The Prescription Drug Epidemic is Deliberate..

a reply to: tothetenthpower

I have Rheumatoid Arthritis, & Lupus.
I haven't ever had a doctor push a pain medication on me, unless it was after surgery.
I'm in pain every single day of my life.
I have to get an Infusion of an immune system suppressant, every month.
No doctors are wanting to prescribe narcotics. The DEA & CDC have both recently cracked down hard on this issue.
My doctor reluctantly agreed to prescribe me Hydrocodone (Lortab, Vicodan, Norco), but her main goal is to take me off of it completely in just a few months.
I really need pain relief.
But the government is now my REAL doctor it seems.
The easiest way to control people, is to control their ability to have access to pain relief. Pain is one of our greatest fears.
There has been a war on controlling the Poppy Plant for a very long time.
Why can't I get the pain relief I need? It's wrong to take away access to the Poppy plant and marijuana plant, so I can treat myself freely without being forced to rely solely on doctors who ultimately have all the power to either grant me or deny me my right to live a quality life without pain.
I'm completely, 100% at the doctors mercy.
It's scary to think next month she could decide to not prescribe me any pain medicine.
I'm not addicted, I'm dependant, like a diabetic is dependent on insulin.
The Poppy plant and marijuana are both natural and here for a reason.

The real horror of benzos is how tolerance grows and eventually after many years they can become toxic to you, loose their effectiveness and literally destroy your mind.

Then it's impossible to quit because the withdrawals are beyond severe. So your left with a tattered mind and seemingly no way out.

I've made it past the other side of a ten year benzo addiction, ultimately went through about two weeks of accute withdrawal symptoms and have been healing and recovering a little bit every day since. I consider myself very lucky to be where I am at today.

In my case, I never needed benzos or antidepressants or any pharmaceutical. I was simply having anxiety I didn't understand and just needed to burn of some adrenaline and distract myself.

Yet many different doctors were oddly eager to prescribe me all kinds of crap pharmaceuticals. Some I tried and they made me feel crazy and nearly killed me. They gave me high blood pressure and heart palpitations, and more.

It's completely insane, and a terrifying trap to get sucked into, the prescription drug epidemic.

originally posted by: Quantum12
a reply to: GoShredAK

I had a close friend addicted to Benzodiazepines, he called them Benzos. He tried to quit taking Benzodiazepines, he ended up drinking a fifth of Jack one night and overdosing on his Benzodiazepines.

He never work up. Sad

dang I'm sorry to hear that. That's scary. Sad way to go too..ugh

I used to mix prescribed benzos with alcohol and other things at stupid high doses, I probably shouldn't be here.

These days I try not to take that for granted and live healthy, happy, positive, and 100% pharma free. I thank my lucky stars every day too.

a reply to: GoShredAK

Me too, I am nicotine free and adderall free, still drink but we're not perfect! LOL

a reply to: Quantum12

Nah! Perfect would be boring.

originally posted by: DonVoigt
I have been saying that for over 20 years, my thought on it is that we survived for many millennia without it, why would anybody not see that.

Sure, you can survive a bad car wreck where you have multiple broken bones or a ruptured disc in your back that pinches a nerve leaving you unable to walk without pain medications. You CAN do it but given a choice who the hell would want to?

I would submit that living in constant, chronic pain is not living but dying without the relief of actually doing so. You can't exert yourself physically or concentrate mentally, it doesn't leave you much to do any real living with.

a reply to: Asktheanimals

Exactly. Well put. I couldn't agree with you more. It's a living hell being in chronic pain.

a reply to: tothetenthpower

Drug addiction is bad, pain killers are some of the worst. The town I live in has the dubious distinction of being the birthplace of pill mills. Our pain killer problem is so bad that there are severe restrictions on getting any controlled substance filled. For example I take Ambien and I can only have it filled exactly 30 days after the previous refill and I have to use the same pharmacy, and it requires a call to the doctors office to verify. Painkillers are equally stringent.

