title: Alleviating symptoms of withdrawal from an opioid.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Patients who are discharged following surgery on an oral opioid, and who have taken the drug for 2 or more weeks often experience withdrawal symptoms when they try to discontinue the drug.
  
  
  METHODS
  Three weeks after discharge, a 44-year-old female patient decided to reduce her oxycodone (OxyContin(®)) dosage from 20 mg three times a day to 20 mg two times a day. She experienced severe withdrawal symptoms.
  
  
  METHODS
  To assist her in withdrawing from the remainder of the drug, a protocol using ondansetron was developed.
  
  
  RESULTS
  After 10 days, the patient was opioid and withdrawal-symptom free.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Use of ondansetron along with tapering of the opioid was safe and effective in preventing further withdrawal symptoms. This case should stimulate research with a larger, more diverse population including those with both short-term and chronic opioid dependence.
authors.affiliation: Department 1051, School of Nursing, The University of Tennessee at Chattanooga, 615 McCallie Avenue, Chattanooga, TN, 37403, USA, Judith-Wakim@utc.edu.
authors.forename: Judith H
authors.initials: JH
authors.lastname: Wakim