Re: heroin

[maggie]

common todd, what's not true I said?....for a fricken cold?   maybe Codeine..... what kind of doctor does that?..

[Todd]

common todd, what's not true I said?....for a fricken cold?   maybe Codeine..... what kind of doctor does that?..

It's not true that all doctors recommend ice or some other lesser form of pain relief.  I know codeine would be more of the extreme that's why I said she was prescribed oxy.  Quacks!

[ramjet]

People usually will not question the Doctor for obvious reasons. I do and discuss openly any treatment that my doc recommends so that I can be informed. I also am not afraid to get a second opinion if it is warranted and a good Doc does not take issue with you doing that either. My Doctor is willing to talk and does not willy nilly prescribe pain meds. Its balance and when warranted he will do so but wants his patients off them as quickly as possible.

I really think illegal drugs are much more an issue than prescription medication not say either is good and both issues need to be addressed and getting to the "root cause" is the key to solving either issue.

[wraslfan]

I had surgery for a hernia and was prescribed 20? maybe 30? pain pills. I took 3 or 4 max...and the rest were thrown away. I just didn't need anything beyond Ibuprofin the day after the surgery. Maybe by just making it harder to get such large quantities is a start? Seems wasteful for one (which leads me to believe money is a driver) and talk about one easy way to keep those things out of the reach of those who do not need them! Not to mention that would be one really simple solution to lowering health care costs. It may be a pain for those who need more, but how hard is it to call your Dr. and have him assess if you truly need more for pain, or if a dependance may be starting. Just my thoughts from a very "not in the know" medical professional.     

[bigG]

I hear ya. My last knee surgery, they gave me a tub of those things. Like you, 3 or 4. Then I worry about them laying around, so it was nice we had a collection site nearby, but they only do it twice per year. I'm not flushing 'em into my mound. My lawn might start zonin'.

After the doc gave me the script she said to call if I need more. I thought "dang, if 40 is way too much, I can see how abusers could gobble a whole mess."

[maggie]

wow, I never had one doctor NOT tell me, ICE FIRST. Just haven't...it's elementary. personally,  I always keep something around...always, I've been caught with my pants down and in pain many times and suffered through for a few days with pain that would make some here puke, I'm not joking either, most was my own fault tho...broke my ankle once almost in half and thought it would be fine come tomorrow as it always did, I woke up the next morning, look at it and it didn't even look like an ankle... ...OCHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!...as I hobbled to the ER..YES, i literally crawled to my ride, and of course, setting was needed, but before that, X=RAYS...as soon as the ER Doc seen it, he stuck a needle in it 3 times, the last one I never felt as a matter of fact, I don't believe I even felt my arms at that point... ...thus the reason I tell all family members, never toss them out! bring'em on over to me!...goes for all of ya...i'll even come pick'em up if I have too...life too short to go around in pain all the time...just me...

[maggie]

BY the way, Milton lost a real good man yesterday, one who has fought for kids and who was also head of the drug drop off network in the rock Co area that he started, he was found on a hiking trail outside of Milton with a  self inflicted gunshot wound to his head, he was a Dang good man as everyone in town knew him. I bring this up to point out that there is another epidemic out there that's driving across America as fast as the heroin....Suicide...this is as sad as it gets also and affect everyone...John was a 21 yr, member of the Milton Police Force and will be missed by the whole town...more so, the kids he protected...

[imnofish]

Sorry to hear that, Maggie.  Sounds like a great loss for your community.   

[bigG]

Sorry for your (and Milton's) loss. A lot of those drop off programs keep stuff from getting into the hands of kids. I'ma  big backer of that action. God bless his soul for his kind deeds.

[Todd]

People usually will not question the Doctor for obvious reasons. I do and discuss openly any treatment that my doc recommends so that I can be informed. I also am not afraid to get a second opinion if it is warranted and a good Doc does not take issue with you doing that either. My Doctor is willing to talk and does not willy nilly prescribe pain meds. Its balance and when warranted he will do so but wants his patients off them as quickly as possible.

I really think illegal drugs are much more an issue than prescription medication not say either is good and both issues need to be addressed and getting to the "root cause" is the key to solving either issue.

Yep illegal drugs are a terrible issue however if you want to look at "gateway" drugs, the prescription opioids and stimulants fit the bill.

