Patients Dependent on Opioids Should Not Discontinue their Medication: FDA

America’s war on opioids comes to a halt after the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) released a drug safety communication on April 9, 2019. Herein, the regulatory body said that patients undergoing opioid therapy for chronic pain should not discontinue their medications abruptly.

After the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) guidelines released in 2016 as a response to the adverse outcomes from opioids, the FDA has come with this regulatory as it sensed health issues in patients dependent on opioids due to discontinuing the medication abruptly.

Patients who discontinued the medication experienced severe pain and frequent withdrawals. There were greater chances of patients who may search for other sources of opioid medicines and may fall in the trap of illicit opioids like heroin and likewise.

Opioid Medication

Opioids are a class of drugs that are taken in a prescribed amount to control chronic pain experienced after surgeries, sports injuries or a chronic condition like cancer. It functions by lowering the number of pain signals the body sends to the brain.

Data reveals that about 13 million Americans are dependent on a long-term opioid medication.

That’s a big number! Opioids need to be strictly taken under the supervision of a professional doctor. Medications should be taken in a prescribed amount as per the doctor’s advice. If these things are not taken as prescribed, then you might get addicted to the drug.

Despite all the claims levied on this drug, they are safe to use when taken properly.

Move down to know more about the safety of opioid therapy for chronic pain.

According to the Chief of the Division of Alcohol and Drug Abuse at Harvard, Dr. Roger Weiss cited that opioids are very powerful both psychological and physical. Thus, it is important to understand when you require this medication and also what proportion is needed.

An opioid is required in overcoming acute pain wherein the specialist will focus on keeping your dose amount as small as possible. If you have undergone a knee or hip surgery, then you might need opioid therapy for chronic pain for more than 3 days while in other cases only 2-3 days of opioid medication is sufficient.

Be cautious while undergoing long-term opioid medications!

When opioids are continued even after you get rid of acute pain, that’s when the side effects of the drugs increase significantly. They are mostly given to control acute pain from arthritis, back pain or cancer.

Professional doctors closely monitor their patients before prescribing medications. An opioid specialist knows exactly how much dosage is required and will make sure his patient doesn’t undergo any adverse consequence as he increases or decreases his dose.

Your doctors know when you don’t need opioids!

If your situation improves, then you no longer need opioids. Your doctor will gradually decrease your dose. The doctor should not go cold turkey as it may result in drowsiness, nausea, abdominal cramps, vomiting, etc.

A professional doctor will set up a full proof plan to reduce the opioid amount by reducing Acetaminophen or Tylenol or by yoga or medication too.

Kroll Care caters to safe opioid pain management treatment owing to their experience in managing opioid prescriptions. We suggest doses as prescribed under the FDA regulations and provide all the care needed by such patients. Count on us!