Local hospitals in Colorado are trying a different approach when it comes to working with c-section patients because of the current opioid epidemic that is affecting the entire country. Instead of opioids, hospitals are seeking safer alternatives that are less habit-forming, and less potent.
Opioids are effective painkillers, and that is why they are still being prescribed these days despite the opioid crisis. Unfortunately, it is very easy to misuse these potent drugs, and eventually get addicted. In fact, opioid abuse is one of the leading causes of death for new mothers in Colorado.
Even those who are given opioids for pain management are at risk of its adverse effects.
Dr. Julie Gelman is one of the Colorado doctors who are using alternative solutions when it comes to pain management for new mothers who underwent c-section. Dr. Gelman inserted a small catheter under the muscle and near the incision of new mom Lauren Beckos to provide small doses of numbing medicine for a certain period of time.
The Denver mom was happy to learn about the option because she was aware of the potential side effects. Lauren delivered her baby Abigail through c-section at Swedish Medical Center. She chose not to use opioids for pain management. “I knew that if possible I wanted to avoid that,” Beckos said, “because I knew about the addiction, and because I was nursing, and previous experience taking some pain killers, I didn’t enjoy it.”
This option means that no opioids were involved after the c-section, and therefore there is no risk of getting addicted.
The alternative option is called the On-Q infusion pain pump and has a large bulb of medicine that can be carried around and lasts up to 3 to 5 days. With Tylenol, Ibuprofen, and the On-Q infusion pain pump, Lauren was able to handle the pain without resorting to opioids. “The pain was ok,” she said.
Although the On-Q pump has been around for years, and it has been used for other procedures, the Swedish Medical Center only recently started offering it after c-sections. This is in light of the opioid epidemic and the mounting death toll related to opioid overdose.
“This is when pregnant moms are starting opioid use, and it could be an addiction problem, and a long term problem and we are trying to reduce that,” Dr. Gelman said. She also said that cutting back on opioid use can also reduce nausea, vomiting, and constipation for new moms. This is perfect because not only does it keep them away from the risks of addiction, it also lets them focus on their baby.
The Swedish Medical Center is part of the Colorado Hospital Association’s ALTO Project, a program that aims to reduce the use of opioids in emergency rooms in the state.
Swedish Medical Center isn’t the only hospital to apply such alternative approach. Sky Ridge Medical Center and Presbyterian/St. Luke’s also made the On-Q pump an available option for new moms who need to go through c-section. This is a similar risk reduction approach that dentists and doctors are applying nowadays to minimize patient exposure to opioids and addictive prescription medications.
More and more doctors are seeking different ways to treat patients in the emergency room, for example, without relying too much on opioid painkillers. The opioid crisis is forcing doctors to reevaluate their methods.
In fact, out of two million Americans who struggle with opioid addiction, 42,000 people died of overdoses in 2016 alone. Medical doctors are now tackling the problem head-on, starting with how they treat pain in the emergency room.
These tighter drug restrictions can go a long way towards the fight against opioid addiction and the epidemic.
If someone in the family is addicted to opioids, look for a treatment facility nearby and learn more about the recovery process. The road to recovery starts today.
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