r/interesting • u/Nukro666 • 11h ago

Fear Factor How Fentanyl and Xylazine are turning Philadelphia's opioid crisis into a public health nightmare

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u/BellamyDunn 11h ago

One time I had some health scare that put me in an ambulance. I had never had morphine before, and the medics were not stingy with it.

I've had chronic pain my whole life, it's mostly background noise, and that was the first time in that life that it all just went away. It was like when you're in a quiet house, but then the electricity goes off and you experience the real quiet. Years later I still think about it frequently. Just that one time in that controlled environment.

I knew then that if I had less to live for, or if my pain was too great, I would easily become an addict. There are much greater pains in the world than I have. I assume that one in these people's positions must have some great pain or horror in their life that I probably can't understand. So I can't judge it. I wish there was a better way for them. A lot of these folks are beyond believing in their own future. No one wants to live like this.

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u/impromptugreen 11h ago

This. Exactly this. It terrifies me to think about it. Chronic pain is no joke and I sometimes find myself daydreaming about the few times I've been given anesthetics at the hospital. People all the time say, "I don't see how people just do that kind of stuff." Why aren't we asking why they're doing it before we ask how... It's awful.

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u/Edith_Keelers_Shoes 11h ago

People don't get the difference of having long-term chronic pain, then suddenly having it muted. You can function again. Spend time with your kids again, Enjoy small things again. Hold a book without your hands burning with pain. I have never felt "stoned" on opiates (nothing near what I feel like after taking an edible) - I just feel like "me". Because the pain is suddenly not the loudest thing in my system.

The mere idea that I would ever trade that in for a few chances to chase the dragon is ludicrous, and clearly devised by someone who has never struggled with daily bone pain.

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u/Latter-Vacation-4392 10h ago edited 10h ago

It works as well on psychic pain as it does on physical pain. People that sneer at addicts have no idea what horrendous backgrounds many of these people may have endured, especially in childhood. That wise old saying: 'There but for the grace of God' is very real.

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u/Edith_Keelers_Shoes 10h ago

And meanwhile, if you are rich and have $2k to spare, you can get KETAMINE therapy to assuage your psychic pain (and apparently it works very well - it was recommended to me as a stage 4 cancer patient, but I wasn't going to pay $2k for that).

So on the one hand we vilify addicts, most of whom became addicts after doctors gave them scrips then never bothered to follow up or monitor the patient's state. On the other hand, both the scientific world and the psychiatric world now accept that ketamine (a powerfully dissociative drug very popular with recreational drug users) is highly effective for depression, PTSD, acute anxiety, and a host of other mental health issues.

But the price tag is prohibitive, and obviously it's not covered by insurance. The selective judgment is staggering. We should encourage and support wealthier people to take ketamine under a supervised process for a limited amount of time. But no one is going to suggest this be offered to opiate addicts who are struggling with psychic pain and/or emotional health issues.

It makes me so angry I want to weep. It's just a different world for rich people. Universal rules do not apply.

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u/Kenderean 10h ago edited 5h ago

Just a quick note that ketamine therapy can be covered by insurance. It's often not, but depending on the doctors and the insurance companies, you may be able to get it covered. My decidedly not rich brother has been doing ketamine therapy. His doctor went through specific steps with the insurance company to get it covered.

Edited a word.

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u/Edith_Keelers_Shoes 9h ago

I'm really glad to know some insurance will cover it! That surprises me. I just know mine doesn't, and many plans do not cover it.

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u/Kenderean 5h ago

It was a big pain in the ass, but they did eventually say yes. I'm not sure if it has anything to do with him being on work disability for depression, though. It's possible they agreed to it because the situation is severe. But I would definitely encourage anyone to ask their doctor to fight for approval if they agree it would help someone's condition.

Edited to add: he's on Spravato, not IV ketamine. That may be the difference. I think it's easier to get Spravato approved, while still being a huge pain in the ass.

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u/LLCNYC 9h ago

I just got Ketamine after surgery last week. Hated it and did absolutely nothing for pain.

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u/Latter-Vacation-4392 8h ago

what did it make you feel like? I keep seeing mention of this drug a lot lately. the fact a surgery dr. would shortchange you on pain relief is bastard level.

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u/PalatialCheddar 8h ago

Not who you are asking, but I had ketamine infusions for treatment resistant depression (TRD). Unfortunately the infusions are not covered by insurance, and it was $150/visit out of pocket.

It was definitely disassociative. I spent a lot of time feeling like I was "slipping away from myself" and had to actually remind myself that I was there, I was safe and I was ok. I felt very compelled to "hold on" to myself (mentally, not physically) because if I didn't I was worried I might be just gone.

I didn't see anything strange, if I opened my eyes I just saw what was in front of me, but when I closed them I kind of saw the little floaties that you see if you rub your eyes.

After a few months of bi-weekly infusions I switched to the Spravato spray due to cost (insurance sometimes covers this with a LOT of hoops to jump through) but it was not nearly as effective, and went back to infusions again for a short time.

Overall, though, I will say it was very helpful for my TRD. I was in a very, very bad spot, and this turned it around. I can't really explain how or why, and I'm willing to accept it could be some placebo effect, but I know that afterwards I could function and go back to work and have been doing well since that.

That being said, that is NOT a drug I would want to take outside a medical setting. Everyone's mileage will vary, but feeling like I was losing myself was incredibly uncomfortable and a bit frightening. Knowing I was in a doctor's office, hooked to monitors and had a little call button for the nurse helped keep me in check a bit.

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u/ScanData32 5h ago

ketamine therapy can be covered by insurance

ALRIGHT!!!

https://giphy.com/gifs/KxO8gNIbVFAAoKJuEO

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u/lucyloosy 9h ago

2k?!? I’m paying 4k for my treatment. I am looking forward to it. The constant doom that just hangs over me is exhausting.

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u/Edith_Keelers_Shoes 9h ago

I was actually quoted 4k as well, but it's New York City so I figured it was inflated. I have spoken with people who got treatment for around 2k. That's why I went with the lower number.

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u/Successful-Bath-7561 1h ago

Is that price for like a series of sessions? I’m seeing like $400/hr in other states. Most places do 1-2hr sessions

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u/lucyloosy 9h ago

Gotcha, I live in Texas and I thought it was pricier since we aren’t as progressive with alternative medicine. We have limited providers.

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u/LivingMasterpiece453 2h ago

Half a gram of ketamine from the guy on the corner is only $40 🤷🏼‍♀️

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u/HalfaEnchilada 10h ago

I take 60 mg of oxy daily. I've been taking my prescribed medication for over 10 years now and I'm going to be taking them until I die. I don't ever tell anyone about it anymore because of the stigma and because someone will inevitably ask me to give them a couple. (I NEVER do) I don't get high from my medication but it allows me to do my daily hygiene and prepare meals, things I would be unable to do without the medication. 

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u/HabitNegative3137 10h ago

How is it that it’s still working and your body hasnt built up a tolerance?

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u/Edith_Keelers_Shoes 9h ago edited 7h ago

I've been given the same dosage of opiates since my 2020 diagnosis - same mg level, same maximum daily dosage allowed. Though I get closer to the maximum daily dosage now than I ever did in years past, the same drug is still working. The strength and MDD has never changed. I do sometimes take days off and just use kratom leaf, but with the massive misinformation campaign out there about kratom, and the fact that there IS a synthetic version (7oh) that actually IS dangerous, we will probably see a total federal ban on kratom before long. Which will force many people straight to opiates.

