Avinza

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Treatment & Uses
Side Effects
Treating Overdose
Safety Information
Before Using

Generic Name: morphine (MOR feen)
Brand Names: Avinza, Kadian, Morphine IR, MS Contin, MSIR, Oramorph SR, Roxanol

What is Avinza?

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Avinza (morphine) is in a group of drugs called narcotic pain relievers.

Avinza is used to treat moderate to severe pain. It is for use when around-the-clock pain relief is needed. It is not for treating pain just after surgery unless you were already taking morphine before the surgery.

Avinza may also be used for purposes other than those listed in this medication guide.

Important information about Avinza

You may not be able to take this medicine unless you are already being treated with a similar opioid pain medicine and your body is tolerant to it. Talk with your doctor if you are not sure you are opioid-tolerant.

Avinza may be habit-forming and should be used only by the person it was prescribed for. Avinza should never be given to another person, especially someone who has a history of drug abuse or addiction. Keep the medication in a secure place where others cannot get to it. Do not drink alcohol while you are using Avinza. Dangerous side effects or death can occur when alcohol is combined with Avinza. Check your food and medicine labels to be sure these products do not contain alcohol.

Never take more than your prescribed dose of Avinza. Tell your doctor if the medicine seems to stop working as well in relieving your pain.

Do not stop taking Avinza suddenly, or you could have unpleasant withdrawal symptoms. Talk to your doctor about how to avoid withdrawal symptoms when stopping the medication.

Before using Avinza

Do not use this medication if you have ever had an allergic reaction to a narcotic medicine (examples include codeine, methadone, Oxycontin, Darvocet, Percocet, Vicodin, Lortab, and many others). You should also not take Avinza if you are having an asthma attack or if you have a bowel obstruction called paralytic ileus. Avinza may be habit-forming and should be used only by the person it was prescribed for. Avinza should never be given to another person, especially someone who has a history of drug abuse or addiction. Keep the medication in a secure place where others cannot get to it.

Before using Avinza, tell your doctor if you are allergic to any drugs, or if you have:

asthma, COPD, sleep apnea, or other breathing disorders;
liver or kidney disease;
underactive thyroid;
curvature of the spine;
a history of head injury or brain tumor;
epilepsy or other seizure disorder;
low blood pressure;
gallbladder disease;
Addison's disease or other adrenal gland disorders;
enlarged prostate, urination problems;
mental illness; or
a history of drug or alcohol addiction.

You may not be able to take Avinza unless you are already being treated with a similar opioid pain medicine and your body is tolerant to it. Talk with your doctor if you are not sure you are opioid-tolerant. FDA pregnancy category C. This medication may be harmful to an unborn baby, and could cause addiction or withdrawal symptoms in a newborn. Tell your doctor if you are pregnant or plan to become pregnant during treatment. Avinza 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.

Older adults may be more sensitive to the effects of this medicine.

How should I use Avinza?

Use this medication exactly as it was prescribed for you. Never take Avinza in larger amounts, or use it for longer than recommended by your doctor. Follow the directions on your prescription label. Too much Avinza could be very harmful. Tell your doctor if the medicine seems to stop working as well in relieving your pain.

To make swallowing easier, you may open the extended-release Avinza capsule and sprinkle the medicine into a spoonful of apple sauce. Swallow this mixture right away without chewing. Do not save the mixture for later use. Discard the empty capsule.

Do not stop using Avinza suddenly, or you could have unpleasant withdrawal symptoms. Talk to your doctor about how to avoid withdrawal symptoms when stopping the medication. Store this medication at room temperature, away from heat, moisture, and light.

Keep track of how many pills have been used from each new bottle of this medicine. Morphine is a drug of abuse and you should be aware if any person in the household is using this medicine improperly or without a prescription.

After you have stopped using this medication, flush any unused capsules down the toilet.

What happens if I miss a dose?

Avinza extended-release morphine is not for use on an as-needed basis for pain. Consult your doctor or healthcare provider if you miss a dose of Avinza.

What happens if I overdose?

Seek emergency medical attention if you think you have used too much of this medicine. An overdose of Avinza can be fatal.

Overdose symptoms may include extreme drowsiness, pinpoint pupils, confusion, cold and clammy skin, weak pulse, shallow breathing, fainting, or breathing that stops.

What should I avoid while using Avinza?

Do not drink alcohol while you are taking this medication. Dangerous side effects or death can occur when alcohol is combined with Avinza. Check your food and medicine labels to be sure these products do not contain alcohol. Avinza 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.

Avinza side effects

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. Call your doctor at once if you have any of these serious side effects:

shallow breathing, slow heartbeat;
seizure (convulsions);
cold, clammy skin;
confusion;
severe weakness or dizziness; or
feeling light-headed, fainting.

Less serious side effects are more likely to occur, such as:

constipation;
warmth, tingling, or redness under your skin;
nausea, vomiting, stomach pain, diarrhea, loss of appetite;
dizziness, headache, anxiety;
memory problems; or
sleep problems (insomnia).

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 other drugs will affect Avinza?

Avoid taking Avinza if you have used an MAO inhibitor such as isocarboxazid (Marplan), phenelzine (Nardil), rasagiline (Azilect), selegiline (Eldepryl, Emsam), or tranylcypromine (Parnate) within the past 14 days. Side effects can be more severe if you use Avinza before the MAO inhibitor has cleared from your body. Do not take Avinza with other narcotic pain medications, sedatives, tranquilizers, muscle relaxers, or other medicines that can make you sleepy or slow your breathing. Dangerous side effects may result.

Before taking Avinza, tell your doctor if you are using pentazocine (Talwin), nalbuphine (Nubain), butorphanol (Stadol), or buprenorphine (Buprenex, Subutex). If you are using any of these drugs, you may not be able to use Avinza, or you may need dosage adjustments or special tests during treatment.

This list is not complete and there may be other drugs that can interact with Avinza. Tell your doctor about all the prescription and over-the-counter medications you use. This includes vitamins, minerals, herbal products, and drugs prescribed by other doctors. Do not start using a new medication without telling your doctor.

Where can I get more information?

Your pharmacist can provide more information about Avinza.

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.
Every effort has been made to ensure that the information provided by Cerner Multum, Inc. ('Multum') is accurate, up-to-date, and complete, but no guarantee is made to that effect. Drug information contained herein may be time sensitive. Multum information has been compiled for use by healthcare practitioners and consumers in the United States and therefore Multum does not warrant that uses outside of the United States are appropriate, unless specifically indicated otherwise. Multum's drug information does not endorse drugs, diagnose patients or recommend therapy. Multum's drug information is an informational resource designed to assist licensed healthcare practitioners in caring for their patients and/or to serve consumers viewing this service as a supplement to, and not 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 Multum provides. The information contained herein is not intended to cover all possible uses, directions, precautions, warnings, drug interactions, allergic reactions, or adverse effects. If you have questions about the drugs you are taking, check with your doctor, nurse or pharmacist.