Dependence on Pain Meds and Sedatives Common After Breast Cancer Surgery
December 13, 2020 The risk of becoming dependent on pain medication and sedatives after mastectomy and breast reconstruction surgery is more significant than doctors realized. A study presented this week at the virtual meeting of the San Antonio Breast Cancer Symposium (SABCS) found that people who underwent mastectomy and breast reconstruction were at increased risk of developing dependence on pain and sedative medication. The study showed that 13.1 percent of patients who were not prior opioid users became new persistent opioid users after surgery. Researchers found 6.6 percent of patient...