Medication Guide

Meperidine hydrochloride tablets are:

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A strong prescription pain medicine that contain an opioid (narcotic) that is used to manage the relief short-term (acute) pain, when other pain treatments such as non-opioid pain medicines do not treat your pain well enough or you cannot tolerate them.

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An opioid pain medicine that can put you at risk for overdose and death. Even if you take your dose correctly as prescribed you are at risk for opioid addiction, abuse, and misuse that can lead to death.

Important information about meperidine hydrochloride tablets:

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Get emergency help right away if you take too many meperidine hydrochloride tablets (overdose). When you first start taking meperidine hydrochloride tablets, when your dose is changed, or if you take too much (overdose), serious or life-threatening breathing problems that can lead to death may occur.

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Taking meperidine hydrochloride tablets with other opioid medicines, benzodiazepines, alcohol, or other central nervous system depressants (including street drugs) can cause severe drowsiness, decreased awareness, breathing problems, coma, and death.

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Never give anyone else your meperidine hydrochloride tablets. They could die from taking it. Selling or giving away meperidine hydrochloride tablets is against the law.

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Store meperidine hydrochloride tablets away from children and in a safe location not accessible by others, including visitors to the home.

Do not take meperidine hydrochloride tablets if you have:

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severe asthma, trouble breathing, or other lung problems.

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a bowel blockage or have narrowing of the stomach or intestines.

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allergy to meperidine

Before taking meperidine hydrochloride tablets, tell your healthcare provider if you have a history of:

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head injury, seizures

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liver, kidney, thyroid problems

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pancreas or gallbladder problems

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problems urinating

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abuse of street or prescription drugs, alcohol addiction, or mental health problems.

Tell your healthcare provider if you are:

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pregnant or planning to become pregnant. Prolonged use of meperidine hydrochloride tablets during pregnancy can cause withdrawal symptoms in your newborn baby that could be life-threatening if not recognized and treated.

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breastfeeding. Meperidine passes into breast milk and may harm your baby.

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taking prescription or over-the-counter medicines, vitamins, or herbal supplements. Taking meperidine hydrochloride tablets with certain other medicines can cause serious side effects that could lead to death.

When taking meperidine hydrochloride tablets:

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Do not change your dose. Take meperidine hydrochloride tablets exactly as prescribed by your healthcare provider. Use the lowest dose possible for the shortest time needed.

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Take your prescribed dose every 3 or 4 hours as necessary. Do not take more than your prescribed dose. If you miss a dose, take your next dose at your usual time.

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Call your healthcare provider if the dose you are taking does not control your pain.

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If you have been taking meperidine hydrochloride tablets regularly, do not stop taking meperidine hydrochloride tablets without talking to your healthcare provider.

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Dispose of expired, unwanted, or unused meperidine hydrochloride tablets by promptly flushing down the toilet, if a drug take-back option is not readily available. Visit www.fda.gov/drugdisposal for additional information on disposal of unused medicines.

While taking meperidine hydrochloride tablets DO NOT:

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Drive or operate heavy machinery, until you know how meperidine hydrochloride tablets affect you. Meperidine can make you sleepy, dizzy, or lightheaded.

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Drink alcohol or use prescription or over-thecounter medicines that contain alcohol. Using products containing alcohol during treatment with meperidine hydrochloride tablets may cause you to overdose and die.

The possible side effects of meperidine:

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constipation, nausea, sleepiness, vomiting, tiredness, headache, dizziness, abdominal pain. Call your healthcare provider if you have any of these symptoms and they are severe.

Get emergency medical help if you have:

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trouble breathing, shortness of breath, fast heartbeat, chest pain, swelling of your face, tongue, or throat, extreme drowsiness, light-headedness when changing positions, feeling faint, agitation, high body temperature, trouble walking, stiff muscles, or mental changes such as confusion.

These are not all the possible side effects of meperidine. Call your doctor for medical advice about side effects. You may report side effects to FDA at 1-800-FDA-1088. For more information go to dailymed.nlm.nih.gov