk to your doctor about having a rescue medication called naloxone readily available (e.g., home, office). Naloxone is used to reverse the life-threatening effects of an overdose. It works by blocking the effects of opiates to relieve dangerous symptoms caused by high levels of opiates in the blood. Your doctor may also prescribe you naloxone if you are living in a household where there are small children or someone who has abused street or prescription drugs. 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. Your doctor or pharmacist will show you and your family members how to use the medication. Ask your pharmacist for the instructions or visit the manufacturer's website to get the instructions. 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. Your symptoms may return within a few minutes after you receive naloxone. If your symptoms return, 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.

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
  • loose, floppy muscles
  • cold, clammy skin
  • slow heartbeat
  • fainting

What side effects can this medicine cause?

Meperidine injection may cause side effects. Tell your doctor if any of these symptoms are severe or do not go away:

  • lightheadedness
  • headache
  • agitation
  • constipation
  • uncontrollable shaking of a part of your body
  • blurred vision
  • dry mouth
  • pain or redness at injection site

Some side effects can be serious. If you experience any of these symptoms, call your doctor immediately:

  • slowed breathing
  • 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
  • inability to get or keep an erection
  • decreased sexual desire
  • irregular menstruation
  • intense happiness
  • sad mood
  • rash
  • itching
  • flushing
  • hives
  • seizures
  • hallucinations

Meperidine injection may cause other side effects. Call your doctor if you have any unusual problems while using 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 ( http://www.fda.gov/Safety/MedWatch ) or by phone (1-800-332-1088).

What other information should I know?

Keep all appointments with your doctor. Your doctor may order certain lab tests to check your body's response to meperidine.

Before having any laboratory test (especially those that involve methylene blue), tell your doctor and the laboratory personnel that you are using meperidine.

This prescription is not refillable. If you continue to have pain after you finish meperidine, call your doctor.

It is important for you to keep a written list of all of the prescription and nonprescription (over-the-counter) medicines you are taking, as well as any products such as vitamins, minerals, or other dietary supplements. You should bring this list with you each time you visit a doctor or if you are admitted to a hospital. It is also important information to carry with you in case of emergencies.

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