A Nation of Pill Zombies

Coach is Right ^ | 11/21/15 | Suzanne Eovaldi

[Oldpuppymax]

“I’m paid to dispense a little poison every day to people,” said a well-trained pharmacist recently. We began our conversation at a Treasure Coast GOP forum for candidates running for office. There was nothing new being said so I welcomed this conversation with a real American who was unafraid to tell the truth about a tragedy he sees every day. “Forty four out of every 100 middle aged white Americans are taking anti-depressants, more than 1 in 3,” he went on. When you multiply out his figure of 495 prescriptions for pills he fills every day at one corner, corporate chain drugstore, you get 3,465 pill popping poisons a week, or a staggering 180,180 pill prescriptions filled each year by one pharmacist on one corner of one city in one state in America.

Just think what the figures must be when you compute this out to the thousands of dispensaries in our 50 states. Am I being too cynical to suggest that street drugs may not be our worst medication issue? Or dare I ask if our government is deliberately medicating us into submission? My great American interview subject went on in frustration, “White middle age (Americans) are dying at higher rates…the economy and men…not enough opportunities.”

Insurance companies and the huge amounts of cash they’ve received from Obamacare’s largesse appeared to be this pharmacist’s culprit as he drew connections with Big Pharma, the AMA, our federal government and insurance companies. He added that when he had arthroscopic procedures done on his knees ten years ago, his own doctor only received $5,000 for each knee. Each operation cost some entity $16,000. “Wow,” I said; “I hate to think what those operations would cost today!”

So what is to be done? Donald Trump’s great new book “Crippled America” really tells us...

[farming pharmer]

Why do people, who clearly are not degreed and licensed health care professionals, write retard articles like this?

[Oatka]

An interesting take on the Muslim pill-poppers at the Schnitzel Republic blog titled "Dopers, Zombies, and Jihadists?" (fifth article down) - a drug called "Captagon" - anybody ever hear of it?

[Zeneta]

One pill makes you larger
And one pill makes you small,
And the ones that mother gives you
Don’t do anything at all.
Go ask Alice
When she’s ten feet tall.

And if you go chasing rabbits
And you know you’re going to fall,
Tell ‘em a hookah smoking caterpillar
Has given you the call.
Call Alice
When she was just small.

When the men on the chessboard
Get up and tell you where to go
And you’ve just had some kind of mushroom
And your mind is moving low.
Go ask Alice
I think she’ll know.
When logic and proportion
Have fallen sloppy dead,
And the White Knight is talking backwards
And the Red Queen’s “off with her head!”
Remember what the dormouse said:
“Feed your head. Feed your head. Feed your head”

[Cyman]

$5000.00 for a knee arthroscopy? Bulltickie , look at the following under physicians fees from 2015 AND THESE FEES ARE MUCH HIGHER THAN 5 YEARS PREVIOUSLY.

http://www.covidien.com/imageServer.aspx/doc336881.pdf?contentID=76487&contenttype=application/pdf

The author has a right to his opinion but has no right to his version of facts

[Dark Knight]

And some people wonder why adult males between 45-54 die younger...when did they start medicating them with Ritalin because they were hard to handle in class? 35 years ago?

DK

[spel_grammer_an_punct_polise]

I know nothing about anti-depressants and the like. What I do know is that when I take over, ALL pills that are dispensed, be they vitamin pills, prescribed medications or any food group pill.....round pills that can roll will be outlawed. In addition, any pill that will stand on edge will be outlawed, period! If a company continues to manufacturer pills that roll and/or stand on edge.....they go directly to jail, from the janitor on up to the CEO. Do not pass Go, no lawsuits against the government are allowed, Take care of your personal business because you are going to jail, period!

Also, any pill that looks like it is too big for a horse to swallow.....is OUTLAWED! That would include any cylindrically-shaped pill!

ALL of the above would be outlawed.....when I take over!

[Fhios]

See what the financial impact would be on Big PHARM if Marijuana were legalized?

Anti-depresents isn’t a good replacement for a good economy.

Love to here that at a Trump stump.