[Todd]

I had surgery for a hernia and was prescribed 20? maybe 30? pain pills. I took 3 or 4 max...and the rest were thrown away. I just didn't need anything beyond Ibuprofin the day after the surgery. Maybe by just making it harder to get such large quantities is a start? Seems wasteful for one (which leads me to believe money is a driver) and talk about one easy way to keep those things out of the reach of those who do not need them! Not to mention that would be one really simple solution to lowering health care costs. It may be a pain for those who need more, but how hard is it to call your Dr. and have him assess if you truly need more for pain, or if a dependance may be starting. Just my thoughts from a very "not in the know" medical professional.     

Not much harder than having to show your id to get Sudafed.  Problem is you limit the pills and that reduces the $ for Docs and Pharmaceuticals.  Not going to happen.  Wasteful, yep for the consumer who has to pay or insurance companies.  I would add dangerous for those who abuse or then sell them. 

[Todd]

I hear ya. My last knee surgery, they gave me a tub of those things. Like you, 3 or 4. Then I worry about them laying around, so it was nice we had a collection site nearby, but they only do it twice per year. I'm not flushing 'em into my mound. My lawn might start zonin'.

After the doc gave me the script she said to call if I need more. I thought "dang, if 40 is way too much, I can see how abusers could gobble a whole mess."

Good choice.  Flushing is absolutely not the way to go.  Prescription medicine is showing up in drinking water and fish. 

Most police departments will take expired or unused medications.  We had a state policy with our shelter and group home that stated we needed to have the meds disposed of within 2 weeks of youth leaving if they forgot them.  Turning them over to the cops is what we did.  I believe the local health department does as well.

[Todd]

wow, I never had one doctor NOT tell me, ICE FIRST. Just haven't...it's elementary. personally,  I always keep something around...always, I've been caught with my pants down and in pain many times and suffered through for a few days with pain that would make some here puke, I'm not joking either, most was my own fault tho...broke my ankle once almost in half and thought it would be fine come tomorrow as it always did, I woke up the next morning, look at it and it didn't even look like an ankle... ...OCHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!...as I hobbled to the ER..YES, i literally crawled to my ride, and of course, setting was needed, but before that, X=RAYS...as soon as the ER Doc seen it, he stuck a needle in it 3 times, the last one I never felt as a matter of fact, I don't believe I even felt my arms at that point... ...thus the reason I tell all family members, never toss them out! bring'em on over to me!...goes for all of ya...i'll even come pick'em up if I have too...life too short to go around in pain all the time...just me...

Sounds like an injury I had a couple of years ago when my foot got stuck in the turf and turned all the way around on the pitch.  I played the next day on it, stupid.  It ended up looking like a stove pipe straight down to my foot, kankle and all.  Turned out I had an evovion fracture which ended up being immobilized but not casted.  Turned out after a year they did an MRI that revealed bone chips and separated Cartalage floating around.  Doc said 5 years ago they couldn't replace the cartalage however they did this new proceedure where they cleaned up the junk then drilled into my bone releasing red blood cells which formed artificial cartalage.  Really cool stuff and I'm just about 100% on that ankle with the exception of minor loss of range of motion.  Can't stretch it like I used to.  I love orthopedic surgeons.  They've replaced my shoulder from a grade 5 separation with broken clavical and my ankle.  

I hear you about chronic pain Mags, those who have it need the meds for quality of life.  I also recommend pain psychology.  I can't imagine having that type of pain, my wife does in her back after a car accident and doesn't take anything.  It's debilitating.  I have a serious high threashold for pain.  It's a blessing, and a curse  .

Just read your other post about the man who took his own life, I'm very sorry to hear that.  There is a high rate of suicide amongst the helping professions. 

[maggie]

if giving up your prescriptive drugs is your choice, please, don't just hand them over to another Person...one should drop them by themself's in a safe well protected incinerator made for that reason...not just give them to someone just because there in the public system...I might be able to explain this better in a few days...

[Todd]

if giving up your prescriptive drugs is your choice, please, don't just hand them over to another Person...one should drop them by themself's in a safe well protected incinerator made for that reason...not just give them to someone just because there in the public system...I might be able to explain this better in a few days...

I worried about corrupt cops too and what they might do with the meds however, the labels came off the meds and I can't worry about what might happen after trying to dispose of them properly.  Again if you're worried, take them to The Health Dept or I guess burn them.  DO NOT FLUSH THEM.