| I'M
AFRAID OF BECOMING ADDICTED. |
Fact:
When
cancer pain medicines are given and taken in the right
way, patients rarely become addicted to them. To be sure,
talk to the doctor, nurse, or pharmacist about how to
use pain medicines safely.
Many
patients only need pain medicines for a time, until the
cause of their pain goes away. When they are ready to
stop taking the medicine, the doctor gradually lowers
the amount of medicine they take. By the time they stop
using it completely, the body has had time to adjust.
Some
patients will need to take pain medicines for the long-term.
Taking medicines regularly should not make you feel like
an "addict." You are following your doctor's advice and
getting a treatment you need.
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