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Oftentimes, an addiction starts with a safe and legitimate prescription. Cheryl, a mom of two, says she became addicted to popular painkillers after being involved in a car accident six years ago. At first, she took the drugs to ease the pain of a broken neck. Now, she can't live without them.

Watch Cheryl discuss her all-consuming addiction. Watch

As a rule of thumb, Dr. Oz says if your doctor doesn't help you resolve your pain within two weeks, consult another physician. "Too often we get stuck with folks who are comfortable writing prescriptions because it doesn't take much effort to write a prescription," he says. "It takes a lot of effort to swallow your pride and say: 'Hey, listen. The kind of pain you're suffering from is bigger than I can cope with in my practice.'"

Dr. Oz says you can stay on pain meds for an extended period of time, but you should not stick with a treatment if it doesn't help resolve the real problem.
As a reminder, always consult your doctor for medical advice and treatment before starting any program.

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