Nineteen people a week overdose in Richmond, dozens are dying, hundreds revived • Hacker News Board

Re: Nineteen people a week overdose in Richmond, dozens are dying, hundreds revived

#141

Post by loverofcode » Thu, Nov 09, 2017, 3:30 AM UTC

drug_uesr_throw wrote: post #111

iambateman wrote: post #33

Serious questions...if you’ve used an opioid more than once for recreational purposes, I’d like to hear (1) what prompted you to try it (2) how old you were (3) cost (4) where did you get them (5) why did you stop Treat me like an idiot, I don’t understand this stuff and I’d like to know more. * obviously feel free to use a burner account if you’d rather not speak publicly.

1: I had a severe burn on my crotch (FML) and was prescribed. Funny thing is I KNEW I would become dependent. I'm an addict. sober from cocaine and alcohol (was sober from coke for a couple years before pills, ironically opiates helped me quit drinking which was a big struggle for half of my 20s). No hyperbole, every relative on my fathers side of the family is an addict, going back generations. My dad is an alcoholi…

Tylonel accounts for a large number of deaths. Chronic pain patients have to take medications for the rest of their lives, it is safer to consume opiates than acetaminophen long term. Best would be nothing, but as long as there is a slow increase opiates can go on up and up. Where the acenimphen will destroy your liver and kill you fast. Furthermore, this is a direct result of the war on drugs. the fentanyl and carfentanil coming from china are responsible. before these two were being imported at such high rates opioid deaths were 4,000 per year vs 400,000 for alcohol. Which at first was being blamed on fentanyl being prescribed legally, but was incorrect data. Check the numbers yourself at wonder cdc. attached is the screenshot form cdc data. https://imgur.com/a/fFBTe

Re: Nineteen people a week overdose in Richmond, dozens are dying, hundreds revived

#142

Post by loverofcode » Thu, Nov 09, 2017, 3:33 AM UTC

PatientTrades wrote: post #7

Most of this stems from the overprescription of opioids. I remember when I had surgery for a broken leg the amount of drugs I received after the surgery was astounding. It was almost as if the hospital wanted me to become hooked. I didn't need or ask for the opioids, they were just prescribed for pain killing. A regular Tylenol or Advil would have done the job. Not saying hospitals want people on drugs, but at some p…

Untrue. this is a direct result of the war on drugs. the fentanyl and carfentanil coming from china are responsible. before these two were being imported at such high rates opioid deaths were 4,000 per year vs 400,000 for alcohol. Which at first was being blamed on fentanyl being prescribed legally, but was incorrect data. Check the numbers yourself at wonder cdc. attached is the screenshot form cdc data. https://imgur.com/a/fFBTe

Re: Nineteen people a week overdose in Richmond, dozens are dying, hundreds revived

#143

Post by loverofcode » Thu, Nov 09, 2017, 3:35 AM UTC

snuxoll wrote: post #31

PatientTrades wrote: post #7

Most of this stems from the overprescription of opioids. I remember when I had surgery for a broken leg the amount of drugs I received after the surgery was astounding. It was almost as if the hospital wanted me to become hooked. I didn't need or ask for the opioids, they were just prescribed for pain killing. A regular Tylenol or Advil would have done the job. Not saying hospitals want people on drugs, but at some p…

It's incredibly easy to get hooked when taking prescription opiates even if you're fully aware of the situation. I had a wisdom tooth extracted last year, and by the time the pain was finally down to the level I could manage with OTC pain relievers I realized I had developed a mild physical addiction to the hydrocodone. I had no desire to get high off the pain killers, hell, they didn't even do anything for me in tha…

There is a difference between dependence and addiction. People who are in pain 24/7 rely on these medications and are being thrown into the streets because of the DEA, when if fact this is a direct result of the war on drugs. the fentanyl and carfentanil coming from china are responsible. before these two were being imported at such high rates opioid deaths were 4,000 per year vs 400,000 for alcohol. Which at first was being blamed on fentanyl being prescribed legally, but was incorrect data. Check the numbers yourself at wonder cdc. attached is the screenshot form cdc data. https://imgur.com/a/fFBTe

Re: Nineteen people a week overdose in Richmond, dozens are dying, hundreds revived

#144

Post by loverofcode » Thu, Nov 09, 2017, 3:38 AM UTC

munk-a wrote: post #22

ellyagg wrote: post #13

Earlier quoted context omitted.

