Question:
I don’t know if anyone has mentioned this, but the Charlotte (SC) Observer is doing a series on OxyContin, calling it the "heroin of the century." Other papers are picking up on the series and just like a year and a half ago when the NY Times began the Oxy scourge, we may be looking at a repeat performance. Some links: http://www.charlotte.com/mld/observer/search_results.htm http://www.charlotte.com/mld/charlotte/contact_us/feedback_np1/ The second is for writing to the paper and making an effort to ensure that our side of this b.s. is represented. They are rehashing all of the media reports from last year, and claim that addicts from other states where OxyContin was heavily abused are moving to S Carolinma in order to obtain it there. Give me a break. The series is an obvious attem,pt tom gain readership at the expense of our quality of life and in some cases, our lives. We can’t just sit back and let them bash away. They write that OxyContin is the most prescribed drug of its type. Any idiot can easily assume that the more it is prescribed, the more addicts will have access. Duh. I really think we need to let Debbie Cenziper (author) know that her attempts to be awarded a Pulitzer prize will have to take a bck seat to Barry Miers, the N Y Times reportes who has led the fight to ban OxyContin. This is my opinion only, however, not that of any other organization or company. Thanks Dave L Source: Sun News (SC) Copyright: 2002 Sun Publishing Co Website: http://web.thesunnews.com/ Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/987 Author: Debbie Cenziper, Knight Ridder Note: Knight Ridder reporters Michael Henry and Cristina C. Breen, Database Editor Ted Mellnik, and researcher Sara Klemmer contributed to this report. OXYCONTIN ABUSE EXPLODES For weeks in 1999, Shana Dunn watched, sickened, as her fiance, Billy Elliott, grew addicted to OxyContin, a narcotic painkiller prescribed by her doctor for chronic discomfort in her arms and wrists. Now, three years later, law enforcement and addiction experts in the Carolinas say abuse of few other prescription drugs has ever struck so quickly, hurt so many or posed so complicated a challenge. Elliott, 35, would borrow a pill for a bad back or a toothache. He always wanted more. On a spring afternoon in Spartanburg, the man Dunn planned to marry stumbled into the apartment, covered with mud and grass, mumbling words she could barely understand. Elliott lurched like a drunk, but he didn’t smell of alcohol. As Dunn, 26, tried to help Elliott into bed, she feared that the prescription drug, so capable of easing the pain that darkened her past, could devastate her future. Introduced in 1996, OxyContin delivered pain relief more powerful and longer-lasting than most other prescription narcotics. But abusers, from long-time addicts to teens to some chronic pain patients, discovered that crushing OxyContin disables the drug’s patented time-release formula, releasing 12 hours-worth of narcotic at once. When swallowed, snorted or injected, it produces an immediate, heroinlike high. As Shana Dunn struggled with one of the earliest cases of OxyContin addiction in the Carolinas, drug informants began to warn police of a new pill coursing through groups of mostly white, blue-collar prescription drug abusers. OxyContin was easier to get than heroin. Cheaper than cocaine. Gentler on the stomach than alcohol or similar prescription narcotics. The addicts called it Oxy or OC. Experts suggest abuse hit the Carolinas largely because addicts from some of the hardest-hit states, such as West Virginia and Kentucky, moved to the region after law enforcement there cracked down. Also, two pain clinics in the Carolinas – one in Grover in Cleveland County, N.C., the other in Myrtle Beach – prescribed unusually high numbers of prescriptions for OxyContin and other narcotics to hundreds of people across the region. Officials believe those clinics helped fuel a thriving and sometimes deadly OxyContin black market. Law enforcement and the medical community have faced a staggering challenge: Crack down on abuse of OxyContin without limiting supply of the drug to people who need it. "We kind of walk a tightrope here," says Richard Seidel, Drug Enforcement Administration deputy chief of the drug operations section. "No one is saying OxyContin is a bad drug. It’s a bad drug when it’s abused." An investigation by The Charlotte ( N.C. ) Observer found: OxyContin abuse may have caused or contributed to at least 97 overdose deaths in the Carolinas in 2000 and 2001. In most cases, other drugs or alcohol may have played a role. A majority were accidental overdoses, though 19 were suspected suicides. In some cases, casual users took the drug and died hours later. In at least another 104 cases, oxycodone, the main ingredient in OxyContin, played a role in an overdose death. It was unclear whether OxyContin or another oxycodone-based pain pill was involved. The Carolina death count is far higher than what was reported in a April national study, based on limited data. The DEA estimated that OxyContin abuse may have played a role in 464 overdose deaths nationwide in the last two years. But that estimate included only 14 S.C. cases and none from North Carolina. In some areas in the Carolinas, distribution of OxyContin is among the nation’s heaviest. DEA reports show those areas include Myrtle Beach and Spartanburg. OxyContin addiction has overwhelmed some drug detox centers already lacking staff and services. And across the region, law enforcement has arrested hundreds of suppliers and dealers. In some Carolina communities, law enforcement officers fear young people are beginning to abuse OxyContin. The drug has been found at rave parties; some dealers say they’ve sold OxyContin to college students. At least nine doctors in two pain clinics have faced accusations of inappropriately prescribing OxyContin and other narcotic painkillers. Some pharmacists and law enforcement officers believe OxyContin’s manufacturer, Connecticut-based Purdue Pharma, may have contributed to the problem in the Carolinas, particularly in the Myrtle Beach area, by overpromoting the drug for widespread use despite reports of crime and abuse. Purdue officials say they have responsibly marketed their product according to its approved use by the Food and Drug Administration and do not have regulatory or law enforcement authority over how physicians use it. Purdue spent about $200 million on OxyContin promotional activities last year. The company says that’s industry standard. Purdue did not anticipate the extent of abuse involving OxyContin, and researchers there are now developing an abuse-resistant pill, says spokesman Jim Heins. Purdue has also strengthened the warnings on the drug’s label. By all accounts, OxyContin is safe when taken as prescribed, though there’s a risk of addiction when taking any narcotic painkiller. But while other prescription drugs can cause fatal overdoses, OxyContin is more potent than most pain pills because it is delivered in higher doses – making it attractive, and highly dangerous, to