What is Toradol?
Toradol was the brand name for ketorolac. The brand is no longer sold, but the generic medicine is, and most people still call it Toradol.
Ketorolac is an NSAID, short for nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug. That is the same drug family as ibuprofen and naproxen, but ketorolac needs a prescription. You cannot buy it over the counter.
Is Toradol good for pain?
Toradol is a prescription pain medicine. Its FDA label is for short-term treatment of moderately severe pain: the first dose is a shot or an IV, and the whole course is 5 days at most.
Whether it fits your pain, and whether it is safe with your health history and your other medicines, is a question for your doctor. At a DrpIV+ visit, your nurse reads your medical form and takes your vitals first.
How it is given
Ketorolac comes as a shot into a muscle (an IM shot), through an IV, or as a tablet. Its FDA label says the first dose is a shot or an IV, and tablets are only used to continue after that.
It is for short-term use only. The label caps it at 5 days in total, counting shots, IVs and tablets together.
At DrpIV+, a nurse or paramedic comes to your home, office or hotel. Toradol is one of the medicines in the Migraine drip, with Zofran, Benadryl and magnesium in a liter of saline. It is also in the Hangover drip, and it is on the add-in list, so it can go into another drip or be given as a shot on its own.
Common side effects
Like any medicine, ketorolac can cause side effects. These are on its FDA label:
- Nausea or vomiting
- Stomach pain or heartburn
- Diarrhea or constipation
- Dizziness
- Drowsiness
- Pain where the shot goes in
Tell your nurse first if this is you
Ketorolac is not right for everyone. These are on the MedlinePlus and FDA safety lists for it, so mention any of them on your medical form or to your nurse:
- You have had a stomach or intestinal ulcer, or bleeding in your stomach or gut
- You have kidney problems
- You have heart disease, or have had a heart attack or stroke
- You have asthma, or you have had a reaction to aspirin or another NSAID
- You are pregnant (it should not be used from about 20 weeks on unless your doctor says so) or breastfeeding
- You take ibuprofen, naproxen, aspirin or a blood thinner
When to get help
Serious side effects are less common, but know the signs. Call 911 for chest pain, trouble breathing, weakness on one side of your body, or slurred speech.
Call your doctor right away for black or bloody stools, vomit that looks like coffee grounds, or a rash, hives or swelling.