What makes you say that? It's trivial to get opioids on the streets and it's common to be introduced to them as a recreational drug, as I know first hand. In fact, I don't know anyone who got addicted to opioids due to overprescription, but I know several people who didn't get prescribed opioids they needed because of the fears of overprescription, and thus were left in terrible pain. I don't know how you draw the li…

People generally say that over-prescription leads to harder opioid usage because it does. I have had co-workers familiar with the neurological effects of the drugs they've been given balk at it. I've also known community members who had injuries slide into the obscurity of addiction. A very real factor of this crisis is the pain aversion, people working in dentistry have higher rates of depression and suicide due to…

That is not true, first dentist have a higher suicide rate not because of the pain on people but because so many people hate to see them. It is never a pleasant experience. You also should be aware of the suicide rate in pain patients because their pain cannot be under control. this is a direct result of the war on drugs. the fentanyl and carfentanil coming from china are responsible. before these two were being imported at such high rates opioid deaths were 4,000 per year vs 400,000 for alcohol. Which at first was being blamed on fentanyl being prescribed legally, but was incorrect data. Check the numbers yourself at wonder cdc. attached is the screenshot form cdc data. https://imgur.com/a/fFBTe

Re: Nineteen people a week overdose in Richmond, dozens are dying, hundreds revived

#145

Post by jaredklewis » Thu, Nov 09, 2017, 3:48 AM UTC

andrei_says_ wrote: post #118

jrowley wrote: post #9

Just the other morning I got off of bart in downtown Oakland, 12th street and there was a guy just laid out, unresponsive right on the steps outside the station. He had smoked something out of a can. I stuck with the guy while the paramedics came, but the most tragic part was that he had a plastic "No Allergies" bracelet on. When the paramedics took off his shirt he still had adhesive on his skin from the EKG straps…

I recently re-read the story about the rat park experiment. http://www.stuartmcmillen.com/comic/rat-park/ The gist of it is that yes, rats do get addicted to morphine and prefer it to food, but only if kept in cages . The rats living in a much less confined space with other rats, allowed to play, nest, have sex and do pretty much all the rat fun things not only did not get addicted to morphine but even waned themselv…

Reminds me of https://www.theatlantic.com/health/archive/2017/01/teens-dru...

Re: Nineteen people a week overdose in Richmond, dozens are dying, hundreds revived

#146

Post by snuxoll » Thu, Nov 09, 2017, 4:45 AM UTC

loverofcode wrote: post #143

snuxoll wrote: post #31

Earlier quoted context omitted.

It's incredibly easy to get hooked when taking prescription opiates even if you're fully aware of the situation. I had a wisdom tooth extracted last year, and by the time the pain was finally down to the level I could manage with OTC pain relievers I realized I had developed a mild physical addiction to the hydrocodone. I had no desire to get high off the pain killers, hell, they didn't even do anything for me in tha…

There is a difference between dependence and addiction. People who are in pain 24/7 rely on these medications and are being thrown into the streets because of the DEA, when if fact this is a direct result of the war on drugs. the fentanyl and carfentanil coming from china are responsible. before these two were being imported at such high rates opioid deaths were 4,000 per year vs 400,000 for alcohol. Which at first w…

Don’t take my anecdote to mean I’m against prescription opiates, there’s no way in hell I would have been able to manage my pain after these procedures without them - in fact I think we’re steering the ship far too hard away from their use in a reactionary move to combat these deaths. But I don’t have any doubt many people have become physically dependent on these drugs and are now turning to the black market - it very well could have been me in another life.

The war on drugs really needs to come to an abrupt end, people who need opioids to manage their pain should have them, people who are hopelessly addicted should have access in a controlled and safe manner, and for crying out loud can we just legalize weed already?

