Increase fluids, eat a high fiber diet, or use a fiber laxative or stool softener to treat constipation. Notify the physician and the pharmacist of other medications that you are taking, including over the counter medications. Do not increase or decrease dose unless directed by your physician. Notify your physician, nurse, or pharmacist if pain persists or if you continue to experience side effects. If you are taking a narcotic agent, tolerance and dependence are concerns, but studies have shown that if you are properly monitored for pain relief, the need for narcotics lessens.
Medication plays an important role in the treatment of chronic pain.
The pharmacist can help you understand the purpose, common side effects, and the limitations of your overall medication therapy. The success of pain management depends on communicating the effectiveness of the medication to your treatment team so that other options may be tried. You can order FREE copies of HealthConnection or read it from our website.