Meperitab Oral

Nausea, vomiting, constipation, dry mouth, flushing, sweating, lightheadedness, dizziness, and drowsiness may occur. If any of these effects persist or worsen, notify your doctor or pharmacist promptly.
To prevent constipation, maintain a diet adequate in fiber, drink plenty of water, and exercise. If you become constipated while using this drug, consult your pharmacist for help in selecting a laxative (e.g., stimulant-type with stool softener).
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 immediately if any of these unlikely but serious side effects occur: slow/shallow breathing, fainting, slow/irregular/fast heartbeat, mental/mood changes (e.g., confusion, hallucinations, nervousness), numbness, shakiness (tremors), trouble urinating.
Tell your doctor immediately if any of these rare but very serious side effects occur: severe stomach/abdominal pain, seizures, change in the amount of urine.
A very serious allergic reaction to this drug is rare. However, seek immediate medical attention if you notice any of the following symptoms of a serious allergic reaction: 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.
In Canada - Call your doctor for medical advice about side effects. You may report side effects to Health Canada at 1-866-234-2345.

Before taking meperidine, tell your doctor or pharmacist if you are allergic to it; or if you have any other allergies. This product may contain inactive ingredients, which can cause allergic reactions or other problems. Talk to your pharmacist for more details.
This medication should not be used if you have certain medical conditions. Before using this medicine, consult your doctor or pharmacist if you have: severe breathing problems (e.g., respiratory depression, carbon dioxide retention), a certain bowel disease (paralytic ileus), severe infectious diarrhea (e.g., Clostridium difficile-associated diarrhea), intoxication with drugs that can cause drowsiness or slow/shallow breathing (e.g., alcohol or tranquilizers/sedatives).
Before taking this medication, tell your doctor or pharmacist your medical history, especially of: abdominal problems (e.g., gallbladder disease, pancreatitis), adrenal gland problem (e.g., Addison\'s disease, pheochromocytoma), large blood loss (e.g., recent blood donation, stomach/intestinal bleeding), brain disorders (e.g., seizures, head injury, tumor, increased intracranial pressure), heart problems (e.g., irregular heartbeat, low blood pressure), kidney disease, liver disease, lung diseases (e.g., asthma, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease-COPD, emphysema), mental/mood disorders (e.g., depression, toxic psychosis), personal or family history of regular use/abuse of drugs/alcohol, sickle cell anemia, a certain spinal problem (kyphoscoliosis), underactive thyroid (hypothyroidism), trouble urinating (e.g., due to enlarged prostate or narrowing of the urethra).
Meperidine is usually only used for a short time. Repeated or high doses may cause drug levels to build up in the body and cause serious side effects such as seizures and shaking. Caution is advised if this medication is used for conditions which require long-term or high-dosage treatment (e.g., sickle cell anemia, burns, cancer). Consult your doctor or pharmacist for details.
This drug may make you dizzy or drowsy. Do not drive, use machinery, or do any activity that requires alertness until you are sure you can perform such activities safely. Avoid alcoholic beverages.
To lower your risk of dizziness and lightheadedness, get up slowly when rising from a sitting or lying position.
Kidney function declines as you grow older. This medication is removed by the kidneys. Therefore, elderly people may be more sensitive to the effects of the drug, especially confusion and drowsiness.
Caution is advised when using this drug in children because they may be more sensitive to the effects of the drug, especially drowsiness.
Before using this medication, women of childbearing age should talk with their doctor(s) about the risks and benefits. Tell your doctor if you are pregnant or if you plan to become pregnant. During pregnancy, this medication should be used only when clearly needed. It may slightly increase the risk of birth defects if used during the first two months of pregnancy. Also, using it for a long time or in high doses near the expected delivery date may harm the unborn baby. To lessen the risk, take the smallest effective dose for the shortest possible time. Tell the doctor right away if you notice any symptoms in your newborn baby such as slow/shallow breathing, irritability, abnormal/persistent crying, vomiting, or diarrhea.
This drug passes into breast milk and is unlikely to harm a nursing infant. Consult your doctor before breast-feeding.

Your health care professionals may already be aware of any possible drug interactions and may be monitoring you for them. Do not start, stop, or change the dosage of any medicine before checking with them first.
This drug should not be used with the following medications because very serious interactions may occur: narcotic blockers (e.g., naltrexone, naloxone), sibutramine.
Avoid taking MAO inhibitors (isocarboxazid, linezolid, methylene blue, moclobemide, phenelzine, procarbazine, rasagiline, selegiline, tranylcypromine) within 2 weeks before, during, and after treatment with this medication. In some cases, a serious (possibly fatal) drug interaction may occur.
If you are currently using any of these medications listed above, tell your doctor or pharmacist before starting meperidine.
Before taking this medication, tell your doctor or pharmacist of all prescription and nonprescription/herbal products you may use, especially of: acyclovir, cimetidine, certain other pain medications (e.g., narcotic agonist/antagonist such as butorphanol/nalbuphine), phenytoin, ritonavir.
Also report the use of drugs that might increase seizure risk when combined with meperidine such as bupropion, isoniazid (INH), phenothiazines (e.g., thioridazine), theophylline, or tricyclic antidepressants (e.g., amitriptyline), among others. Consult your doctor or pharmacist for details.
Tell your doctor or pharmacist if you also take drugs that cause drowsiness such as: certain antihistamines (e.g., diphenhydramine), anti-seizure drugs (e.g., carbamazepine), medicine for sleep or anxiety (e.g., alprazolam, diazepam, zolpidem), muscle relaxants, narcotic pain relievers (e.g., codeine), psychiatric medicines (e.g., chlorpromazine, risperidone, amitriptyline, trazodone).
Check the labels on all your medicines (e.g., cough-and-cold products) because they may contain drowsiness-causing ingredients. Ask your pharmacist about using those products safely.
This medication may interfere with certain laboratory tests (e.g., amylase, lipase tests), possibly causing false test results. Make sure laboratory personnel and all your doctors know you use this drug.
This document does not contain all possible interactions. Therefore, before using this product, tell your doctor or pharmacist of all the products you use. Keep a list of all your medications with you, and share the list with your doctor and pharmacist.

If overdose is suspected, contact your local poison control center or emergency room immediately. US residents should call the US National Poison Hotline at 1-800-222-1222. Canada residents should call a provincial poison control center. Symptoms of overdose may include: slow breathing, slow heartbeat, seizure, loss of consciousness.

NOTES:
Do not share this medication with others. It is against the law.
This medication has been prescribed for your current condition only. Do not use it later for another condition unless told to do so by your doctor. A different medication may be necessary in that case.

MISSED DOSE:
Not applicable.

STORAGE:
Store in a tightly closed container at room temperature at 77 degrees F (25 degrees C). Brief storage between 59-86 degrees F (15-30 degrees C) is permitted. Do not store in the bathroom. Keep all medicines away from children and pets.
Do not flush medications down the toilet or pour them into a drain unless instructed to do so. Properly discard this product when it is expired or no longer needed. Consult your pharmacist or local waste disposal company for more details about how to safely discard your product.
Information last revised September 2011. Copyright(c) 2011 First Databank, Inc.