An open letter to all the pushers of Oxycontin.....

[The AD]

I have snorted ox, I knew I wouldn't get addicted

Sounds like famous last words to me.

So what's the deal with oxycontin? Why do people want to use it if they aren't in pain? I admit total ignorance.

[leroy jenkins]

Sounds like famous last words to me.

Well I haven't had any in a couple days, and feel 0 temptation to do any more. What is a hell f a lot more temtping is to be able to go out on a nice mellow tour with my arm in a sling in a few days and thats not going to happen if im on ox. I didnt even have to try to quit, just one minute I wanted nothing more to do with it.

I'll probably hold on to em for a while and keep them in my first aid kit. Maybe some day I'll feel like getting high and snort a couple. Or not.

So what's the deal with oxycontin? Why do people want to use it if they aren't in pain? I admit total ignorance.

Because it gets you fucking high. I would go into more detail, but If you don't get that then I wouldn't know what to say.

The high was all right, not anything all THAT incredibly awesome.


The funny thing about pills like vicadin is that when I'm in pain they make me feel dizzy, but if I take em with a few beers when I'm feeling fine they make me feel good. Wierd, but theres unhealthy amounts of tylenol in em anyways.

[hutash]

The high you get from opiates is not really that much of a high. It really doesn't even kill pain, but it makes you just not care about the pain anymore.It also makes you not care about eating, drinking, interacting with others, et cetera. This is, of course, in more advance stages of addiction. This is why addicts waste away, and don't care about anything else except their next hit of the opiate.

Fortunately I dislike the initial feeling of opiates, and after a couple of days on the shit for a broken collar bone and rib I just did without. The problem for many people, is that they want to be 100% pain free, so keep using it for a long period, and addiction develops. Had I taken it for the full six weeks it takes to completely heal, I could have become dependent. It is too easy for MDs to give into clients that just want more, with out really paying attention to the situation.

As for take oxy or other opiates for broken ribs, yes opiate depress respiration, but not nearly to the extent pain does. At least on opiates one can intentionally take deep breaths to keep lung function healthy. When you are in pain breathing deep sucks, so you tend to take shallow breaths.

Bottom line...opiates, like any other drug, are great if used properly. All drugs are toxic and have adverse effects. The trick is to find the greatest benefit with the least bad effects. For any of you not in the medical profession, I doubt you have the slightest idea how truly difficult this is. Can we do a better job? Absolutely, but the medical profession is often caught in the middle with client who demand more then we feel is needed. You would be amazed how difficult it is to persuade a client they don't need antibiotics, let alone some narcotic for pain.

[hutash]

The high you get from opiates is not really that much of a high. It really doesn't even kill pain, but it makes you just not care about the pain anymore.It also makes you not care about eating, drinking, interacting with others, et cetera. This is, of course, in more advance stages of addiction. This is why addicts waste away, and don't care about anything else except their next hit of the opiate.

Fortunately I dislike the initial feeling of opiates, and after a couple of days on the shit for a broken collar bone and rib I just did without. The problem for many people, is that they want to be 100% pain free, so keep using it for a long period, and addiction develops. Had I taken it for the full six weeks it takes to completely heal, I could have become dependent. It is too easy for MDs to give into clients that just want more, with out really paying attention to the situation.

As for take oxy or other opiates for broken ribs, yes opiate depress respiration, but not nearly to the extent pain does. At least on opiates one can intentionally take deep breaths to keep lung function healthy. When you are in pain breathing deep sucks, so you tend to take shallow breaths.

Bottom line...opiates, like any other drug, are great if used properly. All drugs are toxic and have adverse effects. The trick is to find the greatest benefit with the least bad effects. For any of you not in the medical profession, I doubt you have the slightest idea how truly difficult this is. Can we do a better job? Absolutely, but the medical profession is often caught in the middle with client who demand more then we feel is needed. You would be amazed how difficult it is to persuade a client they don't need antibiotics, let alone some narcotic for pain.

[Elkhound Odin]

I have snorted ox, I knew I wouldn't get addicted, so I saw it as just a quicker way to get it into my system.

Eh? What wrong with you? You don't see snorting Oxy as a problem? You don't see that as abuse? Oxy is a time release drug intended to be swallowed whole. You are not suppose to break the pill for the full dose in one shot. All that does is make the drug's effectiveness short term, requiring another dose in a short period of time.

This type of misuse seems to be the current theme of this thread. You just help make the point that it's not the "evil" pharma co's or drug "pushing" docs causing the problems. It the improper application (your issue) and tendency of addiction (other people) that are the root of the problem.

