Patients with opioid dependency

Patients with Opioid Dependency It may seem like becoming addicted to a pain medication is something easily controlled, but not so quick? After surgery or a painful injury, the body needs to heal. Part of the healing process involves controlling pain. No one wants to get out of bed and do physical therapy when they are in pain. So, in many cases, a physician prescribes opioids. The patient takes the prescribed dosage, and is able to control the pain. When they don't take them, they feel the pain, so they continue taking them. Before long it becomes an addiction, and it is not a simple addiction to overcome. The pain has been controlled for so long, that once the body feels any pain, it is intensified. So, the patient reaches for a pill, an opioid, in order to continue through the day. As the cycle continues the addiction worsens. Before long you may see a patient before you that never had a drug addiction, until now.

How do Opioids Work?

Opioid drugs attach to receptors in the brain, spinal cord, and other areas of the body. By doing so, they stop the pain sending messages to the brain, thus eliminating the pain. Opioids should be used only when other pain medications are not treating pain adequately.

Opioid Drugs Codeine- often used in very small amounts of prescription cough syrup. Taken in this form, it helps relax muscles and slows the cough.

It is also used with Tylenol products that are prescribed for moderate to severe pain.

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Fentanyl- is used to control pain, and sometimes nausea. This drug is main used when prescribed to patients in a hospital setting.

Hydrocodone- is used for moderate pain and is a product of Tylenol and codeine.

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Morphine- often used in hospitals following surgery Oxycodone- very strong opioid often used in terminal cancer patients.

This is the most abused of all opioid drugs, and is readily available on the black market.

Related: How to Deal with Work Gossip A doctor may prescribe an opioid for a patient, and intend for it to be short term use. With some patients becoming dependent on these drugs, they

may use multiple doctors and hospitals in order to obtain prescriptions.

Many states now have regulations that monitor every opioid prescribed to a particular patient, so it's easy to monitor what patient is getting a narcotic drug.

Patients Using Opioids If you have a patient hospitalized that has a dependency on opioids, you will most likely see a patient that is trying to obtain opioids, even if none are ordered. It can be very difficult to treat the pain of a patient that has been or currently is addicted to opioids. A patient must be administered pain medication, yet treating pain with opioids is not an option. Pain management specialists may be consulted to assist in controlling pain. As the nurse, it is a good idea to follow the pain specialist’s suggestions for the patient, they often have methods to lessen pain such as self meditation.

Patients that are struggling with pain or discomfort, while fighting an addiction, essentially have two battles to deal with. Sometimes simply some calm words of encouragement can help to ensure the patient better days are ahead. Pain management specialists often have books or pamphlets available that patients can read regarding controlling one’s own pain. The informative literature discusses deep breathing techniques, and a form of self meditation that can work very well in calming patients and helping to relieve pain.

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Opioid dependency is a problem that individuals from all walks of life can face. It can be easy to believe that a prescribed pain reliever is safe to take, and yet there are times that it goes beyond what a patient is able to control.

There are many programs for opioid withdrawal, and it is a fact that people have more success when supported by a specialized program for the dependency.

If you have a patient that is withdrawing from opioids, keep in kind that the patient is upset at their condition and discomfort, and don't take things personally. As the nurse, you may be the one the patient sees the most and therefore the one that the patient complains to.

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