Your health care provider prescribed an opioid pain medicine. There are risks to taking opioids, so they must be used very carefully. They can cause serious side effects and lead to addiction, overdose, and even death.

You will need a parent or caregiver to give you the medicine, help you with any side effects, help you store it safely, and get rid of any unused medicine. Read this information together so you will both know what to do.

Important Information About Opioid Medicines

• Don't take any other medicines without checking with your health care provider or pharmacist. This is important because:
  • Some opioid medicines contain acetaminophen (brand name Tylenol^®) or ibuprofen (brand names Advil^®, Motrin^®). So if you take these medicines along with the opioid, you could get too much.
  • Taking certain medicines used for anxiety, seizures, and muscles spasms (such as Valium^®, Ativan^®, or Xanax^®) with opioids is dangerous and can lead to an overdose.
  • Other medicines, herbs, or supplements may interact with opioid medicines.
• Because there is a risk of overdose when taking opioid medicines, your health care provider may give you a prescription for naloxone nasal spray (Narcan^®). Fill the prescription and be sure you and a parent or caregiver who will be with you while you take opioids know how to use it. Naloxone can reverse the effects of opioids and save someone's life if they take too much opioid medicine.

Taking Opioid Medicines

• Take the opioid medicine exactly as prescribed. Don't take more than prescribed or more often than prescribed.
• Do not drink alcohol while taking the opioid medicine. It can lead to serious medical problems, even death.
• Do not drive, ride a bike, or operate machinery while taking the medicine.
• Do not take opioid medicine if you are or might be pregnant. It can cause serious problems in a baby.
• Do not share your medicines with anyone.

Storing Opioids

Your parent or a trusted caregiver should:

• Store the opioid medicine in a locked cabinet, out of the reach of children, visitors, and pets.
• Never leave the medicine out on a table or counter.
• Keep track of how much medicine is in the container.

Getting Rid of Unused Opioid Medicine

As soon as you are finished taking the medicine as prescribed, your parent or caregiver should get rid of any unused medicine. Your health care provider or pharmacist can recommend safe ways to get rid of extra medicine. You also can find information online at: fda.gov/ForConsumers/ConsumerUpdates/ucm101653.htm.

• You have questions about when or how to take the opioid medicine or use naloxone.
• You have severe pain that interferes with eating, drinking, sleeping, and moving, even after taking the medicine as prescribed.
• You have side effects from the opioid medicine, such as constipation, sleepiness, itching, nausea, or vomiting.

• You think you may have taken too much medicine.

Someone with an opioid overdose may be very sleepy, have very slow breathing, stop breathing, or have blue lips and nails. Someone should give them naloxone nasal spray and call 911 immediately.

How do opioids work? Opioids ease pain by blocking pain messages from reaching the brain. 

How do people get addicted to opioid pain medicines? Someone who takes opioids for more than a few days or who doesn't take them as directed can get addicted. People who are addicted to opioids have very strong cravings for them and will continue to take them even if this causes problems with health, relationships, and money. They may tell a health care provider that they have pain when they don't to try to get more opioids. Or they may try to get opioids from friends who have taken them. The craving is so strong that they may even steal or buy opioids from other people.

Where can people get help for a substance abuse problem? If you or someone you know is fighting drug addiction, recovery is possible. Information is available through:

• your health care provider
• state or local health department websites
• CDC.gov
• SAMHSA.gov 
• 800-662-HELP (4357)