[leroy jenkins]

The high you get from opiates is not really that much of a high. It really doesn't even kill pain, but it makes you just not care about the pain anymore.

It seemed to kill my pain pretty well, without me having to get that fucked up off it.

Eh? What wrong with you? You don't see snorting Oxy as a problem? You don't see that as abuse? Oxy is a time release drug intended to be swallowed whole. You are not suppose to break the pill for the full dose in one shot. All that does is make the drug's effectiveness short term, requiring another dose in a short period of time.

This type of misuse seems to be the current theme of this thread. You just help make the point that it's not the "evil" pharma co's or drug "pushing" docs causing the problems. It the improper application (your issue) and tendency of addiction (other people) that are the root of the problem.

Except that when I snorted them I snorted one at a time, when the docs orders were to swallow two or three every four hours. When you're in pain because you had to drive somewhere and didn't want to be fucked up, you want the effects to start as soon as possible once you can take em. So you snort one, eat some food, then in a bit take another couple pills just before the one you snorted wears off.

Or, you just ate dinner, are bored and want to watch a movie, so sit down, nurse a beer, and enjoy.

If thats "abuse" fine, but what the hell else am I going to do when I'm injured, and need to sit in one spot for hours to elevate my hand? I didn't get addicted, so no one got hurt and everything is going to be all right with the cosmos.

But yea, you're right, no one made me do it, and if I got addicted it would be my own damn fault. I think a big problem is a lot of people don't realize how addictive it is since its something you get from a doc. I know exactly what it is, and what it can do to people, but i know people my parents age that have been prescribed it that never really understood that its basically heroin until they were trying to quit. That should never happen.

[crstlextrm]

But yea, you're right, no one made me do it, and if I got addicted it would be my own damn fault. I think a big problem is a lot of people don't realize how addictive it is since its something you get from a doc. I know exactly what it is, and what it can do to people, but i know people my parents age that have been prescribed it that never really understood that its basically heroin until they were trying to quit. That should never happen.

That is part of the reason the execs that promoted Oxycontin were fined over 600 million dollars. Ive just seen too much horrible shit happen because of this drug so I will always despise it. My stepdad died at the age of 36 from a lethal combo of OC and anti-depressants that were all prescribed by a doc for legitimate reasons, he had Osteogenesis Imperfecta.

I am all for personal choice, but when the personal choices of others start effecting me and my family I get pissed. I could care less if you snorted a couple of 5 mg pills, I have too. I just think that opiates are a slippery slope that cause more problems than they help and the pharmaceutical industry should find a better solution. Also, there are some people that are just fucking pussies and need to learn to deal with a little bit of pain (not saying you LJ). If I were wearing my tin foil hat I would throw out a crazy theory that if the pharm idustry had effective painkillers that didnt get you high, demand and profit margins would decline.

[MOHSHSIHd]

Ox, is scary for sure. All pain med addicts make it harder for people with real pain to get the drugs they need.


I'm not saying I need oxy, but the crappy little Vics I got for my broken leg do absolutely nothing. I asked for something better and was denied because I guess the doc thought I was a sketchball or something.

[Rubicon]

dpps for great advice

Bastard

[Art Shirk]

I was at my brother's house the other night and folks were having a few beers and hanging out. While in the kitchen, some dude was ripping aluminum foil into little squares and I assume this dude was gonna smoke some heroin or a speed ball mixture. While it wasn't my house, I told the guy to get lost and he calmly replied, "It's cool man, I am just gonna burn some Oxy."

Well, in that case, smoke it up Johnny It is scary stuff and easily abused. You can smoke it, eat it, shoot it, or snort it, just keep it away from me unless it comes with a perscription and a broken body.

[Spats]

You have, obviously, never busted a rib, or had serious migraines. There is nothing wrong with the drug, or the manufacturer. It is a great drug for its intended purpose. The problem lies with the idiots who take it wrongly.

The last years of my grandmother's life were made possible by Oxycontin. She was in terrible pain from her arthritis. Instead of a 90-year-old woman needlessly suffering in a hospital bed, she spent her twilight years at home with her family.

[Jer]

Any drug is not the problem. Stupid people are the problem. Maybe I'm just an ignorant asshole because I don't have the "addiction gene", but I've done plenty of legal and illegal drugs in my life both for legitimate pain reduction and for recreation and I've never gotten "hooked". I always just get bored with them. They are all really pretty boring unless you don't have anything going on in the real world. Kinda like the internet. Ideally, if people weren't such morons, all drugs would be perfectly legal.

[ptavv]

Lets get rid of anything that could possibly be abused by stupid people. No matter its utility.

