Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Hunter's Campfire Hitting Bottom

Thanks Ed. That's a better answer than I hacked out in a hurry this morning. You made my point for me, and better, too.

A&N... that's interesting about your local study, but I doubt that it's nationwide, for the simple reasons Ed identified. If the Chinese and Messicans are making fentanyl in quantity, and it's cheaper than heroin, then they'll sell fentanyl to the junkies and call it heroin. Way cheaper than stealing legitimately manufactured drug.

As for Big Pharma, I'll leave that argument alone. I have no love for the pharmaceutical corporations' activities, but it's a far cry from being greedy bastards to actively promoting addiction. If you want to believe that, then go ahead. I ain't gonna change your mind here on the 24HCF. I just know that nearly all prescribing physicians hate addiction, hate being taken advantage of by patients scamming them for narcotics, and want nothing to do with the whole mess even though we're stuck square in the middle of it.

Even the surgeon general came out in a recent address saying that docs are bearing a disproportionate share of the blame for this problem, and it's causing severe harm to the entire healthcare system as doctors are quitting and retiring under the pressure faster than we can make new ones in medical schools. I for one look forward to the day that I am no longer able to prescribe pain medicines.

No kidding, why do you think I'm waiting for "The" phone call? I have spent a lot of time holding my wife while she was crying over some dumb schit her brother pulled or said. Several years ago she came to the realization that her brother would die from his drug use and there was nothing she could do about it.

She has nothing to do with him anymore because she is tired of all the bullschit but it still doesn't make it any easier waiting for the call.

Paul, I'm dealing with much the same with my sister. I've resolved that I'm going to get a call one day saying they found her body in a ditch...at this point, I'm ok with it

My best friend got involved with drugs when we were in our early 20's Eventually I told him to just stay the hell away from me.....
With all the luck in the world, he met and married an angel of a woman who successfully pulled him out of it.
We re-established our long friendship and spent a few more great years together.

Until one night, when he was 44, his wife called me, crying....he had a heart attack and dropped stone dead.


Too much cocaine on his system earlier in life contributed greatly.



It is the greatest sadness in my life.





And I have had a personal vendetta against drugs ever since.


It still stings like hell.

Family can be cull too. I wish my sister had listened to me.


I don't give a flying f(ck about those that don't care about themselves.

We've all been in, are in, or are only one step or decision away from a bad mess...physically, mentally, emotionally and/or spiritually.

Just like the one bad cop making the good cops look bad. I do believe there is a certain percentage of bad doctors out there as I've ran across a couple. Before I had my back surgery the first doctor I went to tried his damnedest to get me on drugs for the pain and shots in my spine, he threw a fit because I told him I had no use for drugs or a temporary solution to my problem and surgery was my only interest, after he was done with his hissy fit he said he would refer me to the surgeon.

Long story short I had the surgery by a totally different office and am still able to work and carry on a normal life, if I would have taken the other route I would not have been able to work and would have been dependent on drugs and the welfare system.

I wonder how many in my like situation have taken the other route.



I bet you do, I've heard retirement ain't underrated in the least.

I feel for you John, not easy letting go of your sister. Certainly does suck when family puts you in a position where you have to do things like this.

I wish your sister would have listed too, your story is one I think of often.

Well that sucks, never understood giving up, I identify a problem, eliminate it and go on, although, I was never stupid enough to do drugs.

Doc, As always your input and experience is an invaluable asset here and appreciated. I agree with you that most doctors hate addiction and are definitely sharing a disproportionate amount of blame. However in the recent past there were a lot more of them that were directly responsible for over prescribing opioids. "Doctor shopping" has been curtailed and pharmacies have become more actively involved in the checks and balances of ensuring compliance and reducing redundant prescriptions.

I'm in southern Louisiana now or I'd look for the study. In any case I'm going swimming now with my son before us PNW boys melt.

PS...You and a few other men on here carry a lot of weight in my book, enough that I've definitely thought thrice about positions based upon your input. All my best.

Mexicans cartels started flooding the US about 5 years with very cheap heroin. This was after our govt started cracking down on the overuse of pain prescriptions (oxy)


They saw a very good market in the US and capitalized on it.

I am glad that worked for you, but what do you do when you have been both routes and the pain is still there? miles

This is quite a thread.

Scott F's jolting experience and sensitive afterthoughts resulted in the sharing of a lot of expert information; differing points of view regarding addicts, their addiction and the way out of it; revelation of many difficult and even heartbreaking experiences with loved ones and friends, and a lot of sensitive expressions by caring guys. This stuff may be some of the best of the Campfire.

As an aside, one can't help but contrast this thread with the recent and distasteful April Fool scheme that uselessly and indecently sucked in some of the same genuinely caring folks here.

Thanks, Scott, and all who have tried to add perspective and maybe positives to a dreadful matter.

I know where I'd be eating a soft-shell crab Po-boy if I was where you are.

https://www.drugabuse.gov/drugs-abuse/emerging-trends-alerts

Then you have two choices, live with the pain or use the drugs. I would not look down on either choice in that case. Too often I think that people take the easy way out as surgery sure the hell ain't the easy route, there are a couple here who know what I went through but I would do it again in a heartbeat if need be.

I have a friend who's daughter was suckered into the drug route, she had been on pain killers and welfare for 12 years and now wants to get her life back and have the surgery. She is tired of being an addict and wants a normal life again, the girl has a long road ahead of her and I hope she makes it.

I'm skeered of the day when something don't hurt.

Given some of the reactions here, I must be one of the few that feels damn lucky I survived some of my really poor choices I made in my late teens and early twenties.

Glad I never chose to stick a needle in my arm. But did everything but.