Opioid crisis in USA

xelasnave · #1 09-07-2017, 07:59 PM

I have only recently become aware of this problem.
It seems these drugs kill near as many folk as car accidents or guns, not sure on this but the numbers are not good.
There are more folk using than smoking tobacco they say.
What is going on.
Is there anyone over there at the wheel?
Alex

Wavytone · #2 09-07-2017, 09:47 PM

The stupid, armed and dangerous ones rule. They're obsessed with their right to do as they please which includes blowing their minds on drugs. Anyone with more sense is either outvoted or possibly assassinated.

xelasnave · #3 09-07-2017, 10:49 PM

It is difficult to form an impression but mine is this.
The public demand a legal drug and it is supplied.
It seems that it is the legal drug supply that is dominant in the problem.
I don't know what to think but the numbers suggest a society that is different to the one Hollywood presents.
Twenty million people addicted to drugs via legal prescription seems strange.
Thinking about this makes me realise I know nothing other than the immediate experience I have.
Fortunately my world is somewhat perfect.
I take no drugs for my pain, I have a box that the doctor prescribed but never opened it.
I suffer but less than I could it would seem.
I had the oxycodine when my back was fixed. I would have killed for more after only a day so I know the power but thanks to folk here who advised me to not fold I gave it away after only a day.. If I had not I would be another zombie.
Funny place the US.
More funny folk try to get in.
Alex

casstony · #4 09-07-2017, 11:32 PM

People in the US are much the same as people here; they want a roof over their head, food in their belly and a decent future for their kids.
Unfortunately corporations and powerful interest groups have nurtured a more fearful, dog eat dog society so I'm not surprised that they have more social problems. It's easier to get rich in the US but don't expect help if you fall on hard times.

doppler (Rick) · #5 10-07-2017, 07:07 AM

If you google this question about Australians use of these prescription drugs you will find that we are second in the world for highest use (and addiction).
https://www.thecabinsydney.com.au/pr...ut-of-control/

el_draco (Rom) · #6 10-07-2017, 07:21 AM

Try watching a program called "Oxyana" about a rural town in Washington destroyed by these things.

mynameiscd (Andy) · #7 10-07-2017, 08:18 AM

Hi all
I know first hand about otc codine and the grip on your life as it falls apart around you
After my accident and 3 weeks in hospital taking daily what they give you get sent home with a box of oxycodone.
When this ran out the real pain started. From the damage to my ribs and lung its like a knife going in and out of my chest every time I breathe.
After seeing doctors to get repeat scripts one bright spark(doctor) told me to use panadine extra which is half strenght panadine forte and you dont need a doctors script to buy it.
After six months of daily poisoning myself with paracetamol I stopped taking these tablets and thats when I was in real trouble.
I never knew what pain was until the horrors of codine addiction started.
The next six months was off and on the pills just to go to work and get through the day and starting the night sweats again.
I didn't even bother going outside to look up at night and become a grumpy old man and nothing made me happy.
Two years on and now im used to the knife in my chest without tablets but im ready to crumble on a daily basis.
I have since found out that im not alone and there are thousands like me slowly destroying their liver with paracetamol that goes along with the addictive codine.
Continual uses of opioids actually lowers pain threshold and therefore you cant cope with minor pain and starts this cycle again.
Hope this story can help others.

P.S.
Looking at a clear nights sky is more healing than any drug every invented!!!!
Andy

glend (Glen) · #8 10-07-2017, 08:35 AM

I can second Andy's comment about Panadeine Forte being a much better pain relief medication than Oxycodone, but it may have alot to do with prescribed dosage. My recent kidney stone attack, and hospital stay,, was my first experience with morphein, and then opoids that they switch you onto to get you off morphein quickly. When you are delerious with pain you are grateful for whatever works, but personally i found that Oxycodone did little for my pain, it did make me pretty sick (nausea, vomiting) and yes it could be considered a mild euphoric, but two tablets of Cogalin Forte (a combined 60mg of codeine with 1000mg of Panadol (aka Panadeine Forte), worked much more effectively as a pain relief agent with fewer side effects. I have had recurrent kidney stones for decades and mostly the Panadol/codeine mix does the job on smaller ones. For big ones only morphein can provide any sort of relief but they won't let you take that for long, for good reason.
Lucky for me that kidney stones are temporary torture (rarely longer than a week), and they can be removed via catheter if massive ( you don't want to know how they do that). So long term pain relief is not required and so addiction and Paracetamol poisoning issues are not a big problem.
Taking any pain medication for long periods is dangerous, and you should stick to the prescribed dose interval and not take more than recommended. Reduce it as fast as you can and only keep emergency stocks if you have a possible recurrent situation.

