Opiods

[Spotlite]

This is a very sensitive subject for many people.
There are people that need relief from chronic pain just to move around during the day. Arthritis is the biggest contributor.
I know some, and yes, they are addicted, but would kill themselves from the pain without the medication.
They take as prescribed and don't mix with other substances.
They are technically drug addicts.
I don't know anyone that gets it on the streets to get high.
They are also drug addicts.
Is there a way to distinguish between the 2 groups?
I don't know.
I'll fight tooth and nail to keep the medication to those that need it.
I'll also fight tooth and nail to take it away from those that don't.
It's a very confusing fight.

There are those that do need it. But in my industry we are seeing positive drug test results now from these prescriptions. The levels in their system are much higher than the prescription allows for. This is also part of the prescribing physicians fault as well, in my opinion. But the abuse is real.

 

[JackSprat]

They gave me a prescription after my bypass surgery, I took half of one and decided that I'd just deal with the pain rather than feel like that.

Same here. It locked my bowels up, spent 3 extra days in ICU for that problem. Told them I could not tolerate opiods, but it was "routine"

I got them back when they finally intubated my stomach. Think Texas gusher from a septic tank. The nurses were wonderful but I felt sorry for them catching a face full of week old stomach workings, even if was all jello.

You'd be surprised at what jello can turn into.

 

[JackSprat]

There are those that do need it. But in my industry we are seeing positive drug test results now from these prescriptions. The levels in their system are much higher than the prescription allows for. This is also part of the prescribing physicians fault as well, in my opinion. But the abuse is real.

Totally agree.

Too many Drs . over prescribe just to get the patient to shut up and out the door.

 

[DannyW]

Despite being the OP in this thread, I am signing out. I have quite the mixed feelings...one family member is throwing away their life while the other one is extending their quality of life by using them responsibly.

Hopefully you will never have to experience either.

 

[SC Hunter]

[/QUOTE] Lots of emergency units have exceeded their yearly budget due to overdose calls. Most of the ones getting shipped to a hospital have no insurance so we are paying for them to be high and happy before and after they get out.[/QUOTE]


I laugh when people say that emergency units are exceeding budgets due to running overdose calls. A dose of Narcan cost so little that if that is blowing a budget that budget needs amending. Also once you give someone narcan they arent high anymore. Well until the half life runs out on the narcan but usually only one dose is needed.

Speaking to addicts I've personally been told that they had a surgery of some sort then became addicted to pain pills when they couldn't get those they went to heroin. People you'd think would never do it are the main ones.

 

[Swamprat]

There are small town units around the country having to apply for grants to acquire Narcan because the need went beyond their budget.

One large city dispensed it over 370 times at a cost to them of 19,000 dollars. Cheap for a large city with a lot of reserve funds but for a small town or county without those funds it becomes a problem when you are trying to train on it's use and outfit every police, sheriff, fire, EMS with it.