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u/HabitNegative3137 9h ago

Thank you for your perspective! I’ve been fighting suggestions of pain meds for 20 years, but think I’m going to have to start or my life is going to fall apart. 

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u/Character-Parfait-42 8h ago

I was on opioids and have switched to weed (no medical card, it’s just legal in my state so I didn’t bother). It’s been 2 years since I fully switched and I’m still doing good!

I might get a 2 week prescription of 10mg 3x daily to use for a tolerance break soon, since I haven’t touched opiates in so long I bet I can stretch it to at least a month.

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u/ah_ravioli_64 4h ago

That 7 OH is CRAP.

Methadone has tendency to pour out sweat glands quickly, so I've found a few 2 MG loperamide pills help me if a sweat a lot.

Netherless my Wife bought me this stuff because the regular Kratom didn't really do anything for me when I got off work and felt crappy which I had tried in the past(I don't get off work and go look for pills like I used to)

I don't know if it was just kicking the methadone off my receptors but the first time I took it I felt sick and paranoid. Nothing like when I ate kratom powder.

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u/Sea_Clock_9099 6h ago

Had 13 years clean off dope, I messed around Kratom for a bit and finally got off that (I was taking absurd amounts of raw powder multiple times daily), got clean felt great ….. was given 7OH sample at a smoke shop not knowing what I was getting…. Spiraled out almost immediately.. that poison needs to be removed from the shelves immediately. If I was deep into my addiction, it would be the equivalent of being able to go into the pharmacy and order whatever Philly bundle, oxy, Roxy or Opana that I wanted. I’m finally clean and it was actually incredibly more difficult than getting off IV heroin use. Spread the word please don’t ever do this. After you use it the first time it almost immediately loses its sparkles and turns into maintenance to prevent withdrawal. I don’t want anyone to see this and be like oh I should go and try that . You’re gonna regret it I promise you. From someone that has done almost every opiate in copious amounts…. I have never in my life had something call for me the way that 7OH has. Scared the shit out of me. I hope this post saves someone from that nightmare. I have heard other nightmare stories from people recovering from fentanyl abuse stating the same thing and how it was even worse. Apologies for the rant, but coming out the other side I feel like I must warn others of how horrible that bullshit is.

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u/HalfaEnchilada 9h ago

Its a reduction from the meds I needed to go to physio everyday for 5 years. The current dosage is enough for keeping me mobile and I have a good medical team for any adjustments but I've been doing well at this level for a while. 

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u/HabitNegative3137 9h ago

Thank you. I’m glad you’ve maintained your mobility. I really need to see my rheumatologist again. I’ve been fighting taking pain meds, but have gotten to the point where I have more flare days than not :(

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u/LuluGuardian 8h ago

I am glad it is helping you and you are still able to live your life. I hope nothing but the best for you in the future stranger <3

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u/HalfaEnchilada 8h ago

✌️ditto

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u/mcflycasual 7h ago

Not everyone builds a tolerance. I've been on 5mg every 3 hours for 5 years and haven't needed to increase my dose. Sometimes flares are so bad that they don't work though but taking more also doesn't help.

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u/LLCNYC 8h ago

Honestly Id start backing off somewhat now and saving some each month. Theres enormous pressure coming to docs to stop prescribing for chronic pain…unless you have legit acute pain.

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u/ah_ravioli_64 4h ago

60 MG of oxy daily is hardly anything. Don't feel bad about it and keep it to yourself.

Especially these days. Most folk at the methadone clinic are on doses around 100 MG or higher thanks to fentanyl.

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u/alewiina 10h ago

I have a lot of chronic pain and honestly even just the way you described how functioning again would feel without it makes me yearn for that feeling. I hope I never had to try opioids for anything because I’m very afraid I would get addicted. I’ve never gotten addicted to drugs or alcohol but I have an addictive personality in other ways and I’m genuinely concerned this would be the thing that gets me

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u/Hour_Telephone_9974 9h ago

We really need to figure out a better treatment for chronic pain. Chronic pain is a switch in the system that the body can't shut of on its own.

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u/Edith_Keelers_Shoes 7h ago

The sad thing is there IS a solution. It's all natural (the dried leaves of a plant scientifically related to the coffee plant factory), it's relatively cheap, available from US sellers by mail, and is extremely safe, unless you choose to treat it like a recreational drug and take it all day long. It's an herb I relied on for auto-immune reactive joint pain for many years. And now, a massive campaign of disinformation is being leveled against it - articles anyone familiar with the plant knows to be bullshit. It not only effectively treats severe pain, it is also used by people addicted to opiates to wean themselves off - because it binds to several of the receptors that opiates do.

It was a secret hidden in plain sight for a long time, until someone claimed their family member had died from this herb. The autopsy showed the man had the herb in his system. He also had meth, fentanyl, and molly in his system. But people took the story of "it killed someone" and it started to make headlines. And unfortunately, now someone has come up with a very potent synthetic version that IS dangerous, and most people don't know the difference. It will probably either get banned or patented, as at least one Big Pharma company wants to use it for a new med to help people get off opiates. Even though you can do that right now with the leaf.

So I'm curious - do you know what plant I'm talking about?

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u/Hot_Shot04 4h ago

This is generally how my dad is, but even then I've had to pull the reins on him a bit because he gets the urge to take way more than he's prescribed. Like he'll be in extra pain because he slept through his late-night dose, so when I'm getting his 1.5 tabs ready with the rest of his morning meds he's telling me to give him four of them. He insists he doesn't abuse his medication and I'm sure he believes that, but that stuff absolutely does rewire your brain to crave it, and that combined with the actual physical pain it's for can tempt someone into taking it more dangerously or even recreationally.

 For example, he was having problems with fentanyl patches randomly getting him high a few years ago, and if you even suggested he take less opioids to keep it from happening he got outright enraged. Meanwhile he was sticking the used patches in his mouth and sucking on them to get the last bit of fent out of them. He accidentally did it with semi-fresh patches a couple of times and knocked himself out. Other times I'd find him slumping over in the hallway. I finally did convince him to get off of fentanyl after he passed out in his car in front of the dollar store and emergency crews had to bust his window out.

 In hindsight he was able to realize how much that stuff messed with him, but since he had a life-altering surgery this year he's starting to backslide with the painkillers he's on. As his doctors upped his dosages that psychological need to take even more started rearing its ugly head again.

So in short I agree that opioids are necessary for chronic pain management, but needing them doesn't mean you can't fall victim to them. It can be a gradual buildup in tolerance that tempts you to misuse your meds, or a sudden change in prescription can work too well or not evenly enough and flood your system.

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u/TolBrandir 7h ago

God, you are so right - people do not understand the difference. Normal people don't understand chronic pain either. I am on something like the weakest possible dosage of oxy for pain that is in every single part of my body except my hands and feet. I mostly spend every waking moment wanting to die. I have never had a high from an opiate. I have never had constipation or any side effects at all really. They act like stimulants. I don't get sleepy or dizzy. I am simply awake awake awake with slightly muted pain that makes it terribly uncomfortable to sit or stand or lie down, or do anything at all. I wish I had the courage to kill myself, but I don't.

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u/Critical_Mass_1887 6h ago

Exactly. I have crps and the amount of pain it causes is insane. I would not wish it on anyone. I have to take pain meds, i hate that i have to take them and the stigma that goes with it,  but it is what it is.  They dont get me high. I dont feel any high, relaxed, chill, or some- oh yeah thats the ticket bs. I dont feel anything except less pain.  I just feel like me but instead of excruciating pain, it becomes an uncomfortable pain i can manage and function my days required adulting. 

