Demerol (Meperidine Injection)

Generic name: Meperidine
Drug class: Opioids (narcotic analgesics)

Usage of Demerol (Meperidine Injection)

Meperidine injection is used to relieve moderate to severe pain. It may be used before or during surgery, or to relieve pain during labor or delivery. Meperidine belongs to the group of medicines called narcotic analgesics (pain medicines). It acts on the central nervous system (CNS) to relieve pain.

When a narcotic medicine is used for a long time, it may become habit-forming, causing mental or physical Dependence. However, people who have continuing pain should not let the fear of dependence keep them from using narcotics to relieve their pain. Mental dependence (addiction) is not likely to occur when narcotics are used for this purpose. Physical dependence may lead to withdrawal side effects if treatment is stopped suddenly. However, severe withdrawal side effects can usually be prevented by gradually reducing the dose over a period of time before treatment is stopped completely.

This medicine is available only with your doctor's prescription.

Demerol (Meperidine Injection) side effects

Along with its needed effects, a medicine may cause some unwanted effects. Although not all of these side effects may occur, if they do occur they may need medical attention.

Check with your doctor or nurse immediately if any of the following side effects occur:

Incidence not known

Bluish color

blurred vision

changes in skin color

chest pain or discomfort

cold, clammy skin

confusion

convulsions

difficult or troubled breathing

dizziness

dizziness, faintness, or lightheadedness when getting up suddenly from a lying or sitting position

face is warm or hot to the touch

fainting

fast, pounding, or irregular heartbeat

fast or weak pulse

irregular, fast, slow, or shallow breathing

pain

pale or blue lips, fingernails, or skin

redness to the face

shakiness in the legs, arms, hands, or feet

slow or irregular heartbeat

sweating

swelling of the foot or leg

tenderness

trembling or shaking of the hands or feet

unconsciousness

uncoordinated movement of the muscles

unusual tiredness or weakness

upper abdominal or stomach pain

very low blood pressure or pulse

very slow breathing

Get emergency help immediately if any of the following symptoms of overdose occur:

Symptoms of overdose

Bluish lips or skin

change in consciousness

decreased awareness or responsiveness

loss of consciousness

severe sleepiness

sleepiness or unusual drowsiness

Some side effects may occur that usually do not need medical attention. These side effects may go away during treatment as your body adjusts to the medicine. Also, your health care professional may be able to tell you about ways to prevent or reduce some of these side effects. Check with your health care professional if any of the following side effects continue or are bothersome or if you have any questions about them:

More common

Drowsiness

nausea

relaxed or calm feeling

sleepiness

sweating

vomiting

Incidence not known

Anxiety

blurred or loss of vision

confusion about identity, place, and time

constipation

disturbed color perception

double vision

dry mouth

false or unusual sense of well-being

halos around lights

hardening or thickening of the skin

headache

hives or welts, itching skin, or rash

hyperventilation

irritability

nervousness

night blindness

overbright appearance of lights

red streaks on the skin

redness of the skin

restlessness

seeing, hearing, or feeling things that are not there

shaking or tremors

swelling, tenderness, or pain at the injection site

trouble sleeping

tunnel vision

weakness

Other side effects not listed may also occur in some patients. If you notice any other effects, check with your healthcare professional.

Call your doctor for medical advice about side effects. You may report side effects to the FDA at 1-800-FDA-1088.

Before taking Demerol (Meperidine Injection)

In deciding to use a medicine, the risks of taking the medicine must be weighed against the good it will do. This is a decision you and your doctor will make. For this medicine, the following should be considered:

Allergies

Tell your doctor if you have ever had any unusual or allergic reaction to this medicine or any other medicines. Also tell your health care professional if you have any other types of allergies, such as to foods, dyes, preservatives, or animals. For non-prescription products, read the label or package ingredients carefully.

Pediatric

Appropriate studies have not been performed on the relationship of age to the effects of meperidine injection in children. Safety and efficacy have not been established.

Geriatric

Appropriate studies performed to date have not demonstrated geriatric-specific problems that would limit the usefulness of Demerol™ in the elderly. However, elderly patients are more likely to have age-related kidney, liver, heart, or lung problems, which may require caution and an adjustment in the dose for patients receiving Demerol™.

No information is available on the relationship of age to the effects of meperidine injection in geriatric patients. However, elderly patients are more likely to have age-related kidney or liver problems, which may require caution and an adjustment in the dose for patients receiving meperidine injection.