I'm not sure what the fix is beyond prescribing less, but we definitely have to do something. I've seen a lot of people have their lives ruined by addiction to pain pills and my towns very high crime rate (you have a 3 in 10 chance of being the victim of a break in each year) is fueled in large by them.

originally posted by: KingIcarus
I'm not sure how liability works in the US, but in the UK (at least) it's hard for a doctor to prescribe a medication that'll clash with another in the way you describe. All drugs are logged on a central database which flags counterindications as a matter of course. If a doctor were to prescribe oxycodone, their computer would pull up a big list of every known drug interaction, it would also list any other conditions that might be affected. Asthma, for instance. Based on the patient's computerised medical record, it would indicate whether there is any known reason why that patient shouldn't receive that drug. I assume the same or similar system exists in the US.

The US has no such centralized database. Each hospital and sometimes each doctor maintains their own database, their only knowledge of what conditions you have and what medications you're taking is what you tell them you're taking. It's pretty routine to have to tell each doctor what you're on each time you see them.

originally posted by: Mjab6910
a reply to: tothetenthpower


My doctor reluctantly agreed to prescribe me Hydrocodone (Lortab, Vicodan, Norco), but her main goal is to take me off of it completely in just a few months.
I really need pain relief.
But the government is now my REAL doctor it seems.

I wanted to address your issue (and others in need of pain relief) with your Doctor having been under management for chronic pain for 8 years. The first hurdle is convincing your physician that you are really in pain. Most of tend to get dressed nicely and try to smile and be friendly - the doctor sees you and thinks "this person isn't hurting". Something very helpful was to have an advocate - someone you know personally of high reputation or who works in the medical or social work field. Someone who can vouch that you are crippled by pain who isn't a family member. Have them write a short letter explaining how they see you and what effect pain has on your life.

You have to be assertive and don't let them pooh - pooh you. Look them dead in the eye and tell them your life is hell and you can't do x, y or z because of it. Let them know it's hard to not be depressed when in that situation and if it continues it's where you will end up. Which would you rather treat - pain or depression?

If you are put on real pain meds you will probably have to go to a specialist who will make you sign an agreement that you will not do any illegal drugs while under their care. Any weed in your system and bam! you will be cut off, possibly not even letting you taper off but refusing to write any more prescriptions. Expect to have urine samples taken every visit. That's all I can share of use regarding getting help, I wish you success in getting the help you need.

a reply to: Aazadan

Those that abuse them are making it hard for those of us that are indeed in need of pain relief.
Bad apples, always screwing it up for those that are just trying to live a quality life with as little pain as possible.
I adopted my grandson after he was born. I made that decision before I was diagnosed with Rheumatoid Arthritis and Lupus.
Now I question if I made the right decision for him. He'll be 6 in September.
He's a ball of energy, and most days I just feel so guilty because I'm only 40 and can't keep up with him and be active like a normal parent should be.
When I take my norco it barely puts a dent in my pain.
I feel like a failure as his mom.

a reply to: Asktheanimals

Thank you for your advice. I have tried to avoid the pain clinic thing for a long time. But I just don't see it going any other way.

I think the advice you offered about another professional (my Psychiatrist for one, who knows for a fact that my quality of life is not what it should be) is a great place to start.

Thanks for that.

originally posted by: Mjab6910
Those that abuse them are making it hard for those of us that are indeed in need of pain relief.
Bad apples, always screwing it up for those that are just trying to live a quality life with as little pain as possible.
I adopted my grandson after he was born. I made that decision before I was diagnosed with Rheumatoid Arthritis and Lupus.
Now I question if I made the right decision for him. He'll be 6 in September.
He's a ball of energy, and most days I just feel so guilty because I'm only 40 and can't keep up with him and be active like a normal parent should be.
When I take my norco it barely puts a dent in my pain.
I feel like a failure as his mom.

I agree, but we're not just abusing, we're over prescribing.

