What is Exalgo?
Exalgo is an opioid pain medicine. Sometimes an opioid is called a narcotic.Exalgo tablets with extended release are prescribed to treat moderate and severe pain. Exalgo is not intended to be taken as needed for pain.
Side effects of Exalgo
If you experience any of the following symptoms of an Exalgo allergy: difficulty breathing, swelling of your lips, face, throat, or tongue, or hives, call 911 immediately.Hydromorphone, like other narcotics, can cause breathing problems. If breathing becomes weak, death may result.
If you experience:
- Sighing, noisy breathing, shallow breathing, or breathing that stops while sleeping
- Feelings of extreme happiness or sorrow;
- Severe weakness or drowsiness
- A feeling of lightheadedness, as if you could pass out.
- Infertility, missed menstrual periods;
- Impotence, sexual difficulties, or loss of interest in sex
- Low cortisol levels: nausea, vomiting, loss of appetite, dizziness, and worsening fatigue or weakness.
Serotonin syndrome symptoms include: hallucinations and agitation; fever, sweating, or shivering; rapid heartbeat; muscle stiffness or twitching; and loss of coordination.Hydromorphone can cause breathing difficulties in people over the age of 65, as well as in those who are severely malnourished or debilitated.
Exalgo may cause side effects such as:
- Constipation, nausea, vomiting, and stomach pain;
- Dizziness, drowsiness;
- Headache, fatigue feeling
- Feelings of extreme happiness or sorrow;
- Sweating and mild itching
- Dry mouth
- Flushing (warmth, redness, or tingly sensation)
There may be other side effects. For medical advice on side effects, call your doctor. The FDA can be contacted at 1-800-FDA-1088 to report side effects.
Warnings
Exalgo should not be taken if you suffer from severe breathing problems or have a blockage of your stomach or intestines.Exalgo may slow or stop breathing. This is especially true when you first start taking it or change your dosage. Never take hydromorphone more than prescribed or for a longer period of time. Do not crush, break, or open extended-release pills. Avoid exposure to a fatal dose by swallowing the entire pill.Even at low doses, hydromorphone can become habit-forming. Exalgo should be taken exactly as directed by your doctor. Never give the medicine to another person.Misusing narcotic pain medications is dangerous, and may even result in addiction, overdose and death for those using them without a valid prescription. Children and others who take the medicine without proper authorization could become addicted and overdose on this medicine which has no proven track record as medicine for any such issues.Inform your doctor if you are pregnant. If the mother took Exalgo during pregnancy, it may cause severe withdrawal symptoms for the newborn.Alcohol and hydromorphone can cause dangerous side effects or even death.
Before you take this drug
Exalgo should not be taken if:
- Sleep apnea, breathing problems
- A blockage of your stomach or intestines
- A bowel obstruction known as paralytic ileus
Exalgo should not be used if MAO inhibitors have been taken in the last 14 days. It is possible that a dangerous drug interaction will occur. MAO inhibitors are isocarboxazid (linezolid), methylene blue injection, phenelzine, and other drugs.Certain medicines can cause an interaction with hydromorphone that leads to a serious condition known as serotonin syndrome. Make sure to tell your doctor if you are also taking medicine for depression or mental illness. Parkinson's disease is another example. Before making any changes to your medication schedule or how you take it, consult your doctor.Exalgo may not be available to you if you haven't been treated with an opioid pain medication similar to Exalgo and aren't tolerant of it. Speak to your doctor if you're not sure if you're opioid-tolerant.Hydromorphone can be addictive. Do not share Exalgo, especially with someone who has a history of drug abuse. Store the medication away from others. It is illegal to sell or give Exalgo away to anyone else.
Tell your doctor about any of the following to ensure that Exalgo will be safe for you:
- Any type of lung disease or breathing problems;
- A history of a head injury or brain tumor;
- History of alcoholism, drug abuse or mental illness.
