Coroner: Overdose deaths increasing in Wood County
Brett DunlapPARKERSBURG - The number of drug overdose deaths in Wood County has been increasing as prescription drugs are becoming the drugs of choice for many abusers.
Wood County Coroner Mike St. Clair said there were 16 overdose deaths due to prescription drug abuse in 2009, up from 10 deaths in 2008.
Prior to 2008, the numbers for prescription drug overdose deaths were kept track of in combination with alcohol deaths, which numbered around 20 in 2007, but St. Clair does not know how many of those resulted in just prescription drug overdoses.
Some of the prescription drugs being abused are Seroquel, used to treat depressive disorders; Oxycodone, a drug used to manage pain after surgery; Xanax, used in treating panic disorders and anxiety; Celexa, used to treat major depression; Vicodin, used in pain control; Valium, used to treat anxiety, insomnia and seizures; Doxepin, an anti-depressant; Effexor, used to treat major depression, and Methadone, which is used to help bring down narcotic addicts.
When used properly, these drugs have major benefits for the people using them, St. Clair said.
However, if abused, mixed with other medications or taken with alcoholic beverages can lead to serious problems, including death.
''People don't know what mixing one medication with another can do,'' St. Clair said. ''People who are prescribed these medications are advised not to drink alcohol with them.''
Although the number of deaths from prescription drug abuse is up, St. Clair said there are many people affected by this.
''There are countless hospital admissions involving these drugs,'' he said of people who get to the hospital in time to have their lives saved.
People are becoming addicted to prescription medications because they can be easily stolen from relatives and others.
''It crosses all socio-economic lines from the wealthy to the middle class to the poor,'' St. Clair said.
Parkersburg Police Chief Joe Martin said the police has seen an increase in prescription drug thefts in recent years from people's residences.
''It leads me to believe they are abuse related,'' he said. ''There is an easier tendency to abuse these drugs because of their availability.''
The Parkersburg Police Department's Uniform Division made 269 drug arrests in 2009 involving prescription drugs.
Facebook
MySpace
Digg
Stumble
Mixx
Fark
del.icio.us
LiveSpaces
|
dowatican
|
|
|---|---|
|
01-24-10 12:38 PM
|
I think overdosing on man made substances should be a wake up call to how dangerous prescriptions can be.I myself have been doing research on cannabis verses pills for ailments of all sorts from mental issues,pain issues,cancer,eating disorders, etc. etc.The only negative thing I could find was that the pharmaceutical company's are throwing money at our elected officials to keep cannabis an illegal substance.People look at the side effects on any meds you are or have taken and I will bet that the side effects(Death) are worse than anything you may be dealing with in the first place.It is your body and it should be your choice not the Governments.Ask your Dr.not congress.
|
|
yourstruly
|
|
|
01-23-10 1:44 PM
|
Neighbor: I have had serious issues with pain so I know first hand how it doesn't take long for it to take over your life. I got lucky and figured it out for the most part. But to blame the doctors for this is just crap. Most of them have to deal with people that wander around from doctor to doctor getting them. It get's to the point this is one of the patients source of income. It's not the doctors that need to do there job it's the Police.
|
|
CinnamonGirl
|
|
|
01-22-10 8:52 AM
|
How can the Mayor stop folks from committing suicide?
|
|
derbeobachter
|
|
|
01-21-10 8:39 PM
|
I thought Newell was going to stop this kind of activity.
|
|
k26101
|
|
|
01-21-10 5:19 PM
|
Some people go thru a manic phase when they have bi-polar and that may give them the option to committ suicide. They can have both the manic side and then the major depression. Anyway.. just a thought
|
|
yolarry
|
|
|
01-21-10 3:43 PM
|
not only suicide. they want... -Pain free -Headache free -Extra boost -buzz/high or whatever you call it.
|
|
CinnamonGirl
|
|
|
01-21-10 2:10 PM
|
That is very observant k26101, I agree completely. The problem with depression prescriptions is that when people are depressed, they lack the initiative to do anything, even killing themselves, there is a timeframe for these meds to kick in, the part o fthe meds that kick in quicker are the part that give the motiation, but it takes awhile fo rthe depression to cease, so what we end up with is depressed folks who are now motivated to do something. Also, I don't think that a little under 1.5 deaths per month is a huge deal, at least it isn't 16 deaths a day/week/month like many larger cities.
|
|
k26101
|
|
|
01-21-10 1:36 PM
|
Maybe some of these overdose deaths were some people WANTING to committ suicide due to a major depressive disorder. You can't lump ALL these overdose deaths due to prescription abuse.
|
|
yolarry
|
|
|
01-21-10 12:12 PM
|
amen neighbor.
|
|
sjh4108
|
|
|
01-21-10 11:03 AM
|
I am wondering how these people are getting the really powerful pain meds. I had a stress fracture that I suffered with for 5 months. Leg finally broke and had to have a rod and six screws put in. I received nothing until I went to a pain management clinic recommended by my doctor. I recieved percocet and methadone. Methadone is now being used for pain control. Neither of these helped me much. The bottom line is if my broken bone was a concern of doctors I would not have had to take these meds. Seems like all the doctors around here just want to prescribe pain meds instead of trying to find out what your problem is and address it. In 5 months I went from a cane to a walker and then to a wheelchair and 2 doctors and a physician's assistant before an ER visit resulted in my surgery that same day. That's how bad it was.
|
|
Neighbor
|
|
|
01-21-10 9:06 AM
|
In my opinion, abusing prescription drugs is ridiculous!! People that abuse these medications makes it difficult for people to get them that actually need them. I have been under doctor's care because of my pain. I hate taking any type of medications, but at this point I have no other choice. I keep all of my medications locked up no matter what type of medications they are. People need to get a grip and find better things to do with their time other than taking drugs. If a person has extra time on their hands, then they could be doing something good for the community!
|