Ketorolac Tromethamine

Pronunciation

Brand Names

Canadian/Mexican Brand Names

Therapeutic Categories

What is this medicine used for?

• This medicine is used for short-term (up to 5 days) treatment of moderately severe pain.
• The eye solution is used to relieve itching caused by seasonal allergic conjunctivitis. It is also used to treat postoperative inflammation following cataract extraction.

How does it work?

• Ketorolac tromethamine reduces inflammation and pain by blocking production and release of chemicals that produce it.

How is it best taken?

Oral:

• Take with or without food. Take with food if this medicine causes an upset stomach.

Eye:

• For the eye only.
• Take out soft contact lenses before using medicine. Lenses can be replaced 15 minutes after medicine is given.
• Do not touch the bottle or tube tip to the eye, lid, or other skin.
• Tilt head back and drop medicine into eye.
• After using medicine keep your eyes closed. Apply pressure to the inside corner of the eye. Do this for 3-5 minutes. This keeps medicine in the eye.
• Separate each eye medicine by 5 minutes. Give one and wait 5 minutes before using the next.

What do I do if I miss a dose?

• Take a missed dose as soon as possible.
• If it is almost time for the next dose, skip the missed one. Return to your regular schedule.

What are the precautions when taking this medicine?

Oral:

• Do not use this medicine for more than 5 days.
• If you are 65 or older, use this medicine with caution. Can cause severe side effects.
• Avoid alcohol (includes wine, beer, and liquor). Can cause increases in stomach irritation.
• If you have had a stomach ulcer or bleeding, tell healthcare provider.
• Use caution if you have kidney disease. Talk with healthcare provider.
• Use caution if you have a weakened heart. May cause increased shortness of breath or weight gain. Talk with healthcare provider.
• Use caution if you have high blood pressure. Your blood pressure may increase. Talk with healthcare provider.
• You will have a tendency to bleed more easily. Tell dentists, surgeons, and other healthcare providers about this medicine. You may be instructed to stop this medication for a while before any procedure. Ask for specific instructions about the time for stopping and restarting.
• Avoid aspirin, aspirin-containing products, other pain medicines, other blood thinners (warfarin, ticlopidine, clopidogrel), garlic, ginseng, ginkgo, and vitamin E while taking this medicine. Talk with healthcare provider.

All forms:

• Tell healthcare provider if you are allergic to any medicine, especially aspirin. Make sure to tell about the allergy and how it affected you. This includes telling about rash; hives; itching; shortness of breath; wheezing; cough; swelling of face, lips, tongue, throat; or any other symptoms involved.
• Do not use in third trimester of pregnancy.
• Tell healthcare provider if you are pregnant or plan on getting pregnant.
• Tell healthcare provider if you are breast-feeding.

What are the common side effects of this medicine?

• Feeling sleepy, dizzy, or unable to think clearly. Avoid driving, doing other tasks or hobbies that require you to be alert until you see how this medicine affects you.
• Headache. Mild pain medicine may help.
• Belly pain, heartburn, cramps, diarrhea, gas.
• Nausea or vomiting. Small frequent meals, frequent mouth care, sucking hard candy, or chewing gum may help.
• Stomach bleeding or ulceration. Watch stools for dark, tarry black color. Talk with healthcare provider.
• Eye: Irritation, allergic reactions.

What should I monitor?

• Relief of symptoms. Are they better, worse, or about the same?
• Follow up with healthcare provider.

Reasons to call healthcare provider immediately

• Signs of a life-threatening reaction. These include wheezing; tightness in the chest; fever; itching; bad cough; blue skin color; fits; swelling of face, lips, tongue, or throat.
• Severe nausea, vomiting, and/or diarrhea.
• Blood in the stool and toilet bowl, vomiting blood, or coughing up blood.
• Unusual bruising or bleeding.
• Serious eye pain or redness.
• Any rash.
• No improvement in condition or feeling worse.

How should I store this medicine?

• Store in a tight, light-resistant container at room temperature.

General statements

• Do not share your medicine with others and do not take anyone else's medicine.
• Keep all medicine out of the reach of children and pets.
• Keep a list of all your medicines (prescription, herbal/supplements, vitamins, over-the-counter) with you. Give this list to healthcare provider (doctor, nurse, pharmacist, physician assistant)
• Talk with healthcare provider before starting any new medicine, including over-the-counter or natural products (herbs, vitamins).

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