Breast Feeding

There are no adequate studies in women for determining infant risk when using this medication during breastfeeding. Weigh the potential benefits against the potential risks before taking this medication while breastfeeding.

Interactions with Medicines

Although certain medicines should not be used together at all, in other cases two different medicines may be used together even if an interaction might occur. In these cases, your doctor may want to change the dose, or other precautions may be necessary. When you are receiving this medicine, it is especially important that your healthcare professional know if you are taking any of the medicines listed below. The following interactions have been selected on the basis of their potential significance and are not necessarily all-inclusive.

Using this medicine with any of the following medicines is not recommended. Your doctor may decide not to treat you with this medication or change some of the other medicines you take.

Furazolidone

Iproniazid

Isocarboxazid

Linezolid

Methylene Blue

Moclobemide

Nalmefene

Naltrexone

Nialamide

Phenelzine

Procarbazine

Rasagiline

Safinamide

Samidorphan

Selegiline

Toloxatone

Tranylcypromine

Using this medicine with any of the following medicines is usually not recommended, but may be required in some cases. If both medicines are prescribed together, your doctor may change the dose or how often you use one or both of the medicines.

Acepromazine

Alfentanil

Almotriptan

Alprazolam

Amifampridine

Amineptine

Amiodarone

Amitriptyline

Amitriptylinoxide

Amobarbital

Amoxapine

Amphetamine

Amprenavir

Anileridine

Aprepitant

Aripiprazole

Armodafinil

Asenapine

Atazanavir

Baclofen

Benperidol

Benzhydrocodone

Benzphetamine

Boceprevir

Bosentan

Bromazepam

Bromopride

Brompheniramine

Buprenorphine

Bupropion

Buspirone

Butabarbital

Butorphanol

Calcium Oxybate

Cannabidiol

Cannabis

Carbamazepine

Carbinoxamine

Carisoprodol

Carphenazine

Cetirizine

Chloral Hydrate

Chlordiazepoxide

Chlorpheniramine

Chlorpromazine

Chlorzoxazone

Cimetidine

Ciprofloxacin

Citalopram

Clarithromycin

Clobazam

Clomipramine

Clonazepam

Clopidogrel

Clorazepate

Clozapine

Cobicistat

Cocaine

Codeine

Conivaptan

Crizotinib

Cyclobenzaprine

Cyclosporine

Daridorexant

Darunavir

Delavirdine

Desipramine

Desmopressin

Desvenlafaxine

Dexamethasone

Dexmedetomidine

Dextroamphetamine

Dextromethorphan

Dezocine

Diazepam

Dibenzepin

Dichloralphenazone

Difenoxin

Dihydrocodeine

Diltiazem

Diphenhydramine

Diphenoxylate

Dixyrazine

Dolasetron

Donepezil

Doxepin

Doxylamine

Dronedarone

Droperidol

Duloxetine

Efavirenz

Eletriptan

Enflurane

Enzalutamide

Erythromycin

Escitalopram

Esketamine

Eslicarbazepine Acetate

Estazolam

Eszopiclone

Ethchlorvynol

Ethopropazine

Ethylmorphine

Etravirine

Fenfluramine

Fentanyl

Flibanserin

Fluconazole

Fluoxetine

Fluphenazine

Flurazepam

Fluspirilene

Fluvoxamine

Fosamprenavir

Fosaprepitant

Fosphenytoin

Fospropofol

Frovatriptan

Gabapentin

Gabapentin Enacarbil

Gepirone

Granisetron

Halazepam

Haloperidol

Halothane

Hexobarbital

Hydrocodone

Hydromorphone

Hydroxyamphetamine

Hydroxytryptophan

Hydroxyzine

Idelalisib

Imatinib

Imipramine

Indinavir

Isoflurane

Itraconazole

Ivacaftor

Ketamine

Ketazolam

Ketobemidone

Ketoconazole

Lacosamide

Lasmiditan

Lemborexant

Levocetirizine

Levomilnacipran

Levorphanol

Lisdexamfetamine

Lithium

Lofepramine

Lofexidine

Lomitapide

Lopinavir

Lorazepam

Lorcaserin

Loxapine

Lumacaftor

Magnesium Oxybate

Meclizine

Melitracen

Melperone

Mephobarbital

Meprobamate

Meptazinol

Mesoridazine

Metaxalone

Methadone

Methamphetamine

Methocarbamol

Methohexital

Methotrimeprazine

Metopimazine

Mibefradil

Midazolam

Mifepristone

Milnacipran

Mirtazapine

Mitotane

Modafinil

Molindone

Moricizine

Morphine

Morphine Sulfate Liposome

Nafcillin

Nalbuphine

Naratriptan

Nefazodone

Nelfinavir

Nevirapine

Nicomorphine

Nilotinib

Nirmatrelvir

Nitrazepam

Nitrous Oxide

Nortriptyline

Olanzapine

Ondansetron

Opipramol

Opium

Opium Alkaloids

Orphenadrine

Oxazepam

Oxcarbazepine

Oxycodone

Oxymorphone

Ozanimod

Palbociclib

Palonosetron

