More Powerful Painkiller Has Experts Worried

[frazzled]

37. I agree

My husband had a bad accident a few years ago (bicycle) and broke his shoulder, 4 ribs, and punctured a lung. They gave him megadoses of hydrocodone for pain, but (under my orders) took only half the dose and within a few days took it only to sleep at night (sitting up!), then tapered off to Tylenol.

My dentist gave it to me after a root canal, and I refused to take it. I was also offered a strong painkiller (can't remember which one) recently after a Moh's surgery for a skin cancer. I told them I didn't want it and they said, well, take it and only get it filled if you need it, then. I didn't fill it and did fine on doses of Tylenol (not my favorite, but you're not supposed to take ibuprofen after surgery). Believe me, I'm no superperson when it comes to pain, but I'm more scared of the medications than I am of the pain.

There are times when you need this stuff, and different people have different tolerances to pain. But sometimes you need to get used to a bit of pain. (For the ladies out there who have gone through childbirth, you will know what I'm talking about!) But in most cases I think that doctors are too willing to overmedicate for pain right away. It's true you don't want to let a cycle of severe pain get started ... because it can be very difficult to break. But people should also be encouraged to take the least amount possible and to taper off as soon as possible. Life is not supposed to pain free.