PLEASE READ: Frustrated opioid patients speak out: 'I now buy heroin on the street'

[Sanguine]

Even doctors are admitting they are over prescribing this shit. That means that people with tennis elbow are the ones we are discussing now. These are the types of people killing themselves when they are cut off. Of all the people that are being talked about in this article, maybe 5% actually need Oxi. The rest have been convinced they need it because their doctor has been giving it to them.

Once again I ask. Why is it everyone is on this drug today when 30 years ago no one was and everything was fine?

Maybe a few doctors have admitted overprescribing, but it's not normally the kind of thing a doctor would admit, even if true. 

And, no, everything wasn't fine 30 years ago.  You may have been fine, but "everything" wasn't.

And, there is still the point that most opioid abuse is street drugs, not prescribed drugs.

[GtHawk]

So everyone is a junkie now and I'm supposed to feel sorry for them. The doctors are cutting these people off for a reason. They can still prescribe it to people they think need it.

@Amb. Frank Cannon, I understand your position, don't agree but understand. My brother was just cut off from his pain meds, he's a Vet, he has damaged cervical and lumbar vertebrae, and is not a candidate for invasive surgery since he stroked out on the table while having very invasive surgery to have a brain tumor removed. The VA has determined he can do just fine on Ibuprofen, Silly him the pain must just be in his head. When you say that doctors are cutting patients off for a reason you're right but not for the reason you think. It's because of big brother government, it takes a village idiots having a knee jerk reaction to Americas newest horror sensation 'The Opioid Crisis' putting restrictions on doctors, and if they don't do as they are told they are called drug pushers. Why not actually attack the real problem, China and it's illicit Fentanyl distribution instead of everyone else wether they are legitimate pain management patients or not.

[Cyber Liberty]

Maybe a few doctors have admitted overprescribing, but it's not normally the kind of thing a doctor would admit, even if true. 

And, no, everything wasn't fine 30 years ago.  You may have been fine, but "everything" wasn't.

And, there is still the point that most opioid abuse is street drugs, not prescribed drugs.

And, this mindless crusade against a class of drugs is forcing people to go with the street drugs.  This is then taken as a sign by ignorant people the supply of legal prescription medications must be choked off even more. 

Here's a sign you're talking with a person who's ignorant of the situation:  If all they can talk about is getting people off the medication, then they don't know what they are talking about.  They assume everybody taking opioids is an addict.

[Dexter]

So everyone is a junkie now and I'm supposed to feel sorry for them.

Senior Americans are suffering because in American medicine the only thing that matters is making money for insurance companies and the pharmaceutical industry. A lot of these "doctors" are little more than legal dope dealers now. Old people trust them and listen to them. Old Americans are being prayed upon and taken advantage of, and it's bleep disgusting. You really should care Frank.

[Restored]

If Weed is the best alternative, why are they buying Heroin?

[Dexter]

   The Heroin today is not your Mom and Dad's Heroin proving once again that Darwin may have been correct.

People trust their doctors, and a lot of old people are not as sharp as they once were. They aren't entering these conversations with doctors with the understanding that a lot of doctors just want to write up an expensive prescription and get you out of there ASAP.

[Dexter]

If Weed is the best alternative, why are they buying Heroin?

Because the doctors they trust convinced them to use it and they developed a physical dependency.

[Cyber Liberty]

Because the doctors they trust convinced them to use it and they developed a physical dependency.

So...the only problem with opioids is everybody gets addicted to them?  Scroll up a few posts to see what my opinion is of that argument.

I didn't feel like I was addicted when I took them following both of my hip replacements, and I didn't need a Doctor to cut me off.  I stopped them myself the moment I found Ibuprofen was more effective than Hydrocodone. 

[Dexter]

So...the only problem with opioids is everybody gets addicted to them?  Scroll up a few posts to see what my opinion is of that argument.

I didn't feel like I was addicted when I took them following both of my hip replacements, and I didn't need a Doctor to cut me off.  I stopped them myself the moment I found Ibuprofen was more effective than Hydrocodone.

A lot of people get addicted. That's why you can't just toss that shit around willy-nilly. You and a lot of people here have a lot of common sense and strength of will. Not everybody is like you though. It's an epidemic and a lot of people are really struggling.

[Restored]

Because the doctors they trust convinced them to use it and they developed a physical dependency.

I'm not buying a "The Devil made me do it" story. I don't know anyone who wandered into this scenario. They don't need the pills for pain, They need the pills to keep from going through withdrawal. If you only needed the pills for pain, you could just switch over to something else...like the miraculous  Weed I keep hearing about.

How can we be simultaneously over-prescribing and under-prescribing something?

[Cyber Liberty]

A lot of people get addicted. That's why you can't just toss that shit around willy-nilly. You and a lot of people here have a lot of common sense and strength of will. Not everybody is like you though. It's an epidemic and a lot of people are really struggling.

So is the solution to choke off the supply of legal painkillers to people suffering from chronic pain?  This is what the original article at the top of the thread is about.

Genuine sufferers of pain are like me...they would find a different solution in a heartbeat.  None of them are in it for the buzz.

[Dexter]

So is the solution to choke off the supply of legal painkillers to people suffering from chronic pain?  This is what the original article at the top of the thread is about.

