Miss Tequila
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Post by Miss Tequila on Mar 8, 2017 13:42:49 GMT -5
that's what I don't understand. I seem to be the outlier in this thread...thinking that heroin is really bad and we should stay away from it. I don't understand it! I think it's really bad too, but apparently not everyone agrees.
But telling kids that one dose and you're hooked is not true and doesn't seem to be helping.
But I dont' think telling them that it is no worse than alcohol would help, either. nothing seems to be helping this epidemic.
I could swear that I read somewhere awhile ago that something like 20% of people became addicted to heroin the first time. I could be wrong on that....but I still dont' want my kids taking it at all.
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Miss Tequila
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Post by Miss Tequila on Mar 8, 2017 13:44:56 GMT -5
Well, what was maybe different then was that for most people it certainly wasn't seen as cool. I don't know if it is now, but it is certainly more acceptable, because a lot of "normal" people use it. I have heard the trope about being prescribed pain pills and getting hooked, but I bet a lot of it started when kids illicitly used pain pills like oxy and such to get high, and maybe then got hooked. Of course at that point heroin my be more attractive because it is a lot cheaper and more readily available. Also, maybe a critical mass of people used to where it was "acceptable". But, I am just theorizing. I have no idea, and the whole thing is a fucking catastrophe. I agree with you there. I read all of the local postings on FB and am shocked at the kids dying from heroin (late teens/early 20s). In my head I have a picture of what heroin users are (much like you describe) but some of these kids from good homes, seem popular, are attractive and athletic...and then their lives go to hell. I don't understand it. And I think it is the fear of it happening to my child that puts me on the defense when "it is no worse than alcohol" is tossed around.
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Deleted
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Post by Deleted on Mar 8, 2017 13:53:13 GMT -5
I think with heroin some people can get hooked with one dose.
Addicts call it chasing the dragon- always looking and never able to replicate that initial high. I have a brother who is an addict. He's clean right now and I pray he stays clean but he has a family of enablers so I'm not too confident he will. His life didn't suck. He had it made.
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Miss Tequila
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Post by Miss Tequila on Mar 8, 2017 13:54:53 GMT -5
I think with heroin some people can get hooked with one dose. Addicts call it chasing the dragon- always looking and never able to replicate that initial high. I have a brother who is an addict. He's clean right now and I pray he stays clean but he has a family of enablers so I'm not too confident he will. His life didn't suck. He had it made. that's what I remember reading....but I can't swear to it.
My cousin is one of 6 children. The other 5 are fine. The issue wasn't his upbringing.
Hopeuflly your brother can stay clean. It is devastating to those left behind.
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Post by The Walk of the Penguin Mich on Mar 8, 2017 14:07:13 GMT -5
Interesting statistic....I expected it to be higher.
The National Institute on Drug Abuse estimates that nearly one-fourth (23 percent) of people who try heroin will become addicted. As of 2011, over 4 million Americans had tried the drug at least once. Simply put, if you never try heroin in the first place, you don’t have to worry about becoming addicted to it.
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midjd
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Post by midjd on Mar 8, 2017 14:10:33 GMT -5
I also think that if the only way to take heroin recreationally was intravenously, you'd see a lot less initial use. But very few addicts start that way -- they'll snort it or smoke it instead.
It's easy to say "OMG why would anyone ever put a needle in their arm?" but usually by the time an addict gets to that point, the addiction has long since taken over and they're using for maintenance rather than to get high.
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naughtybear
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Post by naughtybear on Mar 8, 2017 15:42:56 GMT -5
Opiate withdrawal is pretty rough. You experience a lot of physical symptoms as well as mental but I suppose any withdrawal can be rough. You won't die from opiate withdrawal though.
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Chocolate Lover
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Post by Chocolate Lover on Mar 8, 2017 15:46:31 GMT -5
I think it's really bad too, but apparently not everyone agrees.
But telling kids that one dose and you're hooked is not true and doesn't seem to be helping.
But I dont' think telling them that it is no worse than alcohol would help, either. nothing seems to be helping this epidemic.
I could swear that I read somewhere awhile ago that something like 20% of people became addicted to heroin the first time. I could be wrong on that....but I still dont' want my kids taking it at all.
I've read all 5 pages, and I don't see ANYONE actually saying it's no worse than alcohol. I saw someone point out that alcohol is ALSO addictive. I've seen people say alcohol does ruin lives too. I've seen people say it should be treated more like alcohol addiction than a crime. I am not seeing the "no worse than" though.
