Oxymorphone Injection

Oxymorphone injection is used to treat moderate to severe pain, including labor pain. It may also be given before surgery or with a general anesthetic (medicine that puts you to sleep), and may be used to relieve anxiety for patients with breathing problems from pulmonary edema caused by heart disease.

Oxymorphone belongs to the group of medicines called narcotic analgesics (pain medicines). It acts on the central nervous system (CNS) to relieve pain.

When oxymorphone is used for a long time, it may become habit-forming, causing mental or physical dependence. However, people who have continuing pain should not let the fear of dependence keep them from using narcotics to relieve their pain. Mental dependence (addiction) is not likely to occur when narcotics are used for this purpose. Physical dependence may lead to withdrawal side effects if treatment is stopped suddenly. However, severe withdrawal side effects can usually be prevented by gradually reducing the dose over a period of time before treatment is stopped completely.

oxymorphone is available only with your doctor's prescription.

Along with its needed effects, a medicine may cause some unwanted effects. Although not all of these side effects may occur, if they do occur they may need medical attention.

Check with your doctor or nurse immediately if any of the following side effects occur:

• Blurred vision
• chest pain or discomfort
• confusion
• constricted, pinpoint, or small pupils (black part of the eye)
• difficult or painful urination
• difficult or troubled breathing
• difficulty with sleeping
• disorientation
• double vision
• drowsiness or sleepiness
• fast, pounding, or irregular heartbeat or pulse
• frequent urge to urinate
• hallucinations
• irregular, fast or slow, or shallow breathing
• noisy breathing
• pale or blue lips, fingernails, or skin
• slow or irregular heartbeat
• seeing double
• seeing, hearing, or feeling things that are not there
• tightness in the chest
• unconsciousness
• unusual tiredness or weakness
• very slow breathing

Get emergency help immediately if any of the following symptoms of overdose occur:

• Bigger, dilated, or enlarged pupils (black part of the eye)
• cold, clammy skin
• increased sensitivity of the eyes to light
• no muscle tone or movement
• unconsciousness
• very slow heartbeat

Some side effects may occur that usually do not need medical attention. These side effects may go away during treatment as your body adjusts to the medicine. Also, your health care professional may be able to tell you about ways to prevent or reduce some of these side effects. Check with your health care professional if any of the following side effects continue or are bothersome or if you have any questions about them:

• Abdominal or stomach cramps or pain
• bloating
• chills
• cold sweats
• constipation
• cough
• decrease in frequency of urination
• decrease in urine volume
• diarrhea
• difficulty in passing urine (dribbling)
• dizziness, faintness, or lightheadedness when getting up suddenly from a lying or sitting position
• dry mouth
• flushing
• headache
• lethargy
• lightheadedness
• loss of appetite
• mood or other mental changes
• nausea
• restlessness
• sleepiness or unusual drowsiness
• skin rash, hives, itching, or redness
• sweating
• swelling or puffiness of the face
• unusual tiredness
• vomiting
• weight loss

Other side effects not listed may also occur in some patients. If you notice any other effects, check with your healthcare professional.

Call your doctor for medical advice about side effects. You may report side effects to the FDA at 1-800-FDA-1088.

All drugs may cause side effects. However, many people have no side effects or only have minor side effects. Call your doctor or get medical help if any of these side effects or any other side effects bother you or do not go away:

• Hard stools (constipation).
• Dizziness.
• Feeling sleepy.
• Dry mouth.
• Gas.
• Headache.
• Itching.
• Upset stomach or throwing up.
• Sweating a lot.
• Feeling tired or weak.
• Belly pain.

These are not all of the side effects that may occur. If you have questions about side effects, call your doctor. Call your doctor for medical advice about side effects.

You may report side effects to the FDA at 1-800-FDA-1088. You may also report side effects at http://www.fda.gov/medwatch.

If you think there has been an overdose, call your poison control center or get medical care right away. Be ready to tell or show what was taken, how much, and when it happened.

• If your symptoms or health problems do not get better or if they become worse, call your doctor.
• Do not share your drugs with others and do not take anyone else's drugs.
• Keep a list of all your drugs (prescription, natural products, vitamins, OTC) with you. Give this list to your doctor.
• Talk with the doctor before starting any new drug, including prescription or OTC, natural products, or vitamins.
• Keep all drugs in a safe place. Keep all drugs out of the reach of children and pets.
• Check with your pharmacist about how to throw out unused drugs.
• This medicine comes with an extra patient fact sheet called a Medication Guide. Read it with care. Read it again each time this medicine is refilled. If you have any questions about oxymorphone injection, please talk with the doctor, pharmacist, or other health care provider.
• If you think there has been an overdose, call your poison control center or get medical care right away. Be ready to tell or show what was taken, how much, and when it happened.

This information should not be used to decide whether or not to take this medicine or any other medicine. Only the healthcare provider has the knowledge and training to decide which medicines are right for a specific patient. This information does not endorse any medicine as safe, effective, or approved for treating any patient or health condition. This is only a brief summary of general information about oxymorphone injection. It does NOT include all information about the possible uses, directions, warnings, precautions, interactions, adverse effects, or risks that may apply to this medicine. This information is not specific medical advice and does not replace information you receive from the healthcare provider. You must talk with the healthcare provider for complete information about the risks and benefits of using oxymorphone injection.

Review Date: October 4, 2017

See also Warning section.

Nausea, vomiting, constipation, lightheadedness, dizziness, or drowsiness may occur. Pain, redness, or swelling at the injection site may also occur. If any of these effects persist or worsen, tell your doctor or pharmacist promptly.

To prevent constipation, eat a diet adequate in fiber, drink plenty of water, and exercise. Consult your pharmacist for help in selecting a laxative (such as a stimulant type with stool softener).

To lower your risk of dizziness and lightheadedness, get up slowly when rising from a sitting or lying position.

Remember that your doctor has prescribed this medication because he or she has judged that the benefit to you is greater than the risk of side effects. Many people using this medication do not have serious side effects.

Tell your doctor right away if you have any serious side effects, including: fast/slow/irregular heartbeat, severe stomach/abdominal pain, mental/mood changes (such as agitation, hallucinations, confusion), difficulty urinating, signs of your adrenal glands not working well (such as loss of appetite, unusual tiredness, weight loss).

Get medical help right away if you have any very serious side effects, including: severe drowsiness/difficulty waking up, slow/shallow/irregular breathing, fainting, seizures.

A very serious allergic reaction to this drug is rare. However, get medical help right away if you notice any symptoms of a serious allergic reaction, including: rash, itching/swelling (especially of the face/tongue/throat), severe dizziness, trouble breathing.

This is not a complete list of possible side effects. If you notice other effects not listed above, contact your doctor or pharmacist.

In the US -

Call your doctor for medical advice about side effects. You may report side effects to FDA at 1-800-FDA-1088 or at www.fda.gov/medwatch.

In Canada - Call your doctor for medical advice about side effects. You may report side effects to Health Canada at 1-866-234-2345.