[leroy jenkins]

Also, there are some people that are just fucking pussies and need to learn to deal with a little bit of pain (not saying you LJ).

Even if you're not referring to me, you have no right to make that judgment about anyone's life but your own. Live your own life and stop making imaginary rules for other people.

I don't see any reason to endure pain I don't have to.

[crstlextrm]

Obviously there some people that dont get why I am mad that a drug this powerful is so readily available to young people. Thankfully I got bored with doing hard drugs and never got addicted to them, which is amazing considering that I have a fairly addictive personality.

I cant recall ever saying that I wanted an all out ban on the drug, my issue is with how bad the abuse of it has been and how I have had to deal with the repercussions of it. I think most young dumb kids think that buying a little pill from their friends is much more respectable than buying H from some shady character in some shitty neighborhood. For those that cant maintain their footholds the fall to the depths of being a junky is alarmingly fast, and I have had to watch it too many times.

I dont doubt that Oxy has benefited a certain number of people otherwise it wouldnt have been approved for use. I hope that people that need it will someday have something substantially better, something that doesnt have such a severe risk for abuse and addiction. How our govt can approve a drug like that while still demonizing marijuana is beyond my comprehension.

Im officially done venting about this stuff for now. Hopefully my family member doesnt skip out on detox and rehab and I can find new and exciting things to gripe about. The best thing that could come of this thread is that someone with teenagers might research more about this problem and potentially prevent or stop their kids from getting hooked.

Fuck, time for a cancer stick.

[crstlextrm]

Even if you're not referring to me, you have no right to make that judgment about anyone's life but your own. Live your own life and stop making imaginary rules for other people.

I don't see any reason to endure pain I don't have to.

Actually, I can judge people by whatever merits I so choose. If you feel like numbing every single pain you have with a pill you are a pussy in my book. Feel free to pass judgement on me as I dont really give a damn.

[BmillsSkier]

I agree with the OP almost 100%. Elkhound Odin, you missed the point. He was complaining about oxy being way too available - in many cases, you can get oxy from cracking a rib or having migrenes(I´ve encountered this). In these cases, respectively, too strong a drug, and wrong drug. The pharmaceutical(sp?) industry is wicked and immoral indeed. MDs are at fault, too, for subscribing these drugs in questionable medical cases.

I agree with you too, EO, some people actually need oxy, and they shouldn´t miss out on the best drugs they can get. The fault lies with the pushers and dealers of this shit.

Let's start here kid:

The pharmaceutical(sp?) industry is wicked and immoral indeed.

Lets see how far you would be in life without the pharmaceutical industry? To simply say they are wicked and immoral is naive at best and fucking retarded at worst. I bet you hate Wal-mart too? How many anti-bush stickers are on your Saab?

The world is vastly in a better place because this industry spends BILLIONS each year developing drugs that help countless ailments. How many illnesses have been cured or are now under some vastly better level of management than they were 10-20-30 years ago? Malaria? Smallpox? Measles? How many of your ancestors died from diseases like this? Your simpleton statement shows no rational thought process and illustrates your lack of understaning and objectivity of the industry. Oh, not to mention that the pharma industry donates more than almost any other major industry to charitable causes, most of which are FREE drugs to 3rd world countries.

MDs are at fault, too, for subscribing these drugs

You get half credit for this statement. I'll let the substitution of "subscribing" for the word "perscribing" pass.

You know those two letters you led off this sentence with? The same two that come after a doctor's name? That means this person has gone through years of schooling, continuing education, and research to know what is good and what is not good for a patient. It is their responsibility and theirs alone when a "scrip" is written.

The pharma industry has about as much affect on doctors writing bad scrips as gun crimes have to do with violence on TV. Ask any drug rep, they'll tell you that the last thing any doctor wants to do is take any amount of time out of their already crammed day to hear them TRY and inform them about what their company's drug does. That is, if they are allowed into the office at all. Most offices are "no see" for reps now. No amount of free pens, paper and kleenex is going to make a doctor write the wrong drug for the wrong patient. Get real. The perks and expense accounts and all that made up shit that you think about the pharma industry went out the door years ago. You couldn't force me to work in such a miserable environment as reps do today.

I agree with you too, EO, some people actually need oxy, and they shouldn´t miss out on the best drugs they can get. The fault lies with the pushers and dealers of this shit

you get full credit for this last statement. No complaint here. Just do yourself a favor and think before you make vast sweeping judgements like you started with in your post. It will go a long way in helping your credibility.

