Medication Side Effects After an Accident: What to Expect

James Wong — Founder & Pharmacist, LienScripts | February 28, 2025 | 8 min read

Worried about side effects from your injury medications? This guide covers the most common side effects from personal injury prescriptions, which ones are normal, and when you should call your doctor.

Medication Side Effects After an Accident: What to Expect

After your accident, your doctor may prescribe several medications to help you manage pain, reduce swelling, relax tight muscles, or address nerve damage. These medications can be incredibly helpful for your recovery.

But like all medications, they can come with side effects.

Side effects do not mean the medication is bad or that something is wrong. They are simply the body's response to a new substance. Most side effects are mild and go away on their own. A few are more serious and need medical attention.

This guide will help you understand what to expect so you are not caught off guard.

[!KEY] Most side effects from injury medications — drowsiness, stomach upset, dizziness — are temporary and manageable, but stopping a medication without talking to your doctor first can harm your recovery and create a treatment gap in your case.

Common Medications and Their Side Effects

Pain Medications (Opioids)

Medications like hydrocodone, oxycodone, and tramadol are sometimes prescribed for moderate to severe pain after an accident. Common side effects include:

• Drowsiness — This is the most common side effect. Do not drive or operate heavy machinery until you know how the medication affects you.
• Constipation — Very common with opioid medications. Drink plenty of water, eat fiber-rich foods, and ask your doctor about a stool softener.
• Nausea — Some patients feel queasy, especially when first starting the medication. Taking it with food can help.
• Dizziness — Stand up slowly and avoid sudden movements.

When to call your doctor: Difficulty breathing, severe drowsiness that you cannot be woken from, or an allergic reaction (rash, swelling, trouble breathing).

Muscle Relaxants

Medications like cyclobenzaprine (Flexeril), methocarbamol (Robaxin), and tizanidine (Zanaflex) help with muscle spasms and tightness. Common side effects include:

• Drowsiness — This is very common, especially in the first few days. Many doctors recommend taking these at bedtime.
• Dry mouth — Stay hydrated and consider sugar-free gum or lozenges.
• Dizziness — Be careful getting up from a seated or lying position.
• Blurred vision — Usually mild and temporary.

When to call your doctor: Fast or irregular heartbeat, severe weakness, or fainting.

Anti-Inflammatory Medications (NSAIDs)

Medications like meloxicam (Mobic), naproxen (Aleve), and celecoxib (Celebrex) reduce swelling and pain. Common side effects include:

• Stomach upset — The most common side effect. Take these with food to reduce irritation.
• Heartburn — An antacid may help. Your doctor may prescribe a stomach-protecting medication if you are taking NSAIDs long-term.
• Headache — Usually mild and temporary.
• Slight swelling in hands or feet.

When to call your doctor: Black or bloody stools (which could indicate stomach bleeding), severe stomach pain, chest pain, or sudden swelling.

Nerve Pain Medications

Medications like gabapentin (Neurontin) and pregabalin (Lyrica) are used for nerve pain, which often shows up as burning, tingling, or shooting pain. Common side effects include:

• Drowsiness — Very common when first starting. Your doctor will usually start with a low dose and increase gradually.
• Dizziness — Be careful with stairs and getting up quickly.
• Weight gain — Some patients notice gradual weight gain over weeks or months.
• Swelling in hands and feet — Usually mild.

When to call your doctor: Mood changes, unusual thoughts, difficulty breathing, or severe dizziness.

Topical Medications (Creams, Gels, Patches)

Topical treatments like lidocaine patches, diclofenac gel, and compound creams are applied directly to the skin. They generally have fewer side effects than oral medications:

• Skin irritation — Redness, itching, or mild burning at the application site
• Skin dryness — The area where you apply the medication may become dry

When to call your doctor: Severe rash, blistering, or signs of an allergic reaction at the application site.

General Tips for Managing Side Effects

Give It Time

Many side effects are worst during the first few days of taking a new medication. Your body often adjusts, and the side effects decrease or disappear entirely within a week or two.

