Ex partner died of overdose.

[Zeke]

I haven't been in a partnership since the 70's but this fellow, sometimes a friend and sometimes a dick, died late last year of an accidental fentanyl overdose. He was 72 and wasn't in great health. He did have a legitimate history of taking pain medication.

However, due to the crackdown on all painkillers, IDT he had what he needed so likely stepped out of the box and bought some fake pills. Of course the family is mum about the details.

The point I'm making was spurred by an article in the LA Times today about U.S. agents buying pills in Mexico from Tijuana to Cabo San Lucas in little mom and pop stores to bright and big chain looking stores. They sent all the purchases to be analyzed.

Now the figures are bad, but like 40% bad. From pills sold by the single dose to sealed bottles that looked identical to prescribed drugs, a large percentage was fake, either all the contents or partially intermixed.

The Oxy and Hydrocodone led the opioid list and Adderall led the stimulant list.

I knew this fellow pretty well inspite of an up and down relationship depending on his mood at the time. No doubt drugs played a part. However, he was very much anti drug including weed all his life. He was never a recreational user, he was just in a lot of pain. He wouldn't even drink hard liquor. Shoulders, knees, anything normal for a guy in construction for 50 years. I know the drill.

If you know anyone that would accept drugs from any kind of private, illegitimate source, they are in grave trouble risk wise. Or if they travel and buy prescriptions for much less, as has been a common occurrence for anyone within driving distance to Mexico for years.

No comments about pharmaceutical companies or this goes to PARF. It's just a reminder for caution.

The fellow had just closed the doors to his business and moved to his retirement home 6 months prior. He had no plans to die.

[Baz]

Sorry to hear of your friend's death, Milt.....my condolences.......

[LWJ]

It is a big deal.

We had 8 OD deaths in Portland over Mother's Day weekend. People thought they were buying cocaine...

[gacook]

The Fentanyl mess definitely needs to be fixed. Sorry about your friend, Milt.

[KFC911]

Very sorry about your friend Milt .... it's tragic everywhere

[masraum]

My condolences on your friend, Zeke.

That's a real beyotch! I guess the good news if there is any, is that it was probably a painless death.

My thoughts on procuring medical treatment items in third world countries is "don't."

Is it possible to get fake drugs in the US, I'm sure. Is it likely, probably not nearly as likely as in third world countries.

[stomachmonkey]

Try Canadia.

[Zeke]

Originally Posted by stomachmonkey

Try Canadia.

AFAIK the pharmacies in Canada vet prescriptions much better than Mexico. But there is more to the story that makes the difference. According to the article, the drug cartels have moved into the over-the-counter retail business. There could be many reasons for that money laundering being one.

However, it was reported that a single Oxy pill was $20!!!

Hopefully the Canadian system is not subject to organized crime. I have no information on that subject.

You might remember that Steve McQueen went to Mexico for treatment not available in the U.S. Not at any price. So did Howard Hughes. This is different, though.

No PARF.

And thanks for the condolences but we weren't close. He left behind a widow and grandchildren. She is all alone on a acre of land with a brand new steel barn that the electricians had just started on. The guy planned on having a big play pen so he bought the large lot in a semi agricultural zone. 3500 sq ft home recently renovated.

I feel quite sorry for his family.

[GH85Carrera]

I have not had a prescription for pain meds since my hip replacement 11 years ago. I only get them from a pharmacy that is owned by a friend. He only buys from major prescription companies. We have to hope the cartels don't get into the legit pill trade.

I too know of someone that had a shoulder injury. One of the smartest men I ever met. His doc would not prescribe what he wanted or felt he needed. He bought them from some other source and his girlfriend found him dead at home with his two dogs guarding his corpse.

I guess I am lucky, I HATE the weird effects of pain meds. I was real happy to get off them ASAP and suffer the pain.

[scottmandue]

I am just bouncing back from an knee replacement surgery and I'm taking oxy (but not too happy about it) I have voluntary down shifted from one every six hours to one in the morning and one at night.

The real pisser is people who are in real pain are being scrutinized because some people can't control themselves!


I am looking forward go getting off the meds.

[flatbutt]

I've been using Oxycontin for 15 years (as needed) due to the chronic pain resulting from spinal injury. I only use it when absolutely needed. 30 pills will typically last me 4 to 6 months. But now I have great difficulty obtaining this med which is the only one proven effective against my level of pain. THC/CBD don't even come close to relieving my pain.

