Emergency Departments Prescribing More Opioid Painkillers

By Join Together Staff | March 25, 2014 | Leave a comment | Filed in Healthcare & Prescription Drugs


Emergency departments are prescribing more opioid painkillers than in previous years for problems such as headaches or low back pain, a new study concludes. Many of these patients could be treated with over-the-counter painkillers, experts say.

The study found emergency department doctors in the United States wrote 49 percent more prescriptions for opioids in 2010, compared with 2001, HealthDay reports. During that time, there was only a small increase in the percentage of pain-related visits, the researchers report in Academic Emergency Medicine.

The survey found in 2001, about 21 percent of emergency department visits involved a narcotic painkiller prescription. By 2010, that had increased to 31 percent. Opioids were prescribed for a range of conditions, including pain in the back, stomach, joints or muscles; headaches; and toothaches.

“In many cases, naproxen, Tylenol (acetaminophen) and ibuprofen are the best choices,” Dr. Ryan Stanton, a spokesman for the American College of Emergency Physicians, told HealthDay. He said the findings are “reflective of the growing use of opiates across the board, not just in emergency medicine.” He added that a short-term prescription for opioids is appropriate for conditions such as broken bones or severe pain caused by kidney stones.

The researchers, from George Washington University, say emergency departments may be prescribing more opioids in an attempt to better treat patients’ pain. They also can feel pressure to make patients happy, according to researcher Dr. Jesse Pines.

“Emergency department providers are often caught in a difficult position because some have their pay incentivized based on how patients report their satisfaction with their experience. The intention is always to provide appropriate pain relief, but many patients have come to expect opioids,” Dr. Pines said in a news release. “When patients in pain want opioids, but don’t get them — which is common — they may report a poor experience.”

Liquid Nicotine for E-Cigarettes Can be Poisonous, But Isn’t Regulated

By Join Together Staff | March 25, 2014 | Leave a comment | Filed in Tobacco

Liquid nicotine used in e-cigarettes can be poisonous, but is not regulated by federal authorities, The New York Times reports.

The liquid is extracted from tobacco and mixed with flavorings, colorings and chemicals. Tiny amounts, either ingested or absorbed through the skin, can cause seizures and vomiting. It can even be deadly, the newspaper notes.

These e-liquids are sold legally in stores and online. People keep them in small bottles to refill their e-cigarettes. Children may be attracted by the liquids’ bright colors and flavors such as bubble gum, cherry or chocolate. “It’s not a matter of if a child will be seriously poisoned or killed—It’s a matter of when,” said Lee Cantrell, Director of the San Diego Division of the California Poison Control System. Dr. Cantrell said e-liquids are much more dangerous than tobacco, because the liquid is more quickly absorbed.

The number of calls to poison control centers linked to e-liquids rose to 1,351 last year—a 300 percent jump from the previous year. That number is likely to double this year, according to information from the National Poison Data System.

Many people who use the liquids don’t realize the risks, according to Ashley Webb, director of the Kentucky Regional Poison Control Center at Kosair Children’s Hospital.



Most e-liquids contain between 1.8 percent and 2.4 percent nicotine. These levels can cause sickness in children, but are unlikely to be lethal. E-liquids containing higher nicotine concentrations, from 7.2 to 10 percent, are widely available online. A lethal dose at such levels would take “less than a tablespoon,” Dr. Cantrell said. “Not just a kid. One tablespoon could kill an adult.”

MARCH 25 v 28 TWELVE STEPPING WITH POWER IN THE PROVERB



A person without self-control
is like a city with broken-down walls.



STEP 5 - Admitted to God, to ourselves and to another human being the exact nature of our wrongs.





This is a completely different post from what I wanted to originally share. Most of my posts are shared from personal experience and struggles with my recovery. This morning I got up at four thirty and worked on the orginal post for an hour and  wouldn't you know it , I lost it into the internet Abyss. I tried everything to find it ! I clenched my fist and I was gonna give the monitor a beating it would never forget .It gets better I got up so early to do a side job before my day job and the voices in my head were trying to convince that the guy I worked for was a control freak and he was lying to me to get me to do the work faster . All the while I am losing all self control throwing around every curse word too man . My wife comes down from our bedroom sees the way I am behaving and asks whats wrong with you and I tell her I am full of rage and I want to punch the computer it took my post and I cant find it . The car I use for the side job wont start so that's it BOOOOMMMM ! Luckily I managed to crawl back to saneville and pull myself together before there was a body count ! I have not felt like this in forever and I am sure there is a lesson here I will have to examine this through the eyes of step five and keep in mind the warning from the Proverb.




Proverbs 16:32
Better a patient person than a warrior, those with self-control than those who take a city.

March 24 v 17 v18 TWELVE STEPPING WITH POWER IN THE PROVERB



Don’t rejoice when your enemies fall;
don’t be happy when they stumble.
For the Lord will be displeased with you
and will turn his anger away from them.





Step 11 - Sought through prayer and meditation to improve our conscious contact with God as we understood Him, praying only for knowledge of His will for us and the power to carry that out.



I wonder sometimes how many times I still struggle with this one . I mean how can you not go dancing in the streets when someone you cant stand gets caught up in it , and life is beating the tar out of them. Something amazing happens to your own personal growth in recovery when you exercise humility in this one. Finding joy in the midst of someones misery is the old way of doing life and I no longer entertain evil in any form or through step eleven I will at least try. You are definitely gonna need Gods power for this one ! Havent we hurt God enough living our lives as addicts !

