A case of narcotic bowel syndrome successfully treated with clonidine

Patients with chronic abdominal pain without an organic basis present a difficult management problem. Some of these patients may be prescribed opiates initially which may result in requiring progressively higher doses for pain relief. In this clinical setting, the suspicion of narcotic bowel syndrome should be borne in mind. With appropriate treatment and counselling, further invasive investigations including laparotomy may be avoided and resolution of symptoms can be achieved with clonidine. This case report demonstrates such a typical clinical scenario and discusses the possible aetiology and pathophysiology of narcotic bowel syndrome as well as the role of clonidine in controlling opiate withdrawal symptoms.