Big Pharma is Murdering America Through Prescription Addiction and the DEA is Screwing Us All

a reply to: apoc36

The irony is this - when taken properly, the opiate class of pain medications are one of the safest medications available. The body tolerates these very well. The problem is when folks take them for other reasons than pain control. The euphoria some people feel is a side effect which goes away pretty quickly with regular use. Those chasing the "good" feeling will continue to increase the dosage until it becomes dangerous - way beyond taking them properly for pain management. And also, it is insane to take certain other medications concurrently, such as benzodiazepines, as well as alcohol and other sedatives.

It is ironic there are other modalities which may be helpful to take the pain score down, like acupuncture, hypnosis, TMS, and others, but these are not covered by many insurances, and end up being prohibitively expensive, especially being on long-term disability. Medications do not kill the pain, at best they turn the volume down a few notches, so my worse days I am happy to get to 7-8, but the insurance could do much better to help, except helping a problem isn't profitable.

I hear the pharmas are competitively working on better/safer/non-habit forming pain management medicine. There are billions to be made for the first to patent it. I doubt I will be here to see it though.

I was talking to some ex-military family members about the war on drugs and the DEA etc, and one of them said something I had never thought of before.

One of the main reasons the DEA is so valuable to our government isn't because of what they do domestically, it's what they provide from outside the U.S., intelligence. The DEA has bureau's in more countries than any other American agency. Something to think about.

a reply to: GoShredAK

Sounds like we have a lot in common.

We should get together sometime. We could trade skating stories, and then hold each other while crying.

I miss skating so much. I still watch skate videos regularly, and everytime I see a kid on a deck, I am rushed with memories and a feeling of longing.

originally posted by: randomthoughts12
a reply to: spirit_horse

I had a moment where I thought people could read my mind sorry. I do know what I am talking about just spewwing it without going into depth. I have over ten years hands on experience as well as working for a cancer specialist.

If you are dying or have cancer. You have no reason to be on opiates long term or for life. What you explained is close enough to dying. I meant to correct myself as to...If you are not dying or have cancer or close to the two. I also meant long term. Short term as to not get hooked is different. Opiate pain killers does not help the body in anyway except for the except block pain for 4-6 hours. Even 1-3 days of use starts to mess with cognitive functions even if small. There is a hundred better ways to deal with pain in almost all cases. Opiates is the most profitable and makes dependents.

The use of the drugs in short term for pain that will decrease is the main problem as to using the drug to long or not tapering correctly or to lesser drugs.

The human body is meant to have pain. We are using these drugs for common pain and it is making us more susceptible to pain.

Well, I will agree with you on one thing. The narcotics cause swelling when you don't take them aggravating the condition they were meant to help relieve in the first place which makes you go back to take them. I noticed my pain levels remain at a lower level if I stay off of them than if I take them, when they start to wear off. A catch all keeping you taking them and I am sure Big Pharm knows that. I have tried to not take them all the way back to 1992 but my BP levels shoot through the roof and regardless of being on BP meds. I was taken to the ER by ambulance once from physical therapy due to the BP problem. The doc gave me liquid procardia under the tongue. He was going to release me, but the BP remained high. I got a second dose to no avail. He called my rehab doctor and he told him he needed to give me like a triple dose of demerol and valium to control it. The ER doc would only do it under his orders because he was afraid of losing his license. My BP went down immediately almost. This was when I originally hurt my back and I hadn't been on meds very long. It has been an ongoing nightmare ever since and today I have way more wrong than then. I have tries repeatedly to get off the meds, but the BP problems are relentless. They gave me huge doses of BP meds to try to control it when not taking pain meds. Problem then is, even though it still goes high when I am at a low level of pain the BP meds drive my BP to dangerous low levels. I would literally pass out from low BP. After 3 years, heart studies, artery studies (all using contrast and cat scans) they never could control it without pain meds. Now I am at least steady day to day. It is a nightmare of epic proportions and like I said before I hate all the drugs. I have been to several world class institutions and doctors. No one has been able to get me under control except the current mix I am on.