Re: Nineteen people a week overdose in Richmond, dozens are dying, hundreds revived

#147

Post by kurusii » Thu, Nov 09, 2017, 4:58 AM UTC

iambateman wrote: post #33

Serious questions...if you’ve used an opioid more than once for recreational purposes, I’d like to hear (1) what prompted you to try it (2) how old you were (3) cost (4) where did you get them (5) why did you stop Treat me like an idiot, I don’t understand this stuff and I’d like to know more. * obviously feel free to use a burner account if you’d rather not speak publicly.

I didn't "work my way up" from prescription drugs. I have debilitating depression, to the point where I can't get out of bed most days. I can't say I have much to live for, honestly. I am just functional enough to realize that I am deeply unsatisfied with my life.

I've tried many different antidepressants. My psychiatrist told me that if the next few medications didn't work, he mentioned that I might want to consider electroshock therapy.

I tried heroin with my brother a few years ago, and I got high of course (so my opinion is admittedly skewed,) but it just gave me a couple precious hours of what I imagine it life could be. I work in fintech, so I have to take drug tests, but I've used it off and on since.

I don't want to be high. I just want a life where I actually want to live, an "aspiration" I've had for years.

Maybe my desires are even more skewed due to having gotten high, and knowing that I will forever have a "high bar" for however good it made me feel, but in general it just feels like the quote says, "It gives you a taste of heaven and drags you down to hell." But I was in hell already.

Re: Nineteen people a week overdose in Richmond, dozens are dying, hundreds revived

#148

Post by drug_uesr_throw » Thu, Nov 09, 2017, 5:08 AM UTC

kurusii wrote: post #147

iambateman wrote: post #33

Serious questions...if you’ve used an opioid more than once for recreational purposes, I’d like to hear (1) what prompted you to try it (2) how old you were (3) cost (4) where did you get them (5) why did you stop Treat me like an idiot, I don’t understand this stuff and I’d like to know more. * obviously feel free to use a burner account if you’d rather not speak publicly.

I didn't "work my way up" from prescription drugs. I have debilitating depression, to the point where I can't get out of bed most days. I can't say I have much to live for, honestly. I am just functional enough to realize that I am deeply unsatisfied with my life. I've tried many different antidepressants. My psychiatrist told me that if the next few medications didn't work, he mentioned that I might want to consider…

I have similar experience with mental illness (bipolar 2) and that's what I thought for the first couple years. a literal wonder drug! I could be social, I had energy to get up and work, I got a boyfriend. But gradually it loses the magic - or you have to keep increasing dose and eventually if you run out of money you're fucked. I'm guessing that if you're here, like me, you're probably fairly well off.

Have you tried tramadol? Or some SNRIs+low dose opiate or tramadol? Ask your psych for a tramadol script I've found my therapist to be receptive to that as med. I find that effexor helps with withdrawals and tramadol and effexor both helped a lot more than SSRIs for me - the problem is with bipolar it causes cycling

Re: Nineteen people a week overdose in Richmond, dozens are dying, hundreds revived

#149

Post by [deleted] » Thu, Nov 09, 2017, 5:31 AM UTC

matwood wrote: post #80

TaylorGood wrote: post #51

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Sorry to hear. Partaking in heavy drugs to any degree invites those dark unknowns. The number of hands these drugs pass through to reach the end-user is more than a couple. I recall on average it's 8 different turnovers. Each time, likely being cut down. They operate a margin business without concern for where it ends up. It's likely safe to say that a vast majority of drugs are cut these days. A friend I grew up wit…

I can see how people move to something like heroin after being on pain meds and getting addicted, but who really just 'tries' heroin? At this point, the mix danger and addiction danger is well known and publicized. I'm asking, because I cannot mentally put it together, particularly if someone has life going in the right direction.

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Re: Nineteen people a week overdose in Richmond, dozens are dying, hundreds revived

#150

Post by [deleted] » Thu, Nov 09, 2017, 5:49 AM UTC

[deleted] wrote: post #137

sillysaurus3 wrote: post #109

Earlier quoted context omitted.

If you don't feel confident defending your opinions in such a space The point of HN is to be a search for the truth among colleagues, not a verbal barfight. The fact that you wanted to get into one immediately says a lot about both sides of the conversation. your comment did not do enough to distance whatever you were talking about from them You didn't even briefly pause to question whether I might be associated with…

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