Patient/caregiver was educated on precautions to be exercised while taking norflex as follows:
- Norflex administered into the vein can result in inflammation of the vein with redness and swelling of the site. Individuals could experience intense pain and tenderness with parenteral norflex administration at the site of injection. In severe cases, norflex administered as a shot can result in necrosis of body tissue at the site of injection. Watch for signs and symptoms of inflammation at the site of injection. Report any uncontrolled pain, tenderness, and worsening discoloration at the injection site to your physician for appropriate recommendation.
- Norflex use can result in episodes of confusion, dizziness, and light-headedness. Starting the medication at a low dose and gradually increasing the dose, to help optimum control of your symptoms, can contribute to reducing the risk for drowsiness and dizziness due to the medication. Do not change the prescribed dose on this medication without consulting your physician. The dizziness should progressively decrease and ease out in due course of time. If the dizziness continues/worsens and becomes bothersome, report it to your physician and other health care personnel, for any change in plan of care to be considered. Stay away from activities, such as, driving and operating heavy machinery, until you are used to the side effects caused by norflex intake. Observing compliance with use of recommended assistive devices, such as, cane and walker can further safety during confused states. Avoiding quick changes in position can also contribute towards fall and accident prevention.
- Do not take norflex with alcohol or opioid pain medications, such as, hydrocodone and codeine, as these products can add to the dizziness and confusion caused by norflex. A number of OTC cough medications, antihistamines, antiseizure, antidepressant, and antianxiety medications, can potentiate the confusion caused by norflex and so, must be avoided taking along with norflex. Avoid taking any other medications with potential to cause drowsiness along with norflex at the same time. The individual influence of these medications on central nervous system can get added up, thus leading to confusion, coma, and emergency situations.
- Norflex use can also result in fast and pounding heartbeat. Individuals with history of cardiac arrhythmias can be at increased risk for precipitation of arrhythmic episodes with norflex use and must be increasingly watchful to report worsening symptoms of arrhythmias, such as, chest pain, low blood pressure, confusion, dizziness, increasing shortness of breath, and worsening fatigue. Hypotension and irregular heartbeat, secondary to norflex intake, can contribute to the confusion and dizziness, thus significantly increasing the risk for fall and accidents. Norflex could be avoided for a safer alternative or used with extra caution in individuals with history of life-threatening arrhythmias.
