The Opiate Pandemic

[Merlin99]

Peoples Elbow, I am sorry for your loss. Merlin, I hope your nephew can get off of the patch.

Never happen, he's got an arteriovenous malformation which is growing in his brain. It's grown to about the size of half the size of one hemisphere of his brain.

 

[digitallest]

That sounds awful! My heart goes out to him, and I hope it works for him, to ease his pain. That sounds like the sort of condition fentanyl would be appropriate for.

 

[Shutout]

It started to really ramp up 5 years ago but was an undercurrent before that. Not just here but nationally. Heroin has become cheap so it's more available.

Baltimore City has been a heroin hotspot for decades. It used to bleed out to Howard and Carroll Counties. It's moved down and out.

Carroll County has a big abuse problem with these drugs. It has been going on for a long time. Many people out here ignore that there is a problem. Granted the abuser is the only one that can fix themself, but many people just can't believe that it would happen in their family or community.

Unfortunately I have first hand experience with the affect it has on the abuser, family, and friends. My brother overdosed and died n May of this year, and another family memebr has unfortunately headed down the abuse path. If you know someone using, confront it head on and offer them assistance in getting treatment.

 

[my-thyme]

It's so hard to watch your child go this path.

 

[Lilypad]

I have been on 7 OD calls this year, the ability to use Narcan saved everyone of the patients...3 were under the age of 25 yrs., 2 were in their 30's and 2 were over 60. Five of the patients had been prescribed pain medication, once the medication ran out or the physician did not refill their prescription they sought "outside help." Heroin is cheap and readily available-everywhere!

 

[digitallest]

The personal experiences you all are sharing are hearbreaking. My Thyme, I think about my two kids, still kind of between little kid and grown up...the thought of seeing them go down that dark path makes me want to cry. I would feel absolutely desperate. You try so hard to keep them safe, but when it comes to their own choices, there is a certain helplessness.

I hope you all have good support. Shutout, I am sorry for the loss of your brother, and I hope your other family member gets help.