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beergut
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Post by beergut on Mar 8, 2017 16:42:27 GMT -5
I think some of y'all need to watch Prescription Thugs on Netflix. It examines why people are addicted to prescription medications, even moreso than street drugs.
The big thing they point out is the massive advertising campaigns by pharmaceutical companies. You ask, "Why do people even try these drugs?" Well, when it is pounded into your head via constant advertising and commercials that you're unhappy and you don't feel well and you should be happy and feeling great all the time, people begin to believe it. And when those commercials promise you can find that eternal happiness by just 'asking your doctor if Brand Xodone is right for you', they'll do it.
And once they start taking those pills, it is very, very difficult to stop.
Pharmaceutical companies make billions off this advertising.
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Tiny
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Post by Tiny on Mar 8, 2017 17:14:03 GMT -5
I "grew up" in the 70's, and saw a lot of what went on then first hand. Heroin was around, and some people did heroin, but it was absolutely nothing like what is happening right now. First of all, most people didn't use it. Some really, really cool and really successful people used it, and losers used it. Average people mostly stayed the hell away from it. It was a time of rampant and carefree drug use, and while (unfortunately for me) love was maybe not quite so "free" as it was rumored to be in the '60's, it was still a pretty loose time. I and my friends certainly experimented with a lot of different, "ahem", substances. However I never used heroin, and never shot anything into my arm. I mean, that was just a bridge one did not cross. Because everybody knew that junkies were waste products and died. What happened to that thought?that's what I don't understand. I seem to be the outlier in this thread...thinking that heroin is really bad and we should stay away from it. I don't understand it! I'm not sure where you are getting the idea that the posters on this thread don't think heroin is really bad... is it because there's talk about how to help or keep safe the people who are using heroin so they don't accidentally kill themselves?
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Miss Tequila
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Post by Miss Tequila on Mar 8, 2017 18:45:24 GMT -5
But I dont' think telling them that it is no worse than alcohol would help, either. nothing seems to be helping this epidemic.
I could swear that I read somewhere awhile ago that something like 20% of people became addicted to heroin the first time. I could be wrong on that....but I still dont' want my kids taking it at all.
I've read all 5 pages, and I don't see ANYONE actually saying it's no worse than alcohol. I saw someone point out that alcohol is ALSO addictive. I've seen people say alcohol does ruin lives too. I've seen people say it should be treated more like alcohol addiction than a crime. I am not seeing the "no worse than" though. When I'm asked if alcohol is also stupid I would assume the poster equates heroin with alcohol. Otherwise, why ask the question? Lots of things are addictive. That doesn't put them on the same level as heroin. I asked for clarification several times and all I got was "both are addictive".
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Miss Tequila
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Post by Miss Tequila on Mar 8, 2017 18:46:02 GMT -5
that's what I don't understand. I seem to be the outlier in this thread...thinking that heroin is really bad and we should stay away from it. I don't understand it! I'm not sure where you are getting the idea that the posters on this thread don't think heroin is really bad... is it because there's talk about how to help or keep safe the people who are using heroin so they don't accidentally kill themselves?
No. Because every time I mentioned how bad he took was all I got was "well alcohol....".
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Miss Tequila
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Post by Miss Tequila on Mar 8, 2017 18:57:37 GMT -5
I can't post a link because it will narrow down where I live. But we had 140 heroin deaths and 18 drunk driving deaths in my county. That speaks volumes to me. My county might be harder hit than the rest of the nation but damn...anyone that tells me that alcohol is as bad is not living what what is happening in my area
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Green Eyed Lady
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Post by Green Eyed Lady on Mar 9, 2017 9:48:51 GMT -5
I think some of y'all need to watch Prescription Thugs on Netflix. It examines why people are addicted to prescription medications, even moreso than street drugs. The big thing they point out is the massive advertising campaigns by pharmaceutical companies. You ask, "Why do people even try these drugs?" Well, when it is pounded into your head via constant advertising and commercials that you're unhappy and you don't feel well and you should be happy and feeling great all the time, people begin to believe it. And when those commercials promise you can find that eternal happiness by just 'asking your doctor if Brand Xodone is right for you', they'll do it. And once they start taking those pills, it is very, very difficult to stop. Pharmaceutical companies make billions off this advertising. I think you hit on something very important here. People seem to believe they can't stand ANY pain or ANY unhappiness. To me, a pain medication is to make your pain manageable. I don't see it as something you keep demanding to have NO pain. Pain is the way your body tells you something isn't right, that something isn't healed. My mom and I just had this discussion. She fell in the basement and hurt her knee pretty badly. She was prescribed pain meds. They didn't take away ALL of the pain so she thought she needed more. "Mom? Is your pain manageable or is it so bad you can't rest, etc?" "Well...no...but I can feel it." Then you don't need to drug yourself up with more meds you run the risk of becoming addicted to.
