Nalbuphine is in a group of drugs called narcotic pain relievers. It is similar to morphine.
Nalbuphine is used to treat moderate to severe pain. It is also used for treating pain just after
surgery or childbirth.
Nalbuphine may also be used for other purposes not listed in this medication guide.
What should I discuss with my healthcare provider before taking nalbuphine?
You should not receive this medication if you are allergic to nalbuphine.
Nalbuphine may cause unpleasant side effects if you are already taking other narcotic pain
medicines. Before you receive nalbuphine, tell your doctor about all other pain medicines you have
recently used.
Nalbuphine may be habit-forming and
should be used only by the person it was
prescribed for
. Nalbuphine should never be shared with another person, especially someone
who has a history of drug abuse or addiction.
Before receiving nalbuphine, tell your doctor if you are allergic to any drugs, or if you have:
asthma, COPD (chronic obstructive pulmonary disease), or other
breathing disorder;
liver or kidney disease;
a history of head injury or brain tumor;
gallbladder disease;
mental illness; or
a history of drug or alcohol addiction.
FDA pregnancy category B. Nalbuphine is not expected to be harmful
to an unborn baby. However, do not receive this medication without telling your doctor if you are
pregnant.
Nalbuphine can pass into breast milk and may harm a nursing baby. Do not use this
medication without telling your doctor if you are breast-feeding a baby.
How should I take nalbuphine?
This medication is given as an injection into a muscle or under your skin, or through a needle
placed into a vein. You will receive this injection in a clinic or hospital setting.
Nalbuphine is usually given every 3 to 6 hours.
Tell your doctor if the medicine seems to stop working as well in relieving your pain.
You should not stop using nalbuphine suddenly, or you could have unpleasant withdrawal
symptoms. Talk to your doctor about how to avoid withdrawal symptoms when stopping the
medication.
What happens if I miss a dose of nalbuphine?
Since nalbuphine is usually given by a healthcare provider, it is not likely that you will miss a
dose.
Where can I get more information about nalbuphine?
Your pharmacist has information about nalbuphine written for health professionals that you may read.
What are the possible side effects of nalbuphine?
Get emergency medical help if you have any of these
signs of an allergic
reaction:
hives; difficulty breathing; swelling of your face, lips, tongue, or throat.
Tell your caregivers at once if you have any of these serious side effects:
weak or shallow breathing;
fast or slow heart rate;
cold, clammy skin;
confusion, hallucinations, unusual thoughts or behavior;
severe weakness or dizziness; or
feeling like you might pass out.
Less serious side effects are more likely to occur, such as:
warmth, tingling, or redness under your skin;
nausea, vomiting,, stomach cramps;
dizziness, spinning sensation;
dry mouth, unpleasant taste;
sweating;
itching or burning sensation;
headache; or
trouble with speech or vision.
This is not a complete list of side effects and others may occur. Tell your
doctor about any unusual or bothersome side effect. You may report side effects to FDA at 1-800-FDA-1088.
What is the most important information I should know about nalbuphine?
Nalbuphine may be habit-forming and
should be used only by the person it was
prescribed for
. Nalbuphine should never be shared with another person, especially someone
who has a history of drug abuse or addiction.
Nalbuphine may cause unpleasant side effects if you are already taking other narcotic pain
medicines. Before you receive nalbuphine, tell your doctor about all other pain medicines you have
recently used.
Also tell your doctor if you are allergic to any drugs, or if you have asthma or other breathing
disorder, liver or kidney disease, gallbladder disease, mental illness, or a history of drug or alcohol
addiction.
Tell your doctor if you take other narcotic pain medications, sedatives, tranquilizers, muscle
relaxers, or any other medicines that can make you sleepy or slow your breathing. Dangerous side
effects may result.
Nalbuphine may cause unpleasant side effects if you are already taking other narcotic pain
medicines.
Before you receive nalbuphine, tell your doctor about all other pain
medicines you have recently used.
What should I avoid while taking nalbuphine?
Do not drink alcohol while you are using this medication. Alcohol can increase some of the
side effects of nalbuphine.
Nalbuphine can cause side effects that may impair your thinking or reactions. Be careful if
you drive or do anything that requires you to be awake and alert.
What other drugs will affect nalbuphine?
Tell your doctor if you take other narcotic pain medications, sedatives, tranquilizers, muscle
relaxers, or any other medicines that can make you sleepy or slow your breathing. Dangerous side
effects may result.
Other narcotic medications include fentanyl (Actiq, Duragesic), hydrocodone (Lortab, Vicodin),
hydromorphone (Dilaudid, Palladone), morphine (Kadian, MS Contin, Oramorph, and others),
oxycodone (OxyContin), oxymorphone (Numorphan, Opana), and others.
Nalbuphine may cause unpleasant side effects if you are already taking other narcotic pain
medicines.
Before you receive nalbuphine, tell your doctor about all other pain
medicines you have recently used.
This list is not complete and there may be other drugs that can interact with nalbuphine. Tell
your doctor about all your prescription and over-the-counter medications, vitamins, minerals, herbal
products, and drugs prescribed by other doctors. Do not start a new medication without telling your
doctor.
Remember, keep this and all other medicines out of the reach of children, never share
your medicines with others, and use this medication only for the indication prescribed.
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up-to-date, and complete, but no guarantee is made to that effect. Drug information contained herein may be time sensitive. Multum
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a substitute for, the expertise, skill, knowledge and judgment of healthcare practitioners. The absence of a warning for a given drug or
drug combination in no way should be construed to indicate that the drug or drug combination is safe, effective or appropriate for any
given patient. Multum does not assume any responsibility for any aspect of healthcare administered with the aid of information
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interactions, allergic reactions, or adverse effects. If you have questions about the drugs you are taking, check with your doctor, nurse
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Content provided by Multum - Last Updated 11/10/2009