Pharmacists get addicted, too

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JackFruitLover

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* According to one study, 46 percent of pharmacists and 62 percent of pharmacy students have used Rx drugs without prescription.
* 20 percent of pharmacists reported they had used Rx drugs without prescriptions at least 5 times.
* For at least 11 percent to 15 percent of pharmacists, use of alcohol or Rx drugs escalates into dependency or addiction.


Jared Combs, PharmD

I was too smart to be a drug addict. I had, after all, graduated from the nation's third-ranked pharmacy school with a degree that enabled me to practice in a highly trusted profession. I knew what receptors the drugs worked on and what responses they would elicit. I even knew the major side effects of each class of my favorite drugs. Me, a drug addict? No way. I was just taking part in a fringe benefit that all pharmacists enjoy: the benefit of self-medicating. It's a stressful job. Is that so wrong? We all do that, right?

According to statistics, many of us do take part in self-medicating. A study by McAuliffe et al reported that 46 percent of pharmacists use prescription drugs without a prescription. Sixty-two percent of pharmacy students surveyed had used a prescription drug with no prescription. Also, 20 percent of pharmacists reported they had used a prescription drug without a prescription at least five times or more in their lives. Perhaps I had a point there.

Almost immediately after receiving my license to practice pharmacy in 1996, I began using controlled substances to enhance my mood. Within a very short time, I was their slave. After a tumultuous battle with drugs and alcohol, two arrests, and losing four precious years of my life, I got clean and sober in October of 2000. Once I had been clean and sober for awhile, my mother admitted, "I just never understood how somebody so smart could do something so ... well ... not smart. Didn't you know that those things could get you addicted? Why would you take that chance?" Well, Mom, it just ain't that simple.

I wish I could explain to her and to everyone else how this came to happen to me. I would love to be able to come up with a mathematical formula that could warn aspiring pharmacists who may be at risk. Then I could suggest they study computers, engineering, or law instead of pharmacy, which offers addicts a bit too much access to the substances they crave.

Perhaps I had a genetic predisposition. Otherwise, predicting my fate would have been a crapshoot. I made good grades in school. I had many friends and was popular. I had wonderful parents who neither drank nor drugged. So somebody tell my mother why she had to watch me circle the drain of addiction for several years.

According to the National Institute on Drug Abuse, 11 percent to 15 percent of pharmacists are confronted with alcohol/dependency problems at some time in their careers. Judging by the numbers of pharmacists I know in recovery, I'd say that number is a bit low. Perhaps the stressful work environment, coupled with the access to anxiolytics and other euphoria-producing substances, makes up for that small percentage of difference between us pharmacists and regular old Earth people.

Whatever the reasons and/or contributing factors, pharmacists are not immune to the disease of addiction, no matter how educated we are. I am thankful the governing bodies of our profession, such as the Kentucky Board of Pharmacy, have embraced the idea of rehabilitation of pharmacists who have fallen prey to this chronic and potentially fatal disease. I applaud those, like Brian Fingerson of the Kentucky Pharmacists Recovery Network (PRN), who took part in pioneering the way to this new mindset. For 14 years he volunteered (that's right, serving for zero pay) as chairman of what was then called the Impaired Pharmacists Committee.

I am thankful to be able to practice my profession today. Although I still can't explain to my mother why or how my addiction happened, I am thankful to be a part of the solution today for those pharmacists who find themselves up against this cunning and baffling disease.

JARED COMBS, PharmD, practices pharmacy at University of Kentucky Medical Center in Lexington. Last year, he published a memoir, Incomprehensible Demoralization: An Addict Pharmacist's Journey to Recovery.
 
* According to one study, 46 percent of pharmacists and 62 percent of pharmacy students have used Rx drugs without prescription.

Prescription drugs?!?! Oh nos! I'ma gonna get addicted to the Levequin I jacked!

Hurray for stupid statistics we mold to our argument.

I read this far and thought I'd had read enough...then I read the next paragraph and the idiot went droning on about how impressive graduating from the "third-ranked pharmacy school" must be...and then I did give up.

Yes, good for you, you used to be a crackhead. Why don't you write a book about it?

...oh...I see...
 
Obviously this guy never watched Scarface

It's rule number two, "don't get high off your own supply."
 
Yes, good for you, you used to be a crackhead. Why don't you write a book about it?

I've never used crack- not that I wouldn't have- I just never got around to it. Didn't find any behind the counter.

I should probably let negative comments roll off my crackhead back, but it just doesn't seem fair for a 2-year pharmacist-newby who has completely missed my point to slam me without a counter comment.

