The Opiod Epidemic

[The Diplomat]

Not exactly irrational, but it would have to be much more nuanced.
They should start by disallowing mid-level practitioners like PAs and NPs from prescribing schedule II narcotics.
Of course, this only serves to stem the creation of new addicts. The ones who are already addicted will go to heroin.

It needs to be on a case by case basis, because you can't start limiting a patient with a broken back that will legit need painkillers for the rest of their life. But at the same time, you can't start doling the shit out everytime someone has a tooth ache or broken finger.

It is up to the doctor's discretion, but they get kickbacks for every script they write.

I take anxiety/depression, thyroid and insomnia meds. They are dying to push me on more shit than I am comfortable with. Tried like hell to put me on klonopins, and I explained to them that if I start that, then I'll need them, and when I'm out, I will go insane because of the dependency level. I had to explain this to the doctor.

 

[VivaRevolution]

i tried opiate 4x and threw up before anything hit me. so fun. save me..

You might be allergic to opiates. Might want to find out for sure, before you get in a car accident or something.

 

[The Diplomat]

Doctors don't abuse the medication. Patients abuse the medication.

Sorry, but I'm going to treat this the response the same as the concert thread:

Bull. Fucking. Shit.

Yes, people are abusing medication. That's what they do when given access to it.

But people aren't cooking or growing oxycontin in their basements. For the most part, they aren't getting it from the cartel.

They are getting it from their neighbor or dealer who gets it from a guy who is prescribed them by a doctor. By the abundance. They get 90 pills and sell them for a certain amount, and boom. You have a neighborhood hooked.

I get it, people are sheepish, stupid beings. Personal responsibility is key. But when you have actual doctors giving the shit out for money, then don't complain when this happens.

Then again...

Don't take me too seriously, I just find the response to the opiod epidemic such a contrast to other previous and current drug epidemics that I can't stop myself from poking at it.

Doesn't seem like you know a damn thing about this.

Ofcourse @HomerThompson would like your post.

 

[Anung Un Rama]

It needs to be on a case by case basis, because you can't start limiting a patient with a broken back that will legit need painkillers for the rest of their life. But at the same time, you can't start doling the shit out everytime someone has a tooth ache or broken finger.

It is up to the doctor's discretion, but they get kickbacks for every script they write.

I take anxiety/depression and thyroid meds. They are dying to push me on more shit than I am comfortable with. Tried like hell to put me on klonopins, and I explained to them that if I start that, then I'll need them, and when I'm out, I will go insane because of the decency level. I had to explain this to the doctor.

Kickback issues aren't really a factor in the opioid issue, as most are generics.
It may have been an issue when this all began with Oxycontin, but not so much moving forward. This is an excellent piece on Oxycontin/ Purde Pharmaceuticals. I've posted it before, so you may have already read it. https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2017/10/30/the-family-that-built-an-empire-of-pain

What do you mean by "decency level".

 

[The Diplomat]

Kickback issues aren't really a factor in the opioid issue, as most are generics.
It may have been an issue when this all began with Oxycontin, but not so much moving forward. This is an excellent piece on Oxycontin/ Purde Pharmaceuticals. I've posted it before, so you may have already read it. https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2017/10/30/the-family-that-built-an-empire-of-pain

What do you mean by "decency level".

Edited with dependency.

It doesn't matter if they are generics. Doctors get more money with every new script they write. Goto a doctor for a regular checkup, then do the same thing but get put on a new generic med. Price goes up.

 

[Protectandserve]

There absolutely is one.

Doctors over prescribing pain meds, people get hooked, switch to heroin.

 

[Anung Un Rama]

Edited with dependency.

It doesn't matter if they are generics. Doctors get more money with every new script they write. Goto a doctor for a regular checkup, then do the same thing but get put on a new generic med. Price goes up.

Your doctor charges you for ea Rx he writes?

 

[The Diplomat]

Your doctor charges you for ea Rx he writes?

Well, i used to goto a free clinic but I'd have to do group therapy every month, like 2 hours.

Eventually went to a family doctor kind of person, see them once every 6 months to a year, so I just deal with wal mart mostly.

But everytime I go, she tries to put me on something new. I tried it once with the klonopins, and I felt amazing for a month. Recorded my vocal rap battles here on them. But knew that it was the kind of meds where if I ran out, I'd be fucked, and they weren't worth it. When I tried telling the doctor this, she kept pushing me. I am already on enough meds (Celexa, Trazadone, Levothyroxine), I didnt want more.

Weed actually works more than some of the shit I've been on.