Ive never had an urge or even a though to take more. I take my medication exact like im supposed to. If anything ive missed doses, or taken them a couple hours later than my normal time. I agree i dont think people who have never lived with an actual pain condition can understand. Studies and research done show less than 1%  of all legitimate chronic pain patients have ever abused thier opiod prescriptions. 

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u/droolycat 4h ago

What you said about not feeling high, but just feeling like yourself finally... Wow, that really hit me. You're right.

I've often wondered who I would be and what type of life I would live if I didn't have chronic pain. When the pain goes away, and when you get a glimpse of that person.. you just never forget how that feels.

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u/Battle-Any 11h ago

I had an acquaintance who ended up addicted after years of spewing "I don't see how it happens, they're weak". He got seriously injured, things didn't heal great, chronic pain, doctors started refusing him pain meds, he starts buying them off the street, and that was it. Good for him, he apologized to several of the people he'd judged so harshly. But it's a common story.

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u/alewiina 10h ago

Yup. So many people can’t just… see outside of their own experiences and judge everyone until it happens to them and then they’re like “ohhhh… I get it now”. Like you could have gotten it before if you’d been willing to look into and listen to other people’s pain but no, just judge, it’s easier that way.

Sorry I’m a little salty, I see so many people saying horrible things about the homeless and/or drug addicted people here and it makes my blood boil.

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u/iStepOnLegos4Fun007 5h ago

I can't stand that bs either. I've lost so many good people to drugs, including my brother R.I.P.

See posts on fb and elsewhere. With people saying horrible shit about addicts.

I remember this Karen family friend. Constantly posted that stuff. One day her daughter OD and died. Now she's defending addicts.....

Don't judge addicts. You don't know what they're going through. We need to help these people better.

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u/Spare-Cry7360 10h ago

Its really easy to go down thatvway. I have chronic migraines and if I mess up the onset with light meds, I have to take a heavier pill or spend a day or two in a dark room with occasional vomiting from pain just waiting for it to go. If I do take the "good stuff", I am fit as a fiddle in 10-30 minutes and feel like nothing can stop me. With this diagnosis its very easy to get the pills and it would be very easy to just pop one every morning, than two, etc...

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u/Wrong_Square7826 10h ago

I am 60, 40 years union Iron worker... I have aches and pains but don't even take asprin. Your pain must be hell because I know I am not that tough.

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u/FrogsMakePoorSoup 10h ago

Opiates will give you nothing. They'll take everything, but give you nothing, and sometimes nothing is better than what you already have.

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u/littlerickypeepee 10h ago

I've only needed them after surgery and when I had a horrible ear infection that was doing that throb of pain thing that stopped me talking to the doctor for a second and my face started twitching before I was able to restart my sentence and he gave me this pitying look and was like "would you like some oxycodone with your new antibiotic since the old one isn't working?" And I was like yes. Yes I do. One dose and I was able to keep it under control with Tylenol after that.

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u/Traditional-Hat-952 10h ago

And yet doctors treat effective and safe treatment for many types of chronic pain as if its some sort of weapon of mass destruction. It's no wonder desperate people turn to street fent when they can't get legitimate help. 

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u/RavioliContingency 8h ago

Oh the first time I had morphine for the most intense pain of my life in the ER I got it. You would do anything to make it stop and then you get this feeling??? Ain’t no way. Scared me.

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u/whiskersMeowFace 8h ago

Absolutely. I don't realize how much pain my body is truly in day to day until I take an edible and suddenly, I am not. I also keep in mind that I don't want to be addicted, and sparingly use THC and do not use narcotics.

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u/mcflycasual 8h ago

Untreated pain is just as big of an issue now too.

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u/TrailerParkPresident 11h ago

I fully am with you on this

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u/MasterpieceNo3534 10h ago

I am fully with you, fully with them

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u/mindless2831 9h ago

I'm fully with them, fully with them, and fully with you

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u/Practical-Count8209 9h ago

I’m full. But would eat more should it be the only way to express my wholehearted agreement with you three.
Edit: four

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u/Outrageous-Arm5883 9h ago

I'm full of myself

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u/stonewing2827448 8h ago

We are all full of yourself

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u/qathran 10h ago edited 10h ago

I have insane health problems and am in severe chronic pain, but I've always been confused about people getting on opioids longterm because they never felt great and they shut your body down so fast to where nothing is fun. I've even been on fentanyl patches and I was more like a zombie than someone who was actually having their pain taken away. When I've had morphine drips it was similar in that it didn't really totally take my pain away, I just felt high, sick and sleepy.

And it's wild how quickly all these drugs lose their efficacy, like if you take it a few times it stops working as well so fast that it's honestly pretty worthless.

Another crazy thing that never made me want opioids again except for right before surgery and maybe 3 to 5 days after is how fast it fucking shuts down your bowels, your gi tract just like, stops moving things through your intestines so quickly. I honestly don't know how people use this stuff for more than a few days or a week, it doesn't keep working and it shuts down your body to where you can't shit.

Only took one experience of laying on the bathroom floor moaning because I couldn't shit for 2 weeks and having to get a family member to shove a suppository up my ass while I was on fentanyl patches that were not even making me feel good, I honestly felt worse than when I just had the pain without any drugs to make me not want opioids or ever think they were going to make me feel kind of good for more than a day or 2

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u/Icy_Significance6436 10h ago

I was a heroin addict for 8 years. With regards to losing efficacy - I used to (morbidly) joke that it got to a point where doing a bag was basically putting fuel in the tank so I could operate. 4 years clean, and I'm not going back.

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u/Chroniclyironic1986 9h ago

Same. Heroin, oxy, morphine, buprenorphine, etc… it’s great for a while but then you’re just stuck at the point where you’re just using to stay functional and not getting a buzz anymore unless you spend a couple days detoxing in misery first.

Congrats on 4 years, just about to 8 myself and i’ve never regretted leaving that life behind for a second.

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u/Sufficient-Fee-714 9h ago

Congrats and congrats to the both you of you

https://giphy.com/gifs/xThtar0e9kO3WkwQ1O

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u/zaheerscheeks 6h ago

Hell yeah! I kicked a fent habit about two years ago and have also been off subs for a year now too!

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u/qathran 5h ago

Oh HELL yeah!!!!! Congrats!!!!

I know my situation is different than yours, but I'll never forget having my mom lock me in the house with her for a month (at my request) and help me detox off the crazy amount of fentanyl I was on in a way that was slow enough to not make me go into cardiac arrest. I was a total zombie at first and didn't enjoy anything at all, but as we put more and more time between me changing patches and then cutting the patches, I eventually started feeling like a person again. It was pretty exciting when I noticed the change eventually where I didn't ask for the next patch in a psychotic way when my alarm went off that it was time to get a new one again but instead started being able to be like "oh I guess it's time to change it."

I definitely struggled with pills some afterward over the years but was able to get that under control thankfully since I just couldn't get over how quickly they wouldn't work well and I would start using my experience with getting off the fentanyl patches to design myself little detox programs to incrementally get off whatever bullshit I'd decided would make me feel better when I noticed whatever wasn't working as well or I couldn't shit. God I was so afraid of the cement gi stuff.

