Prevent Opioid Misuse

If you are prescribed opioids for your pain, you have the following responsibilities to help ensure you are getting the safest, most effective pain management possible.

What You Can Do to Prevent Opioid Misuse

Work with Your Doctor

• Work with your doctor to create a plan on how to manage your pain.
  • Know your options and consider ways to manage your pain that do not include opioids.
  • Talk to your doctor about any and all side effects and concerns.
  • Make the most informed decision with your doctor.
• Follow up regularly with your doctor.

Take and Store Opioids Properly

• Never take opioids in greater amounts or more often than prescribed.
• Never sell or share prescription opioids.
• Store prescription opioids in a secure place, out of reach of others (including children, family, friends, and visitors).
• If you have unused prescription opioids at the end of your treatment, find your community drug take-back program or your pharmacy mail-back program, or flush them down the toilet, following guidance from the Food and Drug Administration (www.fda.gov/Drugs/ResourcesForYou).
• Don’t take opioids with alcohol and and other medications like:
  • Benzodiazepines (such as Xanax^® and Valium^®)
  • Muscle relaxants (such as Soma^® or Flexeril^®)
  • Hypnotics (such as Ambien^® or Lunesta^®)
  • Other prescription opioids