REALLY don't want opioid painkillers?

The one time you REALLY don't want opioid painkillers

Ladies, if you're about to have surgery for breast cancer, tell the doc you DON'T want opioid drugs as part of your anesthesia.

I know it might sound like a morphine fog is just what you need when undergoing this traumatic and painful operation. You might even welcome entire days lost in that haze.

But stronger ISN'T better when it comes to meds, especially when it comes to surgery -- because the latest research shows how using opioid drugs during breast cancer surgery can lead to serious problems during your recovery.

In the 24 hours after a lumpectomy or mastectomy, women who had opioids during the procedure didn't enjoy less pain.

It seemed they had even MORE -- because they needed more painkillers during their post-op recovery than women given other drugs during surgery.

The difference wasn't small, either.

Women who had opioids during surgery used 60 percent more analgesics afterward than women who had other drugs.

The researchers claim it's too early to make a blanket recommendation for women having surgery for breast cancer.

But it's not too early. If anything, it's much too late -- because millions of people have already suffered due to the overuse of the drugs, and cancer patients in particular face even bigger risks from opioids.

At least two studies have shown that patients given morphine during breast or prostate surgery have a higher risk of death.

There's even some evidence that opioid drugs can increase the risk of a cancer recurrence.

And, of course, there are all the usual risks that follow opioids during surgery, which can add more misery to an already tough recovery: nausea, vomiting, bowel problems, breathing problems, and itching so bad you'd think you had poison ivy -- on the inside of your skin!

All that, and I haven't even mentioned the very real risk of abuse and addiction if you continue to take the meds.

You might think there's no chance you could get addicted, but millions of Americans once thought the same thing. Then, they got a taste of opioid meds -- supposedly for a short period of time such as recovery from cancer surgery -- and found it practically impossible to stop taking them.

That's how addiction begins, and it can happen to anyone.

So if your doc is pushing opioids during surgery, ask for something else -- something that can ease your pain without causing other serious health problems.

And if you're having surgery for cancer, be sure to add a holistic medical doctor to your team. There are natural therapies that can ease pain after surgery, prevent infection, reverse the toxic effects of chemo and radiation and even help ensure that your cancer doesn't return.

If you're in Southern California, I have more than two decades of experience working with cancer patients and their oncologists.

Contact my clinic for more information or to make an appointment. Not in the area? 

I can also offer advice by phone. Call 855-DOC-MARK to schedule a consultation.

God bless,

Dr. Mark Stengler