First the mocking Levaquin remark: (By the way, it's Levaquin) You probably won't get addicted to the Levaquin, but jacking it can certainly get you a visit from the Board and local police. It is quite illegal. It may not be a big deal to you, but it is to me. I stay away from that arena.

Through your sarcastic, contemptuous attitude, you have completely missed the point of my first few lines. I don't mention those things to sound like I am some pharmacy scholar. I mention the UK rank (and there was no droning- what article did you read??) and "being too smart" simply to exemplify that no matter who you are or where you've been, you can still fall to addiction. The mindset of many outside the profession, including my mom, is that we should know better. We should know enough about the drugs to keep us safe from becoming addicted. Obviously, that renders us no protection.

So...although I'm no super-pharmacist, I'm no idiot. Please don't judge me as such. I have written my experience, and that's all I have. I never claim to be an expert. I just share my experience, strength, and hope to those that may find themselves in the lonely position that I once found myself in. Why don't you read the book? Then come back and tell me what you think. If you still feel I'm a pompous idiot- so be it.

Jared Combs
 
Yes, good for you, you used to be a crackhead. Why don't you write a book about it?

I've never used crack- not that I wouldn't have- I just never got around to it. Didn't find any behind the counter.

That's a colloquialism for any sort of drug addict in Appalachia. Odd that you've never heard that one being as though you were a fellow hilljack for at least 4 years.

I should probably let negative comments roll off my crackhead

Yea...you probably should...The internet is filled with crazy people...and you chose to make yourself a public figure...expect to be criticized when you use shady statistics to make your argument more sensationalized.

, but it just doesn't seem fair for a 2-year pharmacist-newby who has completely missed my point to slam me without a counter comment.

Nice ageism appeal-to-authority argumentative fallacy. What, exactly, does age have to do with anything?

I doubt I missed your point...it's not like its a Kubrick movie we are talking about.

First the mocking Levaquin remark: (By the way, it's Levaquin) You probably won't get addicted to the Levaquin, but jacking it can certainly get you a visit from the Board and local police. It is quite illegal. It may not be a big deal to you, but it is to me. I stay away from that arena.

I'd agree...but you apparently didn't get my point...

Through your sarcastic, contemptuous attitude, you have completely missed the point of my first few lines. I don't mention those things to sound like I am some pharmacy scholar. I mention the UK rank (and there was no droning- what article did you read??) and "being too smart" simply to exemplify that no matter who you are or where you've been, you can still fall to addiction. The mindset of many outside the profession, including my mom, is that we should know better. We should know enough about the drugs to keep us safe from becoming addicted. Obviously, that renders us no protection.

A well known annoyance of mine is the stupid pharmacy school rankings that you mentioned. They are so ridiculously baseless. Any time I hear someone from UK or MN or UCSF go on and on about how they are from one of the top 5 schools, I just roll my eyes. I suppose that isn't your fault, though. I probably shouldn't take it out on you. I'd wager they talk about it at UK like they actually ARE the 3rd best school in the nation. (Actually, I know for a fact they do...)

So...although I'm no super-pharmacist, I'm no idiot. Please don't judge me as such. I have written my experience, and that's all I have. I never claim to be an expert. I just share my experience, strength, and hope to those that may find themselves in the lonely position that I once found myself in. Why don't you read the book? Then come back and tell me what you think. If you still feel I'm a pompous idiot- so be it.

Jared Combs

Ok, fair enough. Send me a copy of your book and I'll read it.

However...

It still doesn't change the fact the the statistics you used are misleading. (Which is what annoyed me...and I tend to let things that annoy me lead me to over-the-top responses...perhaps its a character flaw...oh well. I am who I am.) You were making it sound like 46 percent of pharmacists are in the back room snorting Oxycontin to help your argument...which is ridiculous. You can't compare a guy just grabbing a Zofran for relief and a guy lifting a 500-count jar of Vicodin...so why even use the statistic? Just look at how its presented:

* According to one study, 46 percent of pharmacists and 62 percent of pharmacy students have used Rx drugs without prescription.
* 20 percent of pharmacists reported they had used Rx drugs without prescriptions at least 5 times.
* For at least 11 percent to 15 percent of pharmacists, use of alcohol or Rx drugs escalates into dependency or addiction.

It's as if one leads to the other leads to the other...which is crazy. It will make the public think that 62 percent of students gank narcotics...which is unequivocally ridiculous...and if you lead a synopsis of your book with something as ridiculous as that, don't be so offended when someone questions it...and instantly dismisses it. If that's in the synopsis...then how skewed might the book be? But, hey, send me a .pdf of your book and I promise I'll read it. Maybe the book isn't as questionable as the synopsis. Though I have a feeling I might have a problem with your original "too smart to get addicted" theory. Unless you differentiate between "common sense smart" and "book smart".
 
