The Real Rx Experience

In the last eighteen months many people have messaged me and spoken to me about their experiences with rx drugs. Most are reaching out to find a better personal understanding of the rx health epidemic. These people desperately seek help - most of the time for those they love and sometimes for themselves. Some want to share their stories of success. Some want to witness by sharing their stories of tragedy.

All of these people have experienced the horrors of addiction first hand. Their stories have had a profound effect on me. I listen, read, and learn. At times, I feel helpless when I cannot offer them anything but hope. Sometimes, I am able to help them with pertinent information and suggestions for treatment. I learn from them, and I attempt to better shape my own understandings from their experiences.

I thought I would share some comments today. All of these comments are real. All of these are from different individuals. Of course, I have omitted all names and specifics for obvious reasons. I did not put these in any particular order. I hope the post will make a difference to someone.

People have shared these things with me. Yes, they were personal, but I have decided to share bits of the information with you so that you can better understand the extent of a serious problem.

"He told me that he was a runner for these pill mills. He said he made thousands of dollars just driving people to the doctor offices."

"My stepson is a drug addict. He has been through expensive rehabs, jail, prison, you name it and is still using. He, as well as many others, comes from a good family and it is heartbreaking." 

"My elderly brother is one of the unfortunate few elderly people that has become addicted to this medication. We were able to intervene, and he was admitted to the hospital."

"My son is a drug addict. He's lost almost everything and took his last suboxine on Thursday. He's looking for someone to give him more and wean him off of it. He's been seeing Dr. X to get it and they let him run up a $2000 doctor bill then cut him off without at least $200 a month payment, then a $400 prescription on top of that. He's as much as homeless with a beautiful wife who works everyday and three precious daughters (8, 10, and 11 years old)." 

"I fought my own demons with alcohol, cocaine, and a variety of other drugs. No one starts out to be an addict. But at some point you realize that the bad decisions you made finally caught up. For a long time I hid my drug use from family and friends but as my life began falling apart there was no hiding it any longer."

"I lost three family members due to rx abuse, including my own mother. I broke my neck at age 14 and began getting "help" at the age of 17 from Dr. X. Even though I had legitimate physical problems, this doctor chose to medicate rather than rehabilitate, thus planting the seeds of addiction in a young and naive girl. Talk about a tsunami! Ive been clean nearly five months... dismissed MYSELF from a doctor because he had me on massive doses of five different meds at once. My own doctor was my dealer."

"I lived in Southern Cal where I was born and raised. When I first came here I thought I was in heaven but boy was I wrong I never ever thought this was an area where it was worse then where I came from. I know you're wondering if I'm still sober. Yes, sir, I am."

"I just found out my daughter is on oxys about 3 weeks ago. Needless to say I'm shocked!!! Such a beautiful, bright girl who knew all about the danger of the drug."

"I did these things myself but I have been clean now for four years and I am in college. I still talk to a few people that I used to use with and they don't use any more either but most of the people that I did hang out with are still using."

"My son was addicted to drugs by the time he was a senior in high school. He overdosed twice, near death, his senior year. He went to rehab instead of going on a senior trip. Thanks to God and that rehab program he has been clean for three years and six months. He is now a senior in college and an honor student."

"I'm desperate to try to get help for my daughter's father. He, like many others, is hooked on pain pills and recently he has started stealing from his mother and uncle and has stolen from them in the past. When I met him, he told me, I hate the way I'm living my life. I hate being on oxys. I want to change."

"I did learn the hard way (jails, institutions, residential treatment facilities, just to name a few). I was a thief, a liar, and a terrible parent. I am one of the lucky ones that made it through, Thank God. Now with all the knowledge that I have and through my experience, I can pass the info on to others. My addiction was kicked off when I started going to a pill mill myself, a one Dr. X. I know how hard it was for me, but it was even harder on my family members and loved ones. I can't even count how many friends that I have lost to this terrible disease."

"For me, it started 10 years ago when Dr. X became my fiance's best friend so to speak. My fiance became extremely addicted to pain pills and started selling them to support his habit...two sons later and several years of trying to quit using...he left town. He was so addicted to oxycontin by that point that I could no longer stay with him and be a responsible mother at the same time. My children haven't seen or heard from him in several years."

"I have a younger sister who is severely addicted to pain pills. She's been in quite a few wrecks over the years and one especially came close to her dying. I don't know when or how she got started on them, but the last time I spoke to her I told her that I would not help her in any way unless she's ready to get help. She's a very smart woman and used to hold an executive job in X. Then she moved back home and she looks like a bag of bones and she's lost her job here and has no money."

"Last week my son was with his best friend. They went two blocks over to his friend's dad's house so he could visit him, When they got there, they found him dead on the floor from an overdose of IV oxys. My brother and my mother are both addicted to xanax and oxys."

"Approximately two years ago, my brother overdosed. After I lost my brother, I realized that I had to get my own life straight for my brother, for my children, and for my mother and father, but especially for myself."

"I have three children and I don't feel safe letting them play outside. They can't play with other kids in the neighborhood because to go to anyone's house would be going to a drug dealer's house...so I don't let them around anyone in our neighborhood. I'm doing everything I can to eliminate their exposure to that nonsense...but educating them along the way as to why they should never touch it in the first place. It's a difficult time to raise kids; I wish the oxy pill manufacturer would just take that stuff off the market."