My condolences Zeke.

[908/930]

Fentanyl is a pretty scary drug when produced by illegal drug dealers, 2 milligrams can kill you, that is .00007 oz. Anybody caught making illegal pills from fentanyl should be put away for life, but somehow this does not happen.

I removed a fentanyl patch that was applied to one of our cats after dental work, not sure how they thought that was not going to get scratched off and eaten, after picking at it for about 10min and fully removing it I realized some absorbed through my skin, felt like I had a couple shots of tequila.

[sc_rufctr]

Sorry for your loss Mr Zeke. Your friend is now resting.

[flatbutt]

I am currently of the opinion that fentanyl should not be used outside of a hospital or other in patient facility.

As for illegal use...well that's just tragic.

[Seahawk]

Originally Posted by flatbutt

I've been using Oxycontin for 15 years (as needed) due to the chronic pain resulting from spinal injury. I only use it when absolutely needed. 30 pills will typically last me 4 to 6 months. But now I have great difficulty obtaining this med which is the only one proven effective against my level of pain. THC/CBD don't even come close to relieving my pain.

My condolences Zeke.

My condolences as well, Zeke.

To your point FB, I have seen exactly what you described in real time, only much, much worse.

I wish it wasn't so.

[Scott Douglas]

Condolences to his family Zeke. Can't be easy on them.

I'm glad I was able to go thru my open heart surgery without many pain meds. I'd told them no opioids, and I think they listened. I've still got the bottle of pain meds they sent me home from the hospital with. Didn't need them at all. I may have a higher tolerance for pain than most people, which I attribute to my having had braces on my teeth for such a long long time. The pain associated with moving horizontally impacted eye teeth to normal position wasn't insignificant by any means. No pain no gain and things aren't moving was my motto.

[sc_rufctr]

Originally Posted by flatbutt

I've been using Oxycontin for 15 years (as needed) due to the chronic pain resulting from spinal injury. I only use it when absolutely needed. 30 pills will typically last me 4 to 6 months. But now I have great difficulty obtaining this med which is the only one proven effective against my level of pain. THC/CBD don't even come close to relieving my pain.

My condolences Zeke.

You have my sympathy BUT - you're still here!

[Bill Douglas]

My condolences Milt. Sad.

[pwd72s]

Originally Posted by flatbutt

I am currently of the opinion that fentanyl should not be used outside of a hospital or other in patient facility.

As for illegal use...well that's just tragic.

I freaked out when told fentanyl would be used during my eye surgery. I calmed down when asked if I'd rather have it without anesthetic..

Yes, a definite need for pain killers. However, better be sure of the source of anything you take these days. Milt, sorry to hear of your loss...hopefully a lesson to some with this death.

[Jeff Higgins]

My heart goes out to the surviving family. What a horrible, entirely preventable tragedy.

Don't blame the drug companies. Don't blame the doctors. Don't blame the street addicts. Don't blame the cartels. The blame for this ongoing tragedy, which far too many families have to suffer, lies squarely at the feet of our government regulators, from our legislative bodies to the FDA to licensing boards and others.

Many of you are doctors, so you know. Those of you who are not probably have friends who are. Talk to them if you want to learn what is happening here. All of my friends and family in the various medical professions that would be prescribing opiate based pain medications now live in fear of doing so. They are under intense scrutiny regarding how much they prescribe. Some nameless, faceless bureaucrat decided how much is "too much". With no knowledge of their patient population, of specific patients' needs, or anything. They have, instead, quite literally pulled a number out of their ass. Exceed that and you will lose your license. Even bump up against it, and you will land on their "watch list".

Some states (mine included, I'm told) have gone so far as to institute a policy wherein the top "X" percentage of prescribers do lose their licenses every year. No one wants to bubble up to the top of that list.

So patients will real needs suffer. Better they suffer than to put one's license at risk. And talk about the law of unintended consequences - in our various regulatory agencies' and legislative bodies' zeal to curb street drug use by this intense scrutiny on medical professionals, they are driving patients will very real needs to... street drugs. And they are dying. Crazy world we live in.

Sorry about your old partner, Zeke. And sorry to get kinda PARF-y, but this really sorta is.