If a side effect is mild and manageable, try to be patient and see if it improves before making any changes.

Take Medications as Directed

Some side effects happen because medications are not taken correctly:

• Take with food when the label says to — this can prevent stomach upset
• Take at the right time — Some medications work best in the morning; others at night
• Do not double up — If you miss a dose, do not take two at once
• Do not mix with alcohol — Alcohol can increase drowsiness, dizziness, and other side effects

Keep a Side Effects Log

Write down any side effects you experience, including:

• What the side effect was
• When it started
• How severe it was (mild, moderate, severe)
• How long it lasted
• What you were doing when it happened

This information is incredibly valuable for your doctor. It helps them adjust your treatment plan effectively. It also strengthens your medication diary, which supports your personal injury case.

[!TIP] Contact your pharmacist if a side effect is bothering you — they can often suggest a simple fix like taking the medication with food or at a different time of day before you need to call your doctor.

Talk to Your Pharmacist

Your pharmacist is an excellent resource for side effect questions. They can tell you:

• Whether a side effect is common and expected
• How to manage mild side effects at home
• Whether two medications might be interacting
• When you should contact your doctor

Do not hesitate to call or visit your pharmacy with questions. That is what they are there for.

What NOT to Do

When you experience side effects, it is natural to want to make changes on your own. Please avoid these common mistakes:

• Do not stop taking the medication suddenly — Some medications (especially nerve pain medications and certain pain medications) need to be reduced gradually. Stopping suddenly can cause withdrawal symptoms or a rebound in pain.
• Do not reduce the dose on your own — Talk to your doctor before changing how much you take.
• Do not skip doses because of mild side effects — Inconsistent medication use creates treatment gaps that can hurt your case.
• Do not take someone else's medication to manage side effects — Always talk to your doctor.

When Your Doctor May Change Your Medication

If side effects are interfering with your daily life or are not improving after a reasonable adjustment period, your doctor may:

• Lower the dose — Sometimes a smaller amount works well with fewer side effects
• Switch to a different medication — There are often multiple options within each medication class
• Add a medication to manage the side effect — For example, a stomach-protecting medication for NSAID-related heartburn
• Change the timing — Taking a medication at bedtime instead of morning (or vice versa) can sometimes help
• Try a different form — Switching from an oral medication to a topical version may reduce side effects

If you are thinking about getting a second opinion about your medication plan, that is always an option.

[!KEY] Documenting side effects in a medication diary is a dual-purpose strategy — it helps your doctor fine-tune treatment while simultaneously creating a contemporaneous record that demonstrates you were actively taking your medications as prescribed, countering any defense claim of non-compliance.

Side Effects and Your Personal Injury Case

Documenting your side effects is not just good for your health — it is good for your case:

• Side effects are evidence of real treatment. They show that you are actually taking your medications as prescribed.
• They demonstrate the impact of your injuries. If medications cause drowsiness that affects your work or daily activities, that is part of the harm caused by the accident.
• They create a detailed medical record. The more documentation you have, the stronger your attorney's position during settlement negotiations.

The Bottom Line

Side effects from injury medications are common, usually mild, and often temporary. The most important things to remember:

• Give your body time to adjust to new medications
• Take medications exactly as directed
• Keep a log of side effects to share with your doctor
• Talk to your doctor before making any changes
• Never stop a medication suddenly without medical guidance

Your recovery depends on consistent treatment. If side effects are bothering you, work with your doctor to find a solution — do not just stop taking your medications.

[!KEY] When a physician switches a patient to a different medication to manage side effects, that prescription change is clinically defensible evidence of ongoing treatment — attorneys should preserve these transition records as they demonstrate active medical management throughout the case.

For more information about medication access during your personal injury case, visit our How It Works page.

Related Resources

• How It Works
• Patient Resources
• Understanding Your Pharmacy Lien Rights
• Can I Refuse Medications
• Generic vs Brand Name Injury Medications