Narcanistan

[sirengirl]

So how bad is the OD epidemic where everyone else is? My county just has the honorable designation of becoming the OD capital of the state. We've already surpassed last year's OD numbers, in calls and deaths, and we used the same amount of narcan in 3 months (2015) than we did for the entirety of last year 2014.

We have taken to referring to our place of work as.... Narcanistan!!

It's heroin here. Possibly up to 3 cases of Flakka. How's everyone else doing on the ODs so far? Our highest count to date was 54 over the July 4 weekend (Sat/Sun only).

 

[DesertMedic66]

It's actually not too bad here. In the 4 months I have been working as a medic I have only gave it once. In the 4 years I was an EMT it was only given a handful of times by my medic.

 

[sirengirl]

Lucky. We were transporting a semi-critical cardiac patient last shift (HR 32 but asymptomatic and BP 136 manual) and a woman literally jumped in front of the ambulance to get us to come save her brother, whom apparently had OD'd on heroin about 4 hours before. Called a second unit while my partner went in to "save" the man in lividity and starting rigor....

 

[STXmedic]

It was a bit of an epidemic for a long time, but it's tapered lately with a resurgence of synthetic marijuana. We still have a part of the city that is heavy with heroin though.

 

[GirevikMedic]

I'm not sure what the numbers are but the big H does seem to be making a big comeback or sorts where I'm at. Meth is still a biggie but heroin is certainly gaining ground in the popularity polls (2 ODs this past week that I'm aware of). Same thing in my previous area. Meth, crack and heroin rounded out the big three there.

 

[COmedic17]

It's a HUGE problem here. Heroin is really big. There's also a prescription opiate problem, and people go to methadone clinics, save up all their weekend take home doses and sell them.


If I only give narcan a few times a week, that's a good week. It's pretty normal to use it ATLEAST once a day.

 

[VFlutter]

Heroin is really bad in Saint Louis lately. Seen in increase in number and severity of ODs in the ICU. A lot of young adults with anoxic brain injuries.

 

[Tigger]

We have had more opioid ODs here in the last year than usual but it's far from an epidemic. Not many of them are heroin ODs, but a few years ago none of them would be.

 

[COmedic17]

We have had more opioid ODs here in the last year than usual but it's far from an epidemic. Not many of them are heroin ODs, but a few years ago none of them would be.

It's probably coming. Just a forewarning since things like this since to spread across states.

We are currently battling a HUGE heroin problem.

 

[Tigger]

It's probably coming. Just a forewarning since things like this since to spread across states.

We are currently battling a HUGE heroin problem.

Oh it's on in the Springs. But my full time gig covers an area that's not really heroin territory.

 

[COmedic17]

Oh it's on in the Springs. But my full time gig covers an area that's not really heroin territory.

Yeah it's def on here. "speed balls" are also big ( mixing either meth or cocaine with heroin and gawd knows what else).

 

[Akulahawk]

So far, most of my patients have been meth or opiate addicts... either current or former users. Then there's that smattering of pot smokers that have smoked themselves stupid... followed by the (formerly) unbelievably drunk drunks. Considering the population and general area, I'm not surprised one bit.

 

[sirengirl]

Yeah it's def on here. "speed balls" are also big ( mixing either meth or cocaine with heroin and gawd knows what else).

We've been finding out that the heroin is usually cut with fentanyl. The worst batch that we had last year (which caused the most deaths) was actually found to have some propofol in it. Thank god that batch was small. Still, our ODs are nothing but increasing. We've seen anywhere from 13-75 years old, too...

 

[shfd739]

It was a bit of an epidemic for a long time, but it's tapered lately with a resurgence of synthetic marijuana. We still have a part of the city that is heavy with heroin though.

Same thing I'm seeing outside the city.

Lots of synthetic marijuana and the usual narcotic pill ingestions. Havnt seen heroin in months.

 

[Smitty213]

It's an epidemic and getting worse with the new fad of Heroin+(Fentanyl or close relative)... At least one Narcan-able OD an hour in the system; recently we had 12 go out in one hour, but thats a once off (I hope).

 

[sirengirl]

.....recently we had 12 go out in one hour, but thats a once off (I hope).

Our "worst" was a quadruple overdose. One died, three lived to surely overdose again...

 

[NomadicMedic]

My first week in DE they had a double OD, both fatal due to not being able to determine the correct address from the third party caller.

Huge mess.

 

[Smitty213]

three lived to surely overdose again...

This.

 

[VFlutter]

Its really run when you have to run a Narcan drip.

 

[johnrsemt]

Narcan drip; what is the formula for that one?