If you’re having trouble when you start taking opioids:
- Talk to your doctor. Don’t stop taking them because you feel drowsy or foggy, and don’t change the dosage on your own.
- Don’t mix opioids with other medications or substances. Avoid alcohol and sleeping pills. They can affect your breathing dangerously.
- If you’ll only be taking opioids for a week or two and the foggy or drowsy side effects are severe for a few days, call your doctor. You may get different pain meds with fewer side effects.