Honestly, I don't know the answer. If we're more stringent about prescribing them, then some people will be lost in the cracks but at the same time we can cut down on some of the abuse. I liked what a European poster had to say earlier in the thread where medications can't even be marketed to the end users there but rather only to the doctors. I have to say that I agree commercials are creating consumer demand which is in part furthering our problem.

a reply to: Asktheanimals

I did , I have a slipped disk in my back the doctors offered me a lifetime prescription of Vicodin. I told them to go screw themselves, there were a few reasons for it, Vicodin destroys your kidneys, a friend of mine who opted for surgery, told me if they cut you once you will spend the rest of your life in a doctor's office, I walked around for 2 years with my right arm over my shoulder pushing the disk in place until it fused into the right place, mine is upper 5 and 6 which pinches the radius nerve, the radius nerve is the thumb, forefinger and middle finger, I walked around for five more years with those three fingers numb, eventually it got better, now I have minor pain once in a great while, and yes it was worth it to let it heal on its own.

a reply to: DonVoigt

Pain management clinics don't prescribe much Vicodin, that is for very mild pain. Oxycodone, Oxycontin, Morphine, Opana, Fentanyl - those are the pain meds more commonly written for. Long term use of those doesn't cause any organ degeneration but will certainly lead to addiction, there's no avoiding that.

While I've heard many horror stories of botched back surgeries myself, on the other hand I wouldn't be my own neurologist or chiropractor. While you may have known what you were doing to restore your disc it would be just as easy for someone to aggravate their condition instead by trying to "fix it" themselves. At least the pros can see what they're dealing with using CAT scans and MRIs.

Given the location of the injury and delicacy of the treatment I'd leave it to the professionals myself. In fact I let my neurosurgeon cut the backs off 4 of my neck vertebrae (cervical laminectomy) despite my skill with hand tools and chisels. He strongly recommended not trying self surgery and I agreed, oddly enough even though it cost about 40k. I could have saved myself so much money.....just didn't trust the mirror.

originally posted by: redhorse

originally posted by: lovebeck

originally posted by: redhorse
a reply to: tothetenthpower

I can say from personal experience that this drug is horrific. I've never had it, but my mother is addicted and has a Dr. Feelgood. She has been in one car wreck because she was impaired. This will kill her, but she will not even acknowledge there is a problem.

I'm not sure what you mean by deliberate though. I suppose gaining profit from addiction is probably deliberate.

Why was she prescribed it in the first place? There is a big difference between addicted and dependent...

Does she always run out of her medication or does she take it as prescribed? Does she doctor shop, go to the emergency room for pain meds/injections, etc. Does she steal other people's medications or steal to buy it off the streets? Does she continue to these behaviors despite their negative consequences/effects on her life?

If so, she may very well be addicted. If not, and she is taking her medications as prescribed and has a legitimate diagnosis for needing these types of medications, then she isn't. Being depended on a drug is not addiction. Diabetics are dependent on insulin in order to lower their blood sugar. People who suffer from severe chronic pain are dependent on pain medications to relieve their pain and allow them to lead a functional life.

She is completely insensible by 2 p.m. every day. If she is highly stressed, she is inebriated 24/7. Unable to walk or carry on a conversation is not pain management and it is certainly not functional. Driving while in this state nearly killed her. Her use is not dependent upon pain, but upon other stressors in her life. She had a back injury some time ago and refuses to look into any other form of pain management or even treatment for the condition. Yes she runs out frequently, but it doesn't matter; her DO prescribes her whatever she wants so she does not need to shop around, all she has to do is say that she need more and whips out the script pad. My dad came home one day and she was passed out on the kitchen table, choking on foam and vomit because she took too much. So you go ahead and tell me if you think she's addicted since you're such an expert on prescription medication, addiction and apparently my mothers circumstance, you sanctimonious, pretentious f%&*#$!!!

Whoa. Settle down there.

I never said she wasn't addicted. I merely tried to explain the difference between the two.

That's so sad and I am sorry you are going through this with your mom.

If it were my mom? I'd take her ass to rehab and call and report her DO to the DEA on the way. It is unlikely she will be unable to tackle this without professional, long term, inpatient help.

He should not be practicing. If HE KNOWS she is running out, and gives her more, he needs to be stopped. And if he is medicating her to the point of stupor, he sounds like a very dangerous person.

He is not in business to improve people's health but to get them stuck like Chuck on highly addictive medications.

