Posts by Ethan Smith76
10 posts shown.
jadetinker85 said:I mean, there’s supposed to be some kind of medication to help with heroin addiction, or at least that's what I read somewhere.
http://www.nytimes.com/archive/2004/health/article.html
Look, that isn't a "cure" for addiction, and honestly, anyone who actually knows anything about this stuff—including Sandra Hernandez13 and everyone else in the know—can tell you that. In most cases, people are basically forced to take that medication, and even if they choose to take it, once they stop, the underlying addiction is still right there waiting for them.
The real issue is that once you've taken something like methadone, you absolutely cannot touch any other opioids, otherwise you're looking at a serious risk of an overdose.
That’s why when someone takes their dose, they know they can't use anything else that day. But then, the very next day? They might just slip a pill under their tongue and spit it out later to avoid getting caught... see how easy it is to cheat the system?
I’m honestly surprised we haven't heard from Vilko yet regarding his own journey through addiction.🤣 🤣 🤣 🤣 🤣 🤣 🤣 🤣 🤣 🤣
Sandra Hernandez13 said:Alright then, why exactly do you think his argument doesn't hold water?
Give me some actual reasoning here!😉
Look, there's a massive difference between institutions designed for harm reduction and those actually focused on recovery. What he’s describing is just damage control, and let’s be real—nobody ever gets clean through damage control.
Methadone is just a substitute for heroin; how on earth are you supposed to get cured that way?
It’s like trying to treat an alcoholic who can't stop drinking brandy😬 by handing them prescription wine🤣 instead.
tinitrus said:Great topic! :-) Honestly, a few years back here in the States, there was this huge debate between people who thought rehab centers were the answer and those pushing for methadone therapy along with needle exchange programs (you know, the "harm reduction" crowd who argued it’s better to minimize damage). Personally, I lean toward the second group. Isn't it better to provide someone with clean supplies to protect them from Hepatitis or HIV, and then, if—and that's a big if—they actually decide to get clean, move them toward methadone? That said, you can't ignore how much a user's personality shifts over time; that chemistry they're putting in their system fundamentally rewires the brain (not to mention every other bodily system).
Rehab centers end up feeling a lot like long-term psychiatric hospitalizations, which is something modern psychiatry is trying to move away from. But hey, for some people, those communities actually work. Even if they slip up later, at least they had a little breather to reset. Though, God forbid they go right back to their old dose after a break—that’s a recipe for an overdose. And honestly? I feel like all those public service announcements and educational campaigns just end up making the lifestyle look interesting to kids, don't they?
I have a question for you. What makes you so sure that these rehab centers are just like long-term hospital stays? And why the "unfortunately"? Have you actually been through one of these places, or are you just guessing? Because let me tell you, nobody ever truly gets "cured" in a psych ward or through methadone. It’s just a way for the government to keep addicts under control rather than actually treating them. Tell me, have you ever actually heard of anyone being truly cured by using methadone?
I’ve been sitting on this for a few days now, and honestly, I think I might have overreacted a little bit... but man, that chiropractor really left a bad taste in my mouth. She charged me $220 and I can't say for certain that she actually did anything to help. It felt like she was intentionally gaslighting me just to distract from the fact that nothing changed, all while pushing this aggressive three-week plan where I’d need to show up every other day. From her perspective, the options were either giving me my money back 🤣 or feeding me some nonsense excuse that I just wasn't buying. The worst part? I managed to quit smoking about six weeks ago, and I almost relapsed and grabbed a pack of Marlboros the very same day she ripped me off, but somehow I held it together. 😲 I'm still struggling with the cravings, though. 😲
How do you close a thread? Is it something I can do myself, or does someone else have to handle it?
Go ahead and close it.
Jose Miller3 said:Hold on a second, did you actually think you were going to get on this forum any kind of medical advice for a serious illness that could actually substitute for seeing a specialist doctor?????????????
Good grief...[/QUOT
That’s not what I meant at all. I was just curious if anyone else deals with similar issues—you know, how people cope with it, or if there's anything helpful regarding things like exercise, swimming, and stuff like that.
Thanks for putting in the effort, but I've realized you can't really pin anything down just by guessing like this. I'm going to have to go see a specialist to get a clear picture of what's actually going on.
The one thing I am certain about? Whether there's a lot of pain or just a little, these issues are going to follow me around for the rest of my life.
Maybe I should just skip the line and jump straight to morphine🤣—honestly, that doesn't sound like a bad idea right now.👍
😈Give me an answer, voice😈
Just kidding—I don't want anyone taking that the wrong way.
I took a look at those photos you linked, and man, looking at Rengen's shots along with those others... it looks like things have definitely progressed. Those growths—I think it’s called osteo-something? Like some kind of bone overgrowth or calcification.
I didn't even bother seeing my primary care doctor because my chiropractor honestly spooked the life out of me. I actually felt like just heading straight to a gun shop 🙂 to get a pistol just to end the misery, honestly, after she talked to me. She was so encouraging, but I still walked out feeling like I was on my deathbed. I don't think I'm going to keep throwing money down the drain anymore. And frankly, I think these places need to offer more than just spinal adjustments; they really ought to focus on having a positive relationship with their patients, too.
The quality of this image is pretty rough, so you can really see how much things have deteriorated. The canal is narrowed down, and that area where the nerve sits? It’s almost completely gone. Lately, I’ve been dealing with constant pain in my back, hips, knees, and even the front of my pelvis. It used to be that if I just popped an Advil, I’d feel like a brand-new person, but now? Even the meds barely touch it. I don't take them often enough to build up a tolerance, so maybe that’s why they aren't hitting the mark anymore. I actually tried seeing a chiropractor—went about ten times—but honestly, it didn't do much. When he looked at these scans, he basically told me this is just how it is for now, but suggested I come back twice a month for maintenance.
So, I just got my spinal X-rays back, and the diagnosis is a mouthful: spondylosis, spondyloarthrosis, and osteochondrosis at the L5-S1 segment. I have a vague idea of what that actually means, but I'm looking for some real-world perspective on how to handle this. Is it possible to dodge surgery and actually manage the pain through lifestyle changes and a dedicated exercise routine? Or am I better off just skipping the endless grind of physical therapy and heading straight for the operating table? I'm only 31. I haven't even sat down with a specialist yet—I've just got these X-ray results sitting in front of me. If anyone has been through something similar or has some solid advice...