Opana - an overview
OPANA, active ingredient oxymorphone hydrochloride is an opioid pain reliever that can be found in 5 and 10 mg strengths. It comes in tablets that are meant to be taken by mouth. The strengths talk about how much oxymorphone can be found in each tablet. This medicine can offer long lasting, around the clock relief of pain that is moderate to severe and is expected to be long lasting. It should be taken on a schedule as your doctor prescribes, not as pain dictates.
What it's prescribed for
This medication is prescribed to treat ongoing pain that is moderate to severe. It works with certain brain centers to offer you relief from your pain. This is a long acting, opiate like pain reliever. It should not be used for at least 24 hours post surgery if you were not being treated with it or other types of strong narcotic analgesics before you had your surgery. You should also not take this if you are experiencing pain that is not expected to be long lasting or is mild.
Secondary effects
Common secondary effects include: vomiting, nausea, constipation, mild itching, headache, dry mouth, dizziness or lightheadedness as well as drowsiness. If these secondary effects continue or become worse, call your health care provider right away.
To avoid constipation, you should eat a diet high in fiber, drink lots of water and get regular exercise. Talk to your doctor for help choosing the right laxative for you.
Keep in mind that your doctor has prescribed you this medicine because she or he has decided that the benefits for you are far greater than the risks for secondary effects. Many people that take this medicine never notice serious secondary effects.
Potential Abuse
The active ingredient in Opana is oxymorphone. This is an opioid much like morphine. It is classified as a Schedule II controlled medication and has the potential to be abused much like other opioid medications that are illegal. It is important to consider this when selling and prescribing this medication when the health care providers are worried about abuse, misuse or other fraudulent activities regarding this medication.
Possible Interactions
The is the chance for interactions with Central nervous system depressants and mixing these substances with Opana can cause a higher risk for respiratory depression, profound sedation, hypotension, death or coma. When considering combination therapy with a CNS depressant, it is important to lower the dosage of one or both medications. Mixed antagonist opioid medications have the potential to reduce the pain relief and can even cause symptoms of withdrawal. Taking Opana with Cimetidine can cause disorientation, confusion, apnea, respiratory depression or seizures. When Anticholinergics are taken with Opana there is the risk of problems urinating, and constipation that can cause a condition called parlytic ileus. MAOIs taken at the same time as Opana can be very dangerous and should not be taken within 14 days of taking these medications.
