YOUR OPIOID
PRESCRIPTION
Scroll down this page to learn more about the following important topics, and click on the “Learn More” buttons to access resources.
Risks and Benefits
When taken as prescribed, opioids are generally safe and can help you manage the pain associated with your surgical procedure. It is important that you take your medication exactly as directed to ensure it is working properly, and to lower the chances of side effects and overdose.
The information on this website will help you manage your care wisely, watch out for medication interactions (because certain medicines can be dangerous, even sometimes fatal, when used with opioids) and help you properly store and dispose of your opioids to help prevent theft and protect others from taking the medicine accidentally.
Click below on the “Learn more” buttons under each important topic.
FDA Patient Counseling Guide
What you need to know about opioid pain medication
FDA Guía De Orientación Para El Paciente
Qué necesita saber sobre los medicamentos opioides para el dolor
OVERDOSE
What should you do if someone has breathing problems due to possible opioid overdose?
During an overdose, breathing can be dangerously slowed or stopped, causing brain damage or death.
If you are not sure whether someone is experiencing an overdose, it is best to treat it like an overdose— you could save a life. It is important to recognize the signs and act fast.
Give Naloxone and Call 911.
Connecticut Poison Control Center
Call 1-800-222-1222
Nora-Naloxone + Overdose Response App
CDC: Preventing Overdose
Poison Control
Treating and Prevent Opiod Overdose
ADDICTION
AND MISUSE
Do you need help with opioid medication addiction issues, or do you have a loved one with an addiction or misuse problem?
Remember that addiction is not a choice or a moral failing. Addiction is a disease of the brain. If you recognize the symptoms of addiction in yourself or in a loved one, it is important to seek help right away. The longer an addiction progresses, the more far-reaching the negative effects will be. Resources are available for you now.
If struggling with addiction find support resources in Connecticut at United Way
CALL SAMHSA’s national hotline
Storing your medication
Connecticut Department of Consumer Protection – Prescription Monitoring Program: Keeping Medications Secure
Connecticut Department of Consumer Protection – Prescription Monitoring Program: Safe Storage and Disposal of Prescription Medication
El Departamento de Protección al Consumidor de Connecticut – Programa de Supervisión de Prescripciones Médicas: Mantenga los Medicamentos Seguro
FDA: What you need to know about opioid pain medication.
Did you know that nearly 70 percent of prescription opioids in homes with children are not stored safely?
All medications should be stored out of reach of children, and in a safe place—preferably locked—to prevent other family members and visitors from taking them. Opioid medications pose a particularly high risk of diversion and poisoning – with almost 22,000 pediatric emergency department visits related to prescription opioid poisonings between 2006 and 2012 and with more than 70 percent of people using opioid analgesics for nonmedical reasons getting them from family or friends.
Learn how to store your medication safely.
%
22,000 pediatric emergency department visits related to prescription opioid poisonings between 2006 and 2012
%
70 percent of people using opioid analgesics for nonmedical reasons getting them from family or friends
DISPOSING OF UNUSED MEDICATION
Do you know how to correctly dispose of your expired, unwanted, or unused opioids?
When you no longer need your opioid medication, it is important to dispose of it as quickly as possible to prevent anyone from using the opioid without a prescription. By immediately disposing of any unused opioids, you can also help prevent a child or animal from finding and using the opioid by accident.
How to Store Your Medication
FDA REMS
What you need to know about opioid pain medication.
What to Do With Unused Meds