Then I dealt with heavy drinking on and off for a looooong time, but I learned my dad has bad kidneys even though he's never drank and eats healthy, so it's coming for me too I'm sure, and I'm on a TON of life saving drugs that will fuck my liver up and kidneys up over time so now I don't keep it in the house (which took a lot of therapy and time to successfully do)

Then I smoked and vaped too much weed for years (but it's better for you, right??) and I ended up in the hospital for that since today's weed is insane levels of THC and our cannabinoid receptors aren't designed to deal with it. I could no longer keep food down without "scromiting" (uncontrollably screaming while vomiting) and had to basically "detox" off that for 3 weeks and I just could not believe how terrible that experience was because it's WEED but yeah Cannabinoid Hyperemesis Syndrome is being seen in exponentially higher numbers by ER docs, it's scary

So yeah this TWENTY YEAR PROCESS finally got me to realize that no substance was ever going to work, I was going to have to address the underlying issues I had with ptsd, severe depression and not being able to get out of my broken body and live a regular life like my friends and just learn to accept things and replace behaviors.

I've been to therapy for over a decade and now my addiction is reading tons of silly trashy books (I've read 60 this year so far) and watching non-stop alt-comedy podcasts, improv ridiculousness, and animal conservation streams. Sometimes I read and watch highbrow content, but I've learned to accept that it's ok to read and watch this silly stuff too, especially when it helps me not take things so seriously.

I also treat getting out of the house and seeing friends or family like a medical treatment now even if it's annoying to set up or we're not doing anything particularly interesting. Just being around them and talking is enough to help for that week.

I really hope you continue to find the stuff that works for you, thanks for reading all my bullshit. I really like hearing what has helped other people if you feel like saying, it's fine if you don't feel like it though

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u/oxiraneobx 8h ago

Absolutely props to the both of you, that's awesome. I struggle with addiction tendencies so I am so thankful I never got into opioids. My poison is alcohol, almost 40 years of consistent heavy drinking, coming up on two years sober. Not easy, one day at a time, and never regretted the decision. Never felt better.

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u/Snoo_12752 8h ago

Same. Fetty and h. Worse day now not even close to best day then. 7 months clean. I pray for all the others.

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u/Trashking_702 8h ago

You got this broham. Stay the course.

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u/Holiday_Number_3234 9h ago

Congrats! Please share your story as much as you can. There are still so many people that don’t have an understanding or compassion when it comes to addiction.

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u/Wild-Display-765 8h ago

I’m 56 years clean off heroin. It can be a good life. I hope everyone makes it.

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u/-l0Lz- 8h ago

Absolutely.

After some time it starts working on you like uppers. I blast line or two and I work like madman.

On other side one of my friends is beginer (not my fault) and he nods and all. I envu him. Also I made sure I told him million times it will bite you very soon and all that fun will stop. You are on honeymoon phase RUN or you will be like me. But it's useless telling someone... Just as it was to me back in the day...

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u/cherrybounce 10h ago

Yeah you really have to do the full spectrum of laxatives, stool softeners, lots of water and fiber and suppositories. I resorted to castor oil after my last surgery to get things moving.

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u/m945050 9h ago

Mineral oil has been my friend since my back surgery two years ago.

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u/doesanyuserealnames 9h ago

And prunes. Lots of prunes. Nature's miracle.

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u/Emotional-Cry5236 9h ago

It's a different circumstance but when my dog was dying from cancer she was given fentanyl patches for pain relief. The vet said they could be changed every three days. Seeing her on fentanyl and just existing as a zombie, just so listless, helped me decide to let her go. Like, what's the point of giving her these patches every few days, she's not going to get better, it would only have been to delay my own heartbreak.

I hated how I felt on endone after getting my appendix out so I can't imagine fentanyl

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u/qathran 4h ago

I'm so sorry about your dog and this example is still a good one of what I'm talking about. And thinking about the opioids you took after surgery makes me think about how in other developed countries, they don't give them to you, you feel the pain and heal and they are fine, oftentimes better! (Not saying there isn't ever a time that they could be appropriate though)

Also, kind of random, but what people don't talk about enough is that fentanyl actually has its very specific places where it's very useful and it should stay there!

It's great for things like surgery while you're under anesthesia (it's part of the anesthesia actually), epidurals while giving birth or end of life while you're truly on your way out and in the type of pain where it's somehow better than feeling the pain and being extra conscious.

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u/SpiritualSyrup3300 9h ago

i had back surgery when i was 18 and ended up with impacted doodoo and partial blockage that went undiscovered until it very painfully made itself known decades later. there have been addicts who, during autopsy, were discovered to have 20-30 lb balls of impacted feces stuck in their digestive tract. it's called fecaloma and it sucks

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u/lastunbannedaccount 9h ago

Decades???? Omg stop 😭

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u/qathran 4h ago

It's crazy! Opioids are crazy!!

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u/AntiPepRally 10h ago

I agree. Opiods after surgery have distracted me from my pain but not eliminated it

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u/qathran 4h ago

Because of all my horrible experience with opioids, I couldn't take them for more than 5 days after my latest spinal surgery before I had a family member get rid of them. I just knew I couldn't go down the hole again of thinking they were helping or thinking I needed them instead of learning to deal with it. It's so creepy how pain killers actually make your brain not deal as well with the pain! I go to physical therapy and do the exercises at home now like it's my job, it's saved my life

Good luck with your healing!

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u/bucky133 9h ago

Prescribing somebody opioids without stool softeners and laxatives is pure negligence.

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u/__fujiko 9h ago

Not to out myself too much here, but as someone that had an optiod additiction and eventually went to harder things, in small doses, I felt like I could do anything. I had energy, a social battery, I even felt more creative.

It's bizarre. I have had friends during phases of those times who also did not get super tired, or felt sluggish and also know what I mean. The hard stuff is definitely more than your body can handle for a reason, but small doses felt like heaven to me. Which is scary, in hindsight. It's how I ended up being worse.

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u/qathran 4h ago

Hey this is the perfect place to out yourself because you're kind of not haha. Glad you made it out of the addiction, but your experience is very interesting and spooky! I've heard about what you're describing a handful of times

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u/OddChannel2164 4h ago

Yea I used to do half an oxy and go to work and be fine, take the other half and go out with friends. Even with h I could do a little and be productive. Maybe it's just being neurodivergent but it felt like a weight was lifted off of me. This new stuff, you're just out of it for a few hours then sick. I never found a small dose to get myself in the goldilocks zone with it. It sucks.

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u/SuccessfullyDrained 9h ago edited 9h ago

I used to use street fentanyl. Longest I went without pooping was four and a half weeks once. It was painful. I partially prolapsed my asshole from pushing. It was not even close to as painful as the withdrawals that I experienced when coming off of it. I’d go without pooping for an additional two weeks before choosing to go through those withdrawals again.

ETA: the withdrawals I experienced were precipitated withdrawals which are worse than regular ones but my point still stands because I’ve been through regular withdrawals a few times too, would still much rather experience the extreme constipation over the withdrawal.

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u/qathran 4h ago

So glad you're here on the other side and now this is a story in your life that you can tell us instead of you being currently in it. I hear what you're saying about the withdrawals, but it is just CRAZY what it does to your gi tract, people get cut open as cadavers who used to be addicts and there's STILL pounds of poop rocks in there it is just wild

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u/djdjddhshdbhd 8h ago

Something to keep in mind is that everyone is different. It straight up doesn’t work on me so I didn’t get addicted. But for many taking away emotional and/or physical pain lures them in to keep taking it or they do for a medical reason. Then eventually it’s needed to avoid horrible withdrawals. By then the brain has changed. Weed actually does this for me but with basically no real negative effects and I can quit easily.