abusers. "There are a number of cases where individuals literally took a single, large dose, and maybe had some alcohol or other drugs, and the next morning, they’re dead," says Dr. Andrew Mason, a forensic toxicologist in Boone who analyzed the Carolinas deaths for the Observer. Abuse of OxyContin has also fueled crime. In Myrtle Beach, a man in a ski mask held a pharmacist and technician at gunpoint demanding OxyContin – not cash. In Concord, police caught a former high-school social studies teacher trying to hire a hit man to kill two people who owed him money for OxyContin. And last month in Columbus County, N.C.,which borders Horry County, police sought 32 people accused of selling their Medicaid cards to drug dealers who billed the state for thousands of dollars in OxyContin prescriptions. OxyContin hailed for relief To people with cancer, debilitating back aches, headaches that never go away, or elusive pain so severe that working, walking or even sleep becomes unmanageable, OxyContin is in every sense a miracle drug. A single pill offers pain patients 12 hours of steady relief. And while many pain pills contain five milligrams of oxycodone, an opioid similar to morphine, OxyContin comes in strengths up to 16 times higher. By releasing pain medicine through a patented time-release formula, patients can tolerate larger doses with fewer side effects. OxyContin has become the No. 1 prescribed narcotic of its kind in the United States, with about 2 million people taking the drug. "The abuse is a tragedy, because the good far outweighs the bad," says Mark Gordon, with the National Foundation for the Treatment of Pain. "It’s the most remarkable pain medication around, hands down." By 2000, OxyContin sales in the United States reached almost $1 billion, 22 times more than in 1996, and the number of prescriptions grew to 5.8 million. In 2000, 189 million prescriptions were dispensed for all opioid drugs, including OxyContin. Drug enforcement agents across the eastern United States worried. Reports from pharmacists, doctors and families described a growing and suspicious interest in OxyContin not only among addicts, but among young people experimenting with drugs and some pain patients who abused their medication either for a quick high or because they thought taking more of the drug would reduce their pain. There were national reports of prescription forgeries and pharmacy thefts. Other prescription drugs, such as Dilaudid, have posed problems for law enforcement. But drug enforcement agents say OxyContin abuse struck more swiftly than abuse of any other drug in decades. Rural areas in Maine, Alaska and Appalachia were hit first in the late 1990s, mainly in poor, working-class towns without easy access to illicit … read more »
Response:
Oh Noooooo not again! This Debbie must really be hard up for a story to launch her to her big break..ya think? As soon as this decidedly snarky mood passes, I will write a cogent letter asap. Thanks very much David, codeee – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text -I don’t know if anyone has mentioned this, but the Charlotte (SC) Observer is doing a series on OxyContin, calling it the "heroin of the century." Other papers are picking up on the series and just like a year and a half ago when the NY Times began the Oxy scourge, we may be looking at a repeat performance. Some links: http://www.charlotte.com/mld/observer/search_results.htm http://www.charlotte.com/mld/charlotte/contact_us/feedback_np1/ The second is for writing to the paper and making an effort to ensure that our side of this b.s. is represented. They are rehashing all of the media reports from last year, and claim that addicts from other states where OxyContin was heavily abused are moving to S Carolinma in order to obtain it there. Give me a break. The series is an obvious attem,pt tom gain readership at the expense of our quality of life and in some cases, our lives. We can’t just sit back and let them bash away. They write that OxyContin is the most prescribed drug of its type. Any idiot can easily assume that the more it is prescribed, the more addicts will have access. Duh. I really think we need to let Debbie Cenziper (author) know that her attempts to be awarded a Pulitzer prize will have to take a bck seat to Barry Miers, the N Y Times reportes who has led the fight to ban OxyContin. This is my opinion only, however, not that of any other organization or company. Thanks Dave L Source: Sun News (SC) Copyright: 2002 Sun Publishing Co Website: http://web.thesunnews.com/ Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/987 Author: Debbie Cenziper, Knight Ridder Note: Knight Ridder reporters Michael Henry and Cristina C. Breen, Database Editor Ted Mellnik, and researcher Sara Klemmer contributed to this report. OXYCONTIN ABUSE EXPLODES For weeks in 1999, Shana Dunn watched, sickened, as her fiance, Billy Elliott, grew addicted to OxyContin, a narcotic painkiller prescribed by her doctor for chronic discomfort in her arms and wrists. Now, three years later, law enforcement and addiction experts in the Carolinas say abuse of few other prescription drugs has ever struck so quickly, hurt so many or posed so complicated a challenge. Elliott, 35, would borrow a pill for a bad back or a toothache. He always wanted more. On a spring afternoon in Spartanburg, the man Dunn planned to marry stumbled into the apartment, covered with mud and grass, mumbling words she could barely understand. Elliott lurched like a drunk, but he didn’t smell of alcohol. As Dunn, 26, tried to help Elliott into bed, she feared that the prescription drug, so capable of easing the pain that darkened her past, could devastate her future. Introduced in 1996, OxyContin delivered pain relief more powerful and longer-lasting than most other prescription narcotics. But abusers, from long-time addicts to teens to some chronic pain patients, discovered that crushing OxyContin disables the drug’s patented time-release formula, releasing 12 hours-worth of narcotic at once. When swallowed, snorted or injected, it produces an immediate, heroinlike high. As Shana Dunn struggled with one of the earliest cases of OxyContin addiction in the Carolinas, drug informants began to warn police of a new pill coursing through groups of mostly white, blue-collar prescription drug abusers. OxyContin was easier to get than heroin. Cheaper than cocaine. Gentler on the stomach than alcohol or similar prescription narcotics. The addicts called it Oxy or OC. Experts suggest abuse hit the Carolinas largely because addicts from some of the hardest-hit states, such as West Virginia and Kentucky, moved to the region after law enforcement there cracked down. Also, two pain clinics in the Carolinas – one in Grover in Cleveland County, N.C., the other in Myrtle Beach – prescribed unusually high numbers of prescriptions for OxyContin and other narcotics to hundreds of people across the region. Officials believe those clinics helped fuel a thriving and sometimes deadly OxyContin black market. Law enforcement and the medical community have faced a