Chronic pain alerts us of problems in our bodies. Pain is one of the major reasons that people seek medical attention. Pain is like a flag waving to alert us that something is not right and needs attention. Pain is relative; one person's pain could be another person's minor inconvenience. Our bodies differ on how we react to pain but chronic pain lasts six months or longer. One of the worst types of chronic pain comes from cancer pain. Chronic pain either will be caused from the cancer or from the treatment for cancer. Even p people who have been cured of cancer may still suffer from chronic pain. Cancer pain occurs when a tumor presses on body organs or nerves or when cancerous cells invade the body, its bones and organs. Chemotherapy, surgery, or radiation may also cause chronic pain.
While a small minority with cancer pain can use over the counter pain relief or some prescription medications like non steroidal anti-inflammatory (NSAIDs), the majority of cancer patients suffer moderate to severe pain and require prescription narcotic pain relievers. This class of drugs includes Duragesic pain patches, Actiq narcotic lollipops, Oxycodone, and Percoset to name a few.
Here is a brief description of some of the more popular narcotic pain relievers prescribed for cancer pain.
Duragesic pain patches are the brand name from Johnson & Johnson while fentanyl pain patches are the generic issue from Sandoz, Inc. Both are manufactured by the same company. Duragesic pain patches come in different strengths of 12, 25, 50, and 75 micrograms per hour. Currently there is huge recall because of leaking patches that can lead to respiratory distress and overdoses for both patients and their caretakers.
Actiq lozenge comes on a stick and at least two children have died from Actiq because it looks and smells like a lollipop. In 1998, the FDA approved the Actiq lollipop for treatment of cancer patients who experienced extreme pain. Unfortunately, today Actiq is prescribed off-label to thousands of people for non-cancer related pain. Actiq seems to be the drug of choice at raves and for abusers who want a narcotic high.
Oxycodone is considered as be habit-forming and should be used only by the person it was prescribed for, especially never to be shared or given to anyone who has a history of drug abuse or addiction. Stopping Oxycodone suddenly will cause the person to go through withdrawal symptoms which if not monitored, could be considered dangerous. Oxycodone can cause side effects that may impair your thinking or reactions. Be careful if you drive or do anything that requires you to be awake and alert. Oxycodone is used to treat moderate to severe pain around-the-clock pain. Swallow the pill whole along with a glass of water which will release medicine slowly in the body. Breaking the pill would cause too much of the drug to be released at one time.
Percocet is a narcotic analgesic used to treat moderate to moderately severe pain. Percoset contains two drugs, acetaminophen and oxycodone. Percocet can cause physical and psychological dependence when taken for long periods of time. Percoset is not recommended for people who have an addiction to alcohol or other drugs.
When taking narcotic drugs, patients run the risk of developing a drug dependence which means that you need more and more of the drugs in order to get the same effect. Narcotic drugs may cause constipation, drowsiness, dry mouth, difficulty urinating, and respiratory distress which could be fatal. Narcotic pain relievers are also subject to abuse and attract criminal activity.
If you or a loved one has experienced a personal injury or wrongful death caused from product negligence or medical malpractice (misdiagnosis or pharmaceutical prescription error), please contact the law firm of Anapol Schwartz to find out what your legal options are.
