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Concerns about side effects of narcotics Sedation and confusion |
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Sedation (sleepiness) caused by narcotics (opioids) usually lasts only a few days, and wears off as your body adjusts to the medication.
Unrelieved pain is a powerful enemy of sleep. Keep in mind that long-needed pain relief may allow you to rest well for the first time in a long time. What appears to be "drowsiness" may just be an exhausted person finally able to catch up on sleep.
If you still feel tired and sleepy after a few days, however, you may need a change in the medication or the dose. Smaller doses of medication taken more often can usually help.
Confusion and difficulty in thinking clearly may also occur when you first begin to use narcotics. These effects also tend to improve over the first few days.
Remember that alcohol as well as other medications may also contribute to these side effects.
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