staggering challenge: Crack down on abuse of OxyContin without limiting supply of the drug to people who need it. "We kind of walk a tightrope here," says Richard Seidel, Drug Enforcement Administration deputy chief of the drug operations section. "No one is saying OxyContin is a bad drug. It’s a bad drug when it’s abused." An investigation by The Charlotte ( N.C. ) Observer found: OxyContin abuse may have caused or contributed to at least 97 overdose deaths in the Carolinas in 2000 and 2001. In most cases, other drugs or alcohol may have played a role. A majority were accidental overdoses, though 19 were suspected suicides. In some cases, casual users took the drug and died hours later. In at least another 104 cases, oxycodone, the main ingredient in OxyContin, played a role in an overdose death. It was unclear whether OxyContin or another oxycodone-based pain pill was involved. The Carolina death count is far higher than what was reported in a April national study, based on limited data. The DEA estimated that OxyContin abuse may have played a role in 464 overdose deaths nationwide in the last two years. But that estimate included only 14 S.C. cases and none from North Carolina. In some areas in the Carolinas, distribution of OxyContin is among the nation’s heaviest. DEA reports show those areas include Myrtle Beach and Spartanburg. OxyContin addiction has overwhelmed some drug detox centers already lacking staff and services. And across the region, law enforcement has arrested hundreds of suppliers and dealers. In some Carolina communities, law enforcement officers fear young people are beginning to abuse OxyContin. The drug has been found at rave parties; some dealers say they’ve sold OxyContin to college students. At least nine doctors in two pain clinics have faced accusations of inappropriately prescribing OxyContin and other narcotic painkillers. Some pharmacists and law enforcement officers believe OxyContin’s manufacturer, Connecticut-based Purdue Pharma, may have contributed to the problem in the Carolinas, particularly in the Myrtle Beach area, by overpromoting the drug for widespread use despite reports of crime and abuse. Purdue officials say they have responsibly marketed their product according to its approved use by the Food and Drug Administration and do not have regulatory or law enforcement authority over how physicians use it. Purdue spent about $200 million on OxyContin promotional activities last year. The company says that’s industry standard. Purdue did not anticipate the extent of abuse involving OxyContin, and researchers there are now developing an abuse-resistant pill, says spokesman Jim Heins. Purdue has also strengthened the warnings on the drug’s label. By all accounts, OxyContin is safe when taken as prescribed, though there’s a risk of addiction when taking any narcotic painkiller. But while other prescription drugs can cause fatal overdoses, OxyContin is more potent than most pain pills because it is delivered in higher doses – making it attractive, and highly dangerous, to abusers. "There are a number of cases where individuals literally took a single, large dose, and maybe had some alcohol or other drugs, and the next morning, they’re dead," says Dr. Andrew Mason, a forensic toxicologist in Boone who analyzed the Carolinas deaths for the Observer. Abuse of OxyContin has also fueled crime. In Myrtle Beach, a man in a ski mask held a pharmacist and technician at gunpoint demanding OxyContin – not cash. In Concord, police caught a former high-school social studies teacher trying to hire a hit man to kill two people who owed him money for OxyContin. And last month in Columbus County, N.C.,which borders Horry County, police sought 32 people accused of selling their Medicaid cards to drug dealers who billed the state for thousands of dollars in OxyContin prescriptions. OxyContin hailed for relief To people with cancer, debilitating back aches, headaches that never go away, or elusive pain so severe that working, walking or even sleep becomes unmanageable, OxyContin is in every sense a miracle drug. A single pill offers pain patients 12 hours of steady relief. And while many pain pills contain five milligrams of oxycodone, an opioid similar to morphine, OxyContin comes in strengths up to 16 times higher. By releasing pain medicine through a patented time-release formula, patients can tolerate larger doses with fewer side effects. OxyContin has become the No. 1 prescribed narcotic of its kind in the United States, with about 2 million people taking the drug. "The abuse is a tragedy, because the good far outweighs the bad," says Mark Gordon, with the National Foundation for the Treatment of Pain. "It’s the most remarkable pain medication around, hands down." By 2000, OxyContin sales in the United States reached almost $1 billion, 22 times more than in 1996, and the number of prescriptions grew to 5.8 million. In 2000, 189 million prescriptions were dispensed for all opioid drugs, including OxyContin. Drug enforcement agents across the eastern United States worried. Reports from pharmacists, doctors and families described a growing and suspicious interest in OxyContin not only among addicts, but among young people experimenting with drugs and some pain patients who abused their medication either for a quick high or
… read more »
Response:
What a difficult time you’re having. Surgeons can do some pretty amazing things so keep strong. My prayers are with you. Marg – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – {{{{{Steve}}}}} How are her spirits Steve, and yours? This must be very discouraging. Thanks Walt. She was quite naturally worried last night, between the pain and the worry she wasn’t in good spirits. She’s been sedated since then, they left the respirator in because they are going to operate again around 3 this afternoon. We didn’t get back home until after 1 AM last night, so I was late getting to my accounting class this morning. Just as well, when I did get there it turned out to have been canceled anyway. I went on to my "C" class, and it was canceled also due to the professor being ill. I had already called off work this afternoon so I can be at the hospital, so I have a bit of time to get my head together. On the bright side, I have a friend who had about 3 feet of his large intestine removed due to Crohns about 2 years ago. He now reports that he feels better than he ever has. That’s encouraging! The doctor that is doing the surgery said that you need at least 2 feet of small intestine to be able to eat. Any shorter and you have to have your food injected. She has 4 foot of good intestine, so that’s cutting it close but it’s still enough. She will have to have a colostomy bag, but just as a temporary measure. That was one of the things she was worried about. Also, her doctor is somewhat of a local legend around the Ashland Ky. area. She is considered the absolute best for these types of surgeries. So overall it could be much worse! And Walt, you have my best wishes for you and your family. I know that you are going through a lot yourself, and I hope that things turn out the very best for you and yours! Steve http://www.zoomnet.net/~steve
