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Prescription drug abuse kills: action in 4 areas to lower abuse
Emaxhealth ^ | 2013-12-27 | Dr. Harold Mandell

Posted on 12/28/2013 10:33:19 PM PST by Armen Hareyan

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How can we as a society make people more aware of this danger?
1 posted on 12/28/2013 10:33:19 PM PST by Armen Hareyan
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To: Armen Hareyan

Propaganda! That’s how.


2 posted on 12/28/2013 10:48:08 PM PST by coloradan (The US has become a banana republic, except without the bananas - or the republic.)
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To: Armen Hareyan

I take some prescription drugs. Last time I went to the doctor to get my prescriptions refilled I had to take a urine analysis. It’s something new in response to the growing number of people abusing prescription drugs. The test also makes sure you are taking your drugs and not hoarding or selling them.


3 posted on 12/28/2013 11:00:02 PM PST by BBell (The Blue Dog is Stupid)
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To: Armen Hareyan
No problem! With ObamaCare they can just forbid doctors from prescribing dangerous drugs.

It's for the children, donchaknow?

4 posted on 12/28/2013 11:00:42 PM PST by null and void (I'm betting on an Obama Trifecta: A Nobel Peace Prize, an Impeachment, AND a War Crimes Trial...)
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To: Armen Hareyan

Psychiatrists are dangerous quacks, and their pills make you sicker than you were when you went in for help. I would think twice before trusting anyone in my family to their tender mercies.


5 posted on 12/28/2013 11:01:05 PM PST by Psiman (PS I am not a crackpot)
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To: Armen Hareyan

Welcome to FR, BTW...


6 posted on 12/28/2013 11:03:27 PM PST by null and void (I'm betting on an Obama Trifecta: A Nobel Peace Prize, an Impeachment, AND a War Crimes Trial...)
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To: Armen Hareyan

My wife was prescribed Paxil 20 years ago... The doctor doctor who prescribed it died and the new doctor just continued the prescription.

In checking her medications on the web, I found that the first 150 thousand hits with google involved lawsuits regarding this drug...

I told the Dr., either justify it or take her off it. I ask him if he knew why she was on it and he didn’t.

He immediately weaned her off it. I think he was somewhat embarrassed.

Bottom line... YOU have to check. They won’t.


7 posted on 12/28/2013 11:04:19 PM PST by babygene ( .)
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To: Armen Hareyan

The awareness that has to resonate is that prescription drug addiction is no better than illicit drug addiction and those who abuse either type of drug is an addict.


8 posted on 12/28/2013 11:08:09 PM PST by Oliviaforever
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To: Armen Hareyan

Prescription medications are still killing, writes the Association of Accredited Naturopathic Medical Colleges (AANMC).

Huh? What does a Naturopath have to do with pharmacology? And propoxyphene has been pulled off the market( very stupid move by the way) since 2010.


9 posted on 12/28/2013 11:41:25 PM PST by Cyman (We have to pass it to see what's in it= definition of stool sample)
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To: babygene
For men {not women} Paxil can have an undesired effect on the bladder. Blockage to be exact. Antidepressants carry a risk of the patient developing Serotonin Syndrome. This usually occurs when a patient without consulting their doctor takes OTC Cold medications with an antidepressant.

Compounding that issue is many doctors prescribing antidepressants are oblivious to Serotonin Syndrome. In other words they never heard of it. It's much like giving someone LSD and if not diagnosed properly and action taken it can kill.

10 posted on 12/28/2013 11:57:31 PM PST by cva66snipe ((Two Choices left for U.S. One Nation Under GOD or One Nation Under Judgment? Which one say ye?))
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To: cva66snipe
I use the State PMP all the time in my practice.

Today I caught TWO doctor "shoppers" who had massive amounts of narcotics prescribed from multiple sources.

I always am compassionate with such patients. I tell them I CAN'T give them narcotics, but I'll help them in any other way I can.

People with real pain, who aren't diverting or abusing never kick up a fuss.

BTW, these databases are ONLY for professionals to access. Pharmacists and doctors/providers.

It's illegal for some random person to go snooping around.

And YES it can be a lifesaver. If someone is actually taking these pills in these amounts, it would burn out their livers due to the Tylenol component alone.

Wish this was used more often.

Sorry to admit this about my profession, but many docs either don't check the PMP, or worse, just don't care.

It's rotten medical practice.

How would these docs feel if one of their patients died due to negligence?

11 posted on 12/29/2013 12:15:25 AM PST by boop (Liberal religion. No rules, just right!)
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To: boop
I take one of the "Boogieman" meds in the eyes of most doctors as does my wife. I'm a Xanax user of 20 years next month and my wife is a 28 year user. Xanax actually likely saved her life when a shrink gave her Trazadone and Zoloft. That's when I learned about Serotonin Syndrome. I diagnosed what six doctors missed.

Both of us have neurological impairments {she's an incomplete quad} which makes use of antidepressants a higher risk for adverse reaction. I took quite a few antidepressant of the month by several doctors for what was diagnosed as General Anxiety Disorder. They all made it worse especially my sensitivity to certain sounds.

