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Red Hot Chili Peppers bassist Flea blames doctors for the opioid crisis
dailymail ^ | 27 February 2018 | Megan Sheets

Posted on 02/27/2018 11:15:03 AM PST by dennisw

Red Hot Chili Peppers bassist Flea blames doctors for the opioid crisis as he reveals he was prescribed OxyContin after 20 years clean

Flea, the lead bassist for alternative rock band Red Hot Chili Peppers, wrote an opinion piece for Time magazine about his struggle with drugs The performer, 55, born Michael Balzary, got clean at age 30 in 1993 In 2015 he was prescribed OxyContin for a snowboarding injury and got hooked He says that the opioid epidemic is caused by doctors over-prescribing strong medicines and failing to follow-up with patients

Red Hot Chili Peppers bass guitarist Flea says doctors bear much of the responsibility for America's opioid crisis as he reveals that he was prescribed an excessive amount of OxyContin for a snowboarding injury in 2015.

The performer, born Michael Balzary, opened up about his decade-long history with drug abuse in an opinion piece for Time magazine called The Temptation of Drugs is a Bitch. Balzary, 55, writes that he has been around substance abuse since he was a child and had extensive experience with back-alley drug deals in the years before he got clean at age 30 in 1993.

He claims that America's opioid epidemic has an alarming source: the doctors that we've been conditioned to trust more than most other people in our lives.

(Excerpt) Read more at dailymail.co.uk ...


TOPICS: Health/Medicine; Music/Entertainment
KEYWORDS: opioidcrisis
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To: Bob434

People may very well not know whether they have more of a potential for becoming addicted than others. Also when the pain gets bad enough people are willing to try just about anything so they can get back to a normal life.


61 posted on 02/27/2018 12:43:24 PM PST by lastchance (Credo.)
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To: rlmorel

“No personal responsibility there. Nope.”

You need to read between the lines in the article, or rather that which was omitted. Right after he was prescribed the drug the doctor and all his nurses, and a special team from the maker and distributor, sent a special team over to his house, held him down and forced the drugs into him he knew he has been dry at for an extended amount of time. It is obviously a conspiracy set up to further the cause of forcing the use of drugs that kill. (Which doesn’t make much sense as if they kill them, they can’t make any more money off them) The doctors and the drug makers and sellers must have come from public education.

rwood


62 posted on 02/27/2018 12:50:28 PM PST by Redwood71
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To: Vendome

I’m sorry but does your liquor store owner have your medical chart in front of him showing a history of elevate SGOT levels? When you go in and tell him that you want to buy a six pack of beer does he tell you “Here have some “Grey Goose” instead.”?

The relationship a patient has with their doctor had better not mimic the relationship of a customer with a store clerk.


63 posted on 02/27/2018 12:52:23 PM PST by lastchance (Credo.)
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To: TheNext

Where the blue blazes do you get crap like that?!!?


64 posted on 02/27/2018 12:54:09 PM PST by lastchance (Credo.)
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To: dennisw

They are a big part of the problem to be sure.
I had surgery on my hand not that long ago. They insisted on prescribing opiods to me. I said no, they said yes! I finally said fine, but only 2. 1 for right after, and 1 for later on in the day.
The pain isn’t worth the addiction.


65 posted on 02/27/2018 1:10:20 PM PST by vpintheak (Freedom is not equality; and equality is not freedom!)
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To: dennisw

I am a recovered alcoholic. Just reached 24 years sober, first and only time in recovery. I said alcoholic, not addict-alcoholic as is so faddish and popular these days.

Anyway I had a major shoulder surgery in 2014. Opioids for two weeks before surgery, and two weeks after surgery.

It was left to me, to discuss and to initiate getting off the damn things. I did cold turkey, because I knew that was the way for me.

My only observation: The medical pros did not initiate the discussion. From my own action, I learned I could get off pain drugs, in a couple of days, not a couple of weeks, by which the addictive nature has taken greater hold.

From over 24 years in AA, I have heard thousands of stories, and the single most common element of addiction, is the distorted idea the subject “needs” the substance at the time.

An alcoholic orders another drink, because he feels like he needs it.

The druggie takes anther dose, because he believes he needs it.

Doctors, PAs, nurses, other pros should be better trained that people do NOT need more, in spite of what their altered mind is currently telling them.


66 posted on 02/27/2018 1:11:22 PM PST by truth_seeker
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To: rlmorel

Oxycontin is not a new drug. For with people with terminal chronic debilitating pain is is a wonderful drug. These individuals will in all likelyhood become addicted but that is of little importance as they are terminal and in great pain. Oxycodon has been used for years for extreme pain control. It is a good drug with a high potential for abuse.

The problem with the drug is its over prescription. It should never be used except for extreme pain. It can and should be used for those with short term extreme pain. If the pain is long term and chronic the risk benefit of pain control verses addiction should be weighed carefully.

The problem is not the drug, the problem is the indiscriminate use of the drug. It should also be noted that people that “DO NOT” have a predilection to addiction will get off the drug once their pain is controlled and gone. My father (chopper pilot) broke his back in a chopper accident. He was in great pain and used high dose codeine for this. He was addicted. Once the pain was no longer severe he voluntarily reduced his dosage until he no longer took it. He did not have a predilection to addiction.

As a pharmacist I once worked with home health care terminal care, pain control and hyperalimentation. My patients were mostly terminal cancer victims. We kept them pain free at home where they wanted to be with their families until death. Most were addicted to the morphine. This was okay, they were dying and our work allowed them to die at home with dignity and love from their family. Oddly it was very satisfying work. The appreciation shown by the families to me was unbelievable.


