Continued abuse of prescription opioid analgesics increases the risks of physical harm. It also increases the chance that you'll become addicted. Some of the conditions that can develop include:

• severe constipation.

• loss of sexual desire and function.

• for girls, disrupted menstrual cycles. For boys, decreased testosterone levels.

• you may become malnourished.

• you will increase the possibility of overdose — especially when taken with alcohol or other drugs of abuse.

• once you're physically dependent, if you stop taking the drug abruptly, you can expect to experience some very unpleasant conditions. These conditions or symptoms of withdrawal include diarrhea, vomiting, restlessness, muscle and bone pain, and involuntary muscle spasms.

• you may become addicted.

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