Two years into treatment I found a book called Phobia Free and a doctor linked many anxiety disorders to Cerebellar Vestibular related damage likely from severe life long sinus allergies in my case. It makes sense if my sensory processing system was damaged antidepressants would saturate my damaged sensory processing system thus triggering more anxiety. The disorder alone is severe enough to produce Myoclonic seizures in my upper Torso antidepressants made that worse as well. Certain sounds and certain visual effects set me off. Phobic induced anxiety? No. Not in my case.

I started out on 2 MG Xanax a day. Big mistake as it only works half the time. Finally I found a doctor who understood it and he took me off all AD's and kept me on Xanax but cut the dose to .5mg four times a day. Now it works enough to where I can somewhat control it.

When some doctors see the Xanax prescription and I tell them how long I've taken it they freak. I have to explain to them what is actually wrong. My primary care doc understands as does my allergist. My primary care doc writes the script now for me and my wife.

My biggest gripe about these crackdowns is it has in the past made it difficult to find a doctor to write the script. If you loose your doctor you can't just go to an ER and say hey I need Xanax. LOL. On the other hand the extra meds we had accumulated over the years got us through a six month stretch of no primary care doctor. I do not consider a three - six month on hand amount of any medication used long term and as directed without abuse as bad or wrong but rather in these time a wise move. No one but immediate family and our doctors know we take it.

12 posted on 12/29/2013 12:40:47 AM PST by cva66snipe ((Two Choices left for U.S. One Nation Under GOD or One Nation Under Judgment? Which one say ye?))
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To: Armen Hareyan

This is what gets me about the anti-supplement jihad.

For every person who is even made sick by taking supplements, probably TEN THOUSAND die from prescription drugs!

Prescription pain killers/sleep aids/anti-psychotics kill far more people in this country than supplements and/or illegal drugs combined.

Way, way more.
Many times more!


13 posted on 12/29/2013 12:49:36 AM PST by djf (Global warming is a bunch of hot air!!)
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To: cva66snipe
I found that Xanax was a miracle drug for me. For years I was unable to sleep eight hours uninterrupted. On top of that I had severe allergies because of our cats. Xanax instantly curred both problems even though each were an off lable treatment. I take .5mg before bed and sleep (dream) soundly for eight hours. In addition, I stopped suffering from bronchial spasms (cats) during that time.

I don't characterise that drug the same as I do a great many opiate related ones. Then again I am dangerously allergic to all opiates. I guess I wouldn't know the addictive effects.

From what I can tell, Xanax may be an age related treatment. The off label treatment for sleep issues far out weighs those for anxiety in the 45 to 65 age bracket. In my case I just couldn't turn off the day or work. Sometimes it was just a patent related idea. I would toss and turn for hours. Xanax turned that off during sleep time.
14 posted on 12/29/2013 1:02:05 AM PST by PA Engineer (Liberate America from the Occupation Media.)
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To: djf
The pain killer issue is the by-product of several factors. The first being One Day Surgery. Not so long ago surgery meant hospital stay and medication was given and pain addressed before discharged.

The second one is chronic pain suffers who despite medical science best efforts will hurt and be in considerable life long pain because from medical advances they survived what a couple of decades ago would have been a fatal accident, incident, or disorder.

Third is doctors due to pressures placed on them by insurers do not have the time to do extensive histories and work ups that may give a clue as to why the person hurts.

I have a cousin with a severe heart condition. By severe I mean the doctors told him to get his affairs in order they can do no more. He also has arthritis in his legs. Due to an insurance change he lost his primary care doctor and was unable to get another one due to the new insurance so called network provider list. He ran out of pain medication which he took sparingly.

He went to an ER his last primary care doctor and Cardiologist was associated with as a last resort asking for just enough meds to tie him over till he found another doctor. He was treated like some junkie off the street doctor shopping despite the fact the ER attending had full access to his medical records. Neither his previous doctor nor his cardiologist were consulted which brings up another issue in this. He left the ER in pain and no medication. He thought he was doing right by going to a place where his medical records were at.

Doctors today again thanks mainly to insurance mandates making them see more patients per day just to keep their doors open in the practice no longer make hospital rounds. You get Doctor of The Day likely contracted by the hospital or if you're real luck contracted by your primary who at least answers to your primary care doc. Your primary doctor will likely have no knowledge of your issue until he gets a report days later.

Government as much as possible needs to leave health care alone. The more government gets involved the worse things get for everyone. As for insurance? Congress should not only repeal Obamacare but the Kennesdy HMO Acts as well.

15 posted on 12/29/2013 1:18:09 AM PST by cva66snipe ((Two Choices left for U.S. One Nation Under GOD or One Nation Under Judgment? Which one say ye?))
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To: Armen Hareyan

I am in withdrawal from Cymbalta right now.
Its hellish. It was prescribed for nerve pain.
It did not do enough for the pain so I want to quit.
Also, it is expensive.
Google it. (ssri syndrome).