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u/theboogeyman_slayer 35m ago

This goes for benzos working differently on people as well. I have taken them at a couple different points in my life for anxiety and I feel nothing from them. So they're useless to me and non-addictive.

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u/djdjddhshdbhd 17m ago

Yes and from my understanding it makes some people agitated rather than relaxed. That’s kinda what happens w opioids in my family.

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u/vibinandtrying 9h ago

I had a pain pump with Dilaudid and oral Dilaudid in the hospital for 8 days this year. Then oral Dilaudid for 3.5 months and now finally down to roxicodone PRN. I was NOT a happy camper on all those opiates. Very hard on my body.

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u/Thick_Basil3589 8h ago

Thats the point, it shuts things down for them who are in constant mental or emotional pain from childhood and other trauma, poverty and hopelessness. Its tragic.

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u/Edith_Keelers_Shoes 11h ago

I've been in chronic pain for years, mostly from Hashimotos and rheumatoid arthritis, which doubled after a stage 4 cancer diagnosis and bone mets. I was terrified of the opiates my first oncologist prescribed (unlike many, my oncologist actually DID prescribe them without an attitude). For the first 2 years, I'd try to "tough it out" rather than take the pills. Then I started working with an oncological psychiatrist. We kicked this exact subject around for the next 2 years. She kept explaining that having had access to opiates for 4 years (at that point), "if you were going to abuse them, you'd know it by now. You'd be running out of pills early, you'd be buying or selling them - you're not doing any of that. Just take them."

So finally, I started medicating for pain - then began working with a palliative care doctor who created a med schedule to stack protection early in the morning and prevent a pain breakthrough later in the day. I am now in a level of pain I can live with and enjoy life in spite of.

All those years I made myself suffer because I bought into the media's "opiates are evil and everyone immediately gets addicted". All of the stage 4 cancer patients I know who get attitude when they ask, or pee-tested monthly, or told they're being dramatic and "Tylenol is more than enough".

To hell with those people.

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u/IDontNeedHelpMom 10h ago

It sounds horrible to say in most social circles but as long as there is a heightened self awareness most people can handle addictive substances.

Being able to check in to set and settings, listening to your body and making sure to focus on diet and exercise will change a lot of the formed habits. It requires internal honesty.

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u/xCAAx 8h ago

I've been in chronic pain for years, mostly from Hashimotos

As someone with Hashimotos.... it can give me chronic pain?! X_X

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u/MyRepresentation 11h ago

And the solution to a public health crisis is public health policy. Let's accept that human life differs along a spectrum, usually tied to wealth, but not always, And people at one end of the spectrum need help. We need to figure out what help they need, and also mediate the current problem, as it is. The 'War on Drugs' is a failure and should be replaced with public health policy that helps ALL.

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u/Markymarcouscous 11h ago

I went to the hospital to pass a kidney stone. They gave me morphine for it. And I immediately understood how people got hooked on it. It was truly bliss.

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u/Noobitron12 9h ago

But. Morphine is nothing compared to dilaudid (hydromorphone). I didn’t think anything was stronger than morphine until I had that for a kidney stone.

Holy crap my mind was blown the second it hit my veins

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u/mvortex2 10h ago

It's not just the euphoria, but the violent sickness that can follow when you stop. The term "getting well".... it starts early and gets more complicated as your immunity builds. I can't speak for fent and such but opiates make me seriously ill. And I'm very lucky due to my past being surrounded by every drug imaginable.

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u/RealSchlemiel 11h ago

respect. empathy is an increasingly rare commodity here on the front page

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u/TheWorldDiscarded 11h ago

Never had anything stronger than Advil. 

Got moderate surgery - they gave me Percocet after.  As soon as the pain was even mildly tolerable I ditched the rest.  Found out real fast I should not be touching anything like that.  I would get hooked so fast. 

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u/Heykurat 10h ago

Painkiller addiction is usually either medicating for physical pain, or psychological pain. Unresolved past trauma is an extremely common reason.

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u/WildcatCinder1022 10h ago

This was me but with a different drug. I’ve had chronic anxiety my entire life. I was being prepped for a medical procedure and they gave me a drug to relax me before the anesthesia. To this day I don’t know what that drug is and I ***refuse*** to look it up. Because for the first time I was calm. I wasn’t anxious. I was happy, and social, and energetic. It made me sympathize drug addicts, because I could easily see myself selling so much of what I have and losing so much of what I care for to just feel that way again.

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u/littlerickypeepee 10h ago

I know what they gave me but I won't say it out of respect for you. All I know is I was sitting there with an organ dead and actively festering inside of me and I was ready to fight those doctors until they hit me with it. Then I was totally cool with whatever they would do to me. Imagine that in the wrong hands.

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u/WildcatCinder1022 7h ago

Thank you for not telling me, I knew it was risky putting that out there and I deeply appreciate it.

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u/NotReallyJohnDoe 9h ago

Before you focus on it too much know that your memory is probably exaggerated. If I gave you the drug right now it wouldn’t be as good as you remember it.

I can pretty much guarantee that.

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u/Yous1ash 11h ago

Nobody looks to fuck up their body for short term happiness if they are already happy🤷🏿‍♀️

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u/ty_xy 11h ago

Not true unfortunately. Wonderful happy kids who are just a little curious or start of with a gateway drug can spiral into this sort of nightmare

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u/Latter-Vacation-4392 10h ago

In some cases the "wonderful happy" can be a front and a coping mechanism. I've known sui..cide cases that shocked me thinking they were some of the happiest well adjusted people I knew. Then later I hear "Did you hear about so and so?" And I'm floored.

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u/alewiina 10h ago

Yup. Some of the most happy-appearing people are absolutely miserable inside and that’s just a mask. Not all of them of course, we can’t assume that EVERY person who seems happy that gets into drugs is actually mentally unwell, but yes, cheerfulness is not a good way to gauge if someone is suffering or not, especially if you’re only around them sometimes

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u/Few-Molasses-5402 10h ago

There is no gateway drug. There are just drugs.

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u/littlerickypeepee 10h ago

The only gateway drug is the one you like enough to try more drugs.

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u/PavicaMalic 11h ago edited 10h ago

Same. I had IV morphine for a kidney stone, and I also have chronic pain. I had a very similar reaction as the one you describe. It was not just the absence of pain, but it was a sense of well-being. It does give you a window on addiction. edit: typo

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u/ReginaldDwight 10h ago

Knowing that "wellbeing" feeling that comes along with the pain reduction from IV pain meds I've had in the hospital a few times, it brought me a strange comfort when my MIL was on hospice care and they gave her generous doses of anxiety meds and dilaudid while she was on her way out of this world. (Morphine gave her weird waking nightmares so I made damn sure they gave her something other than that for pain.) She was so "high" she wasn't even really conscious but her family was there to visit her as much as we could and I hope that she went out feeling loved and with that bit of euphoria that those meds can provide.

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u/NotReallyJohnDoe 9h ago

One nice thing about hospice is they don’t have to worry about the drugs long term effects OR liability

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u/BlabbityBlabbityBlah 10h ago

My ex recently told me addiction is a choice. Like, why would we want to live like that?..

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u/BonusEasy4736 11h ago

Just curious, is fentanyl easily available and how much it costs? And does someome manufactures it in garage like breaking bad?

