What is naloxone?
Naloxone is a medicine that can reverse an opioid overdose. It comes as a nose spray. Anyone can give it to a person who took too much of an opioid. Opioids include many pain medicines, heroin, and fentanyl. Naloxone has no effect on a person who has not taken an opioid.
Who is this visit for?
Adults 18 or older. You take an opioid, or you have opioid use disorder. Or you use pills or drugs that did not come from a pharmacy. Or you live with, care for, or are close to someone like that. Or you want to be ready. The doctor reads your answers and sends a prescription to your pharmacy. No exam or test is needed. We do not prescribe opioids or other controlled medicines.
How do I use naloxone?
Show these steps to the people you live with, and tell them where you keep the spray. 1. Check. Is the person very sleepy, hard to wake, or not breathing well? Shout "Wake up!" and shake them gently. If they do not wake, go to step 2. Do this even if you are not sure it is an overdose. 2. Give. Lay the person on their back. Tilt the head back and support the neck. Put the tip of the spray in one nostril. Press the plunger hard. Do not test the spray first. Use the same spray and the same dose for a child. 3. Call 911 right away. If someone else is there, one person calls 911 while the other gives the spray. 4. Watch. Turn the person on their side. Wait 2 to 3 minutes. If they do not wake up, if they wake but do not breathe normally, or if they fall asleep again, turn them on their back and give another spray in the other nostril. Then turn them on their side again. Use a new spray each time. You may need to use all the sprays in the box. 5. Stay until help comes, even if the person wakes up. The opioid can last longer than the naloxone. If you know how, give rescue breaths or CPR while you wait.
What happens when the person wakes up?
When the person wakes, they may shake, sweat, feel sick, or feel angry. This is expected. If the person took buprenorphine, one spray may not be enough. Give another spray only if the person does not wake up, does not breathe normally, or gets hard to wake again. Wait 2 to 3 minutes after the last spray. If the person is awake and breathing normally, you do not need to give more.
Can I buy naloxone without this visit?
Yes. The 4 mg nose spray is sold in stores and online without a prescription. Pharmacists in Virginia and West Virginia may sell it to you without a prescription. The price is set by the maker and the store. Some health programs and community groups give naloxone away for free. A prescription may help if your insurance pays for it. Ask your pharmacy first. If you already have a spray that has not expired, you may not need another.
What does this visit add?
If this visit fits you, the doctor sends a prescription for naloxone nose spray 4 mg. One box has 2 sprays. Each spray works one time. You pick it up at your pharmacy. You pay the pharmacy for the medicine. You also get a plain sheet to share with the people you live with, and a private place to ask questions. This visit does not make the spray faster to get, better, or cheaper.
How do I keep the spray?
Do not let the spray freeze (for example in a car in winter). Keep it out of the heat. Keep it in its box. Keep it away from children. Check the date on the box and replace it before it expires. Naloxone does not treat opioid use disorder. If you want help to stop, ask your own doctor.
When should I get care right away?
Read the lists from the top. If more than one fits, follow the first one. Call 911 or go to the ER now if you or someone near you shows signs of an overdose. If the person is hard to wake or not breathing well and you have naloxone, give it. If someone else is there, one person calls 911 while the other gives the spray. If the spray is frozen it will not work. Do not wait for it to thaw. Call 911. Call 911 or go to the ER now if naloxone was given to you or to an adult with you in the last few hours and the person was not taken to an ER. This matters most if you are pregnant, because naloxone can cause withdrawal in the baby. Call 911 or go to the ER now if naloxone was given to anyone under 18 in the last 24 hours and they were not seen in an ER. A child needs to be watched for at least 24 hours, even if the child seems fine. Call or text 988 now if you have had thoughts of ending your life or hurting yourself in the last 2 weeks. If you are in danger, call 911. Do not wait for our reply.