Oh, yes I know the body is meant to have pain. I was in martial arts since 4 years old and the Army, besides others. Pain was normal everyday stuff. However, this kind of pain is not normal pain. It literally feels like a blow torch is frying you bones. Along with electrical like shooting and sharp pain that is ridiculous. When I was shot with the 12ga. and police and EMT were on the scene they were debating on how to get me down from the position I was in. With a little assistance I got up and climbed down. The police told the family two things. One I was probably not going to make it to the hospital and second they have never seen anyone with that kind of damage get up and walk. It was an Army FIDO moment. (F It Drive On). I wasn't hurting bad from shock. After all the surgeries I have continuous pain on a 6/7 level. I consider a 10 with parts blown off in a war zone. I always say to people that think like you that I wish I could let you experience my pain for just 5 minutes because it is too easy to look from outside without experiencing it first hand. Since you are an EMT I will assume you recover some really damaged people. Why do you carry morphine in your ambulance? Do you realize that people can have the same or more pain on an almost continuous level with multiple major injuries and surgery? Do you realize that there are literally thousands of doctors that understand that and treat the same? Because according to your absolutist statements you think if your not dying or have cancer people should just live with it if that were possible. People do have pain on levels of cancer patients.

I admit that we are very few and far between, but we exist. But because of all the irresponsible people we should just suffer until we can't live with it any longer and take our own lives. Despicable!

Can you please provide a link to the "little or no research" on the undesirable effects of kratom? I am forced to assume you have actually done that research since you claim enough knowledge of it to pass judgement. Without that research your whole argument is in the dark. Literally.

a reply to: Winstonian
Lol

totes McGotes brah!

Good stuff

Kratom is minor and should definitely not be schedule one, but I would be lying if I said it was completely harmless.

However it is only harmful if abused.

I have noticed it does have some seratogenic properties like an SSRI. I have noticed at higher doses it causes the same weird brain zaps that antidepressants do.

After awhile it messes with your head, myself and many others have experienced strange repeated thoughts that you cannot control upon waking, and it won't go away until you re-dose.

Also it can cause withdrawals that are a mix between antidepressant, benzo, and opiate withdrawals.

I believe the withdrawal syndrome is fairly harmless but some people have certainly described it as hell on earth.

I was pretty miserable in kratom withdrawal. The worst part is waking up with akathisia, and life just kind of seems harsh and gritty, also the complete lack of energy makes a day at work absolutely miserable...

All that said, it is nothing compared to benzo withdrawals....

joshpeckdisclosure.blogspot.com...#!/2016/09/kratom-illegalized-why-you-should-care.html

Chronic pain sufferers across the country are about to have a very rough time starting next month. The DEA has just announced plans to make Kratom, an herbal supplement typically used to treat chronic pain and opioid addiction, illegal to possess or sell. After Sept. 30th, Kratom will be classified as a Schedule I controlled substance. Other Schedule I controlled substances include heroin, ecstasy, '___', and more. Once this happens, Kratom in all forms will be banned in the country and possession or sale of said Kratom will result in serious legal consequences.

The DEA creates its own monsters. These cops make their own robbers to play their game of death and destruction and tyranny

Those reading might be asking themselves, so what? Doesn’t the DEA know what’s best for us? Isn’t the government equipped and capable to dictate what is a harmful substance and what isn’t? When asking these questions, consider this fact: to legitimize the illegalization of Kratom, the DEA cites a CDC report stating there have been 660 calls to poison control services due to Kratom-related incidents between the years of 2010 and 2015. To put that in perspective, there have been more than ten times the number of calls (6,843 to be exact) to poison control services concerning children ingesting laundry detergent pods in only the first seven months of 2016. Also, there have been 15 "Kratom-related deaths" (for clarification, meaning a deaths of people with Kratom in their systems, even if other drugs, like heroin, were present) in the span of two years (2014-2016), yet 78 Americans die every day from opioids. To top things off, the FDA just approved Oxycontin for 11-year-olds. Oxycontin is a chemical cousin to heroin and is widely blamed for setting off the nation’s prescription opioid epidemic, which has claimed more than 190,000 lives from overdoses involving OxyContin and other painkillers since 1999. Do the FDA, DEA, and similar administrations really have the best interest of the American people at heart?

a reply to: DJDigitalGem

I too am an EMT/1st Responder, Advanced Life Support...and I can agree with everything youve stated. I have an issue that isnt addressed overall. Mine.

I fell off a house and a refrigerator crushed forward my spine, fractured my cervical spine and L1 and S1, collapsed both lungs, and had a large subdural hematoma, which caused a stroke 15 years after the original accident 32 years ago.

