Side Effects:
Opioids (narcotics) may cause drowsiness that can be worsened with alcohol, benzodiazepines, and other sedating medications. Use care when driving and operating machinery. An overdose can cause severe side effects, even death.
Other common, usually temporary, side effects include nausea, itching, and sweating. Psychological depression and lowered testosterone levels (in men) may also occur. Sleep apnea, if present, may be worsened by opioids. Constipation commonly occurs, and often does not improve with time. It is impossible to predict opioid side effects in any individual patient. Having side effects on one opioid does not necessarily mean there will be side effects on another opioid.
You must take opioids only as directed. Federal law prohibits giving this medication to anyone else. Physical dependence will develop with regular use, but does not by itself indicate addiction; this means that a withdrawal syndrome will develop if you stop your medication abruptly. Tolerance may develop to the pain relieving effects of opioids; this means that the pain relief may decrease over time, but in chronic pain states this usually occurs slowly, if at all.
Not all pain conditions respond to opioids. Some pain may only be partially responsive to opioid therapy. Total elimination of pain is an umealistic goal. Increasing dosages may indicate that opioids are not effective or that there is an underlying problem with addiction or psychological dependence. Discontinuation of opioid medications may need to be done under these circumstances: not enough pain relief, persistent side effects, not achieving goals of opioid treatment (such as improvement in function), problematic dosage increases, or inability to comply with the treatment agreement.
I, the undersigned, agree to follow these guidelines that have been fully explained to me. All of my questions and concerns regarding treatment have been adequately answered.
I, the undersigned, give permission to my pain doctor to contact my other healthcare providers, for the purposes of sharing information concerning my situation, as is deemed necessary for coordinated, high quality care.
If I do not follow these guidelines fully, my doctor may stop opioid treatment and refer me elsewhere for care.
A copy of this document has been given to me, if requested.