Get Relief from Cancer Pain

I’m Afraid of Becoming Addicted.

Fact: When cancer pain medicines are given and taken in the right way, patients rarely become addicted to them. To be sure, talk to the doctor, nurse, or pharmacist about how to use pain medicines safely.

Many patients only need pain medicines for a time, until the cause of their pain goes away. When they are ready to stop taking the medicine, the doctor gradually lowers the amount of medicine they take. By the time they stop using it completely, the body has had time to adjust.

Some patients will need to take pain medicines for the long-term. Taking medicines regularly should not make you feel like an "addict." You are following your doctor's advice and getting a treatment you need.

I Don’t Want to Seem Like a Complainer.

Fact: You have a right to ask for pain relief. In fact, telling the doctor or nurse about pain is what all patients should do. The sooner you speak up, the better. It's often easier to control pain in its early stages, before it becomes severe.

I Don’t Want to Lose Control.

Fact: Most people do not get "high" or lose control when they take cancer pain medicines in the right way. You may feel sleepy when you first take some pain medicines, but this feeling often goes away after a few days.

A few people get dizzy or feel confused when they take cancer pain medicines. Tell the doctor or nurse if this happens to you. Changing your dose or type of medicine usually can solve the problem.

Each year, Medical College of Wisconsin physicians care for more than 180,000 patients, representing nearly 500,000 patient visits. Medical College physicians practice at Children's Hospital of Wisconsin, Froedtert Memorial Lutheran Hospital, the Milwaukee VA Medical Center, and many other hospitals and clinics in Milwaukee and southeastern Wisconsin.