friendly reminder that opioids aren’t some profoundly dangerous thing. you’re literally ok to get them for surgery, procedures, etc. You won’t die if you take an extra one. Don’t deprive yourself of pain relief because of paranoid hysteria.
(the addiction rate is also very, very low)
I agree with the above post, but please exercise some caution with them. Even though the addiction rate is low, there still is a rate, so just stick with what youre prescribed and stick to recommended dose
Of course, always exercise caution when taking more than prescribed (I firmly reject the notion that that is in and of itself a key indicator of addiction, I’m a sentient human being who knows there is a tangible effect with my pain medicine and have transient pain that can’t just follow verbatim instructions) but in general people do not have to endure suffering because they’re aggressively paranoid about addiction.
The strongest risk factors for addiction are preexisting mental health conditions but especially prior substance misuse (well, abuse, but that term is less preferred because it’s stigmatizing but I think it explains the idea better — misuse to the point of acute harm) and socioeconomic determinants of health that reinforce drug use as a coping mechanism. Dose, duration, specific opioid are all much less predictive of addictive risk.
And as far as the most extreme outcome, fatal overdose, that’s just simply not likely unless you’re being ultra silly. The LD50 of morphine is estimated to be about 150-250mg. That is equal to about 30-50 standard (5mg) Vicodin (1.0x conversion factor for hydrocodone) or 10-17 highest strength (10mg) Percocet (1.5x conversion for oxycodone).
[HARM REDUCTION] And please god if you are going to enjoy a recreational dose of them (no judgement here) please avoid concomitant use of alcohol and/or benzodiazepines. Potentiation gets people killed if you underestimate it. Neither is likely to kill you by themselves without a very irresponsibly large dose, but together the risk profile grows dramtically. If using multiple CNS depressants, cut all doses. Obvious harm reduction recommendations of start low, go slow also apply.
Just wanted to share a brand new platform for Shia healthcare professionals in the U.K. if anyone is interested. It’s open to all.
“Non-profit organisation providing a networking and showcasing platform to Shia professionals across the UK with interactive healthcare related talks and conferences from professionals within the Shia community.”
In light of events tonight here is a PSA, when applying a tourniquet it goes above the injury. Number fucking one. If you put it below it does nothing.
One: ABOVE THE INJURY.
Secondly, if you’re going to place a tourniquet and have absolutely no idea what you’re doing, place it as close to the torso as you can. There are places on the arms and legs that will impede the function of a tourniquet if placed there. Like the elbow. Or the knee. Just a for instance. And places where there are only one bone make it easier to stop the bleeding, like the thigh or upper arm, because the bones can get in the way.
And yes, yes I know why you put it close, you don’t want the patient to lose part of their arm/leg etc, but here’s the thing, if it’s not at least 10 cm away from the injury it may not do much.
Therefore, in an emergency, put it as close as possible to the torso, then put pressure (an ungodly amount of pressure) on said injury. I don’t care if they’re screaming at you in pain.
That also goes for said tourniquet, leading to point number three.
Number three: if they’re not screaming at you that it’s too tight, it’s not tight enough. The purpose of a tourniquet is to stop an arterial bleed, therefore you must stop the pulse in that limb. Which means if they get to the hospital and I can still palpate a fucking pulse below the tourniquet, the tourniquet isn’t doing its job and the patient is still bleeding out.
Number 4: most people don’t need a tourniquet. If the injury is not spurring blood, aka actively coating walls or floor, or they don’t have a puddle around them the side of at least a spilled liter of soda/coke, pressure is probably better for the injury.
Number 5: if you put it on there, make sure you mark the time of placement. If it’s on for too long and it’s placed properly then the limb isn’t getting blood supply, which means it’s slowly dying, it’s a little important to know how long it’s been on there.
Please, please, please don’t pour milk on peoples’ faces who have been sprayed with any kind of chemical irritant. Milk, for a variety of reasons, may provide a momentary relief but is dangerous for our bodies in the long run. It can trap particles against your skin for longer prolonging your exposure to the chemicals, cause infections, and put bacteria in your eyes and face. Which is the opposite of what you need when dealing with chemical exposure. Additionally, the thick white substance will mark them clearly to the cops.
1. A clean water bottle with a sport top cap that will allow you to control the stream of water
2. Have your comrade kneel, ask if they have contacts in. If they do - have them take it out. I know it’s painful but contacts need to come out.
3. Ask them to try and keep their eyes open/blinking while you rinse them out. You are physically pushing the particles out of their eyes, which is easier when their eyes are open. Blinking will help too as you do this. That is our bodies natural way to clear out irritants.
4. Use a diagonal motion starting at the bridge of the nose and use a steady stream of water to flush out towards the corner of eyes away from face. You are physically removing the chemical irritants for someone’s faces. Repeat on other side.
5. You may need to do this multiple times. IT IS WORTH IT. Think of it like an eye wash in your high school chemical class. This is actually removing the irritants from your face.
6. Contact free spray water in their mouths and if you can have them rinse their mouth and spit far away from you (this is tough with COVID).
7. When they get home do not wear contaminated clothes into the house as much as possible. Put them straight into a washer at high heat. Run an empty cycle between to get rid of the chemicals.
8. Get in the shower right away. Use sturdy soap and let the water run off of your body. Do your best to avoid contaminated water entering your face or genital areas. That is not comfortable.
9. Drink LOTS of water, rest, and listen to your body afterwards. These chemicals impact us and you will need time to recover and heal.
I’ve spend 12hrs in urgent care this week and need help paying for it
Hey guys, I wanted to start off by saying thank you all so much for help on my last donation post I was able to pay rent and afford new glasses and contacts and I couldn’t have done it without y’all.
Sadly I waited too late and after waking up Wednesday in excruciating pain in my right eye I had to go to urgent care for my eye. From wearing my contacts too long I popped 3 blood vessels and have minor cornea abrasions. Wednesday and Thursday I spent in and out of urgent and care and an emergency ophthalmologist visit I needed to have within 24hrs of said urgent care visit I’m now down from the Lyft rides needed to get there. Normally I would’ve been able to use my medical rides but I didn’t have 72hrs in advance to schedule them. That and yesterday my partner collapsed from medication withdrawals and was nearly hospitalized again on our way to the pharmacy. It hasn’t been easy for us as of late.
Thankfully my eye will be okay and I won’t be needing any surgery thank god. But I have been put on contact vacation and I’m gonna be on a bunch of different medicated eye drops and creams for a minute and switching between eyepatches and sunglasses for the photo-sensitivity. My new glasses haven’t come in the mail yet which means I’m gonna be extremely visibly impaired for a minute and won’t be able to do much. I just need to be able to get through till my glasses come and if I could get the money back from the rides that’d really save me. I also need to buy new pants since I’ve lost weight again and I can’t even wear my old ones with a belt. Anything helps
These are the rides we had to take to and back, and the $9.35 ride was back home from the pharmacy after my partner collapsed and I didn’t want them walking home. I’ll probably need like $60 for pants (because fatphobia and $30 will get me one fucking pair of pants for my dumptruck ass )