Papaveretum

Paregoric

Paroxetine

Pentazocine

Pentobarbital

Perampanel

Perazine

Periciazine

Perphenazine

Phenobarbital

Phenytoin

Pimozide

Piperacetazine

Pipotiazine

Piritramide

Posaconazole

Potassium Oxybate

Prazepam

Prednisone

Pregabalin

Primidone

Prochlorperazine

Promazine

Promethazine

Propiomazine

Propofol

Protriptyline

Quazepam

Quetiapine

Ramelteon

Ranitidine

Ranolazine

Remifentanil

Remimazolam

Remoxipride

Rifabutin

Rifampin

Rifapentine

Rizatriptan

RoPeginterferon Alfa-2b-njft

Saquinavir

Scopolamine

Secobarbital

Sertindole

Sertraline

Sibutramine

Sodium Oxybate

St John's Wort

Sufentanil

Sulpiride

Sumatriptan

Suvorexant

Tapentadol

Telaprevir

Telithromycin

Temazepam

Thiethylperazine

Thiopental

Thiopropazate

Thioproperazine

Thioridazine

Tianeptine

Tilidine

Tizanidine

Tolonium Chloride

Topiramate

Tramadol

Trazodone

Triazolam

Trifluoperazine

Trifluperidol

Triflupromazine

Trimeprazine

Trimipramine

Tryptophan

Venlafaxine

Verapamil

Vilazodone

Voriconazole

Vortioxetine

Zaleplon

Ziprasidone

Zolmitriptan

Zolpidem

Zopiclone

Zotepine

Zuranolone

Using this medicine with any of the following medicines may cause an increased risk of certain side effects, but using both drugs may be the best treatment for you. If both medicines are prescribed together, your doctor may change the dose or how often you use one or both of the medicines.

Isoniazid

Ritonavir

Interactions with Food/Tobacco/Alcohol

Certain medicines should not be used at or around the time of eating food or eating certain types of food since interactions may occur. Using alcohol or tobacco with certain medicines may also cause interactions to occur. The following interactions have been selected on the basis of their potential significance and are not necessarily all-inclusive.

Using this medicine with any of the following is usually not recommended, but may be unavoidable in some cases. If used together, your doctor may change the dose or how often you use this medicine, or give you special instructions about the use of food, alcohol, or tobacco.

Grapefruit Juice

Using this medicine with any of the following may cause an increased risk of certain side effects but may be unavoidable in some cases. If used together, your doctor may change the dose or how often you use this medicine, or give you special instructions about the use of food, alcohol, or tobacco.

Ethanol

Relate drugs

How to use Demerol (Meperidine Injection)

A nurse or other trained health professional will give you this medicine in a hospital. This medicine is given through a needle placed in one of your veins, or as a shot under your skin or in a muscle.

Meperidine may sometimes be given at home to patients who do not need to be in the hospital or clinic. If you are using this medicine at home, your doctor or nurse will teach you how to prepare and inject the medicine. Be sure that you understand how to use the medicine.

You will be shown the body areas where this shot can be given. Use a different body area each time you give yourself a shot. Keep track of where you give each shot to make sure you rotate body areas. This will help prevent skin problems from the injections.

You might not use all of the medicine in each ampul or cartridge. Use each ampul or cartridge only one time. If the medicine in the vial or syringe has changed color, or if you see particles in it, do not use it.

Use a new needle and syringe each time you inject your medicine.

Throw away used needles in a hard, closed container that the needles cannot poke through. Keep this container away from children and pets.

Dosing

The dose of this medicine will be different for different patients. Follow your doctor's orders or the directions on the label. The following information includes only the average doses of this medicine. If your dose is different, do not change it unless your doctor tells you to do so.

The amount of medicine that you take depends on the strength of the medicine. Also, the number of doses you take each day, the time allowed between doses, and the length of time you take the medicine depend on the medical problem for which you are using the medicine.