 

[hillelslovak87]

Sorry, but I'm going to treat this the response the same as the concert thread:

Bull. Fucking. Shit.

Yes, people are abusing medication. That's what they do when given access to it.

But people aren't cooking or growing oxycontin in their basements. For the most part, they aren't getting it from the cartel.

They are getting it from their neighbor or dealer who gets it from a guy who is prescribed them by a doctor. By the abundance. They get 90 pills and sell them for a certain amount, and boom. You have a neighborhood hooked.

I get it, people are sheepish, stupid beings. Personal responsibility is key. But when you have actual doctors giving the shit out for money, then don't complain when this happens.

Then again...


Doesn't seem like you know a damn thing about this.

Ofcourse @HomerThompson would like your post.

Dude, when I was a junior in highschool, I tore my mcl, acl in football practice. This was 2003, and the doctor gave me a prescription for what amounted to 300 oxycodone 30-40mg pills, cant remember which.

I underwent a surgery that made my knee good as new, and was going to visit him for a checkup like a month later. Turned out he had been stripped of his license and fled the country.

This is on the drug users in part, but when people are handed opioids like candy when they legitimately need them, then get hooked, one can easily see it is mostly on the irresponsible doctors, and pieces of shit like the Sackler family and Purdue.

 

[The Diplomat]

Dude, when I was a junior in highschool, I tore my mcl, acl in football practice. This was 2003, and the doctor gave me a prescription for what amounted to 300 oxycodone 30-40mg pills, cant remember which.

I underwent a surgery that made my knee good as new, and was going to visit him for a checkup like a month later. Turned out he had been stripped of his license and fled the country.

This is on the drug users in part, but when people are handed opioids like candy when they legitimately need them, then get hooked, one can easily see it is mostly on the irresponsible doctors, and pieces of shit like the Sackler family and Purdue.

Thing is, some people start out as injured and get hooked naturally.

Some people are just economical and abuse the system.

Some people are just junkies and buy the shit and do it.

But how are they getting these drugs in the first place? Doctors. The beginning of the road leads somewhere.

Leave it to @panamaican to get it wrong again.

 

[Anung Un Rama]

Well, i used to goto a free clinic but I'd have to do group therapy every month, like 2 hours.

Eventually went to a family doctor kind of person, see them once every 6 months to a year, so I just deal with wal mart mostly.

But everytime I go, she tries to put me on something new. I tried it once with the klonopins, and I felt amazing for a month. Recorded my vocal rap battles here on them. But knew that it was the kind of meds where if I ran out, I'd be fucked, and they weren't worth it. When I tried telling the doctor this, she kept pushing me. I am already on enough meds (Celexa, Trazadone, Levothyroxine), I didnt want more.

Weed actually works more than some of the shit I've been on.

You’re smart to be wary of benzodiazepines, but klonopin is probably the safest, least habit forming of them all. The important thing is to taper off slowly if you ever do go on it long term.

Psyche stuff can be very trick for a pcp. Not even a lot of specialists seem to know what they’re doing in that area.

I’d also add that cognitive therapy + meds are sometimes 3x more effective than either by itself. That group thing might be a drag, but it could also be very helpful.

I’m a fan of weed for some chronic health issue, you have to be careful that it doesn’t become a crutch. Sometimes when we blur the lines between therapeutic and recreational we cause more problems than we solve.

 

[The Diplomat]

You’re smart to be wary of benzodiazepines, but klonopin is probably the safest, least habit forming of them all. The important thing is to taper off slowly if you ever do go on it long term.

Psyche stuff can be very trick for a pcp. Not even a lot of specialists seem to know what they’re doing in that area.

I’d also add that cognitive therapy + meds are sometimes 3x more effective than either by itself. That group thing might be a drag, but it could also be very helpful.

I’m a fan of weed for some chronic health issue, you have to be careful that it doesn’t become a crutch. Sometimes when we blur the lines between therapeutic and recreational we cause more problems than we solve.

I've been around bananas enough to know it's not good stuff. I don't know a single person on klonos/clozapam that isn't a piece of shit. Now I won't say it's mutually exclusive, or that one causes the other, but there is a weird connection I've noticed.

Weed is my crutch. I smoke a lot. been smoking weed since 13 years old, and I'm 30 now. but with my suicidal/depression/general anxiety/aspergers issues, being numb is better than being emotional.

 

[hillelslovak87]

Thing is, some people start out as injured and get hooked naturally.

Some people are just economical and abuse the system.

Some people are just junkies and buy the shit and do it.