We are all going to run into situations in our lives where we are unhappy. That doesn't mean we have to drug ourselves to the gills. Pain and unhappiness are facts of life and they eventually get better. An addiction is for life. I'm not saying there aren't a lot of people out there who have chronic depression issues and/or chronic pain and need meds, but this isn't the majority of those taking them.
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ken a.k.a OMK
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Post by ken a.k.a OMK on Mar 9, 2017 10:03:39 GMT -5
I don't have any personal knowledge of drug use here but have read a lot about it in the last few years. Our new sheriff won on a drug enforcement policy. Our Governor just appointed a heroin task force head. I have no answers.
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Post by The Walk of the Penguin Mich on Mar 9, 2017 10:20:41 GMT -5
I think some of y'all need to watch Prescription Thugs on Netflix. It examines why people are addicted to prescription medications, even moreso than street drugs. The big thing they point out is the massive advertising campaigns by pharmaceutical companies. You ask, "Why do people even try these drugs?" Well, when it is pounded into your head via constant advertising and commercials that you're unhappy and you don't feel well and you should be happy and feeling great all the time, people begin to believe it. And when those commercials promise you can find that eternal happiness by just 'asking your doctor if Brand Xodone is right for you', they'll do it. And once they start taking those pills, it is very, very difficult to stop. Pharmaceutical companies make billions off this advertising. I think you hit on something very important here. People seem to believe they can't stand ANY pain or ANY unhappiness. To me, a pain medication is to make your pain manageable. I don't see it as something you keep demanding to have NO pain. Pain is the way your body tells you something isn't right, that something isn't healed. My mom and I just had this discussion. She fell in the basement and hurt her knee pretty badly. She was prescribed pain meds. They didn't take away ALL of the pain so she thought she needed more. "Mom? Is your pain manageable or is it so bad you can't rest, etc?" "Well...no...but I can feel it." Then you don't need to drug yourself up with more meds you run the risk of becoming addicted to.
We are all going to run into situations in our lives where we are unhappy. That doesn't mean we have to drug ourselves to the gills. Pain and unhappiness are facts of life and they eventually get better. An addiction is for life. I'm not saying there aren't a lot of people out there who have chronic depression issues and/or chronic pain and need meds, but this isn't the majority of those taking them.
I'm not disagreeing with you.....BUT some people who are not in physical pain but mental pain/frustration/depression try to medicate their life away. If you think about it, it is perfectly acceptable to come home from a bad day at work and pour yourself a scotch, or pop open a bottle of beer. You have a busy day, and sit down with a glass if wine. Kids little monsters? Yep, pop the cork on the bottle of wine once they are in bed. The difference is that it is with a socially acceptable drug (alcohol) and most of us stop at one or 2. It does not become a habit or need. I think that blaming advertising for ills is simply passing the buck. These days, pretty much the only drugs I see advertised are for erectile dysfunction, Alzheimer's, and to prevent blood clotting. I can remember ads for BCPs, and antiinflammarories, but haven't seen those in ages. Most of these drugs are NOT the sort to make you happy (well, in an indirect way, I guess you can say BCPs do). Only once in my life have I ever asked a doc to try out a drug I saw on tv....and that was for Bextra. At the time, my hip was giving me fits, had been giving me fits for years and I had tried just about every NSAID on the market with varying success. Bextra worked beautifully...I cried when it was pulled. But it wasn't because I wanted to feel great...I simply wanted a way to function, to walk without pain.
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Green Eyed Lady
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Post by Green Eyed Lady on Mar 9, 2017 10:34:20 GMT -5
I think you hit on something very important here. People seem to believe they can't stand ANY pain or ANY unhappiness. To me, a pain medication is to make your pain manageable. I don't see it as something you keep demanding to have NO pain. Pain is the way your body tells you something isn't right, that something isn't healed. My mom and I just had this discussion. She fell in the basement and hurt her knee pretty badly. She was prescribed pain meds. They didn't take away ALL of the pain so she thought she needed more. "Mom? Is your pain manageable or is it so bad you can't rest, etc?" "Well...no...but I can feel it." Then you don't need to drug yourself up with more meds you run the risk of becoming addicted to.
We are all going to run into situations in our lives where we are unhappy. That doesn't mean we have to drug ourselves to the gills. Pain and unhappiness are facts of life and they eventually get better. An addiction is for life. I'm not saying there aren't a lot of people out there who have chronic depression issues and/or chronic pain and need meds, but this isn't the majority of those taking them.
