SAFETY
SAFETY
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HIGH RISK MEDICATIONS High risk medications such as prescription opioids and blood thinners are powerful medications that can help with symptom management. These medications can be an important part of your treatment plan, but there can be serious associated risks if not taken as directed. DOs: • DO take medication as prescribed. • DO keep your medication in the original pre- scription bottle. • DO use caution when standing, walking, or climbing stairs. • DO store your medication in a secure (preferably DON’Ts: • DON’T drink alcohol with your pain medication. • DON’T double up on medication if you miss a dose or take more frequently than prescribed. • DON’T share your medication with others or take another person’s prescription medication. • DON’T drive after taking opioids. Opioids may increase drowsiness or impair judgement. • DON’T crush, chew, or dissolve extended- release medications. • DON’T stop medications without consulting your medical provider and Care Team. locked) place, out of reach of others (this may include children, visitors, friends and family). • DO notify Four Seasons if your medication is missing or stolen. • DO talk to your Care Team about any side ef- fects, questions or concerns. Risks of Opioids and Other High-Risk Medications • Overdose: There is a greater risk of overdose with older age, history of sleep apnea, taking opioids with alcohol, sleeping pills, or benzodiazepines such as Xanax, Ativan or Valium. • Side Effects: Increased sleepiness, constipation, nausea, confusion, depression, itching and sweating, decreased energy or strength.
Disposing of Prescription Medication Why do I need to properly dispose of my unused medications? It is important to dispose of drugs the right way to prevent someone taking them by accident, or through an illegal sale. Proper disposal also protects children and pets from harm caused by accidental ingestion. Where can I properly dispose of my unused medica - tions? Check to see if there are any drug take-back pro- grams near you. There is a list of local drug take- back programs in this Hospice Care Guide. Note: Due to the high risk for harm, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) recommends flushing for certain potent pain medications. A list of these medications can be found by go - ing to the FDA’s website (fda.gov) and search - ing for “Disposal by Flushing”. Your Care Team also has this information readily available. If there is not a local drug take-back program in my area, what should I do to safely dispose of medications? • Keep prescriptions in the original container. This will help identify the contents if they are accidentally ingested. • Before disposing, scratch out all identifying information on the prescription label to make it unreadable before throwing out a medicine container. This will help protect your identity and the privacy of your personal health infor- mation. • Add some water or soda to pills to start dissolv- ing them. Mix pills or liquid drugs with some- thing that you cannot eat, like cat litter or dirt. • Close the lid and secure with duct or packing tape. • Place the bottle(s) inside a non‐see through container like a coffee can or detergent bottle. • Tape that container closed. • Hide the container in the trash. Do not put in the recycle bin.
Who can I talk to if I am still unsure about how to properly dispose of my unused medications? Ask your pharmacist or Care Team how to safely dispose of your medications. Disposing of Sharp Objects (Needles, syringes, lancets, etc.) • Drop sharp objects in a puncture-proof con- tainer with a lid. You can use bleach bottles, detergent bottles or metal containers, or we can provide you with a sharps disposal box. • Be sure to label the container “Hazardous/Sharp Materials/Do Not Recycle.” • Do not use glass or clear plastic containers. • Do not overfill the containers. Dispose of the container when it is no more than two-thirds full. • Keep container out of reach of children and pets. • DO NOT RECAP needles before discarding them. Many puncture injuries occur when trying to recap a needle. Place the needle or sharp ob- ject directly into the puncture-proof container. • Close the lid of the container tightly and seal with heavy-duty tape before placing in the trash.
CALL YOUR CARE TEAM IF: • You increase use of medication for symptoms (pain, nausea, anxiety, etc.) by one dose per day for more than three days • A refill will be needed in three – five days. • You should spill your medication or if you seem to be running out before the planned refill is due. • Gagging, choking, or coughing occurs when the patient is trying to swallow medi - cations. • Any unusual or uncomfortable symptoms occur that you think may be associated with taking medications – such as nausea, rash, trouble breathing, itching, etc.
866.466.9734
FourSeasonsCare.org
FourSeasonsCare.org
866.466.9734
Four Seasons
Four Seasons
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