Short-Term Effects
In addition to pain relief, other effects of opioids include:
- sleepiness
- confusion
- nausea (feeling sick to the stomach)
- constipation
- slowed or stopped breathing
Mixing prescription opioid medications with alcohol can cause a dangerous slowing of the heart rate and breathing. This can lead to a coma or death.
Long-Term Effects
People who use prescription opioid medicines for a long period of time increase their risk of addiction and overdose.