If you’re in pain you will likely try just about anything to relieve it and sometimes your pain is so extreme natural remedies fall short and your physician might prescribe something stronger, such as opioids. Also called narcotics, opioids are a type of drug including strong prescription pain relievers, such as oxycodone, hydrocodone, fentanyl, and tramadol. Prescription opioids used for pain relief are generally safe when taken for a brief time and as prescribed by your healthcare provider. However, people who take opioids are at risk for opioid dependence, addiction, and overdose.
The statistics can be scary, according to drugabuse.gov, roughly 21 to 29 percent of patients prescribed opioids for chronic pain misuse them. Between 8 and 12 percent develop an opioid use disorder. An estimated 4 to 6 percent who misuse prescription opioids transition to heroin. About 80 percent of people who use heroin first misused prescription opioids. This issue has become a public health crisis with devastating consequences including increases in opioid misuse and related overdoses. So how can you safely use opioids to relieve pain after a major health issue such as surgery? Here are some tips from MedLinePlus.
How do I know if I need to take opioid medicines?
First, you need to talk with your health care provider about whether you need to take opioids. You should discuss.
Whether there are other medicines or therapies that might treat your pain
The risks and benefits of taking opioids
Your medical history and if you or anyone in your family has a history of substance misuse or addiction to drugs or alcohol
Any other medicines and supplements you are taking
How much alcohol you drink
For women - If you are pregnant or planning to become pregnant
What do I need to know if I am going to take opioid medicines?
If you and your provider decide that you need to take opioids, make sure that you understand.
How to take the medicine - how much and how often
How long you will need to take the medicine
What the possible side effects are
How you should stop the medicines when you no longer need them. If you have been taking opioids for a while, it can be dangerous to just stop suddenly. You may need to get off the medicines slowly.
What the warning signs of addiction are, so you can watch for them. They include
Regularly taking more medicine than you are supposed to
Taking someone else's opioids
Taking the medicine to get high
Mood swings, depression, and/or anxiety
Needing too much or too little sleep
Trouble making decisions
Feeling high or sedated
If you have a high risk for an overdose, you may also want to get a prescription for naloxone. Naloxone is a drug that can reverse the effects of an opioid overdose.
How can I take my opioid medicine safely?
You should always be careful when taking any medicine, but you need to take extra care when taking opioids:
Take your medicine exactly as prescribed - do not take extra doses
Check the instructions every time you take a dose
Do not break, chew, crush, or dissolve opioid pills
Opioids can cause drowsiness. Do not drive or use any machinery that may injure you, especially when you first start the medicine.
Contact your provider if you have side effects
If you can, use the same pharmacy for all your medicines. The pharmacy's computer system will alert the pharmacist if you are taking two or more medicines that could cause a dangerous interaction.
It is important to store and dispose of opioid medicines properly:
Store your opioids and other medicines in a safe place. If you have children at home, it's a good idea to store your medicines in a lockbox. Even one accidental dose of an opioid pain medicine meant for an adult can cause a fatal overdose in a child. Also, someone who lives with you or visits your house may look for and steal your opioid medicines to take or sell them.
If you travel, carry the current bottle of opioids with you for safety. This will help you answer any questions about your medicine.
Dispose of your unused medicine properly. If you have unused opioid medicines at the end of your treatment, you can get rid of them by
Finding a local drug take-back program
Finding a pharmacy mail-back program
In some cases, flushing them down the toilet - check the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) web site to find out which ones you can flush away
Never sell or share your medicines. Your prescription is for you. Your health care provider considers many factors when prescribing opioids. What's safe for you might lead to an overdose for someone else.
If someone steals your opioid medicines or prescription, report the theft to the police.
Opioids serve a purpose, to get you comfortable and out of pain, but if used improperly, they can cause serious detrimental effects. At Advanced Physical Medicine, our experienced physicians are here to help you live a pain-free life as safely as possible. Contact us today to learn more about our services.