Oxycodone Accord 40mg

General information

OXYCODONE Accord 40mg is an opioid medication which is used for the relief of moderate to severe pain and has been found to improve quality of life for those with many types of pain. Oxycodone is a semisynthetic opioid derived from thebaine, an opioid alkaloid found in the Persian poppy and one of the many alkaloids found in the opium poppy. Oxycodone was developed in 1917 in Germany as one of several semisynthetic opioids in an attempt to improve on the existing opioids.

Indications

Swallow OXYCODONE tablets whole with a full glass of water or other fluid.
Do not break, chew, crush or dissolve the tablets. This medicine was designed to work properly only if swallowed whole. They may release all their contents at once if broken, chewed, crushed or dissolved, resulting in a risk of overdose or even death.

Take this medicine as directed by your doctor. Oxycodone should be taken every twelve hours.

Take your tablets at the times you have been told. If, however, you begin to experience pain (breakthrough pain), and you are taking your OXYCODONE tablets as prescribed, contact your doctor, as your dosage may have to be reviewed.
This medicine must be taken regularly to control the pain. Taking this medicine at regular time intervals means that the onset of pain is prevented. This medicine should not be taken when you feel you need it, as this will cause some pain to be experienced.

Do not take any alcohol while you are being treated with OXYCODONE.

Contraindications

Do not take OXYCODONE if you have an allergy to

• oxycodone hydrochloride;
• any other similar medicines known as opioid analgesics, e.g. morphine or codeine.

Some of the symptoms of an allergic reaction may include:

• shortness of breath;
• wheezing or difficulty breathing;
• swelling of the face, lips, tongue or other parts of the body
• rash, itching or hives on the skin.

Do not take OXYCODONE if

• you are taking a medicine for depression called monoamine oxidase inhibitor, or you have taken any in the last two weeks;
• you have just drunk a large amount of alcohol, regularly drink large amounts of alcohol or have confusion and shaking due to stopping drinking alcohol;
• you are about to have an operation including surgery on your spine for pain relief in the next 24 hours or have had an operation within the last 24 hours;
• you have been given the 40mg strength and have not used any opioid medicine before.

Possible side effect

Tell your doctor as soon as possible if you do not feel well while you are taking OXYCODONE.
OXYCODONE helps most people with moderate to severe pain, but they may have unwanted side effects in some people. All medicines can have side effects. Sometimes they are serious, most of the time they are not. You may need medical attention if you get some of the side effects.

Do not be alarmed by the following lists of side effects. You may not experience any of them.

Tell your doctor or pharmacist if you notice any of the following and they worry you

• mild abdominal problems, such as diarrhoea, feeling sick (nausea), loss of appetite or constipation
• muscle problems such as spasms or twitching or tremors
• sore throat, dry mouth, hiccups, trouble swallowing or changes in voice
• excessive sweating
• skin rash, itching, fever, chills or sweating
• feeling anxious or nervous, trouble sleeping or abnormal dreams
• trouble with your balance
• new problems with your eyesight
• swelling of legs or ankles.
• absence of menstrual periods
• impotance

The below list includes serious side effects that may require medical treatment

• you have an allergic reaction: shortness of breath, wheezing, shallow or difficult breathing;
• swelling of the face, lips, tongue, throat or other parts of the body;
• rash, itching or hives on the skin;
• seizures, fits or convulsions;
• fast or irregular heartbeats;
• chest pain or chest tightness.

Interactions

Some medicines and OXYCODONE may interfere with each other. These include:

• medication for depression, psychiatric or mental disorders;
• Medicines to treat depression belonging to a group called monoamine oxidase inhibitors must be stopped 14 days before OXYCODONE tablets are taken;
• medication to help you sleep;
• medicines to put you to sleep during an operation or procedure;
• medicines to relax your muscles;
• medicines to lower blood pressure;
• quinidine and other medicines to treat the heart;
• cimetidine, a medicine to treat stomach ulcers or heartburn;
• medicines to relieve stomach cramps or spasms, to prevent travel sickness or to treat Parkinson's disease;
• medicines to treat urinary incontinence;
• medicines to stop nausea or vomiting e.g. metoclopramide;
• ketoconazole, a medicine to treat fungal infections;
• ritonavir, an antiviral medication;
• macrolide antibiotics, e.g. clarithromycin, rifampin;
• medicines used to treat epilepsy e.g. carbamazepine, phenytoin;
• medicine to treat HIV infection and AIDs e.g. ritonavir;
• alcohol;
• grapefruit juice;
• medicines to thin the blood e.g. coumarin derivatives such as warfarin.     

These medicines or alcohol may be affected by OXYCODONE or may affect how well it works. They may increase the side effects of OXYCODONE. You may need different amounts of your medicines, or you may need to take different medicines.

Precautions

OXYCODONE contains lactose. If you have been told by your doctor that you have intolerance to some sugars, tell your doctor before taking it. If you have not told your doctor about any of the above, tell him/her before you start taking OXYCODONE.

Pregnancy and Breast feeding

Do not take OXYCODONE 40mg if you are pregnant or intend to become pregnant. It may affect your developing baby if you take it during pregnancy.
OXYCODONE is not recommended to be taken during labour. Oxycodone given to the mother during labour can cause breathing problems in the newborn.
Tell your doctor if you are breastfeeding or plan to breastfeed. Your doctor can discuss with you the risks and benefits involved.

Do not drive or operate machinery until you know how OXYCODONE affects you.

Oxycodone may cause drowsiness, dizziness, hallucinations, disorientation, blurred vision or other vision problems or may affect alertness. Discuss these aspects and any impact on your driving or operating machinery with your doctor. Make sure you know how you react to this medicine before you drive a car, operate machinery, or do anything else that could be dangerous if you are drowsy, dizzy or not alert.

Low sex hormone levels

Long-term use of Oxycodone tablets may result in a decrease in sex hormone levels which may affect sperm production in men and the menstrual cycles in females. Talk to your doctor if you have concerns.

Missed dose

If you forget to take a dose, contact your doctor for advice. Do not take a double dose to make up for the dose that you missed. This may increase the chance of you getting an unwanted side effect.

Overdose

In high doses, overdoses, or in some persons not tolerant to opioids, oxycodone can cause:

• shallow breathing;
• slowed heart rate;
• cold/clammy skin;
• pauses in breathing;
• low blood pressure;
• constricted pupils;
• circulatory collapse;
• respiratory arrest, and death.

Oxycodone overdose has also been described to cause spinal cord infarction in high doses and ischemic damage to the brain, due to prolonged hypoxia from suppressed breathing.

Storage

Store OXYCODONE Accord 40mg at room temperature between 68-77 degrees F (20-25 degrees C) away from light and moisture. Do not store the drugs in the bathroom. Keep all drugs away from reach of children and pets.