Oregonian Turns To Heroin For Pain Relief After Opioid Prescription Cut
http://www.opb.org/news/article/oregon-heroin-opioid-prescription-addiction-treatment/
John lives in his truck and takes heroin to deal with his chronic pain. “It’s a really upsetting story and one thing that’s so upsetting about it, is that it’s actually quite common,” said neurologis Dr. Eve Klein.
Every year more than 500 Oregonians overdose and die on painkillers. As a result, Oregon doctors are reducing prescriptions dramatically. In this three-part series, OPB’s Kristian Foden-Vencil looks at new approaches to the state’s opioid epidemic. Read more: Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3
John is a carpenter, OPB is only using his first name for reasons that’ll become clear in this story.
John grew up in southern Oregon and for 20 years had a successful business installing kitchens. Then, in 2005, he was in a car crash. “I mean, fractured my neck, fractured my back. I had to have my right shoulder replaced,” he said.
John was prescribed opioids to deal with the pain.
“After about four years I was on 160 milligrams of oxycontin … and then it was 56 milligrams of oxycodone and that went on for maybe four years.”
Today, he’s a mess. He lives in his pick-up truck and is in constant pain.
Without pain killers he said, he misses work. Which is why he was alarmed recently when his doctor — following new state guidelines — started reducing his dosage.
“The first thing he did was cut me back by a full one-third,” he said. “It became an argument with him. Two months later, he cuts me back by another full third,” he said.
John concedes he was using too many opioids — but points out it was all legal and under a doctor’s supervision. He said tapering off the drugs left him with terrible pain in his neck and back.
“Your body becomes so jittery and moving around. And just, I mean there’s no place of comfort,” he said. “I mean it’s torture.”
John said he stuck with the low doses for seven weeks, then decided to visit Old Town Portland to buy heroin.
He was incarcerated for cocaine use in the 1980s, which is how he knew where to go for illegal drugs. He said he turned to heroin because he had to have something to deal with his chronic pain.
He didn’t want to inject it, so his solution was to cook the heroin in tin-foil with a lighter — like he’d seen others do — then inhale the fumes.
“But most of the drug just goes up in smoke. So the next time I went to this dealer, I said, ‘Well, how do you do it?’ And he said, ‘Well, I snort it.’ And I said, ‘Well this is black tar, how do you snort it?’ And he said, ‘Oh! You cook it and you put it in a needle except you take the needle off and you shoot it up your nose and snort it,’” explained John.
John said he understands the need to crack down on opioids. He knows more than 28,000 Americans overdose and die abusing the drugs every year. But, he said, acupuncture and physical therapy just don’t give him much relief.
“It’s a really upsetting story and one thing that’s so upsetting about it is that it’s actually quite common,” said Dr. Eve Klein, a neurologist working on pain management. She said when somebody’s been on opioids so long, tapering often doesn’t work. She hasn’t met John but thinks he should probably go to a methadone clinic.
“And then once he’s on something like methadone and he’s stable and he’s out of that rat race of needing heroin every six hours. Then he can start looking into things like, ‘OK, what am I going to do about pain management now?,’” she said.
Congress just passed a bill to reduce opioid addiction. Democratic Oregon Sen. Ron Wyden voted for it, but said it’s only a “half measure.” He’s said more legal options for dealing with pain are needed, “If all you do is restrict choices to medication, the addiction does not vanish magically. You’ve got to have prevention and treatment.”
Meanwhile, John lives in his truck and seeks relief where he can. He’s terrified of the traffic stop that could land him in jail.
A Portland pain management program that doesn’t use opioids is showing success, according to a new report.
The Quest Center started working with FamilyCare 18 months ago — one of the state’s largest Coordinated Care Organizations.
Instead of opioids, the center helps patients deal with pain using acupuncture, massage, meditation and other alternative treatments.
Dr. David Eisen said a six month study showed 80 percent of patients reported less pain on average. “Seventy five percent reported an increase[d] ability to do normal work. And that’s huge,” she said. “Washing yourself, cleaning your house, being able to lift, bend and stoop. If people can resume activities of daily living, their life becomes much better.”
An average of 78 Americans die every day from opioid abuse — at least half get the drugs from a prescription.
Filed under: General Problems
Informative one on drug usage and safety. It is very important to consider the side effects as well before choosing to go for medication. One such drug, for example, is The Pain Relief Drugs used for chronic orthopedic conditions.
Yes Quest Center should not be allowed to have a center. Such lies about helping people. They make me sick. Do they think we are stupid.
I’m still so upset. Giving that kind of hope to families an MOTHERS ! What is wrong with that center.