Best of luck. And, by the way, I am an expert.

originally posted by: Mjab6910
a reply to: tothetenthpower

I have Rheumatoid Arthritis, & Lupus.
I haven't ever had a doctor push a pain medication on me, unless it was after surgery.
I'm in pain every single day of my life.
I have to get an Infusion of an immune system suppressant, every month.
No doctors are wanting to prescribe narcotics. The DEA & CDC have both recently cracked down hard on this issue.
My doctor reluctantly agreed to prescribe me Hydrocodone (Lortab, Vicodan, Norco), but her main goal is to take me off of it completely in just a few months.
I really need pain relief.
But the government is now my REAL doctor it seems.
The easiest way to control people, is to control their ability to have access to pain relief. Pain is one of our greatest fears.
There has been a war on controlling the Poppy Plant for a very long time.
Why can't I get the pain relief I need? It's wrong to take away access to the Poppy plant and marijuana plant, so I can treat myself freely without being forced to rely solely on doctors who ultimately have all the power to either grant me or deny me my right to live a quality life without pain.
I'm completely, 100% at the doctors mercy.
It's scary to think next month she could decide to not prescribe me any pain medicine.
I'm not addicted, I'm dependant, like a diabetic is dependent on insulin.
The Poppy plant and marijuana are both natural and here for a reason.

When you say doctor, do you mean a rheumatologist? They're usually pretty good about prescribing people the medications they need for pain. Especially Lupus and/or RA.

I feel for you. I have terrible arthritis in one knee, my shoulder where I tore the rotator cuff and my right hip from working on hard floors, 12 hours a day for the past 20 or so years. Sometimes I wish I could take something for pain, but the nausea and unrelenting vomiting are usually worse than the pain itself. To me, anyway.

The DEA and FDA have cracked down on opiates for the wrong reasons and the wrong folks, IMHO. I am SO fascinated by this subject I have often thought of trying to do my own research, even if it is just a qualitative study or using the data that is already out there in the medical journals.

If the Norco does not help you, and you find yourself needing better pain control, ask your doctor send you to a pain management specialist. I mean, you have a legitimate need X 2 for pain medications, Lupus and RA!

Then, ask a nurse which pain management specialist they'd take their mother to...Make sure they like their mother though, lol. Nurses are the ones who know who the good docs are and who the quacks are and will rarely steer you wrong in that respect!

originally posted by: DonVoigt
a reply to: Asktheanimals

I did , I have a slipped disk in my back the doctors offered me a lifetime prescription of Vicodin. I told them to go screw themselves, there were a few reasons for it, Vicodin destroys your kidneys, a friend of mine who opted for surgery, told me if they cut you once you will spend the rest of your life in a doctor's office, I walked around for 2 years with my right arm over my shoulder pushing the disk in place until it fused into the right place, mine is upper 5 and 6 which pinches the radius nerve, the radius nerve is the thumb, forefinger and middle finger, I walked around for five more years with those three fingers numb, eventually it got better, now I have minor pain once in a great while, and yes it was worth it to let it heal on its own.

Self traction. Now THAT is hard core!

originally posted by: Aazadan

originally posted by: KingIcarus
I'm not sure how liability works in the US, but in the UK (at least) it's hard for a doctor to prescribe a medication that'll clash with another in the way you describe. All drugs are logged on a central database which flags counterindications as a matter of course. If a doctor were to prescribe oxycodone, their computer would pull up a big list of every known drug interaction, it would also list any other conditions that might be affected. Asthma, for instance. Based on the patient's computerised medical record, it would indicate whether there is any known reason why that patient shouldn't receive that drug. I assume the same or similar system exists in the US.

The US has no such centralized database. Each hospital and sometimes each doctor maintains their own database, their only knowledge of what conditions you have and what medications you're taking is what you tell them you're taking. It's pretty routine to have to tell each doctor what you're on each time you see them.

Umm, what? There certainly IS a database...This I know for certain. I am not sure if it is just a state/area type database or if it has gone national yet. But I do know that every single board of pharmacy has a database to track controlled substance prescriptions.

originally posted by: lovebeck
Umm, what? There certainly IS a database...This I know for certain. I am not sure if it is just a state/area type database or if it has gone national yet. But I do know that every single board of pharmacy has a database to track controlled substance prescriptions.

There's a pharmacy database, I can agree with that because I've seen different pharmacies able to reference prescriptions others fill. Doctors and hospitals don't seem to have access to it though because they don't have the ability to access what medicines a person is on. Medical records also aren't shared, so one doctor can't see your diagnosis from another doctor.