 

Colossians 3:12

And so, as those who have been chosen of God, holy and beloved, put on a heart of compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience;

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Addiction, Dealing with an Addicted Child, Writing About Addiction:

Writing a Letter to Your Child with a Drug or Alcohol Problem

Monday, April 19th, 2010

In response to Ron Grover’s recent post, there’s been a lot of discussion about the benefits of writing a letter to a son or daughter struggling with a drug or alcohol problem.
And I think there’s something in it for both the parent and the child.
For a parent, a letter allows a chance to express feelings that they may not be able to say in person. The simple act of sitting down and writing can often be cathartic. There’s something about capturing and sharing the dizzying array of feelings we walk around with – the frustrations, anger, disappointment, hope and love — to your teen or young adult in the written word.
Maybe because of our fast-paced digital world the old-fashioned, ink-on-paper way of communicating is intimate, a true expression of the heart and mind.
And obviously there’s something unique for the recipient too. A  fresh  way to get through to a child. Somehow it’s different than an email or text – or even a conversation.
What do you think about reaching out to your child with a written letter?  Have you done this before, and if so, what phrases or words have struck a chord?  Would you recommend letter-writing to other parents looking to get through to their child with a drug or alcohol problem? Also, what about sending an email or a text – do you think this packs the same emotional punch?
If you’ve already written a letter to your child, please feel free to share the letter here as well as any tips you have with others in our community.

- See more at: http://intervene.drugfree.org/2010/04/writing-a-letter-to-your-child-with-a-drug-or-alcohol-problem/#sthash.N89goQUh.7mznLySf.dpuf

Addiction, Dealing with an Addicted Child, Writing About Addiction:

Writing a Letter to Your Child with a Drug or Alcohol Problem

Monday, April 19th, 2010

In response to Ron Grover’s recent post, there’s been a lot of discussion about the benefits of writing a letter to a son or daughter struggling with a drug or alcohol problem.
And I think there’s something in it for both the parent and the child.
For a parent, a letter allows a chance to express feelings that they may not be able to say in person. The simple act of sitting down and writing can often be cathartic. There’s something about capturing and sharing the dizzying array of feelings we walk around with – the frustrations, anger, disappointment, hope and love — to your teen or young adult in the written word.
Maybe because of our fast-paced digital world the old-fashioned, ink-on-paper way of communicating is intimate, a true expression of the heart and mind.
And obviously there’s something unique for the recipient too. A  fresh  way to get through to a child. Somehow it’s different than an email or text – or even a conversation.
What do you think about reaching out to your child with a written letter?  Have you done this before, and if so, what phrases or words have struck a chord?  Would you recommend letter-writing to other parents looking to get through to their child with a drug or alcohol problem? Also, what about sending an email or a text – do you think this packs the same emotional punch?
If you’ve already written a letter to your child, please feel free to share the letter here as well as any tips you have with others in our community.

- See more at: http://intervene.drugfree.org/2010/04/writing-a-letter-to-your-child-with-a-drug-or-alcohol-problem/#sthash.N89goQUh.7mznLySf.dpuf

« return to blog home

Addiction, Dealing with an Addicted Child, Writing About Addiction:

Writing a Letter to Your Child with a Drug or Alcohol Problem

Monday, April 19th, 2010

In response to Ron Grover’s recent post, there’s been a lot of discussion about the benefits of writing a letter to a son or daughter struggling with a drug or alcohol problem.
And I think there’s something in it for both the parent and the child.
For a parent, a letter allows a chance to express feelings that they may not be able to say in person. The simple act of sitting down and writing can often be cathartic. There’s something about capturing and sharing the dizzying array of feelings we walk around with – the frustrations, anger, disappointment, hope and love — to your teen or young adult in the written word.
Maybe because of our fast-paced digital world the old-fashioned, ink-on-paper way of communicating is intimate, a true expression of the heart and mind.
And obviously there’s something unique for the recipient too. A  fresh  way to get through to a child. Somehow it’s different than an email or text – or even a conversation.
What do you think about reaching out to your child with a written letter?  Have you done this before, and if so, what phrases or words have struck a chord?  Would you recommend letter-writing to other parents looking to get through to their child with a drug or alcohol problem? Also, what about sending an email or a text – do you think this packs the same emotional punch?
If you’ve already written a letter to your child, please feel free to share the letter here as well as any tips you have with others in our community.

- See more at: http://intervene.drugfree.org/2010/04/writing-a-letter-to-your-child-with-a-drug-or-alcohol-problem/#sthash.N89goQUh.7mznLySf.dpuf

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"There is absolutely nothing in ordinary human experience to compare with the joy of the presence of the Love of God. No sacrifice is too great nor effort too much in order to realize that Presence. " - David R. Hawkins

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MARCH 23 v 9 TWELVE STEPPING WITH POWER IN THE PROVERB

Don’t waste your breath on fools,
for they will despise the wisest advice.



STEP 12 - Having had a spiritual awakening as the result of these steps, we tried to carry this message to others and to practice these principles in all our affairs.

Lets be honest with ourselves fools is a harsh word . When I was out there that is what I was the King of if there were such a thing . The word fools is harsh but very true. The reality is there are some in active addiction who will not get out . They will be consumed and be succumbed by their destructive ways and know matter what we do to lead them out that is where they will stay and eventually die. Twelve stepping is an honor and a privilege but it also can be gut wrenching and heart breaking when we lose someone. Never take it personal ,when you lose one ,always remember your battling one of the most destructive forces on earth and it is GODs call on who survives and who doesn't ! God knows the countless hours you have worked the tears you have shed and God especially knows your heart and when your time comes you will receive your reward.




John 15:12 - "This is My commandment, that you love one another, just as I have loved you.