What do you know about Methamphetemine?

Nurses General Nursing

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My community is having an explosion of this epidemic, we have pts who are positive for it, and visitors who also appear to be users. Are you also encountering this? What do you know about Meth? I always thought it was snorted, but someone told me that they smoke it too.

Specializes in Case mgmt., rehab, (CRRN), LTC & psych.

Methamphetamine also goes by the names of 'speed', 'crank', 'meth', 'ice', 'crystal', 'crystal meth', and 'glass'.

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from all accounts this is HIGHLY addictive..people get on it to try and lose weight or to get a quick high and then they are hooked..will do anything to get it..because it is very difficult for them to hold a job while in this condition they usually do something illegal

herion and crack ae considered to have the lowest results with rehab

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Garden Dove, Are they "cooking" in your house or just using there? If they've been preparing the meth there, you could have big problems with cleanup. Meth production creates some nasty by-products and can leave a lingering residue behind. I saw a special last year on TV where a child's toy (like a teddy bear) that had been taken from a "meth lab" had so much alkaline residue left behind that if a child had placed it in his mouth, he would've been burned. I also know that there are even some EPA standards for clean-up...

Good Luck to you - sounds like a bad situation.

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Specializes in Education, Acute, Med/Surg, Tele, etc.

Meth is pure evil in my book! We have quite the probelm with it in my neck of the woods, and it is hard to find any younger person as a patient that hasn't tried it, are full time users, or quit only to have the devistating effects hit them hard down the road!

Pt one: 30 some year old female with children in end stage liver failure, sepsis, now immoble, and the worse case of jaundice I have ever seen! Coded three times, brought back to spend what little life she has left on an airbed for skin breakdown thoughout the body. She is going to die, but it is a long death. Meth started the damage...she got depressed at her ill health and quit, and went to drinking heavy and not getting OOB. Very sad, the liver can fix itself if caught early...but she finished the job with ETOH and now nothing can be done.

Pt Two: Older female in with uncontrolled seizure activity, severe headaches, loss of vision, and loosing motor function. Quit meth 4 years ago and came into the hospital for the headaches because they were causing black outs. She has been clean and sober since quitting, but the damage has been done to her nervous system. She coded and died r/t brain aneurism being transported to a SNF where she was going to have to stay for the rest of her life.

Patient Three: Younger male, came in for joint pain. Meth is starting to effect motor skills. Not only that, but he has gonorehea that is eating away the synovial sacs around all his joints including the back! Meth was too important to come in to get seen soon enough, and he couldn't afford it. If he doesn't die in the next few years...he will slowly be crippled by arthritis due to something he did on meth..unprotected sex with several partners, some of which he didn't even know!

Patient four: Elderly gent in for having his scull bashed in from his son who wanted money for meth and he dared to say NO! He will be perminently disabled all his life, and is now mentally delayed (severely) and will spend his last years in a SNF where before this had a small farm and was very active and productive! If the depression from all this doesn't do him in...

These are some patients that have come to my knowledge just THIS WEEK and it is Tuesday!

Very sad indeed...oh not to mention the meth users that are homeless and claim "suicidal ideation" to get a free bed, meal and servant (us) only to be back on the streets or back to the hospital in a few days!

It hurts EVERYONE!

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I ask this because I am a landlord and one of my tenents is in jail now for meth, I am grappling with a situation. The police are aware. I think everyone in the house is using, they've only been there since Oct, I'm planning on selling the house. They also babysit for their grandchild who lives across the street, and I hear that they use meth. I plan on calling cps today after I get their names from the lady at cityhall who told me that they also use meth. I'm going over there today after giving the husband a 24 hr notice to inspect the house, the police say they will back me up if need be.

I hate to tell you this, but you might have a HAZMAT situation in your rent house. If they manufactured meth there you're going to have to completely decontaminate the house (new carpeting, drapes, etc) before renting it again, or you could be liable for health hazards to your new tenants. I would have the cleaning done by a company who specializes in HAZMAT remeadiation (if only for the documentation to prove you actually took care of the problem). I used to be a narcotics agent, and it would sicken me to see toys and children's clothing scattered around an active meth lab. We never entered a lab unless we were wearing protective gear and respirators; I can't imagine subjecting an infant or child to the chemicals commonly used to make meth. And YES, do take the cops with you!

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Specializes in cardiac.
I ask this because I am a landlord and one of my tenents is in jail now for meth, I am grappling with a situation. The police are aware. I think everyone in the house is using, they've only been there since Oct, I'm planning on selling the house. They also babysit for their grandchild who lives across the street, and I hear that they use meth. I plan on calling cps today after I get their names from the lady at cityhall who told me that they also use meth. I'm going over there today after giving the husband a 24 hr notice to inspect the house, the police say they will back me up if need be.

Please take someone with you if you plan to go over there. User's are unpredictable. You don't know what type of situation you may walk into.

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What do I know about meth? I know my brother-in-law is raising his grandchild because the mom would rather be high. I now my oldest sons dad is just now being released from prison because he would rather be high. I know my little brother gave up his kids....why? you guessed it he would rather be high. Meth makes you a Sociopath. Where I'm from we call them tweakers. MSNBC has some really good programs on meth. Users come in many different income and education levels. I'd be surprised if everyone didn't know of at least one addict.

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Specializes in cardiac.
What do I know about meth? I know my brother-in-law is raising his grandchild because the mom would rather be high. I now my oldest sons dad is just now being released from prison because he would rather be high. I know my little brother gave up his kids....why? you guessed it he would rather be high. Meth makes you a Sociopath. Where I'm from we call them tweakers. MSNBC has some really good programs on meth. Users come in many different income and education levels. I'd be surprised if everyone didn't know of at least one addict.

OH...how true your last statement is......as I stated before, very sad thing.

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Please take someone with you if you plan to go over there. User's are unpredictable. You don't know what type of situation you may walk into.

I'd also take Smith & Wesson or Ruger as well.

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Specializes in Case mgmt., rehab, (CRRN), LTC & psych.
I'd also take Smith & Wesson or Ruger as well.
If Smith & Wesson or Ruger aren't available, I'll settle for Mr. Glock.
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I'm sure they aren't manufacturing there, I already did a cursery walk through with a woman who is interested in buying the house. It's a pigsty, but no way do these people have it together to manufacture. The wife just spent a month in jail and is currently in mandatory rehab. The husband states he drinks 24 beers a day and is going to voluntary rehab when she gets out. He claims meth is her thing. He reeks of alcohol so I have no doubt he drinks, not sure about meth with him.

I was planning to sell the house, but the woman talked me into renting it for her, since her daughter lives across the street. I have someone who can go with me for my inspection, although the police are aware and I don't think these people are violent. I live in a town of 1000, and I have spoken to the womans boss regarding this. There was no trouble at their previous residence.

This meth epidemic is rampant in rural areas. I'm in mountain town in Washington state. Previously I lived in Joshua Tree California where meth was also rampant.

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It is bad here too . . . .very high rate of babies born to meth-addicted moms.

steph

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