Genuine sufferers of pain are like me...they would find a different solution in a heartbeat.  None of them are in it for the buzz.

I don't know what the solution is. I just know the situation is screwed up and people are getting hurt because of it.

[Sanguine]

I don't know what the solution is. I just know the situation is screwed up and people are getting hurt because of it.

People are getting hurt because that is the world we live in.  Eliminating addiction is not a rational goal.  Minimizing it while providing for those who are in pain is what needs to happen.

[Cyber Liberty]

I don't know what the solution is. I just know the situation is screwed up and people are getting hurt because of it.

"Do something, anything" is about as destructive a policy as any other you can find.

[Dexter]

"Do something, anything" is about as destructive a policy as any other you can find.

I think it's healthy to recognize a problem and talk about it. I didn't mention any solutions, but maybe there are things that could be done to make the situation better.

[Dexter]

Minimizing it while providing for those who are in pain is what needs to happen.

Yes.

I wonder what's possible when it comes to minimizing the bad stuff.

[Sanguine]

Yes.

I wonder what's possible when it comes to minimizing the bad stuff.

Well....closing the border would be a big start.  Make it hard to get the stuff across, because it isn't now.

[Cyber Liberty]

I think it's healthy to recognize a problem and talk about it. I didn't mention any solutions, but maybe there are things that could be done to make the situation better.

It's all in how you framed the "problem," not whether you proposed a solution (or not).

[GtHawk]

If a person needs to be doped up just to get out of bed and take a breath every stinking day for the rest of iheir miserable life, then maybe suicide is an answer.  After all suicide is painless.

Won't it be a hoot if you have life changing injury, may your words not come back to haunt you or a close family member. Well I guess you enjoy playing God to other peoples suffering, how special of you..........and your degree in medicine is from who?

[Cyber Liberty]

Won't it be a hoot if you have life changing injury, may your words not come back to haunt you or a close family member. Well I guess you enjoy playing God to other peoples suffering, how special of you..........and your degree in medicine is from who?

I think @The Ghost was demonstrating the absurdity by being absurd.

[GtHawk]

I don't know what the solution is. I just know the situation is screwed up and people are getting hurt because of it.

Hey Dexter, what if it was pot? There are a ton of people that feel the same about pot as you do about this. You know there are just as many people that don't believe pot should have been legalized because.................people are getting hurt because of it.

[GtHawk]

A lot of people get addicted. That's why you can't just toss that shit around willy-nilly. You and a lot of people here have a lot of common sense and strength of will. Not everybody is like you though. It's an epidemic and a lot of people are really struggling.

There are people with addictive personalities, always have been always will be, to cause harm to the many because of the few, that's kind of inane. Much as you like to play it down there are many people who do get addicted to pot first and move on to other drugs because.......addictive personalities. People get addicted to alcohol, food, running, adrenaline, you just can't penalize everyone else for the few. The VA is doing that to my Brother right now and it's not because of any addiction of his, it's just the it takes a village idiots who need to control everyone. I was on Vicodin for well over twenty years to manage migraines and never had a problem, never had to ask for extra refills and never had a problem when I stopped. Should I have been denied relief because some asshat thought vicodin was a good high? I have severe deterioration of both lumbar and and cervical disks, had four replace in my neck and double lumbar laminectomy(failed) I wake up every day in pain, sometimes so severe I need meds, some nights it's so bad I can't sleep and never sleep through the night. Why should I be denied relief because some ass wants to get high on opioids? After all that's what this is really all about, that and the Fentanyl the Chinks are dumping on Americas to weaken us.

[Cyber Liberty]

There are people with addictive personalities, always have been always will be, to cause harm to the many because of the few, that's kind of inane. Much as you like to play it down there are many people who do get addicted to pot first and move on to other drugs because.......addictive personalities. People get addicted to alcohol, food, running, adrenaline, you just can't penalize everyone else for the few. The VA is doing that to my Brother right now and it's not because of any addiction of his, it's just the it takes a village idiots who need to control everyone. I was on Vicodin for well over twenty years to manage migraines and never had a problem, never had to ask for extra refills and never had a problem when I stopped. Should I have been denied relief because some asshat thought vicodin was a good high? I have severe deterioration of both lumbar and and cervical disks, had four replace in my neck and double lumbar laminectomy(failed) I wake up every day in pain, sometimes so severe I need meds, some nights it's so bad I can't sleep and never sleep through the night. Why should I be denied relief because some ass wants to get high on opioids? After all that's what this is really all about, that and the Fentanyl the Chinks are dumping on Americas to weaken us.

This is what happens when the "problem" is phrased incorrectly.  "How can we help people in pain?" would be correct.  "How can we get these people off Opioids?" is not.  It assumes everybody has an addictive personality.

[Wingnut]

Won't it be a hoot if you have life changing injury, may your words not come back to haunt you or a close family member. Well I guess you enjoy playing God to other peoples suffering, how special of you..........and your degree in medicine is from who?

Lighten up Francis.  Don't go blowing a blood vessel during your rage.

[Sanguine]

This is what happens when the "problem" is phrased incorrectly.  "How can we help people in pain?" would be correct.  "How can we get these people off Opioids?" is not.  It assumes everybody has an addictive personality.