What you need to know about Opioids for pains

 You may receive around-the-clock doses to manage pain throughout the day and night. And your doctor may prescribe opioids to be taken "as needed" in case you have "breakthrough" pain -- a flare of pain that you get despite round-the-clock doses.

While you're on opioid pain medications, check in with your doctor regularly. Your doctor will need to know:

• How your pain is responding to the drug
• Whether you're having any side effects
• Whether you have any potential interactions or medical conditions that could make you more likely to have side effects, such as sleep apnea, alcohol use, or kidney problems
• Whether you're taking the drug properly

Never change or stop taking any opioid medicine without first checking with your doctor. If a pain medication isn't working as well as it should, your doctor may switch you to a different dose -- or add on or try another drug.

When you're ready to stop taking opioids, your doctor may wean you off them slowly -- if you have taken them for a long time -- to give your body time to adjust. Otherwise, you may have withdrawal symptoms.

What Are the Side Effects of Opioids?

One of the reasons why your doctor needs to manage pain medications so closely is that they can cause side effects, such as:

Gastrointestinal problems. You may have nausea and vomiting when you start taking opioids. It often passes after a few days. Try lying down for an hour or so after taking a dose, or ask your doctor for an over-the-counter or prescription nausea remedy.

Constipation is a common problem when you take opioids. They cause food to move more slowly  through your system, which results in harder stools that don’t pass as easily. If you start having trouble:

• Don’t wait more than 2 days without a bowel movement before getting in touch with your doctor.
• Drink more water. This alone helps some people with mild constipation. But others may have to do more. Having a hot drink in the morning can get things moving through your GI tract. Avoid drinks with caffeine, like coffee and tea, and instead try hot water with lemon or herbal tea.
• Ask if other drugs may help. Your doctor may recommend either a stool softener or laxative that you can buy at the drugstore. Other drugs are available by prescription. Lubiprostone (Amitiza), methylnaltrexone (Relistor), naldemedine (Symproic), and naloxegol (Movantik) are approved to treat constipation due to opioid use in those with chronic pain. 8 ball of cocaine