16 posted on 12/29/2013 1:20:08 AM PST by right way right (What's it gonna take? (guillotines?))
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To: PA Engineer
It sounds like a mild case of OCB Obsessive Compulsive behavior which is misunderstood by many to simply be a repetitive ritual disorder. It can trigger excessive worry or obsessive concentration on a thought process.

When this stuff hit me 20 years ago I was checking and rechecking my work. I was also screwing up forgetting to close valves etc on the boilers. I would get home and call back to work and have the guy on shift check things. OCB? No rather my brain was compensating for a disorder I didn't know I had. I was loosing my concentration an issue I still deal with due to the nature of my disorder.

My dad had OCB. If I was driving somewhere even as an adult he wanted me to call when I got there. It helped make him a darn fine technician for Ma Bell but robbed him of peace of mind. Luvox fixed that for him.

BTW have you been tested for allergies? Could be other common things like mold. I tested positive on cats. But mold and pollens was the actual offender doing the damage. I have to take shots now for it. Personally IMO if a person can take Xanax in low dosage like you or me and has no significant addiction history and also very important a light or non alcohol user I think it's safer than antidepressants.

As for opiates? I have a crooked spine and compressed disk in my back. I've had it 35 years and every once in a while the Sciatic {sp} nerve pinches and it takes Hydrocodone to get me back on my feet. It's either about three doses of it which makes me sick to my stomach or a week or two in bed which due to circumstances with my wife I can not do. I had hand surgery this past summer. I was given Oxycodone to take home. I took it twice and decided the pain was less worse on me than the pill LOL. I keep a few Hydrocodone pills for PRN use. It save a trip to the ER and I can't predict when my back is going out except if it snows and I make a mis step.

17 posted on 12/29/2013 1:39:48 AM PST by cva66snipe ((Two Choices left for U.S. One Nation Under GOD or One Nation Under Judgment? Which one say ye?))
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To: Armen Hareyan

We need a war on drugs.


18 posted on 12/29/2013 1:40:45 AM PST by No Whey Jose (What's a tagline?)
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To: right way right
Hey get to an ER ASAP if you think you are having Serotonin Syndrome. It can be counter acted rather quickly if the doctor is on the ball. I've seen it first hand twice and it is nothing to mess with and I say that in all sincerity.

The doctor will likely use Ativan, Valium, or Xanax to counteract the reaction. If you are having Serotonin Syndrome and the doctor won't listen find one that will. My wife went to the ER in a pyschotic state right after seeing her shrink an hour before and he saw nothing wrong and upped the Zoloft and then in an hours time after getting to the ER went unconscious. That should have sent up red flags.

The doctors at two ER's did not do a basic medication look up. Neither did two shrinks nor the two house doctors. This was at a level one university hospital. They were so blame clueless they took her off all medications then in walked a shrink who had never seen her and gave her more Zoloft. In one hours time she was pyschotic again. I'm not a doctor but darn it I'm bright enough to figure that one out. I went home and searched her meds plus adverse reactios and got the info I needed in a matter of 5 minites. I took it to the doctor and he said that is pure rubbish. I said it is huh read me the professors name then. He began stuttering at that point. Hard to argue with your Universities Pharmacology Professor.

She was discharged a few days later and still has partial amnesia and lost a few events in her life for good. She also had a brain bleeder show up on the MRI they finally did the last day.

19 posted on 12/29/2013 1:56:57 AM PST by cva66snipe ((Two Choices left for U.S. One Nation Under GOD or One Nation Under Judgment? Which one say ye?))
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To: Armen Hareyan

bunch of crap. 15000 died of prescription drug use, but if you look at the data closely, a lot of it is diversion of narcotics from patients who needed the pain medicine, or diverted from “pill mills” like that of abortionist gosnell.

In comparison, 15000 people died from “NSAIDS”: aspirin, motrin, etc.

The increase in pain pill abuse is because for years, people hurt: because docs wouldn’t give them enough pain medicine to relieve their pain. I saw this in my father when he was dying of cancer, and I’m sure you know of similar people.

So they loosened the criteria for using narcotics.

And voila, the druggies started stealing it: I know of two deaths from narcotics diverted from cancer patients. Are you going to blame the docs for these deaths?

as for anti depressent medicines: Yes, I filled in for a clinic where a lot of the ladies I saw were on prozac etc...I joked about it only to have a nurse say she was on it too.

A lot of these ladies needed TLC and cutting back on a busy schedule, but when the HMO tells you to see 23 people a day, who has time to counsel them? Which is why I was filling in there, not working there.

ON the other hand, if prozac helps your raging hormones, well, why not? As for depression: It is a major problem. And often people with chronic pain have secondary biochemical depression. Should we let them suffer? Depression is not in your head.

http://www.blackdoginstitute.org.au/public/Depression/depressionexplained/index.cfm


20 posted on 12/29/2013 2:04:47 AM PST by LadyDoc (liberals only love politically correct poor people)
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