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I blame Combs and Jackfruitlover for wasting bandwidth.

Combs- Sensationalism is stupid.

Jackfruitlover- Is it really necessary to post all of these articles without giving your own opinion or analysis? Where's the sense in using SDN as a tac-board?



I'm off to the land of traffic... aka Baton Rouge. :scared:
 
That's a colloquialism for any sort of drug addict in Appalachia. Odd that you've never heard that one being as though you were a fellow hilljack for at least 4 years.
I got it.

Yea...you probably should...The internet is filled with crazy people...
Yes...it is. And angry ones.

Nice ageism...
Nothing to do with age...experience though has its advantages.

I doubt I missed your point...it's not like its a Kubrick movie we are talking about.

And yes...you missed my point and obviously have a resentment against schools that are, for whatever reason, receiving high marks. I'm not even sure what they base those things on- don't care. I'm pretty sure my admission was either a clerical error or because I slipped the dean a bottle of Crown Royal.

A well known annoyance of mine is the stupid pharmacy school rankings that you mentioned. They are so ridiculously baseless. Any time I hear someone from UK or MN or UCSF go on and on about how they are from one of the top 5 schools, I just roll my eyes.

I have no doubt whatsoever that you roll your eyes...I'd imagine you do that alot. 🙄
I bet you hate those Smilies too.

Ok, fair enough. Send me a copy of your book and I'll read it.
The book is $20- (plus shipping) 🙂
Unless of course you want a hardcover.

However...
It still doesn't change the fact the the statistics you used are misleading. (Which is what annoyed me...and I tend to let things that annoy me lead me to over-the-top responses...perhaps its a character flaw...oh well. I am who I am.) You were making it sound like 46 percent of pharmacists are in the back room snorting Oxycontin to help your argument...which is ridiculous. You can't compare a guy just grabbing a Zofran for relief and a guy lifting a 500-count jar of Vicodin...so why even use the statistic? Just look at how its presented:

The statistics don't suggest that those folks are "jacking" Vicodin. It suggests that they are self-medicating without a prescription, which is, once again, illegal. They did teach you that in West Virginia right? If not, call your board and talk to them about it.
Those statistics don't suggest anything like you have interpreted. You're reading something into it that's not there.
I am who I am too...and I enjoy a good verbal battle-nothing personal. I'm not hating...just volleying with you and explaining my stance. I don't expect everyone to understand, or give a crap about my story.

It's as if one leads to the other leads to the other...which is crazy. It will make the public think that 62 percent of students gank narcotics...which is unequivocally ridiculous...
It's not ridiculous at all. I think that learning to use the pharmacy as my own medicine cabinet during internship contributed to the attitude I developed once I was licensed. Do you have any experience in this area? I do, so before you dismiss it, take the time to educate yourself. Preferrably at a top 5 pharmacy school :meanie: (friendly jab here-joke).


If that's in the synopsis...then how skewed might the book be? But, hey, send me a .pdf of your book and I promise I'll read it. Maybe the book isn't as questionable as the synopsis. Though I have a feeling I might have a problem with your original "too smart to get addicted" theory. Unless you differentiate between "common sense smart" and "book smart".
I don't use any statistics in my book. It is my own personal experience. Again you've completely missed the point of the "too smart to get addicted" theory. Let me try this again: I'm not particularly smart (I think I snorted too many brain cells away). I'm quite average at best. What I was trying to say there was that some people (like my mom) think that an educated, decently intelligent person should be smart enough to not go there- which is false. One of the smartest pharmacists I know is a recovering addict.
I wish you luck in your pharmacy career. I sincerely hope you lighten up, smile more, and roll the eyes less.
 
I blame Combs and Jackfruitlover for wasting bandwidth.

Combs- Sensationalism is stupid.
Wouldn't it be fair to assume that you are wasting it as well? Hmmmm.

No sensationalism here...just my own debauchery.

Too much negativity around here- you'll both be glad to know I'm probably gonna go elsewhere, where folks are nicer and don't attack a complete stranger for simply writing about his experience. Without ever setting eyes on me, I've been called an idiot and stupid on this forum. I just don't get that. Good luck surviving the stressful practice of pharmacy. I sincerely hope that both of you find a way to be more positive. Negativity is stupid 🙂
 
Wouldn't it be fair to assume that you are wasting it as well? Hmmmm.

No sensationalism here...just my own debauchery.

