DESPERATE DRUG RUSH

NY Post ^ | 10-12-03 | NY Post

[ambrose]

FEEDING HIS ADDICTION: Radio host Rush Limbaugh is checking into a substance abuse clinic to treat his prescription pill addiction.

A desperate, drug-addicted Rush Limbaugh begged his dealer to score him a final, explosive dope cocktail just two weeks before he attempted to detox last year, a new report says.

[Bluntpoint]

You folks keep lowering the bar for Rush.

Next week it will be "sure he purchased pills on the black market, but he did not know specifically what crimes were committed before his criminal purchase of such drugs."

[LadyDoc]

there is now a tendency for doctors to prescribe adequate pain killers to patients with pain. YOur relative should go to a pain clinic and be evaluated for pain. There is too much pressure on doctors not to prescribe adequate pain relief by the drug police, but nowadays there is a new emphasis on allowing us to prescribe adequate pain relief.

http://painaid.painfoundation.org/

For chonic pain, if we have to use narcotics, we do a "drug contract" and most people (except for cancer patients, whose pain increases) stay on the same dose for years. We tend to use long acting low dose stuff like Oxycontin, since lortab causes a "high" then a "low" both in pain relief and in euphoria. (scrappleface's satire that Rush should be oxycontin's spokesman because he could work using this drug was actually true)(Druggies don't take oxycontin. They crush it and snort/inject it to get high, i.e. the 12 hours dose all at once).

However, some people get used to the euphoria when they hurt continue using drugs. (Johnny Carson joked that he was given Percodan for a broken arm. When the arm healed, he was tempted to break the other arm to get more percodan).

THe difference is that they stay on it for the euphoria after the acute problem heals, or they use it for pain and then keep increasing the drug to get the euphoria effect. This seems to be Rush's problem.

People in pain will go out and sell their soul for pain relief. But I have less sympathy for Rush, who seems to have increased his drug use after his surgery. He mumbles about addiction, but actually for cancer and pain patients, it's fairly easy to detox them once the pain goes, or to keep them on the same dosage for years: for those with the psychological problem of addiction, the problem is to teach them new life skills, so they don't reach for a drug because they like the euphoria whenever things get rough...

Many people who do this already have used other drugs, usually alcohol, marijuana or street drugs, in the past, and get a compulsion to use pills or potions for their non pain problems. Since Rush was married three times, I suspect that he had problems long before he started pain pills, but I'd only be guessing...

however, non pushers rarely get drug time: They get rehab instead, even heavy users. IF Rush is arrested, he will get probation. Only if he breaks parole like Robert Downey, will he go to jail.

I am no fan of Rush, but have remembered him in my prayers. If he kicks the habit, he may develop humility, a trait he is lacking...not humility as in groveling, but the humility/reverence that puts life into proper perspective...

[Alia]

I too am guilty of using prescription drugs when they weren't specifically prescribed. Yep, I confess it here.

I have shared "prescription" anti-biotics with others. Others have shared them with me. How did this happen? Oh, Alia should go to jail, right? Wrong.

I admit however, I am not addicted to anti-biotics. Any parent with children KNOWS the cycle of ear-infections in children. And all know, anti-biotics are key. Any idea of what hoops and garters a parent (and ailing) child has to go through to get anti-biotics -- after hours, during office hours? (Our medical system is growing more and more "messed up".) So, in past I have committed "illegal" acts, according to some of the posts in this forum. It's true. And a group of we mothers occasionally had to resort to borrowing anti-biotics from each other in order to treat our ailing children -- or -- have to spend 4 hours in the middle of the night waiting in some God-Forsaken empty emergency room -- JUST so the ailing child could get on an anti-biotic. And get relief from the pain and suffering.

If Rush did resort to purchasing illegally, pain pills -- WHY. If had been able to purchase these drugs over the counter, all would be well, right? He could have continued taking these drugs, and what would his detractors have said?

Lastly, the "war on drugs". And all that Rush has said, blah blah. Rush has never declared a war on approved drugs. His references to "war on drugs" has everything to do with the various weed/heroin/ -- illicit, non-approved -- drug cartels. These are often associated with terrorist groups - worldwide, and cause a great many "turf wars" at the local level.

William F. Buckly caused no end of "waves" when he came out in support of legalizing marijuana in the mid-90s.

Personally, my biggest reason for fighting the "war on drugs"? Is because once pot is legalized, it gets taxed! Plus, with the addictive factor with pot, we're talking here about the same type of "tax the cigarettes" type of war being waged on the national level. Cigarettes are addictive. These are NOT ruled "illicit" for purchase on the street -- they are heavily TAXED.

So let's be clear when talking about "Rush's war on drugs", and the current issues he's grappling with. Out of context assumptions are not informative, IMHO.

