Posted on Aug 10, 2016
Combat vets now fighting a new war: Pain pill addiction
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Shulkin shared startling statistics with a standing-room crowd of clinicians at St. Barnabas Medical Center in Livingston Monday:
Sixty percent of veterans from recent wars seeking treatment through the VA live with some kind of chronic pain.
Fifty percent of all veterans seen by the VA live with chronic pain.
Nationally, 12 percent of VA patients receive prescriptions for pain medicine.
In New Jersey, that number is less than half: just 5 percent.
Sixty percent of veterans from recent wars seeking treatment through the VA live with some kind of chronic pain.
Fifty percent of all veterans seen by the VA live with chronic pain.
Nationally, 12 percent of VA patients receive prescriptions for pain medicine.
In New Jersey, that number is less than half: just 5 percent.
Combat vets now fighting a new war: Pain pill addiction
Posted from nj.com
Medical
Behavioral Health
Department of Veterans Affairs (VA)
DAV
PTSD
Posted >1 y ago
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Stephen Domingos Cpl Matt Maddux SGT(P) Gloria Francis PFC David Lane CPL Rene Wruck SPC Jesse Barber PFC Jim Wheeler Sgt Justin Kane SFC (Join to see) SGT Keith Wilson PFC Ronald Maddox TSgt Denise Moody Sgt David Gibson PVT (Join to see) Angela Hawkins SPC Jill Drushal, RN, MA PO1 George Bouchard SSG Ronald Robinson WO1 (Join to see)
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Actually combat veterans have been fighting addiction going as far back as the opium wars of the 19th century Kim Bolen RN CCM ACM and probably before our own civil war. Opium, laudanum [10% opium, 90% alcohol] were used in the civil war and codeine tablets go back to the 16th century.
Where I live Heroin mixed with poison is still the biggest killer. Pain pills can certainly be addictive. The hard thing is the ability to predict who will be likely to be addicted to a narcotic is still more art than science.
Pain is debilitating. Those suffering constant pain strive for relief. I hope and pray for wisdom for doctors, medical team members and military veterans suffering from pain as they work to make pain manageable and sleep possible for those racked by pain.
Thanks for mentioning me COL Mikel J. Burroughs
LTC Stephen C. LTC Thomas Tennant MAJ Ken LandgrenCapt Seid Waddell CW5 (Join to see) SMSgt Minister Gerald A. Thomas SGM David W. Carr LOM, DMSM MP SGT1stSgt Eugene Harless SFC Joe S. Davis Jr., MSM, DSLSFC William FarrellSSG Leo Bell SSgt (Join to see) Sgt Joe LaBranche SGT (Join to see) SGT Forrest Stewart SrA Christopher Wright PO3 Steven Sherrill PO1 John Miller
Where I live Heroin mixed with poison is still the biggest killer. Pain pills can certainly be addictive. The hard thing is the ability to predict who will be likely to be addicted to a narcotic is still more art than science.
Pain is debilitating. Those suffering constant pain strive for relief. I hope and pray for wisdom for doctors, medical team members and military veterans suffering from pain as they work to make pain manageable and sleep possible for those racked by pain.
Thanks for mentioning me COL Mikel J. Burroughs
LTC Stephen C. LTC Thomas Tennant MAJ Ken LandgrenCapt Seid Waddell CW5 (Join to see) SMSgt Minister Gerald A. Thomas SGM David W. Carr LOM, DMSM MP SGT1stSgt Eugene Harless SFC Joe S. Davis Jr., MSM, DSLSFC William FarrellSSG Leo Bell SSgt (Join to see) Sgt Joe LaBranche SGT (Join to see) SGT Forrest Stewart SrA Christopher Wright PO3 Steven Sherrill PO1 John Miller
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RP Members and Connetions please share some of your experience or stories about this issue - only if you don't mind sharing with the rest of the RP Nation!
Stephen Domingos Cpl Matt Maddux SGT(P) Gloria Francis PFC David Lane CPL Rene Wruck SPC Jesse Barber PFC Jim Wheeler Sgt Justin Kane SFC (Join to see) SGT Keith Wilson PFC Ronald Maddox TSgt Denise Moody Sgt David Gibson PVT (Join to see) Angela Hawkins SPC Jill Drushal, RN, MA PO1 George Bouchard SSG Ronald Robinson WO1 (Join to see)
Stephen Domingos Cpl Matt Maddux SGT(P) Gloria Francis PFC David Lane CPL Rene Wruck SPC Jesse Barber PFC Jim Wheeler Sgt Justin Kane SFC (Join to see) SGT Keith Wilson PFC Ronald Maddox TSgt Denise Moody Sgt David Gibson PVT (Join to see) Angela Hawkins SPC Jill Drushal, RN, MA PO1 George Bouchard SSG Ronald Robinson WO1 (Join to see)
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1stSgt Eugene Harless
I had a major health episode in 2011 and have been dealing with chronic pain ever since. I was first given Hydrocodone to help and boy does that stuff work!!! It stopped my pain and would knock me out cold. I wouldnt say I got addicted to it, but I started to realize that I began to rely on it for the wrong reason. Stopping the pain was a great affect but what I really looked forward to was the total oblivion that it bought. When it kicked in I was practically "Dead to the world" No dreams no worries,,, just gone. I suppose its like being dead for a while. I can absolutely see why people get hooked on it. All your problems are gone, at least while you are under its influence. I can see how a person who has chronic pain, Financial and family issues could start seeiking that oblivion regardless of the pain level.
When my Initial prescription ran out I talked toi my VA Doctor. He was one of the worst Docs I have ever had, and quickly waxed over any questions about my pain. He gave off the air that anyone who bought it up was med seeking so I knew her was worthless. Eventually I got rid of him and got another doctor. We had a frank discussion about Pain Meds and I told her I didnt want to go go the opiod route. She suggested going to a pain management class, I tried that and it didnt work for me. It was obvious from the first session that I was the only member of the group who was not on medication and the groups focus was to get them away from medication, I was already away from that.
I decided to use my medicare and see a pain management speciialist. We spoke and after a few different expermients with non- narcotics we settled on using Tramodol, which is a very low-levekl form of opiod. Its been working well and I only take it once or twice a day and it has nowhere near the side affects of Hydrocodone.
Another Observation. The Government reclassified several drugs, including Hydrocodene in 2014 making it harder to get prescriptions or refills. One huge effect of that is that people have starting usual illegal drugs, such as heroin, to fed their addiction.
When my Initial prescription ran out I talked toi my VA Doctor. He was one of the worst Docs I have ever had, and quickly waxed over any questions about my pain. He gave off the air that anyone who bought it up was med seeking so I knew her was worthless. Eventually I got rid of him and got another doctor. We had a frank discussion about Pain Meds and I told her I didnt want to go go the opiod route. She suggested going to a pain management class, I tried that and it didnt work for me. It was obvious from the first session that I was the only member of the group who was not on medication and the groups focus was to get them away from medication, I was already away from that.
I decided to use my medicare and see a pain management speciialist. We spoke and after a few different expermients with non- narcotics we settled on using Tramodol, which is a very low-levekl form of opiod. Its been working well and I only take it once or twice a day and it has nowhere near the side affects of Hydrocodone.
Another Observation. The Government reclassified several drugs, including Hydrocodene in 2014 making it harder to get prescriptions or refills. One huge effect of that is that people have starting usual illegal drugs, such as heroin, to fed their addiction.
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