Last updated : December 23, 2024
In 2012, doctors wrote more than 259 million prescriptions for narcotic or opioid painkillers—enough for every person in America to have a bottle. Americans didn’t report a change in the amount of pain they’re having, but between 199 and 2010, sales of prescription painkillers quadrupled.
Over prescription has resulted in what the Centers for Disease control term an “epidemic” of prescription painkiller deaths. The latest figures show prescription painkillers account for 51.8% of all drug overdose deaths. That means prescription painkillers — medicines to help you heal from serious accidents and illnesses — kill more people than car crashes, according to the National Safety Council.
Use common sense
Of course, people at highest risk for overdose from these painkillers use them more than 200 days per year and are four times more likely than average to buy them from a dealer or a stranger—but don’t count on that to protect you. Narcotics and opioids stimulate the pleasure centers of the brain, so it’s easy to become addicted, even at regular doses.
Some tips to keep you safe if you need to use a prescription painkiller:
- Have that doctor-patient talk. It’s only smart to find out why your doctor is prescribing these painkillers. Some such drugs include fentanyl, hydromorphone, oxycodone, and methadone, as well as brand names such as Vicodin and OxyContin and a new extended-release pain reliever, Zohydro.
- Ask your doctor about pain management alternatives. In some cases, you may get better relief from a combination of NSAIDs (nonsteroidal anti-inflammatories).
- Know how and when to stop. Some medications may need to be tapered off.
- Understand your risk factors. They include:
- getting prescriptions from multiple providers or pharmacies
- living in a rural area or have a low income
- having a history of mental illness or of substance or alcohol abuse
- using high daily dosages of prescription painkillers
Do you have any of these risk factors? Make sure your doctor knows about the potential problem.
Work and painkillers don’t mix. Employers are beginning to test for legal prescription drugs, especially after accidents. If an employer can prove the drug caused a workplace accident, they are not responsible for paying your workers’ compensation. You might have serious, painkiller-caused problems at work if you:
- need extra effort to complete routine tasks
- show compromised performance
- lack concern about your work quality
While you have a right to treatment for your pain, you don’t have a right to sleep at work or create an unsafe environment for you or your co-workers.
Best rule of thumb? If you must work while taking a prescription painkiller, make sure your human resources department knows which painkiller, why, and for how long.
Colorado ranks number two in the nation for deaths from prescription pain reliever overdoses. Most of those will be non-Hispanic white males (although the gender gap is closing rapidly), between 25 and 54. You can lower those statistics by:
- Not sharing or selling your pills. Never. Not even with someone who’s in pain. Instead, get them to a doctor or hospital for treatment.
- Returnin the leftovers. Hospitals and pharmacies can now accept excess drugs, including narcotic prescription painkillers.
- If you have a friend or relative who has a problem with prescription painkillers, call the Substance Abuse Problems hotline at 1-800-662-HELP.
