Why dont patients given opioids as analgesics not develop dependance/withdrawl?

Question

Why dont patients given opioids as analgesics not develop dependance/withdrawl?

Answer 1

They do.

Follow this link and see for yourself.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nM9UwSTTe...

Follow one patient's journey through withdrawls from pain killers while given them to control chronic pain.

Her story is all on there.

60 Minutes, Australia, is just about to start filming a 15 minute segment on her withdrawling from more pain killers after recent surgery again.

She will answer any questions you have about the videos.

Answer 2

If a patient takes an opiod type medication everyday for a long period of time they will develop a dependence.

The longer you take the medication, the less effective the dosage becomes. The body becomes accustomed and soon requires higher dosages to achieve the same pain killing effect.

Many doctors are very aware of the addictive/dependence of opiods. In Cancer patients or those with severe, unrelenting pain---the treatment with a potential addictive substance outweighs the condition.

Answer 3

It takes several weeks to develop a dependence on opiates. If you take multiple doses every day for 2-3 weeks you will develop physical dependence. Then you would need to taper off of them to avoid withdrawal.

Most patients don't take them for that long, so they don't develop dependence/withdrawal.