Issue 32 & 33.14
Do you suffer from chronic constipation due to an “unknown cause” or pain medication? Chrysalis Clinical Research is currently conducting clinical trials for two of the most common causes of chronic constipation and constipation caused by the use of pain medications.
Over 100 million Americans suffer from some form of chronic pain; which is pain that lasts for a long period of time. Doctors commonly treat people with chronic pain with prescription “opioid” pain medications. Opioid medications which include, but not limited to: Vicodin, Duragesic, Oxycontin, Oxycodone, OxyContin, Morphine, Hydromorphone, Methadone, Fentanyl, Codeine, Percocet and others.
Although opioids are very effective for treating and managing pain, frequent use often results in unwanted side effects. One of the most common, and unpleasant, side effects of an opiate medication is constipation. This is known as opioid-induced constipation (OIC). Opiates affect the gastrointestinal tract in a variety of ways, some of which include:
* Increasing the amount of time it takes stool to move through the gastric system.
* Slowing down digestive processes so that food remains in the digestive organ longer.
* Decreasing the urge to defecate.
Constipation occurs when bowel movements become difficult or less frequent. The normal length of time between bowel movements ranges widely from person to person. Some people have bowel movements three times a day; others, only one or two times a week. Going longer than three days without a bowel movement is too long. After three days, the stool or feces become harder and more difficult to pass.
Some of the most common symptoms of constipation are:
* Having fewer than 3 bowel movements a week
* Experiencing hard stools
* Straining during bowel movements
* Experiencing a sense of rectal blockage
* Have a feeling of incomplete evacuation after having a bowel movement
* Needing to use physical methods to have a bowel movement
* Bloating, distention, or bulges in the abdomen
* Abdominal tenderness
You may also be experiencing other symptoms related to constipation, such as:
Feeling tired and lethargic
Loss of appetite
Feeling depressed
Feeling and being sick
Effective management of constipation involves using stool softening
and/or bowel stimulating laxative agents.
Stool softeners – exert their effects by retaining water in the stool so that bowel evacuation is easier for patients who have hard, dry stools
Stimulant laxatives – strengthen intestinal muscle contractions, overcoming the decreased peristalsis resulting from the opioid, and may be required on
a daily basis
Combination laxatives – provide optimal effectiveness while minimizing adverse effects and simplifying the bowel regimen.