[crstlextrm]

^^ I met Jim Palmer in a fancy hotel "pitching" the benefits of Prilosec to a group of docs when I was younger. It was pretty fun, really nice buffet too. What I didnt like was the baseballs that he signed for us were cheap plastic ones with the Prilosec logo on them, the signatures faded almost completely within a couple of years. I think the time I got to sit in a luxury box at Safeco was paid by pharmaceutical companies also. Not sure how things have changed, this was the better part of 10 years ago. I dont think that these businesses are inherently evil as a whole, but they are still profit driven which can lead to bad decisions from time to time.

[leroy jenkins]

Actually, I can judge people by whatever merits I so choose. If you feel like numbing every single pain you have with a pill you are a pussy in my book. Feel free to pass judgement on me as I dont really give a damn.

I'm not one of the people that self medicate because I just can't quite hack it at life. In general, I think drugs are mildly amusing and can serve their purpose.

I try not to even take over the counter pain pills very often.

However, for real physical pain, like an injury, what point is there just to be in pain? You make it sound like you're proving something by being too stubborn to seek relief. Thats retarded. Are you a Christian Scientist or something?

[awake1563]

If I were wearing my tin foil hat I would throw out a crazy theory that if the pharm idustry had effective painkillers that didnt get you high, demand and profit margins would decline.

Toradol
Ibuprofen
Naproxen
Acetaminophen
Aspirin
Methylprednisolone

Look through all the NSAID's and Steroids, and you've just begun to scratch the surface of pain relievers that have no effect on mentation.

There are of course contraindications for all of them, but never miss a good chance to shut up...

[crstlextrm]

^^^ Then why are there so many people being prescribed opiates? Like I said it was a baseless, knee jerk theory that I threw out just for the hell of it because right now Im pissed off (thats why I said "tin foil hat" and "crazy theory"). If you havent gathered that I started this thread because of my frustration with the negative side effects of Oxycontin then I dont know what else I can say, except to reiterate that my opinion is not objective right now. It is my thread and I will spew whatever shit I want to, that is the beauty of the PADDED ROOM. Im deeply sorry if I have sullied the integrity of this forum.

I'm not one of the people that self medicate because I just can't quite hack it at life. In general, I think drugs are mildly amusing and can serve their purpose.

I try not to even take over the counter pain pills very often.

However, for real physical pain, like an injury, what point is there just to be in pain? You make it sound like you're proving something by being too stubborn to seek relief. Thats retarded. Are you a Christian Scientist or something?

I didnt originally accuse you of it either, in fact I made a point not to do it. My baseless and completely uninformed opinion is that I believe there are a decent percentage of people that like to think that they are in more pain than they actually are and believe that Oxy, vicodin, percs or whatever are going to be sooooo much more effective than taking a couple Ibuprofen. I think that we are becoming more and more a nation of hypochondriacs. Obviously there are a great many people that are not like this and have legit pain. Believe it or not I was begging for morphine when my right foot did a complete 180 and my tib/fib was in 6 or 7 pieces.

You said I have no right to have the opinion I have. Ill continue to believe whatever the fuck I want based on what I have seen and experienced and I invite you to do the same. Im TOTALLY a Christian Scientist, you are fucking brilliant for deciphering that from the posts I have made in this thread.

[arild]

Let's start here kid:



Lets see how far you would be in life without the pharmaceutical industry? To simply say they are wicked and immoral is naive at best and fucking retarded at worst. I bet you hate Wal-mart too? How many anti-bush stickers are on your Saab?

The world is vastly in a better place because this industry spends BILLIONS each year developing drugs that help countless ailments. How many illnesses have been cured or are now under some vastly better level of management than they were 10-20-30 years ago? Malaria? Smallpox? Measles? How many of your ancestors died from diseases like this? Your simpleton statement shows no rational thought process and illustrates your lack of understaning and objectivity of the industry. Oh, not to mention that the pharma industry donates more than almost any other major industry to charitable causes, most of which are FREE drugs to 3rd world countries.



You get half credit for this statement. I'll let the substitution of "subscribing" for the word "perscribing" pass.

You know those two letters you led off this sentence with? The same two that come after a doctor's name? That means this person has gone through years of schooling, continuing education, and research to know what is good and what is not good for a patient. It is their responsibility and theirs alone when a "scrip" is written.

The pharma industry has about as much affect on doctors writing bad scrips as gun crimes have to do with violence on TV. Ask any drug rep, they'll tell you that the last thing any doctor wants to do is take any amount of time out of their already crammed day to hear them TRY and inform them about what their company's drug does. That is, if they are allowed into the office at all. Most offices are "no see" for reps now. No amount of free pens, paper and kleenex is going to make a doctor write the wrong drug for the wrong patient. Get real. The perks and expense accounts and all that made up shit that you think about the pharma industry went out the door years ago. You couldn't force me to work in such a miserable environment as reps do today.



you get full credit for this last statement. No complaint here. Just do yourself a favor and think before you make vast sweeping judgements like you started with in your post. It will go a long way in helping your credibility.

