You should not use OxyContin if you have severe asthma or breathing problems, or a blockage in your stomach or intestines.

MISUSE OF OXYCONTIN CAN CAUSE ADDICTION, OVERDOSE, OR DEATH. Keep the medication in a place where others cannot get to it.

Taking oxycodone during pregnancy may cause life-threatening withdrawal symptoms in the newborn.

Fatal side effects can occur if you use OxyContin with alcohol, or with other drugs that cause drowsiness or slow your breathing.

You should not use OxyContin if you are allergic to oxycodone, or if you have:

• severe asthma or breathing problems; or

• a blockage in your stomach or intestines.

You should not use OxyContin unless you are already using a similar opioid medicine and are tolerant to it.

OxyContin should not be given to a child younger than 11 years old.

To make sure this medicine is safe for you, tell your doctor if you have ever had:

• a head injury, or seizures;

• drug or alcohol addiction, or mental illness;

• liver or kidney disease;

• urination problems; or

• problems with your gallbladder, pancreas, or thyroid.

If you use OxyContin while you are pregnant, your baby could become dependent on the drug. This can cause life-threatening withdrawal symptoms in the baby after it is born. Babies born dependent on opioids may need medical treatment for several weeks.

Do not breast-feed. Oxycodone can pass into breast milk and may cause drowsiness, breathing problems, or death in a nursing baby.

Get emergency medical help if you have signs of an allergic reaction to OxyContin: hives; difficult breathing; swelling of your face, lips, tongue, or throat.

Opioid medicine can slow or stop your breathing, and death may occur. A person caring for you should seek emergency medical attention if you have slow breathing with long pauses, blue colored lips, or if you are hard to wake up.

Call your doctor at once if you have:

• noisy breathing, sighing, shallow breathing;

• a slow heart rate or weak pulse;

• a light-headed feeling, like you might pass out;

• confusion, unusual thoughts or behavior;

• seizure (convulsions); or

• low cortisol levels - nausea, vomiting, loss of appetite, dizziness, worsening tiredness or weakness.

• Seek medical attention right away if you have symptoms of serotonin syndrome, such as: agitation, confusion, fever, sweating, fast heart rate, chest pain, feeling short of breath, muscle stiffness, trouble walking, or feeling faint.

  Serious side effects may be more likely in older adults and those who are malnourished or debilitated.

  Long-term use of opioid medication may affect fertility (ability to have children) in men or women. It is not known whether opioid effects on fertility are permanent.

  Common OxyContin side effects may include:

• drowsiness, headache, dizziness, tiredness; or

• constipation, stomach pain, nausea, vomiting.