Portland Pain Management Clinic I say Bull . How you helped all these people that was in pain like they explained. You are lying flat lying to the people. You can not back up the information you just told the people. Well yes now you can’t disclose the information ( to prove this) because of confidential information clause in all your contracts. How convenient you are. Spitting out vial lies to the public just because you want money. You make me sick.
can both clinics say medicare fraud!!!!on our dime,,maryw
As a once wildlife rehabber,,since many animals hearts are smaller,,they die,,,,,,from severe pain,,,,mary
I was hoping you’d post here,,,,for I forward every cruel story like yours to my government representives,and a private email I obtained to ,,”Carol,” at the cdc,&doj,,,,stating,”all under your watch,great job,,,your arrogance combine w/ignorance and lieful propaganda has killed another,”,.
THANK U,, and sorry for your loss,,,and maybe we all should sent this to the emails Steve provided us,,jmo,,maryw
I have taken this opportunity to share my heartbreaking story in hopes these witch hunting Opiate ill informed skeptics will read and understand that I would have no life without Medically prescribed Opiates by a physicians care and strictly monitored monthly urine and blood test. Please remember that An Opinion Before A Thorough Investigation Is The Epitome Of Ignorance! And that a little more compassion from the Medical Field and its representatives could have saved my beautiful Stepdaughters life. Let me say this! A person who has a addictive personality will abuse anything that helps them feel better. I have taken Oxycontin for 12 years , I have had 20 major surgery’s in 9 years. I have so much physical pain I can not even get out of bed with ouit pain meds and when I run out I run out and just lay in bed praying the Lord relieve me of this horrible condition and I pray God you pain med skeptics never go through what I go through everyday of my life when the only thing you have to do is threaten what help I get, Shame on you! There will always be drug abuse and as the so called war on drugs has failed all this will! All you do is stoke and aid the drug pushers business to knew heights in the Black Market of Heroin while depriving folks as me to this horrible movement! My Stepdaughter committed suicide 4 years ago because of being treated like a drug addict by her family and doctors when all along she suffered from Lupus and Fibro which I believe was brought on by a deadly car crash at 18 , she told me between that which I was being put through and what they were putting her through she was not going to live her life in such a hell brought on by people like you that are on a witch hunt to out law Opiates and pain meds that give us some sort of a life . As a retired Police officer and worked indirectly close to the DEA, you people do not have a clue how thrilled you are making the illegal opiate trade and think of my Late Stepdaughter as you continue on with this 2016 Version of the ( 1940s Propaganda Film named REEFER MADNESS )movement to outlaw opiates! Just like the slaughter of children at Sandy Hook if there would have just been gun laws , my God they were Gun Laws , the guns that murdered all those 20 children were all registered and owned by a school teacher! You fight Drug Addiction in Elementary education by teaching all children the dangers of Booze and Tobacco which if these witch hunters want for us to know the real truth but they do not. I miss my Stepdaughter a so much and some of us will continue on the fight to protect our right to feel better and function without fear of these witch hunters trying to convince us to commit suicide . And they are trying to do exactly THAT!
The under line real truth is THESE witch hunters would rather us Chronic Pain sufferers commit suicide are and DRINK all the BOOZE we can drink! The Federals legalized it ( ALCOHOL) knowing its a more deadly drug than Strychnine. And just because the DEA has miserably failed with their witch hunt type movement on drugs why do they deprive us sick people of our Constitutional Rights to be Happy in that pursuit of with Professional Physicians to take meds that give us relief of this horrible malady of Chronic Pain ! May God have mercy on their miserable souls they that seek to destroy us Chronic Pain Sufferers only and little hope of temporary relief of this horrible sickness.
1st off..the Dr..at this pain center is lieing,,until someone that is a chronic pain person or a outside doctor,pain doctor,actually talks to her patients, actually talk to ALL THE patient ,,,its a lie,,which is medicare fraud,,,,2nd,,,jmo,,,if anyone condescends on this man,in jmo,,,THAT COULD BE ANY ONE OF US!!!!,, if i was forced off my medicine,,since my physical pain occurs more severely if I eat,breath,cough,,sneeze,,or use my arms too long,,,those are bodily function I have to do,,,I would seek relief anywhere,,even death,,,nOT THAT I WOULD WANT TO DIE,, but I would want to live unless my physical pain was lessen’d ,,,if that option was gone,,,,who knows what despotism would do to me,,,maryw
Excellent post, Mary! I always remind everyone to never say never. I can’t blame any human who is in severe pain and unable to find relief through a doctor to find relief from harmful substances, including alcohol. I’ve said it a million times – A human can only take so much pain until they start to crack. Heck, I’ve heard of animals with severe injuries to their paws or limbs chew their injured paw or limb off. Any living creature, especially humans, should NEVER have to suffer intolerable amounts of pain.