OT: Special Report on Heroin in Paterson

[RUfubar]

Worth a few minutes of your time

 

[higgins3]

You know a doctor that prescribed xanax for pain? That's new on me. I believe xanax is for anxiety. It is probably the cheapest medication I take and has virtually no effect other than relax the tension in my neck. Although I must admit that during my first colonoscopy I was on a xanax drip and I would have returned for the same treatment the next day, if the same nurse were there.

Oxycodon I think it was.

Fortunately, I am from a middle class suburb located around central NJ. Luckily, I have always stayed away from drugs and alcohol. Just made the choice, and really do not enjoy the taste of beer.

I will say, I know at least five people who had overdosed in the past three years. Kids I went to school with, dead. Also, I know a lot of people who I am surprised are still around. This is a weird way to put it, but the only right move they made, and the only reason they are till around, is because they stayed with the prescription meds and didn't make the jump to cheap heroin.

To increase quantity of the heroin, they cut it with stuff that is underneath your counter. That is a main killer.

It's in every community. My parents came from very little, but I think the average income in my town for two parent household is something around 150,000. Just showing that really, it's everywhere.

The stigma doesn't help, either. I used to call those kids druggies in HS, but now I realize they just need help. And their parents want them to stay alive.

 

[higgins3]

I am a physician who practices addiction medicine..privately and in a large clinic atmosphere in Perth Amboy. It's good to see a lot of interest on this board. Lot of misinformation unfortunately. I'd be happy to answer any specific questions. Few random thoughts..,Most of the nam vets who used heroin in Vietnam did not come back and use heroin after the war...Nearly half of opiate addicts have personality disorders. Unfortunately most of my opiate patients have a more difficult time with stopping the cocaine. The stories you hear of the normal developmentally functioning teen getting hooked after a routine Ortho or dental procedure is the vast minority

Good point. Why do you see many doctors being brought up on charges across the state, then?

 

[higgins3]

I broke my little toe a few years ago and went to an urgent care facility. Nice, clean break, just had to buddy tape it and let it be. They asked me about pain and I said it wasn't bad at all. They still gave me an Rx for 15 percs! Not even vicodin, straight to percs/oxy.

Jesus christ. That seems to be the normal in some case. I got 10 percodins or whatever they call them for a dental surgery years back. Pain was not bad at all.

Grandmas grandkids loving going to grandmas house. Especially what she has in her bathroom. Everyone loves grandma!

 

[higgins3]

The pharma industry doesn't sell directly to patients for self medication. Take a good hard look at physicians and the Rxs they write. Also, hydro and oxy have been generic for decades, so no pharma company has promoted such drugs for a long, long, long time.

Look at RWJ hospital biggest donors. Theres a reason. BMSquibb. There's enough blame to go around.

 

[T2Kplus10]

Look at RWJ hospital biggest donors. Theres a reason. BMSquibb. There's enough blame to go around.

Honestly, I don't see the connection. I'm not sure if BMS ever sold opioids, or at least for 20-30 years. The problem today is that docs are giving them out like tic-tacs.

 

[higgins3]

I mean the Mexican cartels. They drive the the exponential growth although it doesn't get the ink it should

“Mexican organizations are now the most prominent wholesale-level heroin traffickers in the DEA Chicago, New Jersey, Philadelphia, and Washington, DC FD AOR [field division area of responsibility], and have greatly expanded their presence in the New York City area."


http://www.businessinsider.com/us-heroin-coming-from-mexican-cartels

How does it make it past border check points? What is the technology for scanning an 18 wheeler? People got sent to the moon.

Tough job to be on the border. I get that. Ruthless cartels. My girlfriends dad grew up in a town in mexico that used to be a resort town. Beautiful. Now, all ran by the cartel. It is the third most dangerous place on Earth. His old town makes Camden look like disneyworld. It is very upsetting to him.

 

[higgins3]

Honestly, I don't see the connection. I'm not sure if BMS ever sold opioids, or at least for 20-30 years. The problem today is that docs are giving them out like tic-tacs.

For sure. A lot of blame to go around. You know how politics works, the industry pays the senator, the senator makes the laws. Well, with a hospital, the company donates a ton to the hospital, and they get to make some of the laws for the hospital.

 

[Abro1975]

Honestly, I don't see the connection. I'm not sure if BMS ever sold opioids, or at least for 20-30 years. The problem today is that docs are giving them out like tic-tacs.

Maybe 10-20 years ago, but not anymore. Almost every Family Practioner , GP, Int Med will not prescibe these meds anymore, they refer them out to 'Pain Specialists' or Orthopedic , Neuro /Spine specialists. Oral Surgeons now only give a 2-4 day RX depending on the procedure. These docs know that the FDA and law enforcement agencies are watching every RX written with a fine tooth comb.

You may know Fed Prosecutor Paul Fishman for the Bridgegate trials, but in the medical community he is more known for putting doctors behind bars for illegally written pain med prescriptions and taking bribes for diagnostic referrals. He has probably arrested more NJ doctors in the past 3 or 4 years than the previous prosecutors have arrested in 20 years.

 

[RUfubar]

There are still some bad docs out there doing stupid things to get a buck.
But now, monitoring is tight.
Unfortunately, there are patients with real, significant, refractory pain suffering needlessly.
Until recently hospitals were rated via patient satisfaction surveys on pain relief (narcotic prescriptions).. the so-called fifth Vital sign... this set off of maladaptive a chain reaction

 

[rurx1228]

There are still some bad docs out there doing stupid things to get a buck.
But now, monitoring is tight.
Unfortunately, there are patients with real, significant, refractory pain suffering needlessly.
Until recently hospitals were rated via patient satisfaction surveys on pain relief (narcotic prescriptions).. the so-called fifth Vital sign... this set off of maladaptive a chain reaction

Monitoring has gotten tighter and that is a good thing, there is still a problem with fraudulent prescriptions, some are very very hard to spot. Some states (NY I believe) only allow CII prescriptions to be sent electronically to the pharmacy, no more paper Rxs.

 

[retired711]

Worth a few minutes of your time

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Thanks for posting the video. So many things wrong with our society are due to the increasing social isolation of each of us. Boards like this act as mechanisms to combat social isolation: but wouldn't it be more fun to sit with a few steady friends in a bar or restaurant than have to sift through posts from anonymous people who feel no hesitation about being much ruder than they ever would be in real life?

 

[lne001]

My colonoscopies have been painless. I fell asleep and then it was over. It's the prep that makes you want to kill yourself. I am sorry you suffered so much anxiety anticipating a procedure that's really very easy for the patient.

I have a very mild case of Generalized Anxiety Disorder, so I have a xanax prescription for when my neck tightens (wimp that I am). I was not concerned at all about my first colonoscopy, they just hooked me up automatically to the drip. My second procedure they knocked me out entirely as their standard procedure.

Colonoscopies are not something to fear or avoid; they are an absolute health necessity.

 

[retired711]

I have a very mild case of Generalized Anxiety Disorder, so I have a xanax prescription for when my neck tightens (wimp that I am). I was not concerned at all about my first colonoscopy, they just hooked me up automatically to the drip. My second procedure they knocked me out entirely as their standard procedure.

Colonoscopies are not something to fear or avoid; they are an absolute health necessity.

Agreed!

 

[vkj91]

Good point. Why do you see many doctors being brought up on charges across the state, then?

I'm not going to argue with the doctor who does this for a living but I think where you live in the state matters. I had three people I had relationships from HS get addicted. Two does one went to rehab. All three started with legal scripts. To his point though they all had personalities that led to the addiction.

 

[miket007]

Working security for Tennessee Williams and Jim Carroll of Alice in Chains yrs ago it was even then sad but in my experience crack is the worse debilitating drug I've seen in our culture recently....

THIS! I've seen some shit during my "street life" but nothing compares to when crack hit in the mid 1980s, the things addicts were doing were mind blowing hell i saw a female try to sell her baby for a couple bags shit was crazy

 

[miket007]

It's partially on the parents, partially on doctors, but mostly on America's policy on drugs. Need to invest way more on treatment and prevention education. Throwing users in jail is moronic. The war on drugs is completely backwards.

The "war on drugs" was based off a lie by good old Ronny & he had the nerve to have his old lady on the front lines

 

[miket007]

I read through this whole thread & am amazed how many here say addiction starts from taking pills, that isn't the case in urban areas where you constantly move up to the strongest drug you can get by preference, this has always been an issue since before i was born but it affecting "others" now which is why you see it on the national news during the week.

 

[RU1993]

It's cheaper now. Apparently very cheap.

Years ago you needed to cook and shot heroin. It was looked upon as a hard core drug for junkies. Now it is snorted and smoked and far more dangerous

 

[Saint Puppy]

But these stories get a lot of attention since they scare so many parents.

THIS!!! I'm sure that this has become more prevalent over the last several years or so, but America is enamored with stories about some white kid from the suburbs falling from grace or being killed. This really hit home when I was working with a kid from Washington Heights whose 22 year old brother was killed in a drive by - nothing in the news!!! You can bet your bottom dollar if this kid was from Rumson, Short Hills, Montclair, etc. this would have been front page news.

 

[NickyNewark51]

Thanks for posting the video. So many things wrong with our society are due to the increasing social isolation of each of us. Boards like this act as mechanisms to combat social isolation: but wouldn't it be more fun to sit with a few steady friends in a bar or restaurant than have to sift through posts from anonymous people who feel no hesitation about being much ruder than they ever would be in real life?

You get it...kids are in front of screens too much instead of learning social skills in playgrounds...its a shame what's going on with our youth...

 

[RU31trap]

Thanks for posting the video. So many things wrong with our society are due to the increasing social isolation of each of us. Boards like this act as mechanisms to combat social isolation: but wouldn't it be more fun to sit with a few steady friends in a bar or restaurant than have to sift through posts from anonymous people who feel no hesitation about being much ruder than they ever would be in real life?

Great post Camden. Socialization is so important for ones mental health. I remember my grandmother (god bless her soul) saying that after my grand father's death she experienced such loneliness. Great Italian saying "loneliness, over time, becomes insanity's closest relative". We need to get kids talking again, participating in activities and sports.

 

[Proud NJ Sports Fan]

Was in Paterson yesterday to visit in-laws.

Some areas on the East Side have seemed to have been cleaned up a bit since last year.
Though, took a short cut through Park Ave and saw drug slingers & hookers a few corners.

Paterson is a big city folks, Paterson PD is a very good force, professional as it gets.
But, they can't be everywhere and cannot stop people from the burbs coming in to buy H & other dry goods which fuels the violent drug trade by the gangs.