Oxymorphone is the generic name for a medication sold as Opana in the United States. It is a prescription-level pain killer and a narcotic, meaning long-term use can lead to addiction. Oxymorphone affects how your central nervous system works to prevent severe pain. The Mayo Clinic states that the drug can cause side effects largely by how it operates in your central nervous system. Oxymorphone may be administered as a regular pill or in an extended-release version. No serious common side effects of oxymorphone are reported.
Abdominal Side Effects
The most common side effect of using oxymorphone to relieve pain is constipation, both Drugs.com and the Mayo Clinic report. Constipation--or trouble having a bowel movement--typically occurs when your digestive system removes more than the usual amount of fluid from your food as it moves through your intestines. This reduced fluid level makes it harder to defecate, despite a need to do so. Taking oxymorphone also may induce nausea or vomiting. While these effects are common when you begin taking oxymorphone to help relieve your pain, they typically will disappear with continued use. Talk to your physician about any side effects from any medication that do not fade after a few days of use.
Dizziness
Because oxymorphone works upon your central nervous system, it can have the disconcerting affect of dizziness. Your central nervous system is depressed by the drug to relieve your pain, so it does not function at its normal level. This can give you the sensation that you or your environment are spinning or in constant motion. These, too, are temporary side effects not classified as serious.
Sleep Side Effects
Oxymorphone, as with most narcotic analgesics, is a drug that can affect your sleep habits. It can have the typical narcotic effect of making you very tired, even when rested. It also can produce the opposite effect and prevent you from sleeping normally or at all when you first take it.
Pain and Weakness
Pain may occur in your head when you begin treatment with oxymorphone. Any headaches produced should be temporary and are not serious. You also may feel a sense of fatigue and weakness throughout your body, even if you have not participated in any strenuous activities.
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