Long story short, Ive done well all these years with a combination of different meds. It took many years to get to this point now. The residual long term effects of that accident are 2 cervical hernias rt, and 1 large bulge on the left, 2 8th and 9th Thoracic herniated discs, and the L1 and S2 Spondylosis.

Therein is my problem...these have all popped up within the last 10 or so years as the spinal column and vertebrae shrinks with age. Injections and laser surgery may be warranted and I havent decided yet which way to go..if either, both or neither.

I take Hydrocodone 10/325 twice daily...not when IN pain...but to allow me to move throughout the day with the pain. With new regulations and restrictions, one like myself...who finally has found a 2 a day maintenance dose as my overall go-to...Im restricted just as an addict would be in getting my prescriptions. And I do understand why. Its ok...

But its a sad state of affairs when someone who takes a single dose in the morning and a single dose at night is treated like those addicted to hundreds a month or finding street drugs. I dont think anyone taking 1 of anything...even long term...could be considered addictive.

As EMT's we know about administering emergency trauma meds...and I find it difficult to be lumped into a generalized category of addicted patients when even trauma patients receive single and repetitive emergency meds. So you begin to wonder...

Is 1 pill...taken twice a day...indicative of addiction? I dont take the 2 FOR pain...I take it as a maintenance dose...and would never take it throughout the day. That would be dependency...and make it impossible to do our job.

Thoughts? And thanks on behalf of your community for your EMT work!

MS
EMT/ERT, 1st Responder
Advanced Disaster Life Support
FEMA/Homeland Security
Region 2 South, Wayne County, Michigan

originally posted by: spirit_horse
a reply to: apoc36
Apoc.

Sorry to hear you're in the same boat.

Do Y'all have some more room for another "Chronic"?

I'll just throw these links out and allow them to SCREAM on their own. Please note though in the Wiki™ link and look at the growth of cultivation since "The War™" started in 2001. Back then 'The Taliban' was in-charge and they produced about 7% of the World's opium; now it is closer to 90%. I guess all the gunpowder from the bombs and blood from the poor suckers sent there are goo.... great for the cultivation of opium.
What has happened here in the U.S. since 2001? First We had a pain medication epidemic. When those who didn't die; weren't incarcerated were "cut off" after hurdles were put in place (closing the barn door after all the horses leave...) all of them switched to buying opiates on the street or buying the cheaper heroin. Both incidentally are made with opium.

en.wikipedia.org...

www.nbcnews.com...

Anyone remember Vietnam and how Hair-On was imported back then?? Anyone? Bueller, Bueller....

Why was Afghanistan invaded again???

Wakie Wakie....

a reply to: JimNasium

I heard how it was brought back with the fallen ones. Recently the black money operations were being hurt by the legal epidemic. They have now begun to straighten that out with the new hurdles and quality import today. A 3000 to 1 profit margin. Actually raw ingredients are coming into Mexico from China and it is being produced in Mexico and they have been adding fentanyl to increase potency and that has resulted in the current death toll. Fentanyl patches are widely used in pain management, but patches don't stick to my skin so I never used them.

Let's see illegal weapons needed in the ME has to be shipped by you know who and they need black money to keep it off the books. Am I getting close...

I want to add my experience with Kratom, as I hope that it will shed some light on the OTHER side of things:

I do not want people to think I am demonizing the plant, as it truly is an amazing thing, but just doesn't work for everyone....

I started taking Kratom a little more than a month ago, when I found out that I would not be getting refills of my monthly pain killer prescription. I have been on these for almost 4 years because of a very rare and profound auto-immune disease that puts me in almost constant discomfort and pain. This had me hospitalized for weeks when it all started because I couldn't walk, sleep, eat or basically do anything a normal adult does.

It worked wonders for me in that month; no withdrawals from the pain killers, which I knew would happen otherwise, and no pain at all... however the first time I took it, I noticed that my right ear rang for about 15-20 minutes. I didn't think much of it and just figured it was a weird side effect and what the hell it went aware, right?

I began using daily in place of my remaining pain killers, and was starting to feel like my old self. But suddenly on Sunday two weeks ago I woke up with my right ear ringing so loud I was in tears. It has been ringing for 2+ weeks at this point, and I have ceased my use of Kratom, which has led to a significant improvement in the tinnitus.

