You may have been prescribed opioids to ease pain after surgery, injury or for chronic pain. Over time, you find yourself taking more than prescribed to get relief. Eventually medicine that\u2019s meant to help becomes harmful, and you\u2019re misusing your medication.<\/p>\n
Prescription drug use disorder \u2014 once called prescription drug abuse \u2014 is especially common with prescription pain medicines such as oxycodone, codeine, hydrocodone, morphine and fentanyl.<\/p>\n
\u201cUnderstanding how opioids affect the brain, recognizing early warning signs and finding proven care can change the path forward,\u201d says Kimberly Kabernagel, DO<\/a>, medical director at Geisinger Marworth Treatment Center.\u00a0<\/p>\n Understanding opioid use disorder (OUD)<\/p>\n Opioid use disorder, or OUD, is using opioids even if it causes significant impairment or distress. It can affect anyone, across ages, income levels and backgrounds. If you have OUD, you may use opioids compulsively, have strong cravings and keep using even though it\u2019s harming your relationships, finances or physical body.\u00a0<\/p>\n OUD changes how the brain processes reward and pain. People who misuse opioids can build tolerance \u2014 a need for more medication to get the same relief. And if they don\u2019t use, they might have symptoms of opioid withdrawal.\u00a0<\/p>\n \u201cOpioid use disorder is not a moral failing,\u201d says Dr. Kabernagel. \u201cIt\u2019s a medical condition influenced by genetics, environment, trauma and co-existing health issues.\u201d<\/p>\n Talk to your healthcare team if you:<\/p>\n Have opioid withdrawal symptoms What\u2019s the difference between opioid supervised use and misuse?<\/p>\n Prescription use happens when opioids are taken exactly as directed for the shortest time needed to manage acute pain or carefully monitored for chronic pain or end-of-life care.<\/p>\n Misuse includes taking opioids without a prescription, using higher doses than prescribed, taking someone else\u2019s medication or using illicit opioids. Legitimate prescriptions can become a problem if you:<\/p>\n Need to keep taking more Signs and symptoms of opioid use disorder<\/p>\n Recognizing opioid use disorder early can prevent emergencies and save lives.\u00a0<\/p>\n \u201cIf you or a loved one has opioid withdrawal symptoms, strong cravings or patterns of prescription drug abuse, it\u2019s time to talk with a clinician,\u201d urges Dr. Kabernagel.\u00a0<\/p>\n Physical signs:<\/p>\n Changes in appetite or weight Psychological and emotional signs:<\/p>\n Intense cravings and preoccupation with obtaining opioids Behavioral signs:<\/p>\n Using opioids more often or in higher doses than prescribed Opioid withdrawal symptoms:<\/p>\n Diarrhea If you see these signs in yourself or a loved one, Geisinger Marworth can help<\/a>. Early support increases the chance of a safer recovery path.<\/p>\n Treatment options and strategies<\/p>\n Effective care combines medical treatment, counseling and social support.\u00a0<\/p>\n \u201cThere\u2019s no one path and your treatment time and modality can vary,\u201d explains Dr. Kabernagel. \u201cTreatment plans should reflect your goals, health needs and daily life.\u201d<\/p>\n The first step is to safely stop using and manage withdrawal symptoms if they develop. You may get help through:<\/p>\n Medications: Methadone, buprenorphine and extended-release naltrexone reduce cravings and withdrawal, stabilize brain chemistry and lower overdose risk. Treating opioid misuse with medication<\/p>\n Medications for opioid use disorder (MOUD) \u2014 also called medication-assisted treatment (MAT) \u2014 are shown to save lives and support long-term recovery. You need close medical supervision and support to have the best chance of success. Commonly used are:<\/p>\n Methadone or buprenorphine which ease cravings and withdrawal symptoms. There are side effects, and you can still misuse methadone and buprenorphine. With proper support, you can function, work and care for your family while taking MOUD.\u00a0<\/p>\n \u201cResearch shows these medications aren\u2019t just replacing one addiction for another,\u201d notes Dr. Kabernagel. \u201cWhen used appropriately and under the guidance of a trained provider, they turn chaotic, high-risk use into safe, controlled treatment .\u201d<\/p>\n Safer pain management: preventing prescription drug abuse<\/p>\n Prevention starts with a thoughtful pain plan. For acute and chronic pain, pairing opioids with other medication can help.\u00a0<\/p>\n \u201cIf you\u2019ve ever misused pain medication, share this with your health team so they can support other options,\u201d suggests Dr. Kabernagel.<\/p>\n Other types of pain relief<\/p>\n Acetaminophen (Tylenol) and NSAIDs (when appropriate) Safer use options<\/p>\n Use the lowest effective dose for the shortest time. Next steps:\u00a0<\/p>\n Learn about addiction treatment at Geisinger Marworth<\/a> \u00a0<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"You may have been prescribed opioids to ease pain after surgery, injury or for chronic pain. Over time,…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":111435,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[15],"tags":[178,180,179],"class_list":["post-111434","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-scranton","tag-scranton","tag-scranton-headlines","tag-scranton-news"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-pa\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/111434","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-pa\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-pa\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-pa\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-pa\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=111434"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-pa\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/111434\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-pa\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/111435"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-pa\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=111434"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-pa\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=111434"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-pa\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=111434"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}
\n Have cravings
\n Feel you\u2019re likely to start abusing your medication<\/p>\n
\n Take opioids with alcohol or other drugs
\n Have no plan other than opioids to treat your pain\u00a0<\/p>\n
\n Needle marks or skin infections (with injection)
\n Tolerance (needing more)
\n Drowsiness or \u201cnodding off\u201d<\/p>\n
\n Mood swings, irritability or depression
\n Anxiety, restlessness or agitation
\n Memory problems or difficulty concentrating<\/p>\n
\n Doctor shopping, early refill requests or reports of lost prescriptions
\n Taking medications from others
\n Social withdrawal, secrecy or changes in friend groups
\n Neglecting responsibilities at work, school or home
\n Risky behaviors, including driving while impaired<\/p>\n
\n Nausea or vomiting
\n Dilated pupils\u00a0
\n Insomnia
\n Itching, sweating or flushed skin
\n Runny nose<\/p>\n
\n Counseling and psychotherapy: Therapy tailored to your needs can build skills, address triggers and support change.
\n Peer recovery and support groups: Find community, accountability and share lived experience.
\n Integrated care: Treating other mental and physical health challenges like depression, anxiety, PTSD and chronic pain improves outcomes.
\n Family involvement: Education, therapy and support for the whole family reduces stigma, improves communication and creates a better environment for lasting healing.<\/p>\n
\n Naltrexone \u2014 when administered as an extended release injection \u2014 dampens the effects of opioids and also helps with cravings.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\n Topical therapies, nerve blocks and local anesthesia
\n Physical therapy, occupational therapy and graduated exercise
\n Behavioral pain interventions such as CBT, relaxation and biofeedback
\n Complementary approaches like heat\/cold therapy, massage and mindfulness<\/p>\n
\n Understand how long you should use opioids and your provider\u2019s goals.\u00a0
\n Don\u2019t combine opioids with benzodiazepines or alcohol.
\n Schedule follow-up appointments to check pain, function and side effects.
\n Store medicines securely in a locked box and dispose of leftovers at take-back sites.
\n If you\u2019re concerned about prescription drug abuse or noticing opioid withdrawal symptoms, talk with your provider about adjusting your pain plan.<\/p>\n
Geisinger Marworth\u2019s Family program<\/a> helps the entire family recover
Learn the long-term effects of casual drug use<\/a><\/p>\n