I'm not disagreeing with you.....BUT some people who are not in physical pain but mental pain/frustration/depression try to medicate their life away. If you think about it, it is perfectly acceptable to come home from a bad day at work and pour yourself a scotch, or pop open a bottle of beer. You have a busy day, and sit down with a glass if wine. Kids little monsters? Yep, pop the cork on the bottle of wine once they are in bed. The difference is that it is with a socially acceptable drug (alcohol) and most of us stop at one or 2. It does not become a habit or need. I think that blaming advertising for ills is simply passing the buck. These days, pretty much the only drugs I see advertised are for erectile dysfunction, Alzheimer's, and to prevent blood clotting. I can remember ads for BCPs, and antiinflammarories, but haven't seen those in ages. Most of these drugs are NOT the sort to make you happy (well, in an indirect way, I guess you can say BCPs do). Only once in my life have I ever asked a different c to try a drug I saw on tv....and that was for Bextra. At the time, my hip was giving me fits and I had tried just about every NSAID on the market. Bextra worked beautifully...I cried when it was pulled. But it wasn't because I wanted to feel great...I simply wanted a way to function. I did mention "unhappiness" as one of the ills also. I agree with you about the alcohol - I just don't drink much so I haven't a lot of experience with drinking my unhappiness/stress away. I nap!
As for the advertising...I'm not on any medications. Honestly, I don't pay that much attention to the advertising, which is why I didn't mention it. Every time I do, I wonder what illness could be worse than the side effects they list! I know some people need assistance. I just don't think people should expect to never be in pain or never be unhappy. I agree with you that being able to function is important. If every-day functioning is impossible without assistance, one should ask for assistance. I'm not saying nobody needs meds. I just think that a possible addiction is way worse than living with some discomfort for awhile - whether it be physical or emotional.
I'm looking at this in my own view of myself. I have an addictive personality. I can't get just one cookie - I eat the whole box. I can't just drink one Diet Pepsi. I drink the carton. I have no doubt that if I started taking something to make me feel better, I'd have a heck of a time stopping. I know most everyone is stronger than I am in that regard.
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NomoreDramaQ1015
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Post by NomoreDramaQ1015 on Mar 9, 2017 10:44:06 GMT -5
I just think that a possible addiction is way worse than living with some discomfort for awhile - whether it be physical or emotional.
I made the mistake of saying this to DH once. He said that is easy for me to say because I don't live inside his head. Then there are people out there that have bigger demons than DH does. Our mental health system is a mess, especially for those less fortunate. I can imagine that shooting yourself up with heroin and chasing the dragon is a lot more pleasant than dealing with the voices in your head. Heroin is probably a lot cheaper and a lot easier to get on the street than it is to navigate the insurance system, especially prescription insurance. We've been chasing our tails for over a year trying to get DH on something for his psoratic arthritis. Our prescription insurance will only pay for methotrexate because it is cheap. Methotrexate is a nasty drug. The dermatologist and DH jumped thru all the hoops to prove it was not a viable option for him so we could get him on Humira. Prescription insurance said no they want him to stick with methotrexate. Dermatologist decided to try a different angle and go for Otzela instead which does not come with the side effects or required bloodwork like Humira and Methotrexate. Our prescription insurance won't approve Otzela because. .. DH hasn't been on Humira yet. I found out that I could get cocaine a hell of a lot easier than we can get him a legal above board prescription. Not that either one of us have a desire to try it but in my brain it should work the opposite direction.
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Miss Tequila
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Post by Miss Tequila on Mar 9, 2017 10:50:53 GMT -5
I think you hit on something very important here. People seem to believe they can't stand ANY pain or ANY unhappiness. To me, a pain medication is to make your pain manageable. I don't see it as something you keep demanding to have NO pain. Pain is the way your body tells you something isn't right, that something isn't healed. My mom and I just had this discussion. She fell in the basement and hurt her knee pretty badly. She was prescribed pain meds. They didn't take away ALL of the pain so she thought she needed more. "Mom? Is your pain manageable or is it so bad you can't rest, etc?" "Well...no...but I can feel it." Then you don't need to drug yourself up with more meds you run the risk of becoming addicted to.
We are all going to run into situations in our lives where we are unhappy. That doesn't mean we have to drug ourselves to the gills. Pain and unhappiness are facts of life and they eventually get better. An addiction is for life. I'm not saying there aren't a lot of people out there who have chronic depression issues and/or chronic pain and need meds, but this isn't the majority of those taking them.
