
What Are The Side Effects Of Long Term Use Of Narcotics ?

The answer is that long term use of these narcotics is safe with the close supervision of your doctor. Side effects such as constipation, dry mouth and sedation need to be followed closely. Your pain needs to be assessed constantly and ideally the dose of the narcotic should be decreased to one that takes care of the pain without sedating you.
These medications have a profound ability to lead to dependence in patients and it is not a problem with the patient - it is simply an issue of the physiology of the drug and how it interacts with receptors in the body.
You are battling a serious issue with cancer and aggressive measures have been used to try to eradicate it from your body. The radiation has lasting effects which affect your swallowing, your salivary glands and to some degree the bones and muscles of your chest. The radiation is effective however in reducing the likelihood of recurrent disease.
So again these medications are safe to take in combination and pose no threat to your liver or kidney function. You do however need to be vigilant to make sure you re using the medication only to control pain and not to control anxiety or stress. This is a difficult task and I worry only that you could be sedated at times which decreases the likelihood that you exercise on a regular basis. Exercise is something you absolutely need as well.
I thank you again for submitting your query. I hope you found my answer to be both helpful and informative. Should you have additional questions I would be happy to address them.
Sincerely,
Dr. Galamaga

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