What to Do if You Are Becoming Dependent on Pain Medication
- Posted on: Jan 25 2021
If you are taking pain medication, you may be concerned about becoming addicted or dependent on it. This is a valid concern, especially if you know you have addictive tendencies or have a family history that includes addiction. If you believe you are starting to become dependent on your pain medication, here are some steps to take.
Signs You Are Becoming Dependent
If you believe you’re starting to become dependent on a medication, there are a few different signs to look for. Do you feel a craving for the medication? If you delay taking it for an hour or so, do you feel any effects? Another sign is that you feel the need to take your pain medication more often than instructed or you want to take more than you should.
Call Your Doctor
Immediately call your doctor if you believe you’re starting to become addicted to your pain medication or any type of medication. If you can’t talk to your doctor right away, ask to speak to a nurse or your doctor’s assistant. Call 911 if you believe you have overdosed or if you are experiencing dangerous symptoms.
Return to Following Your Doctor’s Directions
While your instinct may be to stop taking the pain medication immediately, that can cause further problems. Stopping some medication cold turkey can be dangerous. Instead of stopping, do your best to return to taking the medication as instructed until you can reach your doctor.
Consider Alternatives
If you are concerned about becoming dependent on a medication or already have, talk to your doctor about alternatives. While pain medication may be easy and convenient, it’s often not the best option for managing or reducing the amount of pain you’re in. There may be some exercises that will help your body build up injured muscles or that will help take some of the burden off the injured part of your body. Alternative treatment options such as chiropractic care may also help.
If you need to discuss these alternative options or if you believe you’re starting to become dependent on pain medication, the team at Maximum Orthopedics can help. Contact us today to make an appointment.
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