Berger Health | Connections

t’s tough to live with chronic pain,

but millions of Americans do.

That’s one reason why prescription

opioids are so popular.

“These powerful medications

are good at relieving pain in the

short term,” says Jill Barno, MD,

Vice President of Medical Affairs

at Berger Health System. “They

also help people with active cancer

and people receiving hospice or

palliative care cope with pain. But

opioids come with some serious

risks, including the risk of addiction

and unintentional overdose and

death.”

As many as 1 in 4 people who

take opioids for a long time become

addicted to the drugs (a condition

known as opioid use disorder). And

more than 165,000 people in the

U.S. died from opioid overdose

between 1999 and 2014.

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Jill Barno, MD

What you need to know about opioids

Names to know

Well-known brand-name

painkillers, like Vicodin, Percocet

and OxyContin, are opioids. So are

generic drugs, such as:

Hydrocodone.

Oxycodone.

Buprenorphine.

Codeine.

Fentanyl.

Hydromorphone.

Methadone.

Morphine.

Oxymorphone.

Finding solutions

To help curb opioid addiction and

overdose deaths, the Centers for

Disease Control and Prevention has

issued new guidelines for prescribing

the drugs to treat chronic pain. The

guidelines encourage doctors to start

low and go slow when prescribing

opioids in order to reduce the risks

linked to long-term use. (The

guidelines don’t apply to cancer

patients or those receiving hospice

or palliative care.)

“If you’re living with chronic

pain, talk with your doctor about

the risks and benefits of taking

opioids,” Dr. Barno suggests. “Be

honest about any personal history

of drug or alcohol addiction.

Also discuss other ways to help

manage your pain, such as physical

therapy, exercise and nonopioid

medications.”

Then if your doctor does prescribe

an opioid, be sure to:

Never mix the drug with

alcohol—and don’t take it with

other substances or medications

without your doctor’s OK.

Never take more of the

medication than prescribed.

Never share the medication with

friends or family. And keep it

locked away and well out of reach

of curious children and teens.

Alert your doctor if you

experience side effects from an

opioid—such as constipation,

nausea, vomiting, dry mouth,

sleepiness, confusion or decreased

sex drive—or if you need to take

more of the medication to get the

same pain relief.

Additional source: Substance Abuse and Mental

Health Services Administration