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Often patients and
family members have attitudes about pain that prevent them from seeking
the relief that is available and that they deserve and need. If you
are worried about your pain or have concerns about pain medications,
it is important that you discuss your feelings with your health care
team.
- Pain is inevitable, I just need to bear it.
- If the pain is worse, it must mean my disease is getting worse.
- I'm worried about getting too sleepy or "spacey."
- I had better wait to take my pain medication until I really
need to or it won't work later.
- If it's morphine, I must be getting closer to the end.
- If I take pain medication regularly, I will get hooked or addicted.
- If I take pain medication regularly, I won't be a good example
to my children.
- If I take pain medications before I hurt, I will take too much.
- I'm afraid of getting nauseated or being confused.
- I'd rather have a good bowel movement than take pain medication
and get constipated.
- I don't want to bother the nurse or doctor; they're busy with
other patients.
- Good patients avoid complaining and talking about pain.
Online Resources for Information and Help
American Chronic Pain Society
www.theacpa.org
American Pain Society
www.ampainsoc.org
International Association for the Study of Pain
http://iasp-pain.org
Mayday Pain Resource Center
http://mayday.coh.org
National Center for Complementary and Alternative
Medicine
http://nccam.nih.gov/
Oncolink
http://www.oncolink.org
Learn more about Medications.
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