I'm old enough to remember many things about prescription drugs. Once upon a time, when one was prescribed pain pills (e.g. codeine, darvocet) the pill bottle was filled. Say the price then was $20. NOW, the same-sized pill bottle contains maybe only 10 pills -- For the same price as one used to pay for a filled container. WHY? Laws, laws, and more laws. Over regulation. Furthermore, there are newer laws that dictate "how many refills". So, let's say Rush, for example, needed more pain pills. Say he needed them around the clock. At this rate, he'd be having to visit his doctor regularly every couple of months in order to get more pain relief. Whereas, under the "older" prescription rules, this would not be so. My point being -- Technically, there is no logical reason why Rush would have to resort to illicit "prescribed" drugs -- unless there was a "regulation" capper in the way. And please don't lecture me here about how he should have been MORE aggressive with this pain issues.

You outta see the mess that is called "health care" brewing here in CA. The Doctor's hands are TIED due freakin Liberal tinkerings. And why have LIB/DEMS made things so awful? They want "universal health care". Like such a stupid plan and idea is gonna solve anything. Balderdash.

[Alia]

You folks keep lowering the bar for Rush.

Not true. I just happen to utterly reject the French notion of "Guilty until Proven Innocent" which is playing out here in some of these posts. The only facts known right now? * Rush has admitted he's addicted to painpills. * Investigators and police are looking into the rumors and allegations vis a vis Cline and Enquirer.

Why not just go ahead and do another "french law" thing and posit that Rush got his pills from Norma in a Denny's parking lot -- but only because we know Denny's is a racist (they've been sued) organization -- and Rush was trying to make Denny's feel even worse. Huh?

These "I have a way of knowing the truth" posts are right outta Oprah's audience.

[Sam Cree]

"I am struggling to just function and achieve something of a life even close to normality."

I hope you will get better and achieve normality.

But what you say gives me cause for further concern for Rush. If he is indeed in constant pain, it looks like he could have a problem licking the addiction, and, if he does lick it, functioning on radio the way he has been.

[Alia]

I know a number of people suffering with "chronic pain ailments". It is a hell and a nightmare. One's entire life gets devoted to visiting doctors and enduring, the rest of the time and in between.

[just deserts]

He had no prescription so they were illegal, and a man of his wealth could have found a doctor to give them to him if there was pain.

You don't even need to be wealthy or in pain to get a doctor to write a script. I worked in the medical profession for a few years and some of the things I saw going on amazed me and I am certainly not naive.

I didn't really pay much attention to Rush’s actual admission so I appreciate your analysis of how carefully it was worded. I never really got into listening to him. While I agree with many views he expresses, his style really turns me off.

Since I normally don’t post on any of the WOsD threads I just want to state for the record: I am not a drug warrior. The only thing the WosD has accomplished is the subversion of freedom.

Looks to me like he just liked the buzz, even more than he valued his hearing. Rush has never backed the right to self medicate, he can't claim the right for himself while promoting prison for others.

Prison is only for peasants.

[this_ol_patriot]

Don't know how good it is but Jerry Lewis who was also addicted to painkillers for years because of back problems swears by this. He talked about it on his telethon.

http://www.tamethepainnewsroom.com/index.html

[Bluntpoint]

Not "knowing the truth" but speculating. This forum is about nothing if not speculating.

Last week on this forum, if you "speculated" Rush even had a drug problem you were labeled a liberal troll.

Only those speculating this might be a "Vast Left Wing Conspiracy" went unchallenged by folks such as yourself.

[Edit35]

As Rush said on his show Friday, the real battle will begin the day he gets out of rehab.

After detox, people often find themselves in a depression for months. Some people go into a lethargic like state of mind where they have little confidence in themselves and continually dream about going back to their old habits.

I just hope Rush has the stamina to return to his lovable self, but I am really worried.

It will be hard for him to go to Narcotics Anonymous like a normal person, unless he works up some type of disguise. I hope his ego lets him do the things necessary to overcome.

[Alia]

Hmm. So the issue here is.. Rush "The Great One" should have bought his own doctor like the Hollywood and Political "elitists" do.

One thing not brought up in this debate? How many conservatives spend their free time digging up medical records on their opponents versus how much the left/Dems spent their lives digging up dirt on Republican politicians. I think this should be added into the mix.

If Rush gets charged with purchasing FDA-approved street drugs, I'd deal with that. But that *hasn't* happened.

I do not see Rush as a hypocrite. He supports a right and proper way to do things. Let's assume, for the moment, he HAS done an illicit thing. Does this alter his message? No.

How many NOW parents who engaged in the 60s libertine movement in their youths -- are now counseling their children "abstinence". Is their message now meaningless. BS! Their message, from first hand experience could be saving the health and wellbeing of their offspring.