I'm not disagreeing with you.....BUT some people who are not in physical pain but mental pain/frustration/depression try to medicate their life away. If you think about it, it is perfectly acceptable to come home from a bad day at work and pour yourself a scotch, or pop open a bottle of beer. You have a busy day, and sit down with a glass if wine. Kids little monsters? Yep, pop the cork on the bottle of wine once they are in bed. The difference is that it is with a socially acceptable drug (alcohol) and most of us stop at one or 2. It does not become a habit or need. I think that blaming advertising for ills is simply passing the buck. These days, pretty much the only drugs I see advertised are for erectile dysfunction, Alzheimer's, and to prevent blood clotting. I can remember ads for BCPs, and antiinflammarories, but haven't seen those in ages. Most of these drugs are NOT the sort to make you happy (well, in an indirect way, I guess you can say BCPs do). Only once in my life have I ever asked a doc to try out a drug I saw on tv....and that was for Bextra. At the time, my hip was giving me fits, had been giving me fits for years and I had tried just about every NSAID on the market with varying success. Bextra worked beautifully...I cried when it was pulled. But it wasn't because I wanted to feel great...I simply wanted a way to function, to walk without pain. Here is where you lose me again....how in the world can you compare having a glass of wine to taking heroin? I get hwat you are saying I think (that we all have our coping mechanisms) but for anyone to put heroin on the same level as wine or cocktails just blows my mind.
For anyone that thinks alcohol is on the same par as heroin, would you want to sit around and shoot heroin with your friends, family or children (assuming over age 21)? Is the only thing stopping you the fact that it isn't socially acceptable? Because I will gladly sit and have some drinks with my daughter when she is of age....I sure as hell wouldn't sit and do heroin with her!
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Green Eyed Lady
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Post by Green Eyed Lady on Mar 9, 2017 10:55:18 GMT -5
I just think that a possible addiction is way worse than living with some discomfort for awhile - whether it be physical or emotional.
I made the mistake of saying this to DH once. He said that is easy for me to say because I don't live inside his head. Then there are people out there that have bigger demons than DH does. Our mental health system is a mess, especially for those less fortunate. I can imagine that shooting yourself up with heroin and chasing the dragon is a lot more pleasant than dealing with the voices in your head. Heroin is probably a lot cheaper and a lot easier to get on the street than it is to navigate the insurance system, especially prescription insurance. We've been chasing our tails for over a year trying to get DH on something for his psoratic arthritis. Our prescription insurance will only pay for methotrexate because it is cheap. Methotrexate is a nasty drug. The dermatologist and DH jumped thru all the hoops to prove it was not a viable option for him so we could get him on Humira. Prescription insurance said no they want him to stick with methotrexate. Dermatologist decided to try a different angle and go for Otzela instead which does not come with the side effects or required bloodwork like Humira and Methotrexate. Our prescription insurance won't approve Otzela because. .. DH hasn't been on Humira yet. I found out that I could get cocaine a hell of a lot easier than we can get him a legal above board prescription. Not that either one of us have a desire to try it but in my brain it should work the opposite direction. I don't know if you mean he got mad at you for saying it, but even if he did, it doesn't mean it's not true. That's an excuse almost every single addict uses...."You have no idea what it's like to be me." And it's true. Nobody can know. It's still not an excuse.
I'm sorry about your husband's condition. I have watched commercials for Humira because Phil Mickelson has the same condition and he's my favorite golfer! I hope he can find a way to get the assistance he needs. Does he have to be on the other medication a certain amount of time before he can be approved for Humira? Or is this like a "never" thing?
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Green Eyed Lady
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Post by Green Eyed Lady on Mar 9, 2017 11:01:26 GMT -5
I will never understand why an insurance company can decide that your own personal physician doesn't know what's best for you.
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Malarky
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Post by Malarky on Mar 9, 2017 11:01:44 GMT -5
I think you hit on something very important here. People seem to believe they can't stand ANY pain or ANY unhappiness. To me, a pain medication is to make your pain manageable. I don't see it as something you keep demanding to have NO pain. Pain is the way your body tells you something isn't right, that something isn't healed. My mom and I just had this discussion. She fell in the basement and hurt her knee pretty badly. She was prescribed pain meds. They didn't take away ALL of the pain so she thought she needed more. "Mom? Is your pain manageable or is it so bad you can't rest, etc?" "Well...no...but I can feel it." Then you don't need to drug yourself up with more meds you run the risk of becoming addicted to.