For injection dosage form:

For moderate to severe pain:

Adults—At first, 50 to 150 milligrams (mg) injected into a muscle or under your skin every 3 or 4 hours as needed.

Children—Dose is based on body weight and must be determined by your doctor. The dose is usually 0.5 to 0.8 milligram (mg) per pound (lb) injected into a muscle or under your skin every 3 or 4 hours as needed.

Missed Dose

If you miss a dose of this medicine, take it as soon as possible. However, if it is almost time for your next dose, skip the missed dose and go back to your regular dosing schedule. Do not double doses.

Storage

Store the medicine in a closed container at room temperature, away from heat, moisture, and direct light. Keep from freezing.

Keep out of the reach of children.

Do not keep outdated medicine or medicine no longer needed.

Ask your healthcare professional how you should dispose of any medicine you do not use.

Warnings

It is very important that your doctor check your progress while you are receiving this medicine. This is to make sure that the medicine is working properly, and to allow your doctor to check for any unwanted effects.

Do not use this medicine if you are using or have used a monoamine oxidase (MAO) inhibitor (eg, Eldepryl®, Marplan®, Nardil®, Parnate®) in the past 2 weeks. Using these medicines together may cause unwanted effects, such as confusion, agitation, restlessness, stomach or intestinal symptoms, a sudden high temperature, an extremely high blood pressure, or convulsions.

Symptoms of an overdose include extreme dizziness or weakness, slow heartbeat or breathing, seizures, trouble breathing, and cold, clammy skin. Call your doctor right away if you notice these symptoms.

This medicine will add to the effects of alcohol and other CNS depressants (medicines that can make you drowsy or less alert). Some examples of CNS depressants are antihistamines or medicine for allergies or colds, sedatives, tranquilizers, or sleeping medicine, other prescription pain medicine or narcotics, medicine for seizures or barbiturates, muscle relaxants, or anesthetics, including some dental anesthetics. Check with your doctor before taking any of the medicines listed above while you are using this medicine.

This medicine may cause sleep-related breathing problems (eg, sleep apnea, sleep-related hypoxemia). Your doctor may decrease your dose if you have sleep apnea (stop breathing for short periods during sleep) while using this medicine.

This medicine may be habit-forming. If you feel that the medicine is not working as well, do not use more than your prescribed dose. Call your doctor for instructions.

Using narcotics for a long time can cause severe constipation. To prevent this, your doctor may direct you to take laxatives, drink a lot of fluids, or increase the amount of fiber in the diet. Be sure to follow the directions carefully, because continuing constipation can lead to more serious problems.

Dizziness, lightheadedness, or fainting may occur when you get up suddenly from a lying or sitting position. Getting up slowly may help lessen this problem. Also, lying down for a while may relieve the dizziness or lightheadedness.

This medicine may make you dizzy, drowsy, confused, or disoriented. Make sure you know how you react to this medicine before you drive, use machines, or do anything else that could be dangerous if you are dizzy or not alert.

Before having any kind of surgery (including dental surgery) or emergency treatment, tell the medical doctor or dentist in charge that you are using this medicine. Serious unwanted effects can occur if certain medicines are given together with meperidine injection.

Check with your doctor right away if you have anxiety, restlessness, a fast heartbeat, fever, sweating, muscle spasms, twitching, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, or see or hear things that are not there. These may be symptoms of a serious condition called serotonin syndrome. Your risk may be higher if you also take certain other medicines that affect serotonin levels in your body.

If you have been using this medicine regularly for several weeks or longer, do not suddenly stop using it without checking with your doctor. Your doctor may want you to gradually reduce the amount you are using before stopping it completely. This may help prevent worsening of your condition and reduce the possibility of withdrawal symptoms, such as abdominal or stomach cramps, anxiety, fever, nausea, runny nose, sweating, tremors, or trouble with sleeping.

Using this medicine while you are pregnant may cause neonatal withdrawal syndrome in your newborn babies. Tell your doctor right away if your baby has an abnormal sleep pattern, diarrhea, a high-pitched cry, irritability, shakiness or tremors, weight loss, vomiting, or fails to gain weight.

Using too much of this medicine may cause infertility (unable to have children). Talk with your doctor before using this medicine if you plan to have children.

Do not take other medicines unless they have been discussed with your doctor. This includes prescription or nonprescription (over-the-counter [OTC]) medicines and herbal or vitamin supplements.

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