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"Hooked on Pain Killers" BBC Documentary

Posted , 6 users are following.

oly958
oly958

Hi all,

Just to encourage you all that being an Opiate addict probably isn't your fault - Panorama is a really good UK documentary show and they recently covered the explosion of Opiate prescribing in the UK. You can catch the episode "Hooked on Painkillers" here:

http://bbc.in/1QYF5pU

Many thanks to our beloved BBC for covering this topic and defending the dignity of every one of us who have experienced severe pain. Like many I went into hospital clean and left as an Opiate addict, there was no choice, and no support to get off them.

0 likes, 11 replies

11 Replies

  • linda83143l
    linda83143l oly958

    Posted

    When was it on maybe I can get it on catchup tv x
    • oly958
      oly958 linda83143l

      Posted

      2nd November, its available on iPlayer for these next 12 months :-)
  • max83505
    max83505 oly958

    Posted

    the program opened my eyes . Took me a long time to open up and realise what was I doing . I was always more ashamed than anything . I was in the army for 10 years got medically discharged for having a back injury , over time it got worse and so did the medication I ended up taking nearly 140 mg a day of mst plus oramorph . My gp was always happy to give me more and more meds what ever I wanted she gave me and since finding a proper doctor I am aware and clean of all opiates for almost a month . I did this cold turkey and believe me I felt the pain but with my partners help and oly958 I got through it . If anyone hasn't watched the bbc program watch it or if anyone wants to chat send us a message and I will give u my Facebook . Believe me talking to some one helps a lot .
    • Guest
      Guest max83505

      Posted

      Hi

      Are you still free from opiates? I watched this program and it was really good. I even tried to get an appointment to see Dr Catherine Stannard but because I'm in Derbyshire & she's in Bristol, our beloved NHS refused to fund it!!!

      I cannot believe what little help there is in the UK for addiction to prescription drugs. Mine was to Oxycontin 800mg's per day. At times upto 1500mgs per day! I should be dead!!!!

    • oly958
      oly958 Guest

      Posted

      He is! And I've just completed a year clear.

      The support is very, very poor. Any drug that makes your life worse/harder seems a bad idea - pain sucks but addiction is a whole new world of torture.

    • max83505
      max83505 Guest

      Posted

      Yes I am still free opiates . Been a rough ride . Taking it day by day still . I confide in oly when i have my down days. But life is better . Would never go back down that path.
    • Guest
      Guest max83505

      Posted

      Well done!!!

      I'm seriously thinking about writing a book about my experience to warn others of how Oxycontin has destroyed my life. They touched on it briefly on Panorama when they called it "Hillbilly Heroin" & how it had wiped a whole generation of people out in Kentucky!!

      Purdue Pharma that manufacture Oxycontin are at the moment at the beginning of a lawsuit filed against them by the state of Kentucky for $ 1 billion blaming Oxycontin for wiping out that generation. Purdue Pharma have already paid out over $ 600 million to certain states in USA because of the damage Oxycontin has caused.

      Know one held a gun to my head & made me take all of this stuff but anyone is only an operation or god forbid an accident away from being prescribed this drug from hell.

      I honestly feel let down by the NHS as the GP that put me on this drug never at anytime told me how addictive it was, I didn't even know what an opiate was till after I started taking Oxycontin. After I was hooked on it my then GP refused to see me any longer & it has taken me over a year to eventually get help to come off it. It is a very very long journey that I'm still at the start of but I've been blown away at just what little help there is out there!!!

      Anyway, really pleased you're getting there.

      Take care

      Ritchie

    • max83505
      max83505 Guest

      Posted

      I think that would be an amazing idea to write a book, like yourself I had no idea what a opiate was and how addictive they are .I wish my GP told me more about the risks involved
    • Guest
      Guest max83505

      Posted

      The only thing my then GP said to me, and this was when I went to her around 2yrs ago to tell her I had a problem with Oxycontin & needed help, her comment was something like:

      "We only normally give these to cancer patients as they won't normally live long enough to have a problem with them, or if they do, then it won't matter anyway"

      How's that for professionalism!!

  • sue45192
    sue45192 oly958

    Posted

    I was watching with interest! Hope all is well 😃
  • annie1963
    annie1963 oly958

    Posted

    I can't watch this in the U.S. but Thank you for the positive message.
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