But how are they getting these drugs in the first place? Doctors. The beginning of the road leads somewhere.

Leave it to @panamaican to get it wrong again.

I got hooked for like a week. At like day 6 after the knee surgery, I was like "Oh, crap, I'm popping these like candy, I need to stop." And I just stopped taking them and dealt with the pain. That night was hellish, though. Sweating, aching. Couple more days taking it, and I might have just gotten into the groove too much to easily quit. That, sadly, seems to be the case with so many millions.

People will extract their own teeth to get the pills. And there are always people making huge salaries giving them the pills. I respect street dealers more than these candy shop pharmacists and doctors. At least the dealers know the game and it's consequences.

 

[The Diplomat]

I got hooked for like a week. At like day 6 after the knee surgery, I was like "Oh, crap, I'm popping these like candy, I need to stop." And I just stopped taking them and dealt with the pain. That night was hellish, though. Sweating, aching. Couple more days taking it, and I might have just gotten into the groove too much to easily quit. That, sadly, seems to be the case with so many millions.

People will extract their own teeth to get the pills. And there are always people making huge salaries giving them the pills. I respect street dealers more than these candy shop pharmacists and doctors. At least the dealers know the game and it's consequences.

I know guys who get huge prescriptions for a bad back or tooth ache. It's not good.

 

[hillelslovak87]

I know guys who get huge prescriptions for a bad back or tooth ache. It's not good.

On a toothache, I can understand a prescription of like 10 pills. But many doctors treat their patients like they're Rush Limbaugh or something, giving them a hundred pills.

I would love to see CBD and THC medicines sweep in and destroy the opioid craze.

 

[The Diplomat]

On a toothache, I can understand a prescription of like 10 pills. But many doctors treat their patients like they're Rush Limbaugh or something, giving them a hundred pills.

I would love to see CBD and THC medicines sweep in and destroy the opioid craze.

The trend was working, and still is. Didn't even think I'd see the acceptance of marijuana on a state level in my life time.

But now you have Trump admin trying to undo literally everything Obama did, including weed laws, in spite.

 

[hillelslovak87]

The trend was working, and still is. Didn't even think I'd see the acceptance of marijuana on a state level in my life time.

But now you have Trump admin trying to undo literally everything Obama did, including weed laws, in spite.

Yep, here in WA, I am faithful our lawmakers will confidently tell them to fuck off.

 

[AC1D1K]

You might be allergic to opiates. Might want to find out for sure, before you get in a car accident or something.

ive smoked H before and have done codeine np... i would never drive impaired and havnt touched an opiate in +8 years no worries champ im good

 

[Cubo de Sangre]

Reported

How Presidential.

Personal, opiates did nothing for me...

Never got a high off of it.

And it made my dick go limp.

Concurred.

Concurred.

Switch to meth, same limp dick but you'll find a lot of shit a lot more interesting.

Doctors don't abuse the medication. Patients abuse the medication.

Yep.

All the more reason to get rid of the prescription system. If we're not going to hold script-writers accountable for their decisions then they shouldn't be tasked with determining what a person can or can't take to treat whatever condition it is they're seeking to alleviate. As it stand, isn't there an implied responsibility?

 

[panamaican]

Sorry, but I'm going to treat this the response the same as the concert thread:

Bull. Fucking. Shit.

Yes, people are abusing medication. That's what they do when given access to it.

But people aren't cooking or growing oxycontin in their basements. For the most part, they aren't getting it from the cartel.

They are getting it from their neighbor or dealer who gets it from a guy who is prescribed them by a doctor. By the abundance. They get 90 pills and sell them for a certain amount, and boom. You have a neighborhood hooked.

I get it, people are sheepish, stupid beings. Personal responsibility is key. But when you have actual doctors giving the shit out for money, then don't complain when this happens.

Then again...


Doesn't seem like you know a damn thing about this.

Ofcourse @HomerThompson would like your post.

If you want to take me seriously then so be it.

It is not the doctors fault that someone disregards specific medical advice or resells their unused medication. That is fallacious. Even if a physician only prescribed the bare minimum, the patient could/would still abuse it. Until the doctor actually breaks a law, assign responsibility where it belongs - on the people who are abusing their medication.

This part of why I was pointing out the difference in how people are treating this "epidemic".

You type "personal responsibility" and then insist on blaming the people who aren't doing anything wrong. Unless the doctor is illegally writing the script then "personal responsibility" means that 100% of the fault lies with those abusing or reselling their opiods.

And doctors have nothing to do with heroin.