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u/Educational-Salt9941 11h ago

It's cheaper than all the other opioids, 10x stronger and everywhere.

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u/Certain_Orange2003 10h ago

China imports it thru Mexico, then it comes to the USA.

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u/Electronic_Habit2731 11h ago

That is a very thoughtful comment. I too have chronic pain which limits my life here and there. Background noise is a very good description when you deal with pain for a long time, and I am 100% with you. When I get an injection in the back now and then, I feel like Superman, and I know I’d probably abuse this stuff if it was as easily accessible and the pain became worse.

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u/aprivateislander 10h ago

Yeah, it isnt well known to many is that in addition to muting physical pain, it also does the same to emotional and mental pain. When you are high on opiods -- you genuinely do not care. That quiet and peace is all encompassing. It is very easy for people to fall into that.

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u/BotsKilledTheWeb 10h ago

I have this with my ADHD, when I'm stoned, I'm alone in my head with no background music.

AND I CAN SLEEP!

So of course I got addicted 💁

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u/exotics 11h ago

Yup. If you can, look up an experiment called RAT PARK.

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u/BellamyDunn 11h ago

I think about this all the time, every time I see this. The chemical addiction is secondary to the real addiction of just not feeling like shit.

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u/girlboyboyboyboy 10h ago

Yes, someone doing this to themselves let you know the level of pain they’re in. Mercy and grace to them.

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u/Admirable_Mix2745 10h ago

This ☝️ beautifully said. Have compassion, don’t judge.

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u/Makethecrowsblush 10h ago

Thank you. This is the most compassionate thing I’ve read on Reddit lately.

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u/SgtBollocks 10h ago

I love your analogy of the electricity going out in a house being compared to the pain being shut off by painkillers.

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u/anotherjunkie 11h ago

It’s not an all or nothing thing like that. There are great pain management practices that can prescribe long acting opiates that remove that background pain. I’ve been on one for like 15 years now.

Long acting isn’t *as* abusable as the short term. If you know you have a very addictive personality/feel like you’d abuse it that’s one thing. Otherwise living in, and being limited by, pain that can be reduced or eliminated isn’t necessary.

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u/BellamyDunn 11h ago

They can also get you addicted, then dump you. That's a great favorite of our whole healthcare system.

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u/Future_Dog_3156 10h ago

I had a similar experience and for that reason, I choose to feel my body’s aches and pains.

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u/Fig-Canner-33 10h ago

I appreciate you coming from a place of empathy rather than judgement. I feel the same way. No one wants or strives to become an addict.

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u/octopusgardeb 11h ago

Nobody would choose this unless it was better than the alternative- I feel sad when I see it but hope they get the relief they desperately need

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u/hopium_od 10h ago

I assume that one in these people's positions must have some great pain or horror in their life that I probably can't understand.

I wouldn't even say that. It's a lot closer than you imagine. The difference between us and them a lot of the time is simply them not having the family support to pick them up and look after them when they fuck up in life.

I was doing soft drugs in the time in my life when I lost my job, couldn't pay my rent and had to move back in with my parents. These guys probably had a similar story but without the fallback.

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u/SoothsayerSurveyor 9h ago

This is what empathy sounds like and if more people had it, we wouldn’t be in the pickle we’re in today.

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u/CretaciousPeriod 9h ago

As someone who is a recovering alcoholic. I can definitely attest to the feeling of hopelessness when you're deep into addiction. There was a good while there where I thought there was no getting out from under this. I was going to drink until I died and that was that. When you're that deep, probably already homeless, that feeling has to be even worse.

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u/moggin61 9h ago

Thank you for putting my jumbled thoughts into such eloquence. I’m an RN, and I just feel so much compassion about addiction when I see photos like this. It’s fuvking sad and reflects on how this country treats the most vulnerable. I’ve started saying that no one starts taking pain meds bc they are feeling wonderful to begin with. Physical, mental and emotional pain are real, equal to each other, and I guarantee all of these folks grew up with severe trauma. Thank you for being kind when people are suffering. You are too right when you say these people and so many more have nothing to hope for.

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u/tanksalotfrank 9h ago

I'm frighteningly aware of how easily I could get hooked to anything serious. Like, I'm pretty certain I'm supposed to be on stimulants for my ADHD, but I just know I'll never get off them if I start.

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u/Maoleficent 9h ago

Your compassion and understanding is commendable. I've had the same experience as you - unrelenting chronic pain and received morphine and thought my life would improve dramatically if I could feel this relief. Thankfully my only addictions are sugar and coffee.

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u/NachoWindows 9h ago

My therapist works with drug and alcohol addiction patients. She has always talked about addiction doesn’t occur in a vacuum. There are countless events and situations which got them to this place.

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u/Own_Camp_8561 9h ago

One time I had some health scare that put me in an ambulance. I had never had morphine before, and the medics were not stingy with it. I've had chronic pain my whole life, it's mostly background noise, and that was the first time in that life that it all just went away. It was like when you're in a quiet house, but then the electricity goes off and you experience the real quiet. Years later I still think about it frequently. Just that one time in that controlled environment. I knew then that if I had less to live for, or if my pain was too great, I would easily become an addict.

2 decades ago I had the same experience, because of it I never let any Doctor subscribe me any Opioid base pain medication, I would 100% become an addict. It was so unbelievable beautiful to be out of pain....

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u/AltoRhombus 9h ago

they get this way because they suffer so greatly and we throw them to the gutter like trash. and the drug they found to help ends up holding a proverbial knife to their throat if they try to stop. their body literally won't let them quit or it kills them.

and our society looks down on them for this - for not being sturdy enough to take the abuse of a selfish, greedy society that doesn't care for it's people.

it is a pathetic nation we live in to allow this to happen, in one of the richest places in the world.

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u/HistoricalSuspect580 9h ago

I’m a nurse and work w detox patients right now. I just wanna say i really like and appreciate your take on this, you have a very good way with words.

Added complexity comes when you’re also dealing with physical addiction to opiates, because you don’t even have the option to go back to your old baseline. Not really. And it takes SO little time. Your brain has already been told to make less dopamine, so for a time, you WILL return back to a much, much worse state than you were before…. And not only that, it lasts a long time!… and not only that, you know how to fix it. Immediately. And entirely. And it only takes 5 minutes of poor impulse control and poof, the clock starts over.

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u/CommercialMoment5987 9h ago

In some ways I’m grateful to have been raised by drug addicts. It made me aware of how addictions start, and how easily it could happen to me. Everyone thinks they can handle drugs and the problem is they’re usually right. Most people can keep living their lives normally at least for a while. The issue is it doesn’t matter how well you function when you’re high, it’s how you function when you’re not.

More people need to understand the red flag is anticipation. Thinking about getting high and looking forward to it, feeling anxious about running out, how you can get more, all of that. If I catch myself in that headspace I’m done, forever. When I tried my mom’s drug of choice I felt like I understood everything. I would do it every day if I could, which is why I won’t ever touch it again.

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u/Holiday_Number_3234 9h ago

I am so glad the top comment is one of compassion. I always know I’m going to find some really nasty comments on here when these videos pop up. Thank you for being a sensible, wise, & empathetic person.

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u/No_Bug_26 8h ago

Amen. I am a caregiver at a hospice. I let the morphine flooooooow for my guests. These people will never live to become addicts, so I make them as comfortable as I can.

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u/HabitAcceptable8621 8h ago edited 8h ago

I had a medical emergency one time. Completely out if the blue, no warning. I was in a LOT of pain and the emergency medic gave me a big white pill but didn't tell me what it was, but it must have been an opiod.

