FOR BREAKING NEWS VISIT WWW.QNS.COM JULY 6, 2017 • HEALTH • THE QUEENS COURIER 51
health
Taking opioids for pain?
Speak up. Ask the hard questions.
Opioids oft en are the go-to pain killer
for everything from back aches and injuries
to post-surgical pain, as evidenced by
the more than 300 million prescriptions
written each year. While they can help
with moderate to severe short-term pain,
opioids are not without risk. Because they
have signifi cant side eff ects, including an
increased risk of addiction and overdose,
the American Society of Anesthesiologists
suggests those who take opioids ask some
tough questions - including if it is time to
consider alternatives.
Kathleen Callahan understands the
dilemma. She suff ers from a condition
that causes painful cysts that required
multiple surgeries resulting in post-surgical
and chronic pain for which she
took opioids for years. Despite being on a
high dose of opioids, she still had chronic
pain. So she turned to Anita Gupta, D.O.,
Pharm.D., a physician anesthesiologist
who specializes in pain medicine.
“When I was on opioids long-term I
couldn’t function, couldn’t be involved in
my children’s lives and my work was suffering,”
said Kathleen. “Dr. Gupta helped
me manage my pain so life is livable. Now
I exercise, go out with friends and go to
my kids’ activities.”
“Kathleen and I had some diffi cult discussions.
I didn’t think the medications
were helping her anymore and I was
truthful with her,” said Dr. Gupta. “She
asked some hard questions, and I helped
her move forward and cope with her pain.
Since she’s been opioid-free Kathleen is
vibrant and energetic. She has her life
back.”
If you are taking opioids or your physician
has prescribed them, the American
Society of Anesthesiologists suggests asking
yourself (and your physician) some
tough questions:
* Are opioids aff ecting my quality of
life? Opioids have many side eff ects,
ranging from severe constipation, mental
fogginess and nausea to depression.
Kathleen said she was “exhausted,
cranky, depressed, constipated and gaining
weight.” She realized the side eff ects
of opioids were worse than the pain itself,
motivating her to seek other options.
* What are my concerns about taking
opioids - or stopping them? With the
media attention surrounding opioid risks,
many people worry they:
- are being judged by others
- may become addicted or overdose
- won’t be able to control their pain if
they stop taking opioids
Ask your physician about obtaining
naloxone, a drug that can reverse an overdose.
If you take opioids when you don’t
have pain or use more than directed, you
may develop a dependence. Talk to your
physicians about alternatives to manage
your pain.
* Is it time to consider other methods
of pain management? Opioids are most
eff ective in the short term. If they are
taken for chronic pain, they should be
part of a “multimodal” plan that includes
other methods of pain management,
including:
- Injections or nerve blocks, which can
short circuit muscle and nerve pain.
- Electrical stimulation and spinal cord
stimulation devices that send electrical
impulses to block pain.
- Physical therapy, which strengthens
muscles to improve function and decrease
pain. Whirlpools, ultrasound and massage
can help, too.
- Alternative therapies, such as acupuncture,
biofeedback, meditation, deep
breathing and relaxation, which help you
learn how to ease muscle tension.
* What type of physician can best help
manage my pain? If you have severe
or ongoing pain, be sure to see a physician
who specializes in pain management,
such as a physician anesthesiologist.
Th ese specialists have received four
years of medical school and additional
training in a medical specialty, followed
by an additional year of training to
become an expert in treating pain. Th ey
have the expertise to best help you manage
your pain.
“If I was still on opioids I would be
overweight, inactive, not involved in
my children’s lives and depressed,” said
Kathleen. “When you have a physician
like Dr. Gupta who you trust and who
shows you there’s another way, it’s just
amazing. It’s night and day.”
For more information, download
ASA’s Asking the Hard Questions About
Opioids. To learn more about the critical
role physician anesthesiologists play
before, during and aft er surgery, visit
www.asahq.org/WhenSecondsCount.
Courtesy BPT
