Is It Just 'America's' Opioid Epidemic?
In the News
A huge light has been shone over the years on the Opioid Crisis in America on TV including reality, documentary and Dramas shows such as Dopesick but is it just in America? From personal experience I think there is also a huge issue in the UK with people of a certain generation dependent on the same prescribed pain opiates that are the focus on the American epidemic; namely, Oxycodone and Oxynorm, which over the years has changed name and these days are called longtec & shortec.
I was just wondering what people's views and opinions are on this and if anyone, like me, has personal experience with this?
The reason America had it so bad is because doctors we're handing them out like sweets with the help of pharmaceutical companies
martinlufc5637 yeah there’s good book about it that was released in 2021 called empire of pain. It explains how they used pharmaceutical reps to push these dangerous drugs on people.
I believe junkies were so called because when morphine was first issued as a cough medicine in the US ,people became so quickly hooked that they ended up selling any old junk to finance their addiction.
No personal experience but agree that this is also a huge issue in the UK. Like many things in this country, unless it's mentioned in a news cycle, people are very quick to 'forget' that the UK is littered with issues.
I understand GPs are trying to reduce their patients intake of certain medications, Tramadol for example. People still need painkillers though.
Fentanyl is a huge problem there and what is Fentanyl, essentially? A drug to relieve pain.
The issue is that it's been abused and it's out of control. If it can happen there, it can happen anywhere.
I think in USA they issue fentanyl as a liquid or tablet. I use fentanyl patches - change the patch every three days. I dont think even the patches are issued often in this country but I had a little ten hour surgery on my lumbar and sacral spine - i would rather have the pain patch than take more tablets etc. it releases the dose as it should.
But aren’t the fentanyl deaths being linked to heroin users ?
suevernon1968 yeah. It's because whoever is dealing the heroin is mixing it with fentanyl unbeknown to the heroin user and because it so strong the user is overdosing. A huge percentage of heroin users in America, believe it or not, have turned to heroin because usually somewhere in their past they've had to have surgery then been given a prescription for Oxycodone (morphine - which in itself is purified heroin) to manage the pain after the surgery, not realising how quickly Ur body gets used to having it. Then either the doctor just stops the prescription without weaning or as in so many cases, people can't afford to refill their prescriptions so to stop their withdrawals they turn to heroin because it's a fraction of the cost.
skmoskmo212 so do they get the fentanyl by tablets or liquid then - is that how they mix it ? Surely heroin is cheaper than fentanyl? I really don’t understand why anyone would do heroin in the first place yet alone mix the two together!
suevernon1968 from what I've seen on documentaries the fentanyl comes as powder in big tubs and over there is really cheap to buy! So the dealers actually make money by putting less heroin in say a $10 bag & more fentanyl therefore making the heroin they have go a longer way. It literally is a deathtrap in every sense of the word! There is an 8 part drama called Dopesick which stars Michael Keating. Have you watched it at all?
skmoskmo212 no - but I’m going to search for it and watch it ! Giving Fentanyl as a powder is just asking for trouble surely!!
suevernon1968 it was on Apple TV and honestly you really should watch it. Probably not the best analogy but after the 1st or 2nd episode, you'll be hooked lol
skmoskmo212 lol - i think with all the addictions going on getting hooked on a tv series is quite innocent
suevernon1968 and perfectly healthy lol. I hope you do watch it. It really explains a lot! Even knowing it's a true story didn't stop me catching myself in disbelief! X
skmoskmo212 ive got it saved and will start watching it tonight ! Thank you for that.
suevernon1968 not a problem at all. I hope after all that you actually enjoy it lol. Let me know x
skmoskmo212 I started watching it last night and have started again today. I’m amazed at what the pharmacy company got away with. I looked online there are so many programs surrounding this subject!! It’s difficult to stop watching!
suevernon1968 I know!! It's absolutely crazy how much evidence there is yet it's taken so long (alot still ongoing) to be brought to light. It's defo true what they say about big money corporations! Another saying also comes to mind......big brushes, huge rugs! X
suevernon1968 did U finish watching Dopesick? I noticed there's another programme on Netflix called Painkiller based roundabout it as well 
skmoskmo212 yeah - still a bit in shock. Ive seen painkiller advertised and i have also seen advertisements for raising lazarus which apparently is a sequel to dopesick !
suevernon1968 I haven't heard of raising Lazarus but I'll go and seek it out to watch now. It's so ridiculously crazy to me that Dopesick & Painkiller and no doubt many of the other TV shows highlight exactly how, when, where and why this started, with the 'big' pharmaceutical companies manufacturing & producing the pills, then the drug reps going out into surgeries and literally pill pushing, yet after 20-25 years it is still happening! It baffles me xx
I think the word junkies derived from the fact that people were reduced to selling off all their old junk to pay for drugs.Morphine was first used as a cough medicine before people realised quite how addictive it was by which time it was too late for many who were flogging the family silver to finance their habit.
MelissaLee1 yeah it's amazing what they used decades ago for medical ailments. In the early 20's cocaine was used as a painkiller as well x
If junkies wanna fix so bad, there's always somebody will get them it at a price. It's what they are prepared to do to get that price that's scary. Where I live, the strong opiods mentioned along with morfene patches etc, are prescribed mostly only to cancer patients, paliative care etc. They have really cut down in doctors surgerys on what they prescribe these days.
I've been watching the Dopesick series, it's unbelievable the lengths some people go to to make money , out of other people's misery
The relationship between doctors and pharmaceutical companies has been concerning in many countries for too long. I feel more transparency should be imposed by law so that patients know if pharmaceutical companies have influencing relationships with doctors which create bias into the choice of drugs they prescribe.
EmmaWright762 right now with the NHS in crisis due to the COVID epidemic, pharmacies are struggling with the stock of certain drugs leaving GP's to prescribe alternatives and I know that most GP surgeries now have an in-house pharmacist who's job is to make sure that when GP's are prescribing, they are prescribing the cheapest version of the medication available
I had an accident at work over 10 yrs ago & no painkillers worked for me apart from Fentanyl, your meant to be on it 3-6 months max, I was on it for over 7 yrs. as my new pain specialist told me at the highest dose which I was on it was like me taking 3 small doses of heroin a week plus it’s 50% more potent to morphine. Obviously after being on it that long I became addicted and had to top up pain relief daily with tramadol, ibuprofen etc, the more I had the more my body needed, I felt like a proper drug addict every 3rd day shaking, being sick, hallucinating cos my body was waiting for its next kick. 3 yrs ago enough was enough & I asked to be referred to a specialist centre to detox using Ketamine but I had to wait nearly 2 1/2 yrs for my appt via the NHS. The meds have messed with my liver, my mind & masking over health issues that have now come to light which could have been treated over the years but now need surgery.
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