Outcomes After Opiate Weaning

While Opioid (narcotic) medications may be beneficial to many people who suffer from chronic pain, the Brooks Pain Rehabilitation Program also offers the option of a opioid wean either on an inpatient or outpatient basis..

“Approximately 25% of our patients over the past 8 years were weaned from opioid medications as an inpatient during the first two weeks of the program. The average morphine equivalency on admission was 265 mg, and nearly all were free of opioids by the end of the third week. Outcomes with this sub-group of patients (see below) were nearly identical to those of the sample as a whole, even after having been weaned from opioid medications. These data support recent research suggesting that chronic use of opioid medication can lead to opioid-induced hyperalgesia with some patients. Less than 10% of these patients return to opioid medications at follow-up (approximately 6 months following discharge from the program).”