Oxynorm
OxyNorm is a strong pain medicine belonging to the opioid group, used by adults and adolescents 12 years and older to relieve severe pain when other pain medicines are not enough.
Form
oraaliliuos
Strength
1 mg/ml
Active Ingredient
Oxycodone hydrochloride
Manufacturer
Mundipharma Oy
How to Use
Dosage
The usual starting dose is 5 mg every 6 hours.
Method
Take this medicine exactly as your doctor tells you. Do not inject this oral solution into a vein, as this can cause serious and potentially fatal side effects.
Important
Do not take more than 6 doses per day. Your doctor will determine your maximum daily dose.
Possible Side Effects
COMMON
- •Dizziness, headache, and drowsiness
- •Constipation, vomiting, and nausea
- •Itching
- •Loss of appetite
- •Mood changes, such as anxiety, depression, nervousness, confusion, and trouble sleeping
- •Shaking (tremor)
- •Shortness of breath
- •Stomach pain, diarrhea, indigestion, dry mouth
- •Rash, excessive sweating
- •Unusual weakness, tiredness
- •Drowsiness (lethargy)
RARE
- •Hypersensitivity (allergic reaction)
- •Dehydration
- •Agitation, hallucinations, mood swings, extreme happiness (euphoria), decreased sex drive, drug dependence
- •Memory loss, seizures, involuntary muscle spasms, unusual muscle tension, decreased pain or touch sensitivity, itching or numbness, speech difficulties, fainting, taste changes
- •Pinpoint pupils, vision problems
- •Vertigo (spinning sensation)
- •Fast or irregular heartbeat (with withdrawal symptoms)
- •Widening of blood vessels (vasodilation)
- •Slowed or shallow breathing (respiratory depression)
- •Stomach and bowel problems, bloating, difficulty swallowing, bowel obstruction, burping
- •Increased liver enzyme levels
- •Dry skin
- •Difficulty emptying bladder (urinary retention)
- •Erectile dysfunction, low sex hormone levels
- •Swelling of hands, ankles, and feet, thirst, withdrawal symptoms, chills, needing higher doses for the same pain relief (tolerance), feeling unwell
- •Low blood pressure, dizziness upon standing (orthostatic hypotension)
- •Hives (urticaria)
- •Severe allergic reactions (anaphylactic reactions)
- •Aggression
- •Increased pain sensitivity
- •Sleep apnea (breathing stops during sleep)
- •Tooth decay (dental caries)
- •Colic-like stomach pain or stomach discomfort
- •Problem with a sphincter muscle in the bowel causing severe upper abdominal pain (Oddi's sphincter dysfunction)
- •Missed periods (amenorrhea)
- •Withdrawal symptoms in newborns
Important Warnings
- Do not use if you are allergic to oxycodone or any other ingredients in this medicine.
- Do not use if you have severe breathing problems, severe asthma, or heart issues caused by long-term lung disease.
- Do not use if your bowel movements are very slow or stopped.
- Children under 12 years old should not use OxyNorm.
- Talk to your doctor if you are elderly or in poor health.
Show 25 more warnings
- Talk to your doctor if you have an underactive thyroid.
- Talk to your doctor if you have severe headaches or nausea, as this could mean increased pressure in your brain.
- Talk to your doctor if you have low blood pressure.
- Talk to your doctor if you have liver or kidney problems.
- Talk to your doctor if your adrenal glands do not produce enough hormones (Addison's disease).
- Talk to your doctor if you have gallbladder or bile duct problems.
- Talk to your doctor if you have obstructive or inflammatory bowel disease.
- Talk to your doctor if you have pancreatitis (inflammation of the pancreas), which causes severe stomach and back pain.
- Talk to your doctor if you have an enlarged prostate, causing difficulty urinating.
- Talk to your doctor if you have mental health problems caused by substance use (toxic psychosis).
- Talk to your doctor if you have experienced withdrawal symptoms like restlessness, anxiety, shaking, or sweating when stopping alcohol or drug use.
- Talk to your doctor if you have sleep apnea (breathing stops during sleep).
- Talk to your doctor if you have epilepsy or are prone to seizures.
- Talk to your doctor if you are taking benzodiazepines or other medicines that slow down brain activity, as this combination can be dangerous.
- Do not use if you are taking MAO inhibitors or have taken them within the last two weeks.
- Tell your doctor if you are going to have surgery.
- OxyNorm can suppress your cough reflex.
- Do not drink alcohol while taking OxyNorm.
- Avoid drinking grapefruit juice while taking OxyNorm.
- Avoid using OxyNorm during pregnancy and breastfeeding.
- OxyNorm can affect your ability to drive or use machines safely; do not drive or operate machinery if you feel drowsy or your reactions are affected.
- This medicine contains an opioid (oxycodone) and can cause addiction.
- OxyNorm contains sodium.
- OxyNorm contains benzoate, which can increase the risk of jaundice (yellow skin and eyes) in newborns up to 4 weeks old.
- OxyNorm contains an azo dye (para-orange E110) which may cause allergic reactions.
Use in Elderly Patients
Category C
Suitable for older adults, with specific precautions. Sedative. Reduce the dose already in mild renal impairment. Increases the risk of confusion and falling. Need for laxative is often necessary. Consider potential interactions. Avoid grapefruit. (updated 24.3.2025)