A lot of cancer patients want to avoid taking narcotics . Many have fears that they will become addicted to these medications and some feel that narcotics should be used only as a last resort for fear that they will not be effective when they are "really needed." Doctors may also share some of the "myths" about narcotic medications. These myths form barriers to good and effective relief of cancer pain. These myths need to be understood and addressed by patients and their caregivers.
Myth 1. People given narcotics for pain control are always doing worse or are near death.
Just because a person is placed on a narcotic does not mean that he or she is gravely ill. Narcotics are highly effective medications that can be used at any stage in the disease when severe pain requires strong medication.
Myth 2. All patients getting morphine or other narcotics will become addicts.
Addiction is a psychologic need for a drug and rarely, if ever, develops in people using narcotics for pain control. Physical dependence, however, always occurs in patients taking narcotics for a long time. Physical dependence is a problem only when a patient is suddenly taken off the drug. If this happens, a physical reaction, called withdrawal syndrome, takes place. If your disease becomes cured during therapy and you no longer need narcotic medications, they can be withdrawn slowly so that the withdrawal syndrome does not develop. The bottom line is that physical dependence does not equal addiction.
Myth 3. Patients who take narcotic medications develop tolerance and always need more and more medicine.
There are many reasons behind the need for increased doses of a narcotic. One is spreading disease or a change in the type of pain, such as a new neuropathic pain problem developing with tumor spread. Another reason is
