You may have heard that the opioid epidemic has caused a lot of problems in Ohio and across the United States. People often overdose on opioids or become addicted to them – or both – and this can lead to fatal accidents and illegal activity.
But the root cause of all of this is that people just suffer from addiction. They may not even want to be taking the opioids, but they are physically and mentally dependent on them. They can’t break that addiction on their own.
If you’ve been prescribed opioids after a surgery or some other sort of medical procedure, you may be worried about taking them. You don’t want to get wrapped up in this epidemic. Could you possibly become addicted after just a single use?
It generally takes weeks
Though taking opioids once is going to have an effect on your body, it is very uncommon for you to become addicted after that single dose. Medical experts note that you usually have to take them consistently for weeks before any level of addiction is going to set in.
This is why the overprescribing of painkillers is such a problem. If doctors simply gave you the right amount of opioids, you could take them for a day or two and not have any negative effects. They are very useful painkillers that can make your recovery much better than it would be otherwise. There is a reason that doctors turn to these drugs, and they can be incredibly helpful when used properly.
But if the doctor overprescribes them and you end up taking them for too long, that’s when addiction could set in. You may not even realize what’s happening until you try to stop taking them. Then you will suddenly understand that the doctor made a mistake and you are now part of the epidemic, addicted to painkillers against your will and unsure what to do next.
Has this happened to you?
Has a mistake made by a doctor changed your life forever? Or has this happened to a loved one? If so, it is very important that you understand how this could be medical malpractice and what legal options you have.