Opioid Misuse Common, Survey Shows

[Justin]

Most Utah residents receiving prescriptions for opioid painkillers did not immediately use all the medication they were given and, against recommendations, kept the leftovers, researchers said...

Opioid Misuse Common, Survey Shows (click here for the full article at MedPage Today)

[Dave]

We have 750 employees where I work and the "trading" of narcotics is very prevalent with the younger folks. I here about it all the time. I was actually approached by several after my neck surgery wanting to know if I had any they could buy from me. A simple "if you ask me again you'll regret it" and they backed off.

It is a bigger problem tham people realize.

[New-disc]

Justin,

Thanks for the info...

Yikes!

Todd

[Terry Newton]

It is a nationwide epidemic that is far surpassing all of the illicit substance abuse. The youth believe it is safe because doctors are prescribing it. It is scary with all of the overdose deaths that have occurred nationwide in the past decade would bring shock and help if it were any other problem than the stigma of drug addicts.

[KBear]

It's crazy how much narcotic abuse there is. I know people who have ordereded them off the internet and had them delivered to their door in days. I have had many a people ask me for pain meds. I reply that if they are in enough pain to need them, then they need to see a dr. to make sure it's not something more.

My neighbor, who is like 25, drives me nuts asking me for pills. You would think she would quit asking after being told no so many times; but nope. She actually gets 90 of the 10mg Vicodin a month, but after 5 or 6 days of getting her script is out and will text me asking for pills. She always has a reason why she needs them, either pain in the neck, a migraine, a new tattoo, twisted ankle, etc. One weekend she was so desperate after running out, that she drove from Dallas to Houston (5 hour drive), to see a quack doctor who would write her another script. I have watched this girl take 4 of them at once! With all the heavy crap I have been on, I couldn't even take 4 at once, not without falling out within an hour and probably dying.

My sister in law's, brother, is addicted to them too. He takes like 15+ a day. She has had him at her house when he has ran out and she said he starts puking, shaking, etc. He has some dr who he has only seen 1 time, who calls them in for him every month. He just calls for a refill and it is done. This dr does this after seeing him 1 time in 4+ years. It's absurd that their are drs that will do that. In my opinion, they should be called drug dealers.

It makes me so mad, because then people like us, who are in REAL pain and need medication, get denied by well meaning drs, for fear of the rest of the addicts.

[Jack-of-all-trades]

I'm with KBear on this one. The abuse by some make the needy suffer.

I think out of self preservation, those with chronic pain who have been on opioids for an extended period of time, keep an emergency supply of meds. After my surgery, I was happy I had a few extra. I keep no secrets from my pain management doc. She understood that driving 50+ miles round trip to pick up a script the day after discharge was not practical. Due to abuse, schedule II scripts must be written in triplicate with no refills and can't be called in.

In my state, there is a computer system similar to Kentucky's CASPER where opioid scripts are tracked. Yes, thankfully in this case, big brother is watching. There is still much to much illicit trade and sale of opioids. Many come from Mexico.

I don't tell people what I take. Break-ins, and robberies happen. I keep targets with bullet holes up in the woods behind my house from regular practice, ADT signs in the yard, and all meds are in a safe. I have a concealed carry permit as well.

As far as trading, I don't even do that with my wife. But I have seen people with legitimate need for opioids giving meds to co-workers. It seems to be an ego booster for the giver. I fuss about it at the parties involved when it happens in front of me.

Some older teens, especially males from the underbelly of society use prescription meds to take advantage of younger impressionable teens. Perpetrators of pill parties and rainbow parties, date rape of kids to young to know better, should be prosecuted to the max but to often just get a slap and are set free. I tend to get carried away on this topic, better stop.