Opioid pain medications
Codeine, morphine, and hydrocodone are opioids that doctors prescribe to treat pain. ‘If someone has taken it for months at a substantial dose, when they stop it, they’re going to go in withdrawal, which is the same as seeing someone who is using heroin on the street,’ says Grossman.
Restlessness, anxiety, diarrhea, and generalized pain are just a few of the withdrawal symptoms someone may experience if they stop taking opioids cold turkey. Once again, your doctor can taper the dosage until you’re off the medication completely and help you avoid unpleasant withdrawal symptoms. If you are being prescribed opioids for the first time, ask about alternatives.