Re Alex's comments about just not taking pain medication, perhaps he senses pain in ways different to others. When you are struggling to stay concious under all consuming pain, most people will ask for relief, and not argue about how that is provided.

el_draco (Rom) · #9 10-07-2017, 09:23 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mynameiscd

Hi all
I know first hand about otc codine and the grip on your life as it falls apart around you
After my accident and 3 weeks in hospital taking daily what they give you get sent home with a box of oxycodone.
When this ran out the real pain started. From the damage to my ribs and lung its like a knife going in and out of my chest every time I breathe.
After seeing doctors to get repeat scripts one bright spark(doctor) told me to use panadine extra which is half strenght panadine forte and you dont need a doctors script to buy it.
After six months of daily poisoning myself with paracetamol I stopped taking these tablets and thats when I was in real trouble.
I never knew what pain was until the horrors of codine addiction started.
The next six months was off and on the pills just to go to work and get through the day and starting the night sweats again.
I didn't even bother going outside to look up at night and become a grumpy old man and nothing made me happy.
Two years on and now im used to the knife in my chest without tablets but im ready to crumble on a daily basis.
I have since found out that im not alone and there are thousands like me slowly destroying their liver with paracetamol that goes along with the addictive codine.
Continual uses of opioids actually lowers pain threshold and therefore you cant cope with minor pain and starts this cycle again.
Hope this story can help others.

P.S.
Looking at a clear nights sky is more healing than any drug every invented!!!!
Andy

Yes, I agree with you totally. I did some serious damage at one point and got put on one of these nightmares. Literally! I read the notice that came in my version and it listed everything from depression, vivid nightmares and suicidal thoughts as "side effects". After experiencing the nightmares in 3D, IMAX, Dolby surround sound at full blast for a month; I couldn't take it anymore and just dealt with the pain instead.... it was so much less traumatic than the cure... FARK!

mynameiscd (Andy) · #10 10-07-2017, 05:55 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by el_draco

Yes, I agree with you totally. I did some serious damage at one point and got put on one of these nightmares. Literally! I read the notice that came in my version and it listed everything from depression, vivid nightmares and suicidal thoughts as "side effects". After experiencing the nightmares in 3D, IMAX, Dolby surround sound at full blast for a month; I couldn't take it anymore and just dealt with the pain instead.... it was so much less traumatic than the cure... FARK!

I'm glad im not the only one here that has been to hell and back.
I know what you mean by the 3D nightmares!!!!
Ive been told that the withdrawal for codine is worse than heroin, not as severe but a whole lot longer.
Over it now but still hovers over me ready to grab hold a rip my soul out.
Lucky ive got a clear sky to keep me occupied !!!
Theres a lot of doctors giving bad advice about pain management and when codine becomes script only there will be 1000s of people with major problems hitting the system.
They created this problem I wonder how they fix it?

Cheers
Andy

clive milne · #11 10-07-2017, 06:23 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by casstony

People in the US are much the same as people here; they want a roof over their head, food in their belly and a decent future for their kids.
Unfortunately corporations and powerful interest groups have nurtured a more fearful, dog eat dog society so I'm not surprised that they have more social problems. It's easier to get rich in the US but don't expect help if you fall on hard times.

Couldn't have put it better myself..

I would go further, however, and suggest that there is overwhelming evidence that the global drug problem was more than just nurtured by the establishment... It was actively engineered as an instrument of geopolitical policy.

The fact that it isn't common knowledge is perhaps a reflection of the absolute mendacity of corporate media.

