Your child’s doctor recommends they get their tonsils taken out, common surgery, when it’s done take them home and give them opioids. Your younger sibling’s wisdom teeth are coming in and need to be removed, common surgery, when it’s done take them home and give them some opioids. You were constantly getting gallstones and needed your gallbladder removed, common practice, when it’s done make sure to take your opioids. Your wife or sister has a cesarean section, whether by her choosing or necessity, make sure she gets her opioids. Your mother or father is doing housework or working out and falls, they need back, knee, or hip surgery, don’t worry there are opioids for that. While all of these surgeries do result in pain, most of us just agree with whatever the doctor says, they did after all go to school for at least ten years and know all about this stuff right? If the doctor says it’s ok to give codeine to our child who is in pain after surgery then that’s ok. If our doctor tells our parent to take Percocet or Vicodin after knee, back, or hip surgery they listen to the doctor. If the doctor tells your wife or sister after her c-section, they are going to give her some morphine, she’s probably not going to say no.
Opioid Usage is Growing
Thousands of these surgeries happen every day, in every state, and around the world. The number of opioids such as oxycodone and hydrocodone, just in America, have grown from around 76 million in 1991 to around 207 million in 2013 according to the National Institute on Drug Abuse. They also say that America is the largest global consumer of Percocet or Oxycodone (81%) and Vicodin or Hydrocodone (almost 100%). Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) showed that in 2012 an estimated 2.1 million people in America were suffering with an opioid prescription abuse disorder. Death certificates started listing opioid analgesic poisoning more than heroin or cocaine, as the cause of death in 2002.
Most children do not become addicted to the pain medication given after having their tonsils removed, but the point is that we start introducing this chemical to our bodies at such a young age and with all drug addiction the more often you take it, the more of a tolerance your body builds, the more you need to take to feel the effects, the more often you need it, and thus starts the addiction. Many chronic pain sufferers such as those with back pain and osteoporosis also use opioid prescriptions but over time again they build a tolerance and need higher and stronger doses until finally, it becomes an addiction. Doctors are becoming more and more aware of the dangers of long-term opioid use but it is still a big problem in the United States and in the world. Since doctors know about the likelihood of addiction they try to limit the number of pills or dosage for each patient. However, patients will simply begin doctor shopping. Doctor shopping is basically going to multiple doctors to get multiple prescriptions for drugs that would otherwise be illegal. When doctor shopping is no longer an option people usually try to buy these pills on the streets or from people who do have a prescription which is also illegal. Buying these pills on the street can be very expensive. One pill can be as much as $80 but when you are addicted you pay the price. Since this price is so steep many users turn to heroin for the similar high and much cheaper price. Heroin can be as cheap as just $10 a balloon. This is the unfortunate case for many families. They are being broken up by opioid addiction, which eventually turns into heroin addiction, and it’s making it’s way into every neighborhood across America because we all get these surgeries. People you never thought would be heroin addicts are falling into its dark grasp. To read about the opioid epidemic happening in Utah read our blog “Utah’s Struggle With Opiate Abuse.”
Talk to Your Doctor
The important thing is to talk to your doctor about all postoperative medication options. If you do not want to take an opioid-based pain reliever let your doctor know. There are non-narcotic pain relievers such as Tylenol, Aspirin, and Ibuprofen. Pain can also be reduced with physical therapy and meditation. There are many different options available to people, do not be afraid to ask your doctor or talk to your doctor about these things. It is important for you to know all your options so that you can choose the best one for you.