Response:
Things took a turn for the worse for my mother yesterday
Steve, what is her first name, please. I find it easier to pray for a specific person when that person has a name. I do pray that she makes as complete a recovery as she can and is back home at the earliest possible moment. Best, Larry Try these: http://www.arthritis.org/ http://www.rheumatology.org/index.asp http://www.arthritis.co.za http://www.mayohealth.org/M http://home.earthlink.net/~athleticare/back.html
Response:
- Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – Things took a turn for the worse for my mother yesterday. Her white count went up, and her fever spiked, so they decided to operate. They removed the part of her colon that they had identified as bad without any problem. However, a large section of her small intestine also had to be removed as it was on the verge of turning gangrenous. They are going to go back in this afternoon to see how much of the rest can be salvaged. The doctor said that about 4 foot of it looked really good, part of it was really bad, and they removed that section. Another section was iffy, and that’s the section they are trying to save. This appears to be another symptom of the blood flow restrictions that have caused her strokes. Parts of her body just aren’t getting enough blood to function properly. Steve http://www.zoomnet.net/~steve
(((((((((Steve)))))))))) sorry to hear of your mother’s problems. It hurts to see someone we love so dearly go through these things. My thoughts and prayers are with you and your family. blondie
Response:
Steve, My best to your mother and you. Hope these surgeries are successful. — K.C. Washington State in the beautiful Columbia River Gorge
– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – Things took a turn for the worse for my mother yesterday. Her white count went up, and her fever spiked, so they decided to operate. They removed the part of her colon that they had identified as bad without any problem. However, a large section of her small intestine also had to be removed as it was on the verge of turning gangrenous. They are going to go back in this afternoon to see how much of the rest can be salvaged. The doctor said that about 4 foot of it looked really good, part of it was really bad, and they removed that section. Another section was iffy, and that’s the section they are trying to save. This appears to be another symptom of the blood flow restrictions that have caused her strokes. Parts of her body just aren’t getting enough blood to function properly. Steve http://www.zoomnet.net/~steve
Response:
{{{{{Steve}}}}} How are her spirits Steve, and yours? This must be very discouraging.
Thanks Walt. She was quite naturally worried last night, between the pain and the worry she wasn’t in good spirits. She’s been sedated since then, they left the respirator in because they are going to operate again around 3 this afternoon. We didn’t get back home until after 1 AM last night, so I was late getting to my accounting class this morning. Just as well, when I did get there it turned out to have been canceled anyway. I went on to my "C" class, and it was canceled also due to the professor being ill. I had already called off work this afternoon so I can be at the hospital, so I have a bit of time to get my head together. On the bright side, I have a friend who had about 3 feet of his large intestine removed due to Crohns about 2 years ago. He now reports that he feels better than he ever has.
That’s encouraging! The doctor that is doing the surgery said that you need at least 2 feet of small intestine to be able to eat. Any shorter and you have to have your food injected. She has 4 foot of good intestine, so that’s cutting it close but it’s still enough. She will have to have a colostomy bag, but just as a temporary measure. That was one of the things she was worried about. Also, her doctor is somewhat of a local legend around the Ashland Ky. area. She is considered the absolute best for these types of surgeries. So overall it could be much worse! And Walt, you have my best wishes for you and your family. I know that you are going through a lot yourself, and I hope that things turn out the very best for you and yours! Steve http://www.zoomnet.net/~steve
Response:
~Krissy Akron, Ohio Senior Editor http://www.arthritiswebsite.com
Response:
{{{{{Steve}}}}} How are her spirits Steve, and yours? This must be very discouraging. On the bright side, I have a friend who had about 3 feet of his large intestine removed due to Crohns about 2 years ago. He now reports that he feels better than he ever has. Hang in there! Walt – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – Things took a turn for the worse for my mother yesterday. Her white count went up, and her fever spiked, so they decided to operate. They removed the part of her colon that they had identified as bad without any problem. However, a large section of her small intestine also had to be removed as it was on the verge of turning gangrenous. They are going to go back in this afternoon to see how much of the rest can be salvaged. The doctor said that about 4 foot of it looked really good, part of it was really bad, and they removed that section. Another section was iffy, and that’s the section they are trying to save. This appears to be another symptom of the blood flow restrictions that have caused her strokes. Parts of her body just aren’t getting enough blood to function properly. Steve http://www.zoomnet.net/~steve
Response:
Things took a turn for the worse for my mother yesterday. Her white count went up, and her fever spiked, so they decided to operate. They removed the part of her colon that they had identified as bad without any problem. However, a large section of her small intestine also had to be removed as it was on the verge of turning gangrenous. They are going to go back in this afternoon to see how much of the rest can be salvaged. The doctor said that about 4 foot of it looked really good, part of it was really bad, and they removed that section. Another section was iffy, and that’s the section they are trying to save. This appears to be another symptom of the blood flow restrictions that have caused her strokes. Parts of her body just aren’t getting enough blood to function properly. Steve http://www.zoomnet.net/~steve
Response:
– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – Steve, Hoping and praying for a speedy recovery for your mom. Try to take care of yourself, too. julie molli
Response:
And I’ll ditto the ditto. Don’t forget to take care of yourself while you’re facing all this stress. I’m sorry you have this to deal with! — Barbara Joy If the refrigerator and computer weren’t so far apart, some of us wouldn’t get any exercise at all. – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – Steve, Hoping and praying for a speedy recovery for your mom. Try to take care of yourself, too. julie molli
Response:
Thanks! I just got back from the hospital and she is doing well.
