| Some older people with osteoarthritis discount their | | | | extra strength product. Some took less pain |
| pain and are reluctant to take pain relievers. A study of | | | | medication when it was about to run out, although they |
| the use of pain medications and seniors indicates that | | | | did not do this with other medication. |
| they often have a negative attitude toward the drugs. | | | | What reasons did people give for not wanting to take |
| They frequently don't follow the instructions for use, | | | | pain medications or for cutting back on dosages? Most |
| choosing instead to downplay their pain. As a result, | | | | said that they didn't like to take pills, although several of |
| many suffer needlessly. I know I observed my elderly | | | | them took many pills each day, plus dietary |
| mother behaving this way, and I became curious about | | | | supplements. Several feared addiction. One participant |
| other elderly people. | | | | referred to a common opioid pain reliever as a hard |
| Researchers conducted in-depth interviews with men | | | | drug and said it reminded her of drug use on the |
| and women ages 67 to 92, who had severe hip or | | | | street. Others had similar concerns, noting that taking |
| knee osteoarthritis. They asked the study participants | | | | pain relievers had become a habit more than a |
| to gather all their prescription and nonprescription | | | | necessity. |
| medications and then discussed the doses and timing | | | | Yet some of the participants hold friends and family to |
| of each. The researchers posed such open-ended | | | | a different standard, scolding them for not taking their |
| questions and as: | | | | pain medications as described. |
| What does your osteoarthritis feel like at this time? | | | | Many of these older people with osteoarthritis |
| What are you doing for your osteoarthritis? What | | | | dismissed their pain or made light of it, even though |
| other medications are you taking? Do you take your | | | | pain restricted their activities. They claimed that at their |
| medication in the way your health care professionals | | | | age paint was to be expected. That's how you know |
| suggested? Why or why not? Do you take your | | | | you're alive, one man remarked. Several others justify |
| medications regularly? Why or why not? | | | | taking less pain medication than prescribed by claiming |
| Most participants took medications for other conditions | | | | to have a high tolerance for pain. Or they expressed |
| too, but they viewed painkillers as different. They were | | | | the need to fight the pain and not give into it. Many |
| reluctant to take pain pills and often didn't follow label | | | | participants said they would take pain relievers only if |
| directions. Although the participants generally follow the | | | | the pain became very bad. |
| instructions on their other medications, most purposely | | | | The researchers noted that noncompliance with pain |
| took pain relievers less often than recommended or at | | | | medication may indicate a person's refusal to accept |
| lower doses. | | | | that arthritis - associated pain warrants treatment. As |
| The interviewees also followed different medication | | | | a result, doctors may want to omit or clarify the |
| behaviors when it came to pain relievers. The elderly | | | | instruction "as needed" on pain medication. |
| men and women did not place painkillers in their pill | | | | Also, educating older people with osteoarthritis about |
| organizer along with their other medicines. One woman | | | | the safety of opioid avoid pain relievers and the need |
| filled her prescription for an opioid pain reliever, and | | | | to take all pain medications as directed may relieve |
| then threw away the bottle. Another recorded how | | | | their concerns about addiction and improve their quality |
| many acetaminophen tablets she took each day and | | | | of life. |
| put lower dose acetaminophen in the bottle for the | | | | |