In addition, I am bruising easily, losing hair and am constantly fatigued. All problems of hypothyroidism. There is little research done on Kratom and it's effect on body/brain chemistry. There is a little information out there though that does seem to indicate that Kratom will affect your thyroid function. Please consider this before you run to you local head shop to try some of this before it's illegal. Again, it's a miracle plant IMO - BUT it doesn't work for everyone and can be as addictive as any opiate.

Use carefully, and in moderation and you should be fine. Just know that it's not all candy canes and gumdrops for everyone. Please check out Reddit's QuittingKratom subreddit if you are interested in what some people's experiences have been while on it, and getting off of it.

If you're going to make a judgement its important to hear both sides of the story after all.

Continue to deny ignorance friends.

a reply to: VoxVirtus


All the info I've read about Kratom™ is that it should be taken ALONG w/some Nascent Iodine, which helps w/the thyroid. Do You remember reading/hearing anything about using Nascent Iodine in concert w/Kratom?

a reply to: boncho

Well said...but what also causes violence is turf wars amongst those drug dealers. Gangs will invade another gang's market/territory just to sell their product there and kill anyone who stands in their way.

So again, half truth that confiscating money from the sale of illegal drugs cause violence

a reply to: VoxVirtus

St John‘s Wart make my ear ring.

Kava does similar things to me.


Even herbs have side affects. If it is too much just don’t take it, I don’t take St Johns wart or kava.

I think of the DEA as Hydra from Captain America...

A militarized arm of the new world order.


I hope people in this country wake the f*** up and vote Trump



I broke my wrist snowboarding when I was 15 and got my wisdom teeth as well as 12 baby teeth pulled when I was about 16 and was prescribed Hydrocodones... then I was hooked. My friends and I started with Marijuana and got into heavier drugs like Oxycontin and eventually Heroine.

It pretty much ruined my life... when I was able to stop I turned to Alcohol and Weed and eventually went back to Heroine after dropped out of a very good college. It is a horrible drug and I pray for all those effected by drug addiction, I do.

As far as Kratom I've never tried it... I stopped Heroine and got onto Suboxone right away... it's been almost 4 years of sobriety (not abstinence yet) and I'm down to 3mg a day and hopefully eventually will get to 0mg with discoveries like Kratom that the DEA seems to want to not give us access too... one guesses why. If their heroine monopoly disappears they can't funnel any more money into black ops and special access programs. The CIA, DEA and FBI get rich off Coke and Heroine.

originally posted by: JimNasium
a reply to: VoxVirtus


All the info I've read about Kratom™ is that it should be taken ALONG w/some Nascent Iodine, which helps w/the thyroid. Do You remember reading/hearing anything about using Nascent Iodine in concert w/Kratom?

Funny i just started taking Nascent Iodine yesterday lol.. interesting synchronicity.
Too bad I wont have the option of trying Kratom and stopping Suboxone as its going to be illegal apparently.

originally posted by: smarterthanyou

originally posted by: JimNasium
a reply to: VoxVirtus


All the info I've read about Kratom™ is that it should be taken ALONG w/some Nascent Iodine, which helps w/the thyroid. Do You remember reading/hearing anything about using Nascent Iodine in concert w/Kratom?

Funny i just started taking Nascent Iodine yesterday lol.. interesting synchronicity.
Too bad I wont have the option of trying Kratom and stopping Suboxone as its going to be illegal apparently.

It's not to late to make a big kratom order now if you have the funds...but then I guess you would be a criminal come the 30th.....so dumb....sorry to hear that, I'm kinda in the same boat.

Kratom totally makes opiate WDs much much easier....it rightfully should be prescribed for the same reasons as subs and methadone.....itd be the best option of those three too.....it doesn't get you hooked like methadone either....

originally posted by: Willtell
a reply to: VoxVirtus

St John‘s Wart make my ear ring.

Kava does similar things to me.


Even herbs have side affects. If it is too much just don’t take it, I don’t take St Johns wart or kava.

St johns wort is so weird....i have been trying it, it helps to a degree but comes with such a long list of potential interactions....

St johns wort and kratom together is very bad, it can possibly cause serotonin syndrome....i found that out the hard way....

It feels good just to talk about it.. I've never opened up about it on this site. I know humanity will prevail in all of this we are far too powerful together.. the goodness and beauty and strength, the will to reach the stars will prevail. It has to.