We are all going to run into situations in our lives where we are unhappy. That doesn't mean we have to drug ourselves to the gills. Pain and unhappiness are facts of life and they eventually get better. An addiction is for life. I'm not saying there aren't a lot of people out there who have chronic depression issues and/or chronic pain and need meds, but this isn't the majority of those taking them.
I think this is a large part of the problem. People who expect feel no pain be it physical or emotional. I also live in an area where there are a large number of heroin overdoses and deaths. Unfortunately some of those have been people my kids went to school with. Some from seemingly great families and some from absolutely, unbelievably horrific family circumstances. The common denominator of the ones I knew personally was lack of coping skills. Some were trying to self mediate themselves due to their upbringing. Some were unable to deal with how hard college or adulting is. My observations only, I can only speculate because I didn't live in their heads. Regarding physician prescribed opiates, I'm with Mich about other peoples issues making it hard for people who genuinely need relief from pain to get the pain medication they need. I'm practically immune to most pain medications. I've had a couple of surgeries where I was given oxycontin which I ended up not taking because it didn't have enough of a pain relieving effect to make it worth taking. Last fall I shattered my elbow and broke my ulna and humerus. I spent two and a half days in agony in the hospital before they finally gave me just straight morphine which is the only thing I responded to. I was on morphine for 2 months, but because I didn't want to end up addicted, I only took enough to keep the pain manageable. That's the key in my mind. Manageable. And yes I had withdrawal symptoms as I weaned myself off it, but I expected them and I dealt with them. Pain and unhappiness are facts of life and they eventually get better. An addiction is for life.
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NomoreDramaQ1015
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Post by NomoreDramaQ1015 on Mar 9, 2017 11:07:29 GMT -5
I just think that a possible addiction is way worse than living with some discomfort for awhile - whether it be physical or emotional.
I made the mistake of saying this to DH once. He said that is easy for me to say because I don't live inside his head. Then there are people out there that have bigger demons than DH does. Our mental health system is a mess, especially for those less fortunate. I can imagine that shooting yourself up with heroin and chasing the dragon is a lot more pleasant than dealing with the voices in your head. Heroin is probably a lot cheaper and a lot easier to get on the street than it is to navigate the insurance system, especially prescription insurance. We've been chasing our tails for over a year trying to get DH on something for his psoratic arthritis. Our prescription insurance will only pay for methotrexate because it is cheap. Methotrexate is a nasty drug. The dermatologist and DH jumped thru all the hoops to prove it was not a viable option for him so we could get him on Humira. Prescription insurance said no they want him to stick with methotrexate. Dermatologist decided to try a different angle and go for Otzela instead which does not come with the side effects or required bloodwork like Humira and Methotrexate. Our prescription insurance won't approve Otzela because. .. DH hasn't been on Humira yet. I found out that I could get cocaine a hell of a lot easier than we can get him a legal above board prescription. Not that either one of us have a desire to try it but in my brain it should work the opposite direction. I don't know if you mean he got mad at you for saying it, but even if he did, it doesn't mean it's not true. That's an excuse almost every single addict uses...."You have no idea what it's like to be me." And it's true. Nobody can know. It's still not an excuse.
I'm sorry about your husband's condition. I have watched commercials for Humira because Phil Mickelson has the same condition and he's my favorite golfer! I hope he can find a way to get the assistance he needs. Does he have to be on the other medication a certain amount of time before he can be approved for Humira? Or is this like a "never" thing?
DH doesn't use it as an excuse, he takes responsibility for his choices. What he tries to explain to me is it is easy for me to sit on my high horse and say "I will never. .. " because I'm not wired the same way. I don't have a desire to take anything. I can count on one hand how many times I've been drunk in my life and I took one puff off a cigarette back in HS and swore never again. They don't light up the parts of my brain they do in an addict. Everything DH has ever taken was legal and/or prescribed to him legally. Thousands of other people took ephedrine and didn't end up abusing it, same with pain pills. It just so happens DH is one of the people it did light up the "right" places in the brain. Basically "there but for the grace of God go I". I don't control my brain chemistry. I took pain pills after I got my wisdom teeth removed, just so happens I don't like how they make me feel. I'm not going to go shoot up heroin to test my theory, I'm not stupid. DH has also never had the desire to do anything illegal. However I can imagine someone being cocky enough to experiment and unfortunately they happen to be one of those people that light up after they take it. You really don't know till you try it and by then it's too late. Living with someone who is a recovering addict has completely changed my viewpoint on the subject. Like most I tended to take the stance that it's all just an excuse and the addict is just a weak willed excuse for a human being unlike me. After all it's all about personal responsibility. As I get older and I've been with DH for as long as I have I realize it's not that black and white. We need to stop punishing addicts for their "personal failures" and start treating it like a public health problem which is. Humira is a no because it has the same side effects as methotrexate. After he ended up with a 105 fever thanks to catching a cold from Abby he never wants to take a medication that has the side effect of "potentially fatal respitaroy infection" ever again and I don't blame him. He said psorasis may be ugly and his knee hurts but at least it won't kill him or wind up needing a liver transplant due to it. We are debating continuing the fight for Otzela. It really does work but it does come with a side effect while not deadly is rather a PITA. He's going to stick with it for as long as samples we got from the company last and we'll go from there.