Too much negativity around here- you'll both be glad to know I'm probably gonna go elsewhere, where folks are nicer and don't attack a complete stranger for simply writing about his experience. Without ever setting eyes on me, I've been called an idiot and stupid on this forum. I just don't get that. Good luck surviving the stressful practice of pharmacy. I sincerely hope that both of you find a way to be more positive. Negativity is stupid 🙂


Oh you should probably stick around... thick skin is a must tho.
BTW.. I think Bob Rapp is a pharma *****.. :meanie:

Welcome to the forum dood.
 
Oh you should probably stick around... thick skin is a must tho.
BTW.. I think Bob Rapp is a pharma *****.. :meanie:

Welcome to the forum dood.

Guess I'd better thickin my skin huh?
Staying positive is a must for my recovery...it doesn't come natural to me. I have to work for it.
Bob is actually a stud....pharma *****?.... only for the right price :laugh:
Thanks for the welcome!
 
Bob is actually a stud....pharma *****?.... only for the right price :laugh:

That's the issue I take with him. He is an ID stud...no one can dispute that. but he sides with the pharma who's willing to pay him off. I hate that.
 
Definitely a stud......but also, definitely a *****.
 
Initially I thought, "What a great story-- this guy really wants to spread awareness of pharmacy students/pharmacists and non-prescription drug use."

but then when I heard about the book and read more than superficially into your plug.

btw, the book cover and the whole throwing a hyperlink to your website really degrades the whole message if you're really trying to create awareness.
 
Initially I thought, "What a great story-- this guy really wants to spread awareness of pharmacy students/pharmacists and non-prescription drug use."

but then when I heard about the book and read more than superficially into your plug.

btw, the book cover and the whole throwing a hyperlink to your website really degrades the whole message if you're really trying to create awareness.

👍
 
Initially I thought, "What a great story-- this guy really wants to spread awareness of pharmacy students/pharmacists and non-prescription drug use."

but then when I heard about the book and read more than superficially into your plug.

btw, the book cover and the whole throwing a hyperlink to your website really degrades the whole message if you're really trying to create awareness.

Yes I can see how that just negates everything that you previously thought...no... I don't see that at all.

First of all it's got nothing to do with non-prescription drug use. Nothing. No mention of non-prescription drugs in my article.

Secondly...if you appreciate the message then that's great. It comes from the heart. If you have a problem with me wanting to sell a book that delivers that message...then I don't know what to tell you. I paid for self-publishing the book out of my own pocket, so I never expected to make anything substantial off of it. Too many of you are too willing to stand there on the outside of this issue without a clue, and look for things to criticize me about. Enjoy yourself... but you're wrong about me. You don't know the first thing about me or where my heart and intentions are. What the heck? You decide that I'm insincere because I post a link to my book?... that's ridiculous.

I'm done.
 
Yes I can see how that just negates everything that you previously thought...no... I don't see that at all.

First of all it's got nothing to do with non-prescription drug use. Nothing. No mention of non-prescription drugs in my article.

Secondly...if you appreciate the message then that's great. It comes from the heart. If you have a problem with me wanting to sell a book that delivers that message...then I don't know what to tell you. I paid for self-publishing the book out of my own pocket, so I never expected to make anything substantial off of it. Too many of you are too willing to stand there on the outside of this issue without a clue, and look for things to criticize me about. Enjoy yourself... but you're wrong about me. You don't know the first thing about me or where my heart and intentions are. What the heck? You decide that I'm insincere because I post a link to my book?... that's ridiculous.

I'm done.

You got me-- I meant prescriptions.

Either way, it's just bad for business that you would fight for yourself in any kind of way on these boards. Just saying, you should have atleast came under a false name, but now we just have a lack of respect for you even trying (like how I used italics like you there?) to refute our cynical claims.

I doubt any of us seriously think you're a bad person for trying to spread a message-- hell I even like the idea! Just don't plug it too hard. I mean seriously if someone wanted to look into your stuff I'm sure they would have sent you a PM or looked you up online.

800 books are published A DAY, keep this in mind. I can almost guarantee that if you wrote this book for any other reason that helping people, then you're going to fail miserably.
 
Your right... a person should never stand up for themselves...
They should create a false name and do so. Huh?
 
While I agree the two links in the first post didn't necessarily agree with me, the fact that none of his other posts link to it seems to indicate he's not blatantly attempting to spam the forum. That lends some credence to the statement that he's not here solely pushing the book. Though I think the book cover as an avatar is kind of cheesy.
 