good to hear, Steve. i have a couple aunts and a cousin who’ve had bouts with colitis. the medications are sometimes pretty similar to what we take for arthritis — prednisone, immunosuppresents. all of them have eventually been able to get off the meds and live, well, as normal as people in my family can get <g. i agree, doctors are a good thing 
Shelley "and praise will come to those whose kindness/leaves you without debt" — Neil Finn
Response:
Well, we just got my mother home from the hospital last week, and she had to go back in today.
Sorry to read that, Steve. I do hope she will recover completely. Best, Larry
Response:
Good luck and many prayers for her speedy recovery Steve! Be well, Patty *~A friend is someone who reaches out for your hand, and touches your heart.~*
Response:
Dang, Steve! But, the odds do sound pretty good. Hang in there.
Thanks! I just got back from the hospital and she is doing well. Her abdomen is less painful this morning, and they have a tube that removes the bile, so she isn’t throwing up all the time. The doctor was there checking on her, and seemed happy with her progress. They’re monitoring her closely, and she is in the surgical ward so if they do have to operate they can get her in quickly. The most nerve racking part of the whole thing was last night when they did the scope. The doctor told us that because they didn’t have time to prep her properly there was a small but very real chance of perforating the colon, which was life threatening. Fortunately, everything went well, and the doctor came back in to show pictures of the trouble spot. Gross, yet fascinating. <g To the anti-doctor people who seem to be popping up lately, all I can say is that without the intervention of the doctors, it is doubtful that my mother would be alive today. Steve http://www.zoomnet.net/~steve
Response:
Steve Ratliff wrote To the anti-doctor people who seem to be popping up lately, all I can say is that without the intervention of the doctors, it is doubtful that my mother would be alive today.
Glad to hear she is coming through it, Steve. If you can find the December (?) issue of Discover Magazine (I don’t have it or I’d send it to you), read the blip on the research that showed that installing certain parasites (worms, to be precise 
into the bowels of colitis victims cured them. There were only 5 people in the study, but the worms *cured* every one of them, as I recall. Don’t know if your mom will want to try it , but "the more you know . . . " The way I put it is that doctors are nothing but mechanics who fix and maintain people. BUT, mechanics have always held a special place and esteem in my view. I don’t like some things that individual docs do, and even some things that most docs do, but anyone who is "anti-doc" needs to have their head examined. Which, of course, some of the docs are glad to do, for a fee. :) Seems silly to go pay for it when one can get it here for free, though. <g Cush http://pages.prodigy.net/cushman4/index.htm . . . Fixing OA with G/CS http://pages.prodigy.net/cushman4/badback.htm . . .Bad Backs Page (166 Links) http://www.iso-trac.com . . . Fixing bad backs with traction http://pages.prodigy.net/cushman4/tips.htm . . . Tips for Newbies to ASA
Response:
Sorry to hear about your Mother, Steve. Hang in there – these ole dolls pull through some amazing stuff. It is so hard when it is your parent – I’ve been there. You and your mother and your loved ones are in our prayers. Take care. Kathleen
Response:
Steve wrote Thanks! I just got back from the hospital and she is doing well. Her abdomen is less painful this morning, and <snip
Sorry to hear your mother has to go through all this, Steve. As you said, though, she is still here, and that’s what makes it worth going through all the tubes, tests, and the other goodies that go with hospitalization. Tell your mom lots of people are praying for her to get well soon! Take extra good care of yourself right now, too. Sincerely, Liz G
Response:
Steve, Hoping and praying for a speedy recovery for your mom. Try to take care of yourself, too. julie molli
Response:
So sorry to hear of all the troubles your mom is having. But it sure is good to hear how they are taking care of her in the hospital. I know that kind of thing is very hard to go through, but most people do quite well with colitis once they get it under control. We’ll be sending our healing thoughts her way. Best regards,
Response:
Praying that the fluids will work. Again, try to take care of yourself! :O) Mary Lynn (mlh) (O: :O) "Of all the things I’ve lost, I miss my mind the most" :O) (remove ma in email address)
Response:
Keep the good thoughts. Lyn
Response:
Well, we just got my mother home from the hospital last week, and she had to go back in today. She was having bad stomach pains, diarrhea and vomiting. They did a scope and it turns out she has colitis due to lack of blood flow to a section of her colon. She’s on IV fluids and antibiotics in an effort to clear it up. Hopefully that will do the trick, otherwise they will have to operate. The doctor said that in about 90% of the cases the fluids and antibiotics well help it heal itself, so those are good odds. Steve http://www.zoomnet.net/~steve
Dang, Steve! But, the odds do sound pretty good. Hang in there. — Di dabell at access1 dot net
Response:
Well, we just got my mother home from the hospital last week, and she had to go back in today. She was having bad stomach pains, diarrhea and vomiting. They did a scope and it turns out she has colitis due to lack of blood flow to a section of her colon. She’s on IV fluids and antibiotics in an effort to clear it up. Hopefully that will do the trick, otherwise they will have to operate. The doctor said that in about 90% of the cases the fluids and antibiotics well help it heal itself, so those are good odds. Steve http://www.zoomnet.net/~steve
Response:
Sorry to hear that Steve. But, at least they caught it in time. Hang in there. Walt – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – Well, we just got my mother home from the hospital last week, and she had to go back in today. She was having bad stomach pains, diarrhea and vomiting. They did a scope and it turns out she has colitis due to lack of blood flow to a section of her colon. She’s on IV fluids and antibiotics in an effort to clear it up. Hopefully that will do the trick, otherwise they will have to operate. The doctor said that in about 90% of the cases the fluids and antibiotics well help it heal itself, so those are good odds. Steve http://www.zoomnet.net/~steve