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Post by The Walk of the Penguin Mich on Mar 9, 2017 11:08:00 GMT -5
I'm not disagreeing with you.....BUT some people who are not in physical pain but mental pain/frustration/depression try to medicate their life away. If you think about it, it is perfectly acceptable to come home from a bad day at work and pour yourself a scotch, or pop open a bottle of beer. You have a busy day, and sit down with a glass if wine. Kids little monsters? Yep, pop the cork on the bottle of wine once they are in bed. The difference is that it is with a socially acceptable drug (alcohol) and most of us stop at one or 2. It does not become a habit or need. I think that blaming advertising for ills is simply passing the buck. These days, pretty much the only drugs I see advertised are for erectile dysfunction, Alzheimer's, and to prevent blood clotting. I can remember ads for BCPs, and antiinflammarories, but haven't seen those in ages. Most of these drugs are NOT the sort to make you happy (well, in an indirect way, I guess you can say BCPs do). Only once in my life have I ever asked a doc to try out a drug I saw on tv....and that was for Bextra. At the time, my hip was giving me fits, had been giving me fits for years and I had tried just about every NSAID on the market with varying success. Bextra worked beautifully...I cried when it was pulled. But it wasn't because I wanted to feel great...I simply wanted a way to function, to walk without pain. Here is where you lose me again....how in the world can you compare having a glass of wine to taking heroin? I get hwat you are saying I think (that we all have our coping mechanisms) but for anyone to put heroin on the same level as wine or cocktails just blows my mind.
For anyone that thinks alcohol is on the same par as heroin, would you want to sit around and shoot heroin with your friends, family or children (assuming over age 21)? Is the only thing stopping you the fact that it isn't socially acceptable? Because I will gladly sit and have some drinks with my daughter when she is of age....I sure as hell wouldn't sit and do heroin with her!
Where ever did I say that? I said that alcohol CAN be as destructive as heroin. And it can be. Swamp gave you the data so you now have cold hard numbers. There is absolutely NOTHING in what I have written that compares having a glass of wine to taking heroin.
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Post by The Walk of the Penguin Mich on Mar 9, 2017 11:12:52 GMT -5
I just think that a possible addiction is way worse than living with some discomfort for awhile - whether it be physical or emotional.
Let me ask you this, and I do not mean it snarkily. Have you ever been in long term, chronic discomfort? I am and have been since Dec 2011. It is so horribly wearing that I can wrap my brain around the reasons why one would choose to self medicate. I choose not to and would not ever (I think), but I understand it.
My discomfort is physical and after awhile it does have a psychological/emotional impact. And let me tell you, it sucks batshit off cave walls. I wouldn't wish this on anyone.
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Green Eyed Lady
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Post by Green Eyed Lady on Mar 9, 2017 11:31:51 GMT -5
I just think that a possible addiction is way worse than living with some discomfort for awhile - whether it be physical or emotional.Let me ask you this, and I do not mean it snarkily. Have you ever been in long term, chronic discomfort? I am and have been since Dec 2011. It is so horribly wearing that I can wrap my brain around the reasons why one would choose to self medicate. I choose not to and would not ever (I think), but I understand it. My discomfort is physical and after awhile it does have a psychological/emotional impact. And let me tell you, it sucks batshit off cave walls. I wouldn't wish this on anyone. Yes. I have. And still am. It does suck something awful. No way do I add an addiction on to that. That's swapping one pain for another and it makes no sense whatsoever. I'll get through it. Before anybody jumps on the "so you think everyone else is a big wuss"...no. I don't. I think everyone has different levels they can tolerate and honestly, it's more a case of just something I'm used to. So when I have a good day, it is damn good!
I can understand, too. I've been tempted, believe me. I suppose it helps that anything I tried years ago made me sick as heck and messed up my digestive track horribly. I'm not going to take a pill to fix what the first pill did and then have to take a pill to fix that. It doesn't even make sense to me. I'll live with it. And yes. It makes me a total bitch sometimes. That's life. I wouldn't wish it on anybody either. I'm not, however, unable to function. If that happens, obviously I'll rethink it. Until then, I'm good because, hopefully, it's something that will ease.
