These drugs are generally safe when you take them for a short time, as prescribed by your doctor. But in addition to helping you manage the pain, they can also give you a feeling of well-being or euphoria.
And each of those effects could lead you to misuse the drug or take it in a way your doctor didn’t intend. You might:
- Take a higher dose than prescribed
- Take someone else’s prescription, even for a legitimate problem, like pain
- Take it to get high