Contrast this to 60's libertine parents who are encouraging their children to try early, premarital sex, gay sex, etc., (think Jesse Dirkhising) as in a "this is not really sex" type thinking. Who has the larger problem here? The latter, IMO. I remember the Jimmy Swagger/Baker scandals. The left was having orgasms of glee over these stories. But of course they would. These prudes do sex the way some people wipe their butts. Ergo, when they are caught doing bad things -- no one cares -- and because these people CAN'T be called hypocrites -- they are scummy to begin with, and seek to perpetually lower the standards of a civilized culture.

The mainstream media has bought into the agenda. For two reasons. The largest one being -- bad people/bad events are good for selling "news print and news time". It's "business". Second, schadenfreude -- enjoyment obtained from others'sufferings. The liberal left is home domain of "schadenfreude" whether real or imagined. They get off on making people suffer, on witnessing people suffer. And because it makes them feel superior.

Again, Rush's message is not altered, and nor does it make him a hypocrite. We knew Bill Clinton was all FOR libertine sexual norms. We also knew his message was about projecting a "normal" vision via mainstream media, a "libertine" one via alternate media venues. Ergo, he was NOT considered a hypocrite.

But in fact he was. He swore to uphold the Constitution, and did not. He SWORE an OATH. And this escapes public scrutiny because -- people want it to. The media wants it to (escape scrutiny). In the same light, people wish to condemn Rush using selective "out of context" rubric. Again, the facts are not in evidence that are being "discussed" as Rush's being 'guilty."

[arete]

Popping the metabolic equivelant of heroin on a daily basis and still being able to broadcast 3 hours a day 5 days a week? I'm astounded.

It's one of the paradoxical conditions of drug addition. The addict takes the drugs to get "normal". Rush would have been nonfunctional without them.

Richard W.

[Alia]

Okay. I hold with the speculation, and I'm arguing with the speculation, ergo, I'm "speculating".

Only those speculating this might be a "Vast Left Wing Conspiracy" went unchallenged by folks such as yourself.

Obviously, those didn't interest me enuff for me to respond. Am I now guilty of aiding and abetting "left wing conspiracy" posts because I didn't jump in to the fray on that particular "speculation"?

[Vigilantcitizen]

"In all likelyhood, the drug companies are supplying the black market, at least in part."

IMO...

Mexico....where one can go and buy prescription drugs such as oxycontin, lortab, xanax, etc. cheaply and in bulk.

Mexico....where the vast majority of illegal drugs(Herion,cocaine) are smuggled into our country unabated, along the same vastly unwatched border where the majority of illegal aliens gain entry into the US.

Nothing has been done to secure the Mexican border. Talk about securing that border is usually met with "It's impossible" or "We need the cheap labor" or "You're racist, are you from Mississippi?". Thousands pour over it every day.

Meanwhile, How much tax money did we spend for the DEA agents that investigated and busted Tommy Chong for selling glass pipes, who is spending 9 months in prison?


Meanwhile,How much tax money did we spend to pay the DEA agents who spent the better part of a year investigating the owner of an Atlanta area indoor growing supply business, who did 10 years in prison?

http://atlanta.creativeloafing.com/2002-12-04/cover.html



Meanwhile, the politicians that are responsible for bringing us the WOD , don't think those same laws should apply to them or their families when they get caught.

http://www.norml.org/index.cfm?Group_ID=4440

[Ferret Fawcet]

I believe Rush needs a better understanding of the love of Christ.

Ditto... could this be God's way of trying to get his attention? IMO, he should take this oppurtunity to renew and strengthen his relationship with God.

I found the website of the rehab facility in Arizona- it looks beautiful. If he really will be staying there, here is the address- in case anyone wants to send him a note of support:

Sierra Tucson
39580 S. Lago del Oro Parkway
Tucson, Arizona 85739

God be with you, Rush. You have my prayers.

[NY.SS-Bar9]

He also has lent credibility the "big fat idiot" crowd.

What a shame.

[steve50]

The shame that bothers me most is his defenders. I tried to access the Robert Downey Jr. threads here but my search only pulled up comments from his second arrest. It would be quite telling to go back and see what the dittoheads had to say about his first. Maybe somebody will have better luck researching the record than I.

[Sir Valentino]

Why would you post this *GARBAGE*? There is *NO* evidence that Rush has committed any *CRIME*, so this article is nothing but *LIES*.

Rush was *PRESCRIBED* painkillers by his doctor and ended up *ADDICTED*. That is very *DIFFICULT* for him, but it is *NOT* a *CRIME*. The claims that he was *ILLEGALLY* getting drugs from his *HOUSEKEEPER* are *BULL*!

[Austin Willard Wright]

If such claims are "bull," why doesn't he deny them?

[steve50]

Much of it many well come out of Mexico. Be interesting to see each company that manufactures stamp their product so it's source could be identified instead of just putting a number on the bottle.