In his new autobiography, Matthew Perry reveals that his colon burst as a result of his addiction to opioid painkillers. The 53-year-old actor, who played Chandler Bing in Friends, was in a coma for two weeks following the incident and had to wear a colostomy bag for nine months.
Many people take prescription opioids, such as codeine and hydrocodone, to manage pain, so this news may be quite alarming. But can prescription opioids really cause your colon to burst?
Opioids reduce gut activity, which is why they are sometimes used to treat diarrhoea. And people who take them often suffer from constipation. Over time, the body develops tolerance to many of the effects of opioids, but constipation tends not to improve – in fact, it can become more severe.