67 posted on 02/27/2018 1:16:40 PM PST by cpdiii (DECKHAND, ROUGHNECK, GEOLOGIST, PILOT, PHARMACIST, LIBERTARIAN The Constitution is worth dying for.)
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To: rlmorel

It’s up to US to say No
Docs do lie and push nonsense
It’s what their taught to do
Cut and drug test


68 posted on 02/27/2018 1:25:15 PM PST by Truthoverpower (The guvmint you get is the Trump winning express !)
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To: cpdiii

I work in Health Care as well, and know exactly what you mean in your entire post.

When people have those awful, intractable, terminal conditions, they should have all the pain medication they desire regardless of addiction.

I just get angry with the characterization of opiod overdoses or addictions as being the fault of someone else, and the user is an innocent victim.

No. In the majority of cases, they voluntarily acquire and take these medications for recreation and then suffer the consequences as a result.

So people who really NEED them have to jump through more elaborate hoops, drive longer distances because some pharmacies won’t stock them, and that makes me madder than hell.

I feel sympathy for people who get ensnared and die of over doses, and think they should have access to help, but the abdication of any personal responsibility in this makes me quite irritable.


69 posted on 02/27/2018 1:30:35 PM PST by rlmorel (Leftists: American Liberty is the egg that requires breaking to make their Utopian omelette)
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To: Skywise

No paradox

THC is amazing medicine and non toxic in ANY dose

It’s NOT for everyone but should be completely legal

And smoking ANYTHING is stupid I’m talking THC. And CBD

Opiate and Heroin class drugs are death and very toxic

This is the whole ignorance and problem

Fed guv treats them all as bad drugs. Bad boys and girls

Give me a Break


70 posted on 02/27/2018 1:31:34 PM PST by Truthoverpower (The guvmint you get is the Trump winning express !)
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To: dennisw
What an absolute joke for this guy's ilk to blame anyone but himself for his drug abuse. The band already lost a founding member long ago to heroin, and they've all been party animals on just about everything you can name atone time or another.

Poor millionaire baby. What a friggin' hypocrite! Like this idiot didn't know exactly what he was getting into...

71 posted on 02/27/2018 1:36:53 PM PST by sargon ("If the President doesn't drain the Swamp, the Swamp will drain the President.")
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To: Truthoverpower

No. I just want to state here, nothing personal here against you, because I will assume you didn’t mean to state that the way it came across.

You characterize ALL doctors by stating in that fashion you did that “Docs do lie and push nonsense”. That is patently false, and disrespectful in the highest degree to the many physicians who prescribe appropriately.

It is NOT what they are “taught to do”. By whom? What medical school or residency teaches THAT? They DON’T. Period. End of story. They DO NOT.

Are there corrupt and criminal doctors who may over-prescribe for kickbacks from a vendor or from a patient either in drugs or money? Sure there are.

Just like there are patients with severe medical conditions who get addicted, overdose and die as a result of legally prescribed opiods.

But both of those are in the minority.


72 posted on 02/27/2018 1:38:04 PM PST by rlmorel (Leftists: American Liberty is the egg that requires breaking to make their Utopian omelette)
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To: rlmorel
Personal Responsibility? Sure.

However, docs overprescribe, too. Just spoke with a man a few minutes ago who had 30 days worth of pain pills prescribed for a simple outpatient surgery. He took them for 48 hours, on doctor's specific orders, and didn't bother with the rest.

The same has happened to me and my family, I just cleaned out the bathroom closet and took a plastic bag filled with overprescribed painkillers from various dental things and minor operations to a drop-off. Invariably, we'd get the prescription, take the pills for a day or two, and then stop, or transition to something more mild, OTC.

(I'd forgotten about the 800mg Ibuprofen "Horse Pills". Geez, it's a wonder my liver and kidneys are still working after those things....)

Is that the right thing to do? Probably, I'm not changing anything. But a lot of the same docs will tell you to follow their prescriptions to the letter and I'm sure that can get people in trouble.

73 posted on 02/27/2018 1:39:44 PM PST by wbill
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To: wbill

Yes. Following to the letter is absolutely correct, and you should.

However, while antibiotics may say “Take twice a day with meals, do not skip doses”, in the case of painkillers, that letter to be followe almost always states “As needed”.


74 posted on 02/27/2018 1:42:20 PM PST by rlmorel (Leftists: American Liberty is the egg that requires breaking to make their Utopian omelette)
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To: Truthoverpower

THC is just as toxic as any other drug when used inappropriately - like oxytocin.
Just because it’s your drug of choice doesn’t mean it’s not harmful to others.

But then you demonstrate my paradox perfectly.


75 posted on 02/27/2018 1:48:12 PM PST by Skywise
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To: robroys woman

If you wish


76 posted on 02/27/2018 1:50:20 PM PST by Hot Tabasco (My cat is not fat, she is just big boned........)
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To: Truthoverpower

And by the way, I believe you and I both agree that the book should be thrown in the harshest way at physicians who DO abuse those prescribing responsibilities.

I would have no problem seeing them lose their license to practice for life if overt and criminal misuse is shown.


77 posted on 02/27/2018 1:50:49 PM PST by rlmorel (Leftists: American Liberty is the egg that requires breaking to make their Utopian omelette)
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To: dennisw

It is a fact that 80% of all opioid addictions begin with legally prescribed drugs.


78 posted on 02/27/2018 2:18:45 PM PST by TigersEye (13 Russian Facebook trolls ... and a Siberian partridge in a Russian Olive tree.)
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To: cpdiii

Thanks for your post.


79 posted on 02/27/2018 3:11:41 PM PST by lastchance (Credo.)
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To: Truthoverpower

THC would be toxic at a certain dosage. It is highly unlikely that a person would ever ingest that dose. Offhand I don’t know the LD50 for THC, but trust me, one does exist.


80 posted on 02/27/2018 3:13:39 PM PST by lastchance (Credo.)
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