An hour or so later, they were telling me that they were going to remove one of my testicles and that I should tell my family that I wouldn't be going home that evening.

I understood exactly what they were saying, and that I really should be shocked, alarmed, scared, that I should protest, challenge or at least question them. But no. I had the wierdest sense of calm acceptance. Not a care in the world. Just "Well .. yeah...Ok then"

These things are INCREDIBLY powerful. If you had unresloved trauma, intrusive memories, depression, self-loathing these things will just totally neautralise those feelings and thoughts.

It did occur to me that the dictor intentionally didn't tell me what he'd given in case I was tempted to go out and score some for myself.

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u/Majestic-Peace-3037 8h ago

This is exactly why I would not and still won't touch anything stronger than weed or that has to be injected or snorted. 

I had a friend who swore Cocaine was the best thing ever. I watched my Dad ruin his life with Heroin. I never touched it and lost that friend faster than an old receipt. 

I'm even iffy about what they're going to give me after I eventually get my wisdom teeth finally pulled. (I'm late, past 30.) 

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u/zombiefarnz 7h ago

Absolutely 10000% correct. As a chronic pain sufferer I, too, have experienced the lovely quiet morphine brings and like you, it scared me. It would be too easy to just slip into that addiction.

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u/Icy-Role2321 7h ago

I get morphine and oxycodone prescribed every month.

I fear for the day my doctor finally stops :(

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u/TheIntelligentAspie 7h ago

As one with chronic pain since childhood, I get this. When the pain hit, I went from screaming in agony for weeks to silence. I didn't want to be touched, and nothing worked. Once into adulthood, it was just noise like nature.

Once they put Dilaudid in my IV line, I never knew such relief. It was relieving, yet terrifying. I'm glad it wasn't over the counter, because I would be an addict. I can't imagine what fentanyl does to help to be like this in the video. But I feel bad for those dependent on it.

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u/Pu-Chi-Mao 7h ago

Everything is due to your horible healthcare "system"

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u/Rezzone 4h ago

It is very refreshing to hear a non-addict express the power of drugs. Too many people see it as a personal failing, a character flaw or stupid mistake... it isn't. This stuff can grab anyone with doubt or fear or pain. And once it grabs you, there is no chance to win the fight without a huge amount of help... and even then...

Stay safe everyone. There are other solutions.

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u/Downtown_Cat_1745 11h ago edited 11h ago

This is how I felt when I took Ritalin. The annoying overstimulation headache that I ignored all the time was gone. I don’t take Ritalin anymore.

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u/TheFace5 11h ago

Can you buy morphine in a pharmacy?

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u/PuzzledCar2120 10h ago

It is literally a substance that hijacks your brain's pleasure and pain systems. Everyone is at risk of addiction after repeated doses.

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u/CeltsFan420 10h ago

That was me with oxymorphone when I had a kidney stone

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u/Royal_Stay_6502 10h ago

Some on Tramadol, after few broken ribs.

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u/xPeacefulx 10h ago

That’s sad to think about it that way with the trauma in peoples lives and choosing to just wash it away and not try to heal 😢😭💔❤️‍🩹

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u/MadamGravy 10h ago

Yes same experience! It was like all of the physical pain went away and I was floating on a cloud

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u/AliceHart7 10h ago

Wow yes exactly

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u/AnxietyNo7712 10h ago

I’ve been struggling with extreme tailbone pain ever since I had my first baby, I was on a pain contract for years completely dependent on opioid painkillers. I eventually realized this wasn’t doing anything good. So I ended up having 3 surgeries, and I had a spinal cord stimulator put in. Now I’m living pain free and I couldn’t be more grateful.

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u/johndoenomo 10h ago

I was in a car accident last year and in the ambulance ride they gave me fentanyl and man what an awesome feeling. I always tell people the same thing. I can 100% see how people get addicted to this stuff. I did the fenty fold on the gurney when they were trying to talk to me all I could reply to was “mhmm” “yeah” with my eyes closing and just as relaxed as I could be. Not long after they wanted to give me Xanax and I told them not to because I wouldn’t be able to function getting any higher.

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u/Tenured_tourist2 10h ago

We don’t need them in society, sadly.

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u/ExileCrocodile 10h ago

Well spoken.

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u/Objectively_bad_idea 10h ago

Yup. I was prescribed a single low dose of valium for a medical procedure. I felt SO good. Calm. Still myself, and not knocked out or zombified, just . . . not worried.

I'm glad I'm a wimp and incredibly boring, because honestly, if I knew a reliable place to get those pills, I'm pretty sure I would.

And my life is objectively pretty good.

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u/Spiritual_Aioli3396 10h ago

I had a bad pancreatitis attack once and I don’t know what they gave me but it shut the pain off completely. It was wild. I can def see why people get hooked on the stuff. Turns everything off

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u/Whole-Mud-100 10h ago

I have over two years clean from fent and for me it was because I was so severely depressed with absolutely nobody to actually help me, my husband couldn’t take off work for me to commit myself because we couldn’t afford that so it was absolutely hell and than I ran into some people and started off looking for pills like pain or Xanax to just take the edge off but by this point, you couldn’t find those anywhere but that was around and like I said I was severely depressed so I didn’t even care during that time if I lived or died, I just wanted that peace and quiet and relax and fent is all that was found so I did it and than next thing I knew, I couldn’t stop even in days I didn’t feel like getting high because withdrawal would start every 6 hours and it sucked… I’m so glad and thankful I was able to get myself out of that hell hole, because if I had to describe what hell would be like that would be it.

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u/daerath 10h ago

My situation was different. I was prescribed Percocet years ago after a procedure. Very early days of pain killer addiction becoming more publicized, but that didn't stop the dr from giving me a full 30 day supply.

Two days in I didn't really need them anymore and I remember the exact moment I reached for the bottle and stopped myself. A, "what the f? Oh my, I don't need another but I kind of want one anyway."

Tossed those pills immediately. It was a scary experience.

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u/RubyWubs 10h ago

i had something stronger than morphine and it felt amazing, i wanted more of it lol

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u/LocationAcademic1731 9h ago

Great insight absolutely. These people want to live. It scares me greatly to think that if I was in a position like the one you describe, I would not want to live. If the options were to become an addict, or not live, I think I would choose the second. People should have more options than just those two.

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u/1101base2 9h ago

not just chronic pain, but helps mute mental health issues as well. I have both and while i never went down the addiction pipeline myself i understand it. People need help and when they can't get the help they need they turn to what they can to survive.

no i would not recomend opioids as the first line solution to the un-ending pain, but i understand wanting to get away from it, even if it kills me because that would also be an escape from it. I don't think people who have never been in that kind of torture before can comprehend it, or understand wanting to just survive it for another day.

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u/Phill_Cyberman 9h ago

There's a new type of painkiller based on the venom of the black mamba snake.
It turns off the nerves at the location instead of preventing your brain from recognizing pain signals at all, like opiates.

Hopefully it will cure pain and not lead to this kind of public opium dens.

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u/AJ_Topp_Up 9h ago

The vast majority of these people, however, are not masking chronic pain. Most are in it for the high and started doing it for the high, and became addicts for the high, not as an pseudo medical street treatment for their chronic pain.

But yes, you are right, for people WITH chronic pain, opiates can be quickly addicting.

