Can I use Opana if I have a history of mental illness?

People with a history of mental illness can take the pain medication Opana (oxymorphone) but need to be aware of some extra risks. Opana can be habit forming, and people with a history of mental illness or an addiction disorder are at increased danger of abusing it.

Let your doctor know if you have a history of alcoholism. Drinking alcohol while on Opana can increase the medication's potency and cause severe side effects, even death. Your doctor may decide not to prescribe Opana or will lower your dosage based on how much you drink.

You should not take Opana if you now use, or in the last 14 days have used, an antidepressant that is a monoamine oxidase inhibitor (MAOI) such as tranylcypromine (Parnate), phenelzine (Nardil), rasagiline (Azilect), isocarboxazid (Marplan) or selegiline (Eldepryl, Emsam, Zelapar). MAOIs increase the potency of narcotic pain medication like Opana, which can cause severe side effects and even a fatal overdose.

Finally, let your doctor know if you use any sedatives, tranquilizers, hypnotics, illicit drugs, seizure medicines, antianxiety drugs or other antidepressants or medicines for mental illness. This information may affect the amount of Opana, if any, your doctor decides is safe to give you.