It often takes a combination of several medications to make us feel substantially better.
Opiate drugs, also known as opioids or narcotics, are designed to treat pain.
They’re often prescribed for chronic pain conditions, including FMS and ME/CFS.
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Opiates work by mimicking a pain-relieving chemical your body makes naturally, called an opioid peptide.
Most of the research backs that up.
However, a lot of people with FMS say they do get considerable relief from these drugs.
Get our printable guide for your next doctor’s appointment to help you ask the right questions.
We don’t have research on opiates for the pain of ME/CFS.
And the evidence isn’t favorable.
Keep in mind that long-term use of narcotics/opioids decreases your pain threshold over time.
In other words, these drugs aggravate the underlying disease process in FMS.
Researchers stated there was little support for long-term use of this drug in FMS.
When you ask people with these conditions about opiates, though, you get a different story.
A lot of them say their pain levels are too high to function without these drugs.
A lot of healthcare providers do prescribe them, in spite of the negative evidence.
So what’s behind this disagreement?
Overdose can be fatal.
Drug tolerance also contributes to your overdose risk.
It’s important to always take opiates as directed.
Naloxone hydrochloride nasal spray is currently available under different brand names.
Over-the-counter options include Narcan (4 mg/spray) and ReVive (3 mg/spray).
Addiction is also a risk with opiates.
It’s also possible that, over time, opiates may heighten pain.
This effect is called opioid-induced hyperalgesia.
Because some people take opiates recreationally, possessing these drugs can make you the target of thieves.
Some side effects are the same as overdose symptoms.
you’ve got the option to usually find these on manufacturers' websites or at your pharmacy.
Taking opiates with certain types of drugs can cause negative interactions, including death.
Drugs that can be dangerous when combined with opiatesinclude:
Again, these may vary by drug.
Always contact your provider for information on how to taper off them safely.
Pill sorters can help, as well.
Are Opiates Right for You?
Get our printable guide for your next doctor’s appointment to help you ask the right questions.
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