Opoids

[Guest guest]

Dear group,

I am posting this because I know a lot of people in the general population are

taking opoids for pain. I had a discussion with my doctor because I take

Lomotil for diarrhea. He cautioned me about taking opoids for this condition,

so I thought I would pass it on because it is important to know what the side

effects are and I was really surprised that no one has ever given me this

information, so I looked it up, and I was shocked at the information I found. I

hope you check out the names of your own drugs to see if you are taking any in

this group.

" Opioids are a class of drugs that are commonly prescribed for their analgesic,

or pain-killing, properties. They include substances such as morphine, codeine,

oxycodone, and methadone. Opioids may be more easily recognized by drug names

such as Kadian, Avinza, OxyContin, Percodan, Darvon, Demerol, Vicodin, Percocet,

and Lomotil.

" Opioids are used in medicine because they can block the perception of pain.

Patients receiving palliative care frequently report pain as one of the most

distressing factors as they approach the end of life. About 70% of patients with

advanced cancer and 65% of patients dying from other non-malignant diseases

commonly complain of pain . Opioid-based medicines are prescribed to these

patients to reduce their pain and increase their quality of life. The vast

majority of patients receiving long-term opioid pain medication are in advanced

stages of their disease.

" Opioid use carries several side effects. These include drowsiness, nausea,

slower breathing, and a general depression of the respiratory system. Further,

opioids often cause constipation, or opioid-induced constipation (OIC). OIC is

an uncomfortable side-effect that occurs in many patients who receive opioid

treatments to relieve pain.

" Opioids are effective pain relievers, but often have the side effect of

constipation. These medicines affect the gastrointestinal tract in a variety of

ways. Opioids increase the amount of time it takes stool to move through the

gastric system. They increase nonpropulsive contractions in the middle of the

small intestine (jejunum) and decrease longitudinal propulsive peristalsis -

motions critical to moving food through the intestines. This results in food

that fails to travel through the digestive tract. Opioids are also able to

partially paralyze the stomach (gastroparesis) so that food remains in the

digestive organ for a longer period of time. Additionally opioids reduce

digestive secretions and decrease the urge to defecate. "

If you are interested, the entire article is posted at this web site:

http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/info/oic/what-are-opioids.php

FYI,

Lottie

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