Out of curiousity, what do you do for a living? If you really don´t believe pharma companies do not have any influence over MDs anymore, you are very sadly mistaken. The problem is that it´s not just the MDs - which I would believe are more independent in the US than they are in Norway, for the following reason:

The government decides which drugs are good enough, and which drugs are better than good - better than need be, they´re probably more expensive, and get canned. That means some drugs get on the government´s support plan (blue prescriptions), which in turn lets people get them for free or cheap if they´re in dire pain. MDs decide which drugs you get from a list. Oxycontin, oxycodon etc are naturally on this list, as they really are good drugs for their separate purposes, and I´m terribly sorry about passing judgement on all MDs. That was not fair, plain and simple.

I don´t drive a fucking Saab, you redneck. I don´t really like Bush either, but that´s for what he´s done to the US and its reputation over the past 7 or 8 years more than anything. Keep in mind, I live in Norway. I´ve now told you how it works over here. Corruption exists,and I am very, very fucking sure it exists in America too.

And fuckstick: Someone else pointed out twice the errors in my spelling. I was tired at the time of writing. BTW: Is being anti-bush suddenly a bad thing? I think the man has fucked up your country like few before him, and so I´m supposed to support him? With those arguments, you´re no better than my first post.

Edit: Forgot/overlooked.. FREE DRUGS? Fow fucking stupid are you? Those drugs distributed are old and useless. Prove me wrong.

[arild]

And, I am actually dependant on pharma companies (work, work, work). My post(s) are just expressing frustration over how easy it actually is to get oxy, which this thread was all about. Do you have an opinion on this, Bmills, or do you just want to attack mine, since you have nothing else to say?

[ak_powder_monkey]

People who sell drugs to kids who's balls haven't even dropped should be shot...

Otherwise fuck it, if you wanna fuck up your life by all means do it, but please just kill yourself before you waste all of our money in prison.

[BmillsSkier]

Out of curiousity, what do you do for a living? If you really don´t believe pharma companies do not have any influence over MDs anymore, you are very sadly mistaken. The problem is that it´s not just the MDs - which I would believe are more independent in the US than they are in Norway, for the following reason:

First of all its no business of yours what I do for a living, I will say that I am very connected to the pharma industry though. And you still haven't shown how a pharma company MAKES a MD perscribe a drug.

The government decides which drugs are good enough, and which drugs are better than good - better than need be, they´re probably more expensive, and get canned. That means some drugs get on the government´s support plan (blue prescriptions), which in turn lets people get them for free or cheap if they´re in dire pain. MDs decide which drugs you get from a list. Oxycontin, oxycodon etc are naturally on this list, as they really are good drugs for their separate purposes, and I´m terribly sorry about passing judgement on all MDs. That was not fair, plain and simple.

This is a great endorsement for socialized healthcare.

I don´t drive a fucking Saab, you redneck. I don´t really like Bush either, but that´s for what he´s done to the US and its reputation over the past 7 or 8 years more than anything. Keep in mind, I live in Norway. I´ve now told you how it works over here. Corruption exists,and I am very, very fucking sure it exists in America too.

Your buttons are pushed easily. You sound like every other reactionary who screams, "the pharma industry is evil!" and those people tend to drive Saabs with anti-bush stickers on them.

I'm not a big fan of him either, way to take one illustrating comment about your knee-jerk statement way too far and spend the rest of your post blathering on about Bush. Care for a pill?

And fuckstick: Someone else pointed out twice the errors in my spelling. I was tired at the time of writing. BTW: Is being anti-bush suddenly a bad thing? I think the man has fucked up your country like few before him, and so I´m supposed to support him? With those arguments, you´re no better than my first post.

see above.

Edit: Forgot/overlooked.. FREE DRUGS? Fow fucking stupid are you? Those drugs distributed are old and useless. Prove me wrong.

Like someone said before, never miss a good opportunity to shut up. Your statement is laughable.

Pharma donates millions of FREE drugs a year, that's a fact. These drugs help people and cure/alleviate illnesses and disease, that's a fact.

So for your juvenille comment to be true, the pharma industry would have to donate 0 drugs and if they did donate any, they would have to be placebo/or sugar pills in order to be "old and useless".

Since neither of those statements are anywhere close to being true you lose. Nice try though. Now shut up.