Response:
Hope your mother improves quickly, Steve. — K.C. Washington State in the beautiful Columbia River Gorge
– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – Well, we just got my mother home from the hospital last week, and she had to go back in today. She was having bad stomach pains, diarrhea and vomiting. They did a scope and it turns out she has colitis due to lack of blood flow to a section of her colon. She’s on IV fluids and antibiotics in an effort to clear it up. Hopefully that will do the trick, otherwise they will have to operate. The doctor said that in about 90% of the cases the fluids and antibiotics well help it heal itself, so those are good odds. Steve http://www.zoomnet.net/~steve
Response:
What a difficult time you’re having. Surgeons can do some pretty amazing things so keep strong. My prayers are with you. Marg – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – {{{{{Steve}}}}} How are her spirits Steve, and yours? This must be very discouraging. Thanks Walt. She was quite naturally worried last night, between the pain and the worry she wasn’t in good spirits. She’s been sedated since then, they left the respirator in because they are going to operate again around 3 this afternoon. We didn’t get back home until after 1 AM last night, so I was late getting to my accounting class this morning. Just as well, when I did get there it turned out to have been canceled anyway. I went on to my "C" class, and it was canceled also due to the professor being ill. I had already called off work this afternoon so I can be at the hospital, so I have a bit of time to get my head together. On the bright side, I have a friend who had about 3 feet of his large intestine removed due to Crohns about 2 years ago. He now reports that he feels better than he ever has. That’s encouraging! The doctor that is doing the surgery said that you need at least 2 feet of small intestine to be able to eat. Any shorter and you have to have your food injected. She has 4 foot of good intestine, so that’s cutting it close but it’s still enough. She will have to have a colostomy bag, but just as a temporary measure. That was one of the things she was worried about. Also, her doctor is somewhat of a local legend around the Ashland Ky. area. She is considered the absolute best for these types of surgeries. So overall it could be much worse! And Walt, you have my best wishes for you and your family. I know that you are going through a lot yourself, and I hope that things turn out the very best for you and yours! Steve http://www.zoomnet.net/~steve
Response:
Things took a turn for the worse for my mother yesterday
Steve, what is her first name, please. I find it easier to pray for a specific person when that person has a name. I do pray that she makes as complete a recovery as she can and is back home at the earliest possible moment. Best, Larry Try these: http://www.arthritis.org/ http://www.rheumatology.org/index.asp http://www.arthritis.co.za http://www.mayohealth.org/M http://home.earthlink.net/~athleticare/back.html
Response:
- Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – Things took a turn for the worse for my mother yesterday. Her white count went up, and her fever spiked, so they decided to operate. They removed the part of her colon that they had identified as bad without any problem. However, a large section of her small intestine also had to be removed as it was on the verge of turning gangrenous. They are going to go back in this afternoon to see how much of the rest can be salvaged. The doctor said that about 4 foot of it looked really good, part of it was really bad, and they removed that section. Another section was iffy, and that’s the section they are trying to save. This appears to be another symptom of the blood flow restrictions that have caused her strokes. Parts of her body just aren’t getting enough blood to function properly. Steve http://www.zoomnet.net/~steve
(((((((((Steve)))))))))) sorry to hear of your mother’s problems. It hurts to see someone we love so dearly go through these things. My thoughts and prayers are with you and your family. blondie
Response:
Steve, My best to your mother and you. Hope these surgeries are successful. — K.C. Washington State in the beautiful Columbia River Gorge
– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – Things took a turn for the worse for my mother yesterday. Her white count went up, and her fever spiked, so they decided to operate. They removed the part of her colon that they had identified as bad without any problem. However, a large section of her small intestine also had to be removed as it was on the verge of turning gangrenous. They are going to go back in this afternoon to see how much of the rest can be salvaged. The doctor said that about 4 foot of it looked really good, part of it was really bad, and they removed that section. Another section was iffy, and that’s the section they are trying to save. This appears to be another symptom of the blood flow restrictions that have caused her strokes. Parts of her body just aren’t getting enough blood to function properly. Steve http://www.zoomnet.net/~steve
Response:
{{{{{Steve}}}}} How are her spirits Steve, and yours? This must be very discouraging.
Thanks Walt. She was quite naturally worried last night, between the pain and the worry she wasn’t in good spirits. She’s been sedated since then, they left the respirator in because they are going to operate again around 3 this afternoon. We didn’t get back home until after 1 AM last night, so I was late getting to my accounting class this morning. Just as well, when I did get there it turned out to have been canceled anyway. I went on to my "C" class, and it was canceled also due to the professor being ill. I had already called off work this afternoon so I can be at the hospital, so I have a bit of time to get my head together. On the bright side, I have a friend who had about 3 feet of his large intestine removed due to Crohns about 2 years ago. He now reports that he feels better than he ever has.