There are things I can do that help. Like exercise. The problem with that is that sometimes it just hurts too dang badly to want to do anything to make it worse. I keep my weight down. I've never had an issue with being overweight but even 10 pounds can aggravate my condition. I used to take a lot of ibuprofen. That has some serious possible side effects in and of itself if abused. It's not just prescription stuff that can harm you. I try to eat the foods that have natural anti-inflammatory properties.
Another issue that arises from chronic pain is depression. It's hard to look forward to a day you know is going to be filled with discomfort. I don't mean to make you puke, but I really do count my blessings. Cause dang....they are many. Every day on this side of the dirt is a good one.
I'm sorry you hurt all the time. You already know that affects you emotionally as well as physically. I hope you can find some relief at some point.
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mmhmm
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Post by mmhmm on Mar 9, 2017 12:08:45 GMT -5
NomoreDramaQ1015, I don't know if you've seen this: Humira SiteAbbVie does have a cost reduction program for this drug. It might be worth looking into if you haven't already done so.
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NomoreDramaQ1015
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Post by NomoreDramaQ1015 on Mar 9, 2017 12:17:25 GMT -5
NomoreDramaQ1015 , I don't know if you've seen this: Humira SiteAbbVie does have a cost reduction program for this drug. It might be worth looking into if you haven't already done so. We've seen it. DH is not sure he wants to take Humira. Otzela has the same thing that's why we have a crap load of 30 day supplies in our house right now. At first he didn't like the side effect so he stopped taking it. Things have been getting worse recently so he decided to try it again. I've told him he needs to call the dermatology office again, they left a message regarding insurance but he never called them back. It was just interesting to realize we could score cocaine faster and easier than we've been able to obtain an on the market legally approved medication.
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buystoys
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Post by buystoys on Mar 9, 2017 13:04:50 GMT -5
I just think that a possible addiction is way worse than living with some discomfort for awhile - whether it be physical or emotional.Let me ask you this, and I do not mean it snarkily. Have you ever been in long term, chronic discomfort? I am and have been since Dec 2011. It is so horribly wearing that I can wrap my brain around the reasons why one would choose to self medicate. I choose not to and would not ever (I think), but I understand it. My discomfort is physical and after awhile it does have a psychological/emotional impact. And let me tell you, it sucks batshit off cave walls. I wouldn't wish this on anyone. Yes. I have. And still am. It does suck something awful. No way do I add an addiction on to that. That's swapping one pain for another and it makes no sense whatsoever. I'll get through it. Before anybody jumps on the "so you think everyone else is a big wuss"...no. I don't. I think everyone has different levels they can tolerate and honestly, it's more a case of just something I'm used to. So when I have a good day, it is damn good!
I can understand, too. I've been tempted, believe me. I suppose it helps that anything I tried years ago made me sick as heck and messed up my digestive track horribly. I'm not going to take a pill to fix what the first pill did and then have to take a pill to fix that. It doesn't even make sense to me. I'll live with it. And yes. It makes me a total bitch sometimes. That's life. I wouldn't wish it on anybody either. I'm not, however, unable to function. If that happens, obviously I'll rethink it. Until then, I'm good because, hopefully, it's something that will ease.
There are things I can do that help. Like exercise. The problem with that is that sometimes it just hurts too dang badly to want to do anything to make it worse. I keep my weight down. I've never had an issue with being overweight but even 10 pounds can aggravate my condition. I used to take a lot of ibuprofen. That has some serious possible side effects in and of itself if abused. It's not just prescription stuff that can harm you. I try to eat the foods that have natural anti-inflammatory properties.
Another issue that arises from chronic pain is depression. It's hard to look forward to a day you know is going to be filled with discomfort. I don't mean to make you puke, but I really do count my blessings. Cause dang....they are many. Every day on this side of the dirt is a good one.
I'm sorry you hurt all the time. You already know that affects you emotionally as well as physically. I hope you can find some relief at some point.
So, so this! I completely understand self-medication. (BTDT and would possibly do it again if I had no other choice.) These are situations where I find it VERY easy to understand why someone becomes addicted and/or accidentally overdoses. It's difficult to live when you can't even do simple activities due to pain or the fear of how much more pain you will have after the activity.
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naughtybear
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Post by naughtybear on Mar 9, 2017 13:16:21 GMT -5
When I take my former drug of choice, I feel like a wonderwoman and my social anxiety is gone. It also let me forget the mental anguish.
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