BuyMyBook.jpg
 
And yes...you missed my point and obviously have a resentment against schools that are, for whatever reason, receiving high marks. I'm not even sure what they base those things on- don't care. I'm pretty sure my admission was either a clerical error or because I slipped the dean a bottle of Crown Royal.

This paragraph alone makes me question your judgment as an evidence-based pharmacist. Do you think Kapadex is a better drug than Prevacid because a study funded by a drug company says so? That's essentially what you are saying here. You believe it because a company that uses outcomes that aren't evidence based in any way, shape, or form says so. However, on this forum we have examined these "rankings" to a great degree and the OVERWHELMING consensus is that they are purely bunk.

The book is $20- (plus shipping) 🙂
Unless of course you want a hardcover.

Nah, send it to me for free. Then I'll read it. I'm not paying to read something whose synopsis is based upon misleading data. If the book is as you say it is, I'll give you a glowing review.


The statistics don't suggest that those folks are "jacking" Vicodin. It suggests that they are self-medicating without a prescription, which is, once again, illegal. They did teach you that in West Virginia right? If not, call your board and talk to them about it.
Those statistics don't suggest anything like you have interpreted. You're reading something into it that's not there.
I am who I am too...and I enjoy a good verbal battle-nothing personal. I'm not hating...just volleying with you and explaining my stance. I don't expect everyone to understand, or give a crap about my story.

It's really not that hard to understand...the vast majority of drugs..no addictive potential...some scheduled drugs...addictive potential. You DO have to differentiate between the two because one involves a mechanism that alters brain function to create addiction to the substance. A dude jacking the aforementioned Zofran should not be compared to the dude that is addicted to painkillers and spends every waking second trying to score some.

It's ridiculous to use the statistics you used. I"m sorry, but it just is. To a layman, it makes it sound like half of pharmacists are getting high off of their inventory. That doesn't sit well with me...in fact it makes me rather annoyed...

I don't use any statistics in my book. It is my own personal experience. Again you've completely missed the point of the "too smart to get addicted" theory. Let me try this again: I'm not particularly smart (I think I snorted too many brain cells away). I'm quite average at best. What I was trying to say there was that some people (like my mom) think that an educated, decently intelligent person should be smart enough to not go there- which is false. One of the smartest pharmacists I know is a recovering addict.
I wish you luck in your pharmacy career. I sincerely hope you lighten up, smile more, and roll the eyes less.

Yeah, ok...🙄
 
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it's not in kindle format! 🙁 I think it looks like a good book.
 
this bickering is whats wrong with pharmacy.... honestly, its not like this book is going to be a new york times best seller. This book will not cause the drama that everyone is making it out to be. There are issues with the book, yes, but the author is not going to brainwash anyone with real knowledge in the matter.

Honestly, it serves as a lesson not to start experimenting. And then to have the balls to write about it? Give him a break. He wants to share his experience and prevent others from doing so.
 
Nah, send it to me for free. Then I'll read it. I'm not paying to read something whose synopsis is based upon misleading data. If the book is as you say it is, I'll give you a glowing review.

Don't think so chief.
Your arrogant prejudice against me doesn't qualify you for a free copy. Glamour Shot girl doesn't get one either.
See...I can make evidence based decisions too!😀
 
In memory of the 20th anniversary of the event:

20h20jb.jpg



You have officially been hazed in. I now christen thee an official SDN forum homie. I invite you to stay...share in our circus of humanity...
 
:laugh::laugh::laugh::laugh::laugh::laugh::laugh:


You're pretty good at that Glamour Shots stuff WVU. 👍
 
Very nice work...and fast!

Just as an outsider reading in, Jared, you have done a poor job at promoting your book. I would imagine that most of the people who read your post's think you are a douche.

Just my 2 cents.
 
You have officially been hazed in. I now christen thee an official SDN forum homie. I invite you to stay...share in our circus of humanity...
Ok. Sweet!

I'm speechless... what else can I say? 😛
 
Not you, you already have that honor...I mean Jared McAfroPick over there. Anyone who can stay around and takes their lumps can't be that bad...
Aw man! That sucks! 😉
 
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Man, talk about a curveball. I had been avoiding this thread for atleast a day. I totally did not expect there to be a book brought up, bashed a little, and then the author shows up to defend his book. Good stuff.

Also, I agree with WVUPharm2007, the stats definately do seem misleading. Those alone would not keep me away from reading it. What would keep me away from reading is that the author comes across as a bit whiney.
 
You should have been around when I posted little MS Paint doodles like once a week...

mikescomic.jpg

nice

I actually have been around long enough to vaguely remember your old pics but I havent ever dug anything up from the search engine. This is just a new username for me!
 
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