Last fall, the FDA approved a powerful new painkiller that . Now, officials in Vermont, Massachusetts, and elsewhere are working to limit or even ban Zohydro, which has approximately five times the amount of hydrocodone contained in other pills on the market. The drug was approved despite the recommendations of a panel of experts put together by the FDA. Opponents to the approval of the drug are advocating the public to educate themselves about alternatives like .
Over the last 20 years, prescription drug overdoses 鈥攖oday, more people die of 鈥 and officials argue that the introduction of a time-release painkiller that could easily be abused could have serious consequences.
While the states duke it out over regulations, it鈥檚 important that athletes鈥攚ho are often prescribed necessary painkillers to deal with injury or recover from procedures鈥攖ake care to make sure they are using their prescriptions correctly, and limiting their own addiction risk.
The good news: 鈥淢ost doctors undertreat pain, rather than over treat pain,鈥 says Dr. Linn Goldberg, a professor and head of the Division of Health Promotion & Sports Medicine at Oregon Health & Science University. According to Goldberg, doctors trained in pain management will often prescribe enough medicine to treat the pain, but also give patients a little wiggle room to increase their dosage if necessary, with directions like, take 1-2 pills every 4-6 hours.
But sticking to that range is 鈥渃ritically important,鈥 Goldberg says. 鈥淥verdosing or taking other medications that increase the narcotic effect kills. It can depress the respiratory center of our brain, located in the brain stem.鈥
Unlike antibiotics, there鈥檚 no reason to stick to prescription medicine once pain has abated. Though doctors do prescribe prescription painkillers for long-term pain management, that doesn鈥檛 usually apply to sports injuries. 鈥淭ypically an injury or surgery has a finite course and medications should not be prescribed beyond the typical recovery period,鈥 Goldberg says. 鈥淭hat is why we place refills on medications or have the patient discuss the need for more pain medications.鈥
It鈥檚 also okay to talk to your doctor about which drugs are best for you鈥攁nd to request less medication for pain. Certain drugs are more addictive than others鈥攐pioids and narcotics specifically鈥攁nd the FDA classifies drugs into 鈥渟chedules鈥 based on their addictive qualities. Schedule II narcotics, for example, have a higher likelihood of addiction, and include morphine and codeine. Last year, the that hydrocodone products鈥攚hich include vicodin鈥攂e reclassified as schedule II drugs, increasing control over them.
No matter your prescription, it鈥檚 important to look out for signs that you鈥檝e been taking too much, like impaired judgment, sleepiness or confusion. 鈥淲hat is critical is that when taking opioids, not to drink alcohol and not to take other medications that will depress the respiratory center or ones that are additive to the harmful effects, such as sedatives,鈥 he says.
But when in doubt about side affects, dosage amounts, or even if you should be prescribed a certain drug, always consult your doctor.