General Medical issues thread

[get me outta here]

@get me outta here . Why is the Doctor continuing to prescribe it for this pattern of usage? Seems like an addiction. I have a family member who uses it very sporadically and only half a tablet at a time possibly once or twice a month. It works well for them. I took it once and was like a zombie for 24 hours. Horrible stuff.

I can’t comment on why they are still being given prescriptions. I am fairly sure it is what would be called an addiction.
I was hoping somebody might have thoughts on the implications of that long-term for them.

 

[Quickstatus]

Zolpidem is a high risk addictivemedicine like benzodiazepines and opiates.

 

[Pushka]

Zolpidem is a high risk addictivemedicine like benzodiazepines and opiates.

And supposedly carefully restricted in prescription to watch out for addiction issues.

 

[RooFlyer]

coughulative lack of sleep (such as when travelling for extended periods) promotes my arrhythmia* so my GP agreed to a prescription of Stilnox x 10 for me to 'catch up' when needed. He said 'make it last'.

It certainly works both for sleep and 'supressing' arrythmia - I can get 8-10 hrs of what appears to be good sleep after, say, 2 days of long haul flights with no sleep and I wake up pretty refreshed. BUT I find rather than clearing a sleep deficit, my body seems to think its a sleep credit so the next night is a poor one.

Over a 4 week trip I expect to take 3 or so. Never at home.

* very many ectopic beats - sometimes 1 out of 2 for periods 30 mins or so, which may lead to flutter, which is more serious.

 

[JohnK]

Zolpidem is a high risk addictivemedicine like benzodiazepines and opiates.

I don't understand how people let Xanax and Valium become addictive. I take them because I need them. I don't take them for kicks.

Also took Panadeine Forte only when necessary, not for fun. Now find it extremely difficult to get Panadeine Forte prescription so I've found a different way to get some relief from pain. A couple of hours ago I had a really sharp pain in neck/shoulder/collarbone. Very uncomfortable.

2 x Panadol Osteo
1 x Tramadol 100mg
1x Mobic 15mg

Pain is almost gone. Feel numb. Huge relief. I trialled this in the morning before golf in Thailand and it seemed to be effective.

P.S. This was suggested by my GP as he didn't want to prescribe Panadeine Forte anymore but he wanted me to take them daily. I don't want to take medicine like this every day so I improvised and it seems to work. I now only need GP for Mobic script and if they don't want to prescribe Tramadol I can get in Thailand.

 

[Quickstatus]

supposedly carefully restricted in prescription to watch out for addiction issues

S4D Prescriptions are recorded on Safescript websites along with benzos and opiates so Dr shopping becomes difficult
No repeats allowed

Zopiclone is S4D

...

I don't take them for kicks.

There is a difference between taking something for kicks or for fun and being addicted

 

[mrsterryn]

S4D Prescriptions are recorded on Safescript websites along with benzos and opiates so Dr shopping becomes difficult
No repeats allowed

Zopiclone is S4D

...



There is a difference between taking something for kicks or for fun and being addicted

Husband does have issues with pain, however all his scripts come from one GP and we only go to one pharmac_ except on very rare occasions where there has been hospital admissions and released late at night with a script for pain relief
He does have some heavy duty pain relief dispensed .

 

[Quickstatus]

one GP and we only go to one pharmac_

It's a big red flag when people on high risk meds go to different GP and dispensaries

 

[mrsterryn]

It's a big red flag when people on high risk meds go to different GP and dispensaries

We have an amazing pharmac_. Notwithstanding we have an excellent GP husband does have numerous specialists but most drugs do come via the GP . It makes life much easier

 

[get me outta here]

He knows that he is addicted to Zolpidem. I'm hoping to be able to tell him why he needs to get off them because he doesn't find any adverse issues, only the positive of being able to get back to sleep again.

 

[mrsterryn]

Is there any disadvantage to those that are rather on the older side having access to those drugs ? Vaguely remember dad in his eighties had a lot of pain relief and sleeping assistance .
Mind you this was over a decade ago but Dad didn't seem to have issues with getting strong pain relief from his GP

 

[prozac]

After vaious medical operations, shoulder reconstructions, open heart surgery, etc, I have been sent home with Oxycodone as part of my medications. I am a reluctant user but I keep the drugs anyway. You never know when you might have a motorbike accident or something else traumatic. Someone I know asked me if he could buy some tablets. Thsy sell for $100 on the street. I told him 'no'. I hate the stuff and cannot understand anyone taking it willingly for no real reason.
Has anyone watched the movie 'Painkiller' on Netflix? Oxy is a major problem in the US.

 

[drron]

Is there any disadvantage to those that are rather on the older side having access to those drugs ? Vaguely remember dad in his eighties had a lot of pain relief and sleeping assistance .
Mind you this was over a decade ago but Dad didn't seem to have issues with getting strong pain relief from his GP

Unfortunately those of us who are older tend to have more side effects. more likely to end up as zombes. which is why I have not asked for stronger pain relief such as opioids.

 

[Quickstatus]

Is there any disadvantage to those that are rather on the older side having access to those drugs

Yes, any drugs which afect the brain should be carefully used in the elderly. Sedation, confusion, delirium can be significant side effects.
**They also significantly increase the risk of falls** Fractures in the elderly is associated with significant mortality and morbidity.

Thsy sell for $100 on the street

Drug diversion is a massive issue. In the last few years half pack dispensing have been an important development and PBS prescriptions in Australian has declined.
Even so Australia is still consuming a lot of opiates.

OME = oral morphine equivalent in milligrams. (Converting all opiates to an oral morphine equivalent).

1.9 million mg of oral morphine equivalent in Australia
Assuming a typical oxycodone tablet is 5mg and endone is roughly equal to morphine
Thats is 380,000 tablets of oxycodone/day prescribed.

MJA paper




British Journal of Pain

 

[get me outta here]

The trouble is he says and shows none of those adverse reactions come the morning.

 

[VPS]

After vaious medical operations, shoulder reconstructions, open heart surgery, etc, I have been sent home with Oxycodone as part of my medications. I am a reluctant user but I keep the drugs anyway. You never know when you might have a motorbike accident or something else traumatic. Someone I know asked me if he could buy some tablets. Thsy sell for $100 on the street. I told him 'no'. I hate the stuff and cannot understand anyone taking it willingly for no real reason.
Has anyone watched the movie 'Painkiller' on Netflix? Oxy is a major problem in the US.

I've got about 10 left over from my surgery - where do I sell them for $100 a pop

PS That was a joke Joyce

 

[prozac]

I've got about 10 left over from my surgery - where do I sell them for $100 a pop

PS That was a joke Joyce

Understood. Maybe he wanted them because he'd never tried before. Ghastly drug, leaves me feeling slightly ill.
Would you like his number.

 

[VPS]

Understood. Maybe he wanted them because he'd never tried before. Ghastly drug, leaves me feeling slightly ill.
Would you like his number.

Yes please for his number.

The didn't make me feel ill but they certainly relieved the pain - I'm saving them in case something nasty happens

 

[Flashback]

I had them once as a kid, and yes, they work well.

 

[blackcat20]

Had two c-sections so always sent home with oxy. But never used it once I left the hospital, my recoveries were very good. Master TC needed better pain relief after oral surgery last year and the hoops we had to jump through to get it. But now I have a huge bottle of liquid oxy