That’s encouraging! The doctor that is doing the surgery said that you need at least 2 feet of small intestine to be able to eat. Any shorter and you have to have your food injected. She has 4 foot of good intestine, so that’s cutting it close but it’s still enough. She will have to have a colostomy bag, but just as a temporary measure. That was one of the things she was worried about. Also, her doctor is somewhat of a local legend around the Ashland Ky. area. She is considered the absolute best for these types of surgeries. So overall it could be much worse! And Walt, you have my best wishes for you and your family. I know that you are going through a lot yourself, and I hope that things turn out the very best for you and yours! Steve http://www.zoomnet.net/~steve
Response:
~Krissy Akron, Ohio Senior Editor http://www.arthritiswebsite.com
Response:
{{{{{Steve}}}}} How are her spirits Steve, and yours? This must be very discouraging. On the bright side, I have a friend who had about 3 feet of his large intestine removed due to Crohns about 2 years ago. He now reports that he feels better than he ever has. Hang in there! Walt – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – Things took a turn for the worse for my mother yesterday. Her white count went up, and her fever spiked, so they decided to operate. They removed the part of her colon that they had identified as bad without any problem. However, a large section of her small intestine also had to be removed as it was on the verge of turning gangrenous. They are going to go back in this afternoon to see how much of the rest can be salvaged. The doctor said that about 4 foot of it looked really good, part of it was really bad, and they removed that section. Another section was iffy, and that’s the section they are trying to save. This appears to be another symptom of the blood flow restrictions that have caused her strokes. Parts of her body just aren’t getting enough blood to function properly. Steve http://www.zoomnet.net/~steve
Response:
Things took a turn for the worse for my mother yesterday. Her white count went up, and her fever spiked, so they decided to operate. They removed the part of her colon that they had identified as bad without any problem. However, a large section of her small intestine also had to be removed as it was on the verge of turning gangrenous. They are going to go back in this afternoon to see how much of the rest can be salvaged. The doctor said that about 4 foot of it looked really good, part of it was really bad, and they removed that section. Another section was iffy, and that’s the section they are trying to save. This appears to be another symptom of the blood flow restrictions that have caused her strokes. Parts of her body just aren’t getting enough blood to function properly. Steve http://www.zoomnet.net/~steve
Response:
– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – Steve, Hoping and praying for a speedy recovery for your mom. Try to take care of yourself, too. julie molli
Response:
And I’ll ditto the ditto. Don’t forget to take care of yourself while you’re facing all this stress. I’m sorry you have this to deal with! — Barbara Joy If the refrigerator and computer weren’t so far apart, some of us wouldn’t get any exercise at all. – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – Steve, Hoping and praying for a speedy recovery for your mom. Try to take care of yourself, too. julie molli
Response:
Thanks! I just got back from the hospital and she is doing well.
good to hear, Steve. i have a couple aunts and a cousin who’ve had bouts with colitis. the medications are sometimes pretty similar to what we take for arthritis — prednisone, immunosuppresents. all of them have eventually been able to get off the meds and live, well, as normal as people in my family can get <g. i agree, doctors are a good thing Shelley "and praise will come to those whose kindness/leaves you without debt" — Neil Finn
Response:
Well, we just got my mother home from the hospital last week, and she had to go back in today.
Sorry to read that, Steve. I do hope she will recover completely. Best, Larry
Response:
Good luck and many prayers for her speedy recovery Steve! Be well, Patty *~A friend is someone who reaches out for your hand, and touches your heart.~*
Response:
Dang, Steve! But, the odds do sound pretty good. Hang in there.
Thanks! I just got back from the hospital and she is doing well. Her abdomen is less painful this morning, and they have a tube that removes the bile, so she isn’t throwing up all the time. The doctor was there checking on her, and seemed happy with her progress. They’re monitoring her closely, and she is in the surgical ward so if they do have to operate they can get her in quickly. The most nerve racking part of the whole thing was last night when they did the scope. The doctor told us that because they didn’t have time to prep her properly there was a small but very real chance of perforating the colon, which was life threatening. Fortunately, everything went well, and the doctor came back in to show pictures of the trouble spot. Gross, yet fascinating. <g To the anti-doctor people who seem to be popping up lately, all I can say is that without the intervention of the doctors, it is doubtful that my mother would be alive today. Steve http://www.zoomnet.net/~steve
Response:
Steve Ratliff wrote To the anti-doctor people who seem to be popping up lately, all I can say is that without the intervention of the doctors, it is doubtful that my mother would be alive today.
Glad to hear she is coming through it, Steve. If you can find the December (?) issue of Discover Magazine (I don’t have it or I’d send it to you), read the blip on the research that showed that installing certain parasites (worms, to be precise into the bowels of colitis victims cured them. There were only 5 people in the study, but the worms *cured* every one of them, as I recall. Don’t know if your mom will want to try it , but "the more you know . . . " The way I put it is that doctors are nothing but mechanics who fix and maintain people. BUT, mechanics have always held a special place and esteem in my view. I don’t like some things that individual docs do, and even some things that most docs do, but anyone who is "anti-doc" needs to have their head examined. Which, of course, some of the docs are glad to do, for a fee. :) Seems silly to go pay for it when one can get it here for free, though. <g Cush http://pages.prodigy.net/cushman4/index.htm . . . Fixing OA with G/CS http://pages.prodigy.net/cushman4/badback.htm . . .Bad Backs Page (166 Links) http://www.iso-trac.com . . . Fixing bad backs with traction http://pages.prodigy.net/cushman4/tips.htm . . . Tips for Newbies to ASA
Response:
Sorry to hear about your Mother, Steve. Hang in there – these ole dolls pull through some amazing stuff. It is so hard when it is your parent – I’ve been there. You and your mother and your loved ones are in our prayers. Take care. Kathleen
Response:
Steve wrote Thanks! I just got back from the hospital and she is doing well. Her abdomen is less painful this morning, and <snip
