What is Demerol?

Demerol or meperidine is an opioid drug used for the treatment of moderate to severe pain. It is a strong prescription pain medicine for managing pain in the short term when you can not tolerate other pain treatments like non-opioid pain medicines. You can buy Demerol online or from a local pharmacy store.

Important Information

• If you have serious asthma or breathing difficulties, you should not use Demerol.
• Do not use Demerol if you used MAO inhibitors such as isocarboxazid, linezolid, phenelzine, methylene blue injection, rasagiline, selegiline, or tranylcypromine in the last 14 days. 
• Demerol can slow down or stop your breathing and may be habit-forming. You are at high risk for opioid addiction, abuse, and misuse that could lead to death even if you take your dose exactly as prescribed.
• Using this medicine during pregnancy may lead to life-threatening withdrawal symptoms in the newborn.
• If you take Demerol with alcohol or other drugs that cause drowsiness or slow breathing, it can lead to fatal side effects.

What to know before taking Demerol?

You should not use Demerol if you are allergic to meperidine, have serious asthma or breathing problems, or stomach or intestine blockages.  If you have used MAO inhibitors in the last 14 days, do not use Demerol. There may be a dangerous drug interaction. MAO inhibitors include isocarboxazid, linezolid, injection of methylene blue, phenelzine, rasagiline, selegiline, tranylcypromine. To make sure Demerol is safe for you, tell your doctor if you ever had:

• A head injury, brain tumor, or seizures
• Drug or alcohol addiction, or mental illness
• Liver or kidney disease
• Sickle cell anemia
• Breathing problems, sleep apnea
• A blockage in your stomach or intestines
• Urination problems
• Problems with your gallbladder, adrenal gland, or thyroid
• Abnormal curvature of the spine that affects breathing

Your baby could become dependent on the medicine if you are using Demerol while you are pregnant. This can lead to life-threatening symptoms of withdrawal after birth in the baby.  Do not breastfeed while taking Demerol. Meperidine can enter the breast milk and cause drowsiness, breathing difficulties, or death in a nursing baby.

How to take Demerol?

• Take Demerol as prescribed by your doctor. Follow your prescription label instructions and read all your medication guides. Never use meperidine for longer than prescribed or in large amounts. Inform your doctor if you have an increased desire to use this medicine. 
• Demerol may be habit-forming. Never give this medication to someone else, especially someone who has a history of drug abuse or addiction. The misuse of Demerol can put you at risk of overdose and death. It is illegal to sell or distribute Demerol. You can easily order Demerol online with a prescription.
• Take Demerol tablets by mouth.
• Demerol injection is administered as an infusion into a vein or an injection into a muscle or beneath the skin. A healthcare provider will administer this injection.
• If you stop taking this medication abruptly after a long period of use, you may experience unpleasant withdrawal symptoms. Inquire with your doctor about how to avoid withdrawal symptoms when you stop using this medication.
• Never crush or break a Demerol tablet to inhale the powder or mix it with a liquid to inject it into your vein. The misuse of prescription drugs has resulted in death as a result of this practice.
• Store Demerol at room temperature away from moisture and heat.
• Do not keep unused Demerol tablets. A single dose of this medication can be fatal if taken incorrectly or accidentally.
• Demerol dosage

Usual Adult Dose for Pain

• Take 50 mg to 150 mg orally every 3 to 4 hours as needed.
• The maximum dose is 600 mg per day.

Overdose

An overdose of meperidine can be fatal, especially when used without prescription by a child or other person. The overdose symptoms may include severe drowsiness, slow breathing and heart rate, muscle weakness, blue-colored skin or lips, cold and clammy skin, fainting, or coma.

What to avoid while using Demerol?

• Do not drink alcohol while using Demerol. Combining alcohol with meperidine can lead to dangerous side effects or death.
• Do not drive or do activities that are risky until you know how this medicine affects you. Dizziness or drowsiness may lead to falls, accidents, or severe injuries.

Demerol side effects

Opioid medicine can slow down or stop your breathing and may cause death. If you have slow breathing with long breaks, blue lips, or are difficult to wake up, someone caring for you should seek emergency medical attention. Some common side effects of Demerol may include:

• Dizziness, drowsiness
• Sweating
• Nausea, vomiting
• Headache

Stop using Demerol and call your doctor immediately if you have:

• Weak or shallow breathing, slow heartbeats, breathing that stops during sleep
• Confusion, mood changes
• Muscle movements you cannot control, tremors, or a seizure (convulsions)
• Extreme drowsiness
• Severe constipation
• Low cortisol levels, which includes symptoms such as nausea, vomiting, loss of appetite, dizziness, worsening tiredness, or weakness

You should get medical attention at once if you have any symptoms of serotonin syndrome such as hallucinations, fever, agitation, fast heart rate, sweating, shivering, muscle stiffness, loss of coordination, twitching, nausea, diarrhea, or vomiting. Serious side effects of this drug may be more likely in older people, as well as those who are malnourished or debilitated. The long-term use of opioid drugs may affect the fertility of men or women (the ability to have children). Whether opioids have a permanent impact on fertility is not known.

What drugs can interact with Demerol?

If you start or stop taking some other drugs, you may have breathing problems or withdrawal symptoms. You should tell your doctor if you are also taking antibiotic medications, antifungals, heart or blood pressure medicines, seizure drugs, HIV, or hepatitis C medicines. Opioid drugs can interact with many other medicines and cause dangerous side effects or death. Tell your doctor if you also use:

• Other narcotic drugs – opioid pain medicines or prescription cough medicines
• A sedative like Valium – diazepam, alprazolam, Xanax, lorazepam, Ativan, Klonopin, Versed, and others
• Drugs that make you sleepy or slow down your breathing – sleeping pills, muscle relaxants, medicines to treat mood disorders or mental illness
• Medicines that affect levels of serotonin in your body – stimulant or medicine for depression, migraine headaches, Parkinson’s disease, serious infections, or nausea and vomiting