.... follow the money ....

xelasnave · #12 10-07-2017, 07:30 PM

Glen I feel pain that's for sure.
And probably my pain just is manageable.
When I was a kid the dentist told my parents that he would do two fillings (out of four) with pain killer but so I did not become addicted the last two no pain killer. Over four weeks.
The two without pain killer really hurt. Pedal drill which broke down mid way thru.
In reflection I think he was probably an addict and on the forms I got four pain killers not two. Two for me two for him I bet.
Why could he not put two off for a month or so...cruel man.
Alex

ChrisV (Chris) · #13 10-07-2017, 07:46 PM

There have been a few interesting studies which found that US States which have legalised cannabis have lower opioid death rates. An alternative ...

xelasnave · #14 10-07-2017, 08:14 PM

I think it takes a pound of cannabis to kill you. Some say that it is great for back pain but you can't have folk growing their own drugs to many will lose money.
I can't imagine being on heroin. Your next could kill you.
Alex

Orionskies (Julian) · #15 10-07-2017, 09:20 PM

The War on Drugs is over and the law makers have lost badly....
Time to take control....
Decriminalized, regulate and tax as a luxury plus GST. Budget repair job like no other...

.

...on high Julian!

sil (Steve) · #16 12-07-2017, 06:57 AM

And judging the range of responses here, there's little actual understanding about the problem, the ease of addiction from legal drugs, and a lack of concern over the seriousness. Some people need to really look up what various words even mean and range they cover. I live in constant pain and am careful and reluctant about any painkillers I take. Your rarely really NEED pain killers and that itself is a problem: people expect to be handed a simple solution to eliminate ALL pain, doesn't work that way so they change their dosage and end up with a dependency problem. If you think you're clever being ignorant then you deserve the problems that will result from that attitude.

xelasnave · #17 12-07-2017, 09:35 AM

Hi Sil
My only comment is that ignorance should be pitied.
For my part if not for various good folk on this forum pointing out the dangers of pain killers addiction I would have simply followed the directive that I received when I left hospital...
It's been three years and only twice have I needed a panadol.
The advice at hospital was to take something before the pain got real bad so as to head it off...and I can see why they would say that..
Your comments are important but like many problems we can move forward better without blame or judgement.
I wish I could always remember to approach life that way.
Alex

casstony · #18 12-07-2017, 10:24 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by sil

And judging the range of responses here, there's little actual understanding about the problem, the ease of addiction from legal drugs, and a lack of concern over the seriousness. .

Anyone who has used opioids after surgery knows that they're no fun and difficult to wean off, but with family support one certainly can get off the drugs.

Chronic pain sufferers are between a rock and a hard place. We get to choose between a balance of pain and side effects.

There are plenty of other nasty drugs besides opioids too, with either addictive qualities or potential to do serious damage.

Visionary (David) · #19 12-07-2017, 01:58 PM

A close friend of mine tells a great story about his Grandfather, a Pharmacist and his experience of Opioids, in particular, Morphine in post-WWI London. With little experience of Morphine, Military Hospitals & in particular Field Hospitals were a veritable river of high-quality Morphine. With the Field Hospitals dispensing so much Morphine there was a flood of full blown Opioid junkies descending onto the streets of London.
The method of handling the awful addictions of the returning servicemen was clever, innovative and most important, effective. Appreciating the scope of the problem, Pharmacists across the UK were enlisted to supply clean, cheap Morphine to the returned Servicemen. The consequence of this policy was that the injured Soldiers didn't fall prey to Blackmarket criminals and that their supply of Morphine was clean.
The men could work, they weren't extorted by artificially high Blackmarket prices, their families had enough money even though the breadwinner was an addict. I think our legislators could learn a thing or two from their 1920's compatriots.

xelasnave · #20 12-07-2017, 02:20 PM

I think a good case can be made for managing the drug problem in society by treating it as a medical problem rather than a crime.
Making a drug illegal provides opportunity for criminals to make money and one could wonder how crimes committed to obtain money to fund a habit may become less.
Prison numbers would be down I expect and less may need to be spent on police.
Drug abuse is the problem be the drug legal or not...well consumption in excess is the problem.
I can have a drink but I don't need one every day...many do.
Alex