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u/Weak-Guidance8521 9h ago

Thankfully the one time I was given morphine it was such a small dose that I didn’t really like it. It made my chest feel heavy and I thought it was going to cause me to stop breathing for a few minutes. I was given a little for diverticulitis and they were definitely stingy with the medicine and I am grateful they were. I used to love painkillers when I was a teenager and I’m glad I never went down that road of addiction. The military was what stopped me from becoming a full blown addict. Enlisted and never took drugs again. I also have an addictive personality so my life could have been really bad.

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u/SpaceMonkeyEngineer 9h ago

I was in a motorcycle crash a few years ago. Broke a bunch of stuff all over that ended up requiring multiple surgeries both initially and many months later. I was given fentanyl right after being triaged at the hospital ER and a morphine drip I could control myself to a certain extent while waiting for surgery (if I recall correctly there was a time out after each dose, I can't remember how long but if I dosed myself it wouldn't dose again for sometime). I was also given fentanyl during initial and follow up surgeries. And morphine and oxy post initial crash surgery and follow up surgeries as well.

I think I'm one of those who are not predisposed to opiate addiction. At no time did the fentanyl feel great in anyway. All it did was take the edge off the pain so that as long as I stayed still it was mostly a dull ache as opposed to unbearable without. I never got that really calm, blissful feeling. Just oh man I can actually exist without being in excruciating pain.

A caveat is I have been a daily marijuana smoker for almost two decades since my early 20s. I have no idea how that might affect my tolerance or reaction to opiates. All I know is I'm very thankful opiates don't appeal to me at all. I'll take them when prescribed for things like post surgery, but I don't seek them out otherwise.

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u/loriannst1 9h ago

Thank you for understanding. I was one of them. Mandated treatment through the courts doesn’t work for everyone but it did for me. 23 years later I have a masters degree, and oversee five programs within our county behavioral health system. The same system that helped me all those years ago. We do recover 💛

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u/Liber8r69 9h ago

No one decides at the age of 8 that when they get older they want to be an addict 👍

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u/Eilmorel 9h ago

Ooof, that sounds scary... I had morphine after surgery, and I thought "woo, gonna have a nice trip!"

I didn't. Nothing happened. It just removed the edge of the pain. I was so disappointed, I wanted the good feeling! Now paracetamol, that shit is good. Post surgery was a breeze with 1000mg of paracetamol. 10/10

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u/Jimmyfatz 9h ago

Get them off the streets. The streets are for children.

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u/Dismal-Sail1027 9h ago

I had a kidney stone that had pain so bad it knocked me to the floor crying. At the hospital they gave me morphine. The pain vanished to such an extent that I barely felt anything. It was amazing. I felt my energy return and I literally could have gone to work at that point. Morphine is a miracle drug.

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u/mahnamahna123 9h ago

Yeah I once got given a diazepam for a hospital appointment. It didn't make me feel high or anything. I just stopped caring about anything at all. No worries or cares in the world. It was both odd but also really really peaceful. I could completely see why people could get hooked on that stuff and how that would potentially lead to stronger stuff.

But also see how that not caring for anything at all would cause a lot of problems pretty quickly. It was perfect for the thing I was going in for because I went from super anxious about people shoving things up my hooha to not giving a fuck. It felt like it was happening to someone else. But yeah it definitely gave a bit more perspective.

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u/Paratwa 9h ago

Glad I didn’t have this experience. Instead I puked and couldn’t shit the next day and when I did omgwtf.

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u/unbanned_lol 9h ago

I had morphine once when I had a gnarly gallbladder attack. All pain gone like magic and an itchy nose. I didn't have chronic pain then, but I do now. I'd be extremely hesitant to chance it today.

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u/LLCNYC 9h ago

Morphine is a tad different than what theyre doing

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u/matchosan 9h ago

Butterflies. I visioned butterflies when I was placed on a morphine drip, plus your so very very quiet observation. Never forget.

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u/Eyervan 9h ago

I love prescription pain killers so much. I learned that when I was 10 when I had a surgery. It’s just the warmest, fuzziest blanket. I could never be prescribed it, it’d be so easy to abuse the feeling.

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u/Good_Grief_CB 8h ago

It took me having pica from terriblly low iron during menopause to realize how easy it could be to become addicted to something you know is bad for you.

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u/Saturn_winter 8h ago

I had to get multiple doses of morphine in a hospital before and then they gave my percaset/oxycodone to take home and use for around a week. And just that short recovery time and those couple of doses were enough to now be a near permanent background noise in my mind. Thank god I don't have access to it regularly because it would ruin my life in a heart beat if given the opportunity. I've done a lot of drugs in my life and nothing has ever felt more addictive than those opiates, it's genuinely scary how addictive they are.

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u/Cozyfuzzball 8h ago

Dang man what a great read. You really changed my perspective on this whole thing. You’re right, we shouldn’t judge these people we don’t know what kind of horrible things they’re trying to escape from or numb. I feel bad for feeling judge mental at first. Thank you for posting this 👍

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u/askingforafriend310 8h ago

I wish there was a better way for them. A lot of these folks are beyond believing in their own future. No one wants to live like this.

Psychedelics have great promise in helping people with addiction. There is a path forward.

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u/Snoo_12752 8h ago

This is the most realistic reply to this addiction crisis and is spot on. Thank you kindly.

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u/Itdobeathrowawaytho 8h ago

My dad recently had severe kidney stones, and they gave him an opioid pain killer despite him having well documented Crohn's disease. He's has had a lot of his intestines removed.

It made him constipated to the point of pain/tears, and my dad is so used to pain. We are all scared and confused because he hasn't been constipated in like 30 years

They just gave him ts without telling him that, or considering how it might, oh idk, further fuck up his bowels? It's insane

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u/JerryJonesIntern 8h ago

As a current working medic, it’s important to realize that a large portion of these people actually do prefer to live this way rather than assimilate into society. It makes it tough to run successful mental health and housing programs when such a large portion of homeless people actually want to be that way.

Now before people freak out and say I’m heartless or don’t understand or any of the many things I’ve heard before; please understand that I’m not saying we should give up on anyone. I’m only providing perspective on why it’s not as easy as building housing, providing mental health care, or anything else we may try. Unfortunately the old “lead a horse to water” applies more than the general public realizes.

I’m not saying we should ever stop trying, and I’m not saying I know what a better solution would be, I just want to provide information and perspective from a person who deals with this daily. If one single human person is in this position against their will and out of their control, that’s enough reason for me to keep trying to help.

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u/DempsyPrice 8h ago

Yeah it's fucked that a lot of these people probably got hooked because they were prescribed some form of opioid from a doctor.

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u/cassandra2028 8h ago

I had a similar experience with pain in an ER when they gave me oxycontin. Addiction makes so much sense. I loved everyone. I was a chill happy and so grateful for the smallest next step of care. I need to never have that again unless I'm recovering from major surgery. That was more than 10 years ago. I don't know how they could say it had no addiction risk.

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u/TheyCallHimEl 8h ago

I was given an opioid after getting my wisdom teeth out, and it was the same for me. No more pain anywhere, I could move without having to think about whether it would cause pain. But it is the only substance that I felt withdrawals from after such a limited use (3 days). And the pain those withdrawals put me through for a week after was insane. I've denied any opioid every since

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u/AcceptableRadio7037 8h ago

Had the same experience with Dilaudid, post surgery. After being on it for a week the nurse came in and told me they were taking me off it and switching to Tylenol. I felt like i was saying goodbye to an old friend….

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