Home HealthTopics Health Centers Reference Library Research
Join us on Facebook Join us on Facebook Share on Facebook
Share

Pharmacy and Medications

Are There Any Addiction Problems from Taking MS-IR for 6 Months?

10/15/2008

Question:

I was perscribed MS-IR for severe pain. I was told to take 5-10mg every 4 hours as needed. I have a chronic disease that is causing my pain. I don`t want to have to live on this medication. I am waiting for a new medication to start to work and they told me that could take upto 6 months. Can I take this for that long without getting addicted to them? I only take medication when I realy have to. It also said that it is better to take them at the start of the pain. I`d rather wait until the pain gets to the point that I can`t stand it any more. Should I be taking it on a more regular basis to keep the pain at a lower level or if I wait until later will it work just as well?

Answer:

Many patients have these same concerns when they are first prescribed these kinds of pain medications.

Most patients who use MS-IR (or other medications like MS-IR) under the supervision of a doctor never become addicted. Addiction is a psychological obsession with taking a medication despite negative social, mental, and physical consequences. It is a loss of interest in pleasurable activities and a preoccupation with the mood-altering effects of medications. As long as you take your MS-IR as prescribed by your physician, the risk of becoming addicted is very low.

Some patients who use medications like MS-IR for chronic pain management develop “physical dependence” or “tolerance”. This is much different than addiction. Tolerance is most likely to occur when higher doses of MS-IR are used on a regular basis for a long period of time. Six months may be long enough for some symptoms of tolerance to develop, depending on how much of the medication you use. Tolerance means that as you use this medication over time, your body becomes accustomed and tolerant to its effects. You may need to switch medications or increase your dose to gain the same pain relief.

You also expressed concern about having withdrawal symptoms. Depending on the dose of MS-IR you use and how often you take it, you could notice some physical withdrawal symptoms if you abruptly stop taking the medication. This is more common if you take the medication on a scheduled basis, not “as needed” as you are currently using the medication. If you decide to stop taking this medication after taking it for a long period of time, your doctor could slowly decrease the dose every two to three days to avoid causing withdrawal symptoms. For many patients, decreasing their pain and being able to carry out their daily activities is more important than a small amount of tolerance that may develop.

Finally, let’s discuss the timing of taking your MS-IR. Allowing your pain to build to a point where it is unbearable can actually be doing more harm than good. This allows the pain to reach a level where it interferes with or controls your daily activities. This may cause you to feel tired, depressed, and hostile. Additionally, chronic, untreated pain can cause the nervous system to become hyper-sensitive to pain stimuli, leading to increased pain without a clear cause.

As your doctor instructed, it would be best to take your MS-IR as you first begin to feel your pain returning. The level of pain control you need is ultimately your choice. If you are still a little apprehensive about developing tolerance to MS-IR, follow up with your primary care doctor or pharmacist.

Submitted by Katie Kilgore, PharmD Candidate, The Ohio State University College of Pharmacy

For more information:

Go to the Pharmacy and Medications health topic, where you can:

Response by:

The Ohio State University Carmen M Hadley, RPh, CSPI
Clinical Instructor
Central Ohio Poison Center
Nationwide Children’s Hospital
College of Pharmacy
The Ohio State University