[Mariner]

"Why do people, who clearly are not degreed and licensed health care professionals, write retard articles like this?"

Because it doesn't take a rocket surgeon to correctly perceive that modern medicine is addicted to pills and they keep pushing more and more.

And, anyone taking anti-depressants too weak for life.

[sparklite2]

I gave re-uptake inhibitors a try
hoping to counter the angst. No thanks.

The cure came, quelle surprise, from the web.
“Don’t ruminate.” That’s it. “Don’t ruminate.”

Trained myself to think other things
and a bridge formed over the abyss.

[Mastador1]

“Forty four out of every 100 middle aged white Americans are taking anti-depressants, more than 1 in 3,”

I hadn't realized the percentage of Conservatives was that high. Wouldn't it be more impactful to make the statement more than 4 out of ten?

[Svartalfiar]

$5000.00 for a knee arthroscopy? Bulltickie , look at the following under physicians fees from 2015 AND THESE FEES ARE MUCH HIGHER THAN 5 YEARS PREVIOUSLY.

http://www.covidien.com/imageServer.aspx/doc336881.pdf?contentID=76487&contenttype=application/pdf

The author has a right to his opinion but has no right to his version of facts

I don't know what your link is, it just goes to a blank page. Are you saying $5k is too high, or too low for that procedure?

Either way, a quick search finds me a place with a cash option that does that surgery for around $5k. So, the author's pharmacist's thing being ten years ago, and the article seems like he went through insurance to pay it, the $16k price tag sounds about right. Here you go:


The prices for the medical procedures below include the facility fee, the surgeon's fee and the anesthesiologist's fee. The initial consultation with the surgeon is also included, as is uncomplicated follow-up care.... A list of what is NOT included in the fee is as follows:
- Diagnostic studies necessary prior to the surgery such as lab work, MRI, X-rays, consultations with other specialists to determine medical risk/management, physical therapy and/or rehabilitation.
- Hardware or implants necessary for completion of the procedure (e.g. anchors, plates and screws for orthopedic procedures). This price of these items will be provided prior to surgery but subsequent to the initial surgical consultation. Our experienced surgical staff knows what will be needed to complete your surgery. The hardware or implants that you need will be provided to you at cost. We will not receive any profit from providing those items.
- Lodging and/or travel expenses.
- Expenses and/or fees resulting from complications subsequent to the completion of the surgery and discharge from our facility.

Knee Arthroscopy
Knee with Menisectomy, Synovectomy or Debridement $4,464.00
Knee with Meniscal Repair or Lateral Release or O.A.T.S. $5,388.00
Anterior Cruciate Ligament Repair $8,376.00 (includes 1 screw and 1 endobutton or screw)
Tibial Tubercle Osteotomy $7,500.00

http://www.sworthopedic.com/Cash-Option-Pricing.html

[uncitizen]

The pills are how they take the fight out of the American people. Easier to take us down when half of us don’t know what planet they’re on.

[RegulatorCountry]

I’ve had my challenges since late 2007, a fair amount of disruption and economic setback. Doing OK all things considered, but the stress is a problem at times. I’ve considered prescription meds to deal with the rough patches, but the side effects always put me off. So, I’ve looked for other ways. Prayer is good, lift your burden up to God and give thanks for what you do have. There are a few supplements that I’ve found to be beneficial. One did me a lot of good for quite a while but, but the stimulant qualities it has eventually started causing panicky feelings, so I dropped it: SAM-e. Sundown makes a “stress formula” with L-Theanine that is doing me a fair amount of good currently. I’ll stick with it for as long as it provides some upside. But, you’re right, ruminating, obsessing over this or that problem, psychologists would call that perseverating. That will keep you in a state of angst. So, don’t do it. Easier said than done, but learn to avoid it and you’ll be the better for it.

[M1903A1]

Yes.

Easily the most profound thing I took away from the book “Flags Of Our Fathers” was how Navy corpsman Jack Bradley managed to be the only one of the three Iwo Jima flagraisers who both survived the nightmare of Iwo and went on to live a normal life:

“...He coped by making himself not think about Iwo Jima. He coped by getting on with life.”