What are Opioid Medications?
Opioids are a type of medication that, when used as directed by your health care provider, can effectively treat pain. Some examples of these medications include oxycodone, hydrocodone, morphine, and tramadol. While these medications offer great benefits in pain control, they also can seriously affect your body in more harmful ways. They may cause a dangerous slowing of your heart rate and your ability to breathe, which can be deadly. Opioids can also work in your brain to create a “high” sensation and/or cause addiction. These risks increase when you use opioid pain medications for a long period of time.
We want you to stay safe. If you are using an opioid medication, talk to your prescriber about any side-effects you may be experiencing and the best ways to stay safe while treating pain.
What are Benzodiazepines?
Benzodiazepines are another type of medications that are generally used to treat anxiety, seizures, inability to sleep, or other health conditions when directed by your health care provider. When these medications are combined with Opioid medications, it increases your risk for harmful effects. These medications can cause drowsiness, slow your breathing, change your mood or lead to increased risk of accidents or falls. These drugs are also work in your brain to cause addictions and should be treated cautiously.
Safety Precautions
Accidental use of opioid or benzodiazepine medications, even small doses, can lead to dangerous or tragic outcomes. This is especially true for children or teens. It is important to store opioid medications in a secure place. Additionally, any unused medications should be disposed of as soon as possible. For more information on safe drug disposal options, please visit:
In case of an opioid overdose, naloxone is a medication that can save the life of you or a loved one. If you are taking opioid pain medications, talk to your prescriber or pharmacist about obtaining naloxone and make sure you and your family members know how to use it in case of an emergency. Naloxone nasal spray may be covered under plan benefits, please see your summary of benefits.
Other Treatments
You can also use other medications to treat your pain symptoms. These include patches (Capsaicin, Lidocaine), creams or topicals (Diclofenac gel), over-the-counter treatments (such as Ibuprofen tablets, Acetaminophen/Tylenol). You can also talk to your health care provider about other medication types that can treat your condition that is not an Opioid or a Benzodiazepine.
You can also treat conditions through other therapies such as:
- Physical therapy
- Occupational Therapy
- Acupuncture
- Chiropractic care
- Massage therapy
We are here to help
If you need additional help, please get your plan specific information by visiting the pharmacy member portal or by calling Capital Rx Pharmacy Customer Service desk at (833) 502-3346.
Finally, if you are currently struggling with opioid addiction, we also offer support in our Behavioral Health Program. Please reach out to our customer care team so we can connect you with services that can help. You can call Memorial Hermann Customer Service at (855) 645-8448 and ask for our behavioral health programs.
Additional Resources
If you need additional help, dial 211 Texas or (877) 541-7905 for free and anonymous 24/7 help in finding resources in your community for crisis counseling or substance abuse treatment.
Another important resource you can use is calling Suicide & Crisis Lifeline by dialing 988 for access to trained crisis counselors who can assist those undergoing suicidal, substance use, mental health crisis, or emotional distress. This is available as call, text, chat, and in Spanish or other languages.
You can also use https://findtreatment.gov/ to find confidential and anonymous resource for persons seeking treatment for mental and substance use disorders in the United States and its territories.
For more reading information about the Opioid Epidemic and to learn more about this issue, please visit: