PainkIllers Kill
This past week I was listening to a TV news anchor when she made this intro to a segment,“every 19 minutes” someone in America will die from a prescription drug overdose. I was startled by this statistic. Her guest a former drug addict said,“back in the day” when we purchased heroin, cocaine or pot we knew we were doing something wrong, because it was illegal. This year many people will die of overdoses of prescription filled drugs that they are confident is okay because their doctors prescribed the drugs for good medical or pain related reasons.
I mentioned this information to a friend at a conference dinner I recently attended in San Antonio. She shared with me her twenty-eight year old daughter, who had severe pain from a medical condition had taken methadone and died because her body could not purge the drug from her system. My research discovered a family whose seventeen year old son could not be awaken and died at the hospital and“the autopsy showed that the only drug in his son’s system was about 10 milligrams to 15 milligrams of methadone—only one pill”. The stories are tragic, a teen who died after taking prescription painkillers stolen from a friend’s grandmother and seven members of one community who overdosed on painkillers they got from a pain clinic. Skyrocketing female overdose death rates are closely tied to a boom in the overall use of prescribed painkillers. Studies suggest that women are more likely to have chronic pain, to be prescribed higher doses, and to use pain drugs longer than men. Some
research suggests women may be more likely than men to “doctor shop” and get pain pills from several physicians, a Center for Disease Control officials said. The greatest increases in drug overdose deaths were in women ages 45 through 64. It is an age group in which more women are dealing with chronic pain and
seeking help for it. Eighteen women die everyday from prescription painkillers plus over fifty men and teenagers. The over-the-counter drug, Acetaminophen is generally a safe and effective pain reliever, but if taken in excess can cause life-threatening illness. One of my friend’s who has arthritis was taken off pain-killers because it was damaging his liver. Painkillers kill four times more than cocaine and heroin combined.
For every (1) overdose death from prescription painkillers there are... (10) treatment admissions for abuse... (32)emergency department visits for misuse or abuse...(130) people who abuse or are dependent...(825) people who take prescription painkillers for nonmedical use.
So, now that I have sounded the alarm what do we do to avoid becoming a statistic ourselves and how do we help others.
1 - Make sure you're getting the right medication. When you see your doctor, make sure the doctor clearly understands your condition and the signs and symptoms it's
causing. Tell your doctor about all your prescriptions, as well as over-the-counter medications, herbs and supplements, and alcohol and drug use. Ask your doctor whether there's an extended-release version of a medication or an alternative medication with ingredients that have less potential for addiction.
2 - Check in with your doctor. Talk with your doctor on a regular basis to make sure that the medication you're taking is working and you're taking the right
dose.
3 - Follow directions for use carefully. Use your medication the way it was prescribed. Don't stop or change the dose of a medication on your own if it doesn't seem to be working without talking to your doctor. If you're taking a pain medication that isn't adequately controlling your pain, don't take more.
4 - Know what your medication does. Ask your doctor or pharmacist about the effects of your medication so you know what to expect.
5 - Never use another person's prescription. Everyone's different. Even if you have a similar medical condition, it may not be the right medication or dose
for you.
6 - Don't order prescriptions online unless they're from a trustworthy pharmacy. Some websites sell counterfeit prescription and nonprescription drugs that could be
dangerous.
7 – Properly dispose of your medications. Check the label or patient information guide for disposal instructions. Take out of original container and mix with used coffee grinds or kitty litter-to make less appealing and unrecognizabe. Do not flush down toilet unless the information about medication specifically instructs you to do so.
Preventing prescription drug abuse in teens. Young people are at especially high risk of prescription drug abuse. Follow these steps to help prevent your teen from
abusing prescription medications.
1 - Discuss the dangers with your teen. Emphasize to your teen that just because drugs are prescribed to someone else doesn’t make them safe.
2 - Set rules about your child's prescription medications. Let your teen know that it's not OK to share medications with others — or to take medications prescribed for
others. Emphasize the importance of taking the prescribed dose of medication and talking with the doctor before making changes.
3- Keep your prescription drugs safe. Be aware in some communities teenagers are mixing medications together and taking them as a cocktail at parties.
4 - Make sure your child isn't ordering drugs online.
Our mission at Hammond-Simmons Group, Inc. is to help you feel better, look better and live longer. I hope the information in this health report has been
informative.
To your good health and better living,
Clem Lacy
I mentioned this information to a friend at a conference dinner I recently attended in San Antonio. She shared with me her twenty-eight year old daughter, who had severe pain from a medical condition had taken methadone and died because her body could not purge the drug from her system. My research discovered a family whose seventeen year old son could not be awaken and died at the hospital and“the autopsy showed that the only drug in his son’s system was about 10 milligrams to 15 milligrams of methadone—only one pill”. The stories are tragic, a teen who died after taking prescription painkillers stolen from a friend’s grandmother and seven members of one community who overdosed on painkillers they got from a pain clinic. Skyrocketing female overdose death rates are closely tied to a boom in the overall use of prescribed painkillers. Studies suggest that women are more likely to have chronic pain, to be prescribed higher doses, and to use pain drugs longer than men. Some
research suggests women may be more likely than men to “doctor shop” and get pain pills from several physicians, a Center for Disease Control officials said. The greatest increases in drug overdose deaths were in women ages 45 through 64. It is an age group in which more women are dealing with chronic pain and
seeking help for it. Eighteen women die everyday from prescription painkillers plus over fifty men and teenagers. The over-the-counter drug, Acetaminophen is generally a safe and effective pain reliever, but if taken in excess can cause life-threatening illness. One of my friend’s who has arthritis was taken off pain-killers because it was damaging his liver. Painkillers kill four times more than cocaine and heroin combined.
For every (1) overdose death from prescription painkillers there are... (10) treatment admissions for abuse... (32)emergency department visits for misuse or abuse...(130) people who abuse or are dependent...(825) people who take prescription painkillers for nonmedical use.
So, now that I have sounded the alarm what do we do to avoid becoming a statistic ourselves and how do we help others.
1 - Make sure you're getting the right medication. When you see your doctor, make sure the doctor clearly understands your condition and the signs and symptoms it's
causing. Tell your doctor about all your prescriptions, as well as over-the-counter medications, herbs and supplements, and alcohol and drug use. Ask your doctor whether there's an extended-release version of a medication or an alternative medication with ingredients that have less potential for addiction.
2 - Check in with your doctor. Talk with your doctor on a regular basis to make sure that the medication you're taking is working and you're taking the right
dose.
3 - Follow directions for use carefully. Use your medication the way it was prescribed. Don't stop or change the dose of a medication on your own if it doesn't seem to be working without talking to your doctor. If you're taking a pain medication that isn't adequately controlling your pain, don't take more.
4 - Know what your medication does. Ask your doctor or pharmacist about the effects of your medication so you know what to expect.
5 - Never use another person's prescription. Everyone's different. Even if you have a similar medical condition, it may not be the right medication or dose
for you.
6 - Don't order prescriptions online unless they're from a trustworthy pharmacy. Some websites sell counterfeit prescription and nonprescription drugs that could be
dangerous.
7 – Properly dispose of your medications. Check the label or patient information guide for disposal instructions. Take out of original container and mix with used coffee grinds or kitty litter-to make less appealing and unrecognizabe. Do not flush down toilet unless the information about medication specifically instructs you to do so.
Preventing prescription drug abuse in teens. Young people are at especially high risk of prescription drug abuse. Follow these steps to help prevent your teen from
abusing prescription medications.
1 - Discuss the dangers with your teen. Emphasize to your teen that just because drugs are prescribed to someone else doesn’t make them safe.
2 - Set rules about your child's prescription medications. Let your teen know that it's not OK to share medications with others — or to take medications prescribed for
others. Emphasize the importance of taking the prescribed dose of medication and talking with the doctor before making changes.
3- Keep your prescription drugs safe. Be aware in some communities teenagers are mixing medications together and taking them as a cocktail at parties.
4 - Make sure your child isn't ordering drugs online.
Our mission at Hammond-Simmons Group, Inc. is to help you feel better, look better and live longer. I hope the information in this health report has been
informative.
To your good health and better living,
Clem Lacy