ROCK SPRINGS — If you’ve recently had a surgery or are preparing for one, you may have some questions for your doctors about opioids.

Memorial Hospital of Sweetwater County offers some suggestions to make sure you have all the information you need moving forward into surgery.

“To ease any fears you may have about taking pain medication, it’s best to talk to your physician before your surgery,” said MHSC Family Practitioner Dr. Brytton Long.

It’s also important to have your questions answered after surgery.

“After a procedure, patients are sometimes worried about the pain they may experience and how to deal with it,” said MHSC Hospitalist Dr. Kishore Rasamallu.

To successfully manage your pain while minimizing addiction risks, it’s important that you have all of the information you need.

Tomorrow marks International Overdose Awareness Day. To help you get a handle on pain management and opioids, here are 12 questions from shatterproof.org that will serve as a starting point when talking to your doctor:

1. Why are you prescribing an opioid?
2. Is this the right medication for me?
3. How long should I take this medication?
4. How will this medication make me feel?
5. Are there any side effects from this medication? If so, how can I reduce or prevent them?
6. Is there a possibility that I will become addicted to this medication?
7. I have a history of substance use disorder. Should I still take an opioid?
8. Addiction runs in my family; should I take this medication?
9. Should I start with a shorter prescription or fewer pills?
10. Are there any non-opioids that I can take as an alternative?
11. I am currently taking other prescription drugs. Is it safe to take opioids with other medication?
12. After I’ve finished this medication, what is the best way to dispose of it? (See the “Drug donation & disposal” list).

For more information or to find a physician, go to www.sweetwatermemorial.com.

Drug donation & disposal

Drop-off points: In Sweetwater County, there are three medication donation sites or disposal drop box locations:

Rock Springs Police Department, 221 C St., Rock Springs

Walgreens, 70 Gateway Blvd., Rock Springs

Green River Police Department, 375 West Flaming Gorge Way, Green River

Donate: You can donate sealed containers of medicine, but not expired or controlled substances such as medications for pain, sleep or anxiety, www.woodbourneanimalclinic.com/xanax-alprazolam.

Dispose: You can dispose of opened or expired medications, as well as controlled substances such as medications for pain, sleep or anxiety.

ABOUT MHSC

MHSC is a non-profit, 99-bed, regional acute-care facility in southwestern Wyoming. The hospital has more than 500 employees, including more than 30 employed physicians providing care in more than two dozen specialty fields. MHSC offers care in ENT/otolaryngology, family medicine, general surgery, internal medicine, pediatrics, pulmonology, pediatrics, nephrology, obstetrics and women’s health, oncology, orthopedics and sports medicine, and urology. Services include cardiac rehabilitation, cardio and respiratory, diabetes education, dialysis, emergency care, intensive care, laboratory services, medical imaging, medical and surgical, nutrition therapy, rehabilitation and sleep disorder lab, as well as cardiology, vascular and maternal-fetal medicine services through its affiliation with University of Utah Health. Sweetwater Regional Cancer Center is an affiliate partner of the University of Utah’s Huntsman Cancer Institute.