Sorry to hear your mother has to go through all this, Steve. As you said, though, she is still here, and that’s what makes it worth going through all the tubes, tests, and the other goodies that go with hospitalization. Tell your mom lots of people are praying for her to get well soon! Take extra good care of yourself right now, too. Sincerely, Liz G
Response:
Steve, Hoping and praying for a speedy recovery for your mom. Try to take care of yourself, too. julie molli
Response:
So sorry to hear of all the troubles your mom is having. But it sure is good to hear how they are taking care of her in the hospital. I know that kind of thing is very hard to go through, but most people do quite well with colitis once they get it under control. We’ll be sending our healing thoughts her way. Best regards,
Response:
Praying that the fluids will work. Again, try to take care of yourself! :O) Mary Lynn (mlh) (O: :O) "Of all the things I’ve lost, I miss my mind the most" :O) (remove ma in email address)
Response:
Keep the good thoughts. Lyn
Response:
Well, we just got my mother home from the hospital last week, and she had to go back in today. She was having bad stomach pains, diarrhea and vomiting. They did a scope and it turns out she has colitis due to lack of blood flow to a section of her colon. She’s on IV fluids and antibiotics in an effort to clear it up. Hopefully that will do the trick, otherwise they will have to operate. The doctor said that in about 90% of the cases the fluids and antibiotics well help it heal itself, so those are good odds. Steve http://www.zoomnet.net/~steve
Dang, Steve! But, the odds do sound pretty good. Hang in there. — Di dabell at access1 dot net
Response:
Well, we just got my mother home from the hospital last week, and she had to go back in today. She was having bad stomach pains, diarrhea and vomiting. They did a scope and it turns out she has colitis due to lack of blood flow to a section of her colon. She’s on IV fluids and antibiotics in an effort to clear it up. Hopefully that will do the trick, otherwise they will have to operate. The doctor said that in about 90% of the cases the fluids and antibiotics well help it heal itself, so those are good odds. Steve http://www.zoomnet.net/~steve
Response:
Sorry to hear that Steve. But, at least they caught it in time. Hang in there. Walt – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – Well, we just got my mother home from the hospital last week, and she had to go back in today. She was having bad stomach pains, diarrhea and vomiting. They did a scope and it turns out she has colitis due to lack of blood flow to a section of her colon. She’s on IV fluids and antibiotics in an effort to clear it up. Hopefully that will do the trick, otherwise they will have to operate. The doctor said that in about 90% of the cases the fluids and antibiotics well help it heal itself, so those are good odds. Steve http://www.zoomnet.net/~steve
Response:
Hope your mother improves quickly, Steve. — K.C. Washington State in the beautiful Columbia River Gorge
– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – Well, we just got my mother home from the hospital last week, and she had to go back in today. She was having bad stomach pains, diarrhea and vomiting. They did a scope and it turns out she has colitis due to lack of blood flow to a section of her colon. She’s on IV fluids and antibiotics in an effort to clear it up. Hopefully that will do the trick, otherwise they will have to operate. The doctor said that in about 90% of the cases the fluids and antibiotics well help it heal itself, so those are good odds. Steve http://www.zoomnet.net/~steve
Response:
Hey Gregg! Welcome along, and welcome out of lurkville! Posting does help! You know…lurking is all very well, but you are never going to be part of a community by hiding behind your door and peering at the neighbours! Best wishes to you! And who knows…days 2 – 14 might be really easy! Paula
– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – Hi all, Well, quit No. 3 in my life is about 24 hours old. It got bad earlier today so I decided to try the patch this time and it doesn’t seem too bad. I may actually live. <sacrcasm I’m so looking forward to days 2-14! </sarcasm Wish me luck. I may drop in more often this time to beg for help. I mostly lurked last time and obviously that didn’t work so I’m trying things I didn’t try before. Thanks for the support, I know this is quite a fun and supportive group. Talk to ya soon, g — There are 10 types of people in the world, those who understand binary, and those who don’t — No meter sig yet. I wrote one but haven’t put in a "copy to sig" function yet. At least I can see it.
Response:
Welcome Gregg, ever the Hell ya want to, i do that’s for sure. If your pissed off come here and RANT LIKE HELL, do what ever it takes to quit. I will be watching for your posts… Taterbug has Chosen not to smoke for (still CT) Two weeks, three days, 15 hours, 13 minutes and 15 seconds. 529 cigarettes not smoked, saving $132.26. Life saved: 1 day, 20 hours, 5 minutes.
– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – Hi all, Well, quit No. 3 in my life is about 24 hours old. It got bad earlier today so I decided to try the patch this time and it doesn’t seem too bad. I may actually live. <sacrcasm I’m so looking forward to days 2-14! </sarcasm Wish me luck. I may drop in more often this time to beg for help. I mostly lurked last time and obviously that didn’t work so I’m trying things I didn’t try before. Thanks for the support, I know this is quite a fun and supportive group. Talk to ya soon, g — There are 10 types of people in the world, those who understand binary, and those who don’t — No meter sig yet. I wrote one but haven’t put in a "copy to sig" function yet. At least I can see it.
Response:
Welcome…3rd time is the charm! You can do it! — Steff Medic1455I have not smoked in :3 Weeks 3 Days 15 Hours 25 Minutes 36 Seconds I have not smoked 788 cigs. I have saved $157.71 I have added 5 Days
– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – Hi all, Well, quit No. 3 in my life is about 24 hours old. It got bad earlier today so I decided to try the patch this time and it doesn’t seem too bad. I may actually live. <sacrcasm I’m so looking forward to days 2-14! </sarcasm Wish me luck. I may drop in more often this time to beg for help. I mostly lurked last time and obviously that didn’t work so I’m trying things I didn’t try before. Thanks for the support, I know this is quite a fun and supportive group. Talk to ya soon, g — There are 10 types of people in the world, those who understand binary, and those who don’t — No meter sig yet. I wrote one but haven’t put in a "copy to sig" function yet. At least I can see it.
Response:
Hey Gregg, nice to see you again chuck, pull up a chair and make yourself comfortable. Are you still riding your bike??? Are you going to use that as a quit aid again??? I remember you would ride away the craves even if it was in the middle of the night lol. There’s a few of us "lost souls" coming back for another go at the moment Gregg so at least we know what to expect eh Nice to have you with us again hugs padders (
Categories: Detox Centers | 
No Comments »
~~~~~ <snipped some really passionate stuff