- Urination problems
- Liver or kidney disease
- Sulfite allergy
- Addison’s disease and other adrenal gland disorders
- You may have problems with your thyroid, gallbladder, or pancreas.
- If you are using a sedative such as Valium (diazepam) or other sedatives like Klonopin, Restoril Tranxene Versed, Xanax, and others,
Unknown is whether the medicine can harm a baby. Your baby may become dependent on hydromorphone if you take it while pregnant. The baby can suffer from life-threatening withdrawal syndrome after birth. Babies who are born dependent on habit-forming medicines may require medical treatment for a few weeks.Notify your doctor immediately if you are pregnant or planning on becoming pregnant.Hydromorphone may pass through breast milk, which can harm nursing babies. Exalgo should not be used while breastfeeding.
Similar/related drugs
Aspirin, Acetaminophen, Tramadol, Duloxetine, Naproxen, Oxycodone, and Tylenol
How to take Exalgo?
Exalgo should be taken exactly as prescribed. Please follow all the instructions on the prescription label. Hydromorphone may cause breathing problems, particularly when you first start taking the drug or change your dosage. Exalgo should never be used in higher doses or for a longer period of time than prescribed. If the medication does not seem to be working as well at relieving pain, tell your doctor.
Even at normal doses, hydromorphone can become habit-forming. Follow your doctor's instructions for taking this medication. MISUSE OF NARCOTIC PAIN MEDICATION CAN CAUSE ADDICTION, OVERDOSE, OR DEATH.Exalgo tablets are not to be crushed, broken, or opened. Avoid exposure to a potentially deadly dose by swallowing the tablet whole.Exalgo is a pain medication that can be taken at any time.Exalgo withdrawal symptoms can be unpleasant if you suddenly stop taking it. You should ask your doctor about how to safely discontinue this medication.Do not crush or break Exalgo tablets to inhale powder or to mix them into liquids to inject into veins. This has caused death.Store away from moisture, heat, and light at room temperature.Track the amount of medicine consumed from each new bottle. You should be alert to anyone who is misusing your hydromorphone or using it without a prescription.
Exalgo leftovers should not be kept. Your pharmacist can direct you to a program for drug disposal. If there isn't a take-back program available, flush all unused tablets into the toilet. To reduce the risk of an accidental overdose that could cause death, it is recommended to flush medicines down the toilet. This advice is only applicable to a small number of medications. This method was determined by the FDA and the manufacturer to be the best way to dispose of the medicine with the least amount of risk to the safety of humans.
What happens if I miss the dose?
Exalgo is designed to treat pain, so you won't miss a dosage. If your next scheduled dosage is approaching, skip any missed dose. You should not take extra medicine to compensate for a missed dose.
What happens if I overdose?
Call the Poison Help Line at 1-800-222-1222 or seek emergency medical care. Hydromorphone overdoses can be deadly, especially for children or others who use the drug without a prescription.
What should be avoided?
Alcohol and hydromorphone can cause dangerous side effects or even death.Exalgo may affect your ability to think or react. Exalgo can affect your driving and operating machinery. Do not drive or operate machines until you are sure how they will affect you. Dizziness and severe drowsiness may cause accidents or falls.
Interaction with other drug
Hydromorphone may interact with other medications and cause serious side effects or even death. Tell your doctor if you are also taking:
- Other Narcotic Medication: Opioid Pain Medication or Prescription Cough Medicine
- A sedative similar to Valium: diazepam (or alprazolam), lorazepam (or Xanax), Klonopin (or Versed), and others.
- Drugs that make you sleepy or slow down your breathing—a sleeping tablet, a muscle relaxer, or medicine for mood disorders, mental illness,
- Drugs that affect serotonin in the body—a stimulant or medicine to treat depression, Parkinson's disease, migraine headaches, or serious infections.
This list is incomplete. Hydromorphone can be affected by other drugs, including vitamins, herbal products, prescription medicines, and over-the-counter medicines. This list does not include all possible interactions.
