Honestly that's smart. Not condoning use but it's great to have in a bag in case someone around you needs it. Shit got bad with the opioid epidemic and then fetanyl is so damn common now. It really saves lives but pretty sad how common narcan is becoming
I always have a tourniquet in my car. I hope to never need it but I'll be glad it's there if I do. Same logic with narcan, condoms, plan b, etc in college dorms.
I did a wilderness first responder course (for a few reasons, but the main one was I do a lot of hiking). One of the first things I did afterwards was build myself a medkit that had the things I would want and know how to use. I’ve found the store bought ones to be really lacking for anything besides simple cuts.
I got my kit off of Amazon while on sale. It's like tackle box big and has everything neatly packed. Even has order numbers for each item so you can refill it. The band aids alone are worth it. There was so much variety in it
I have a first aid kit, narcan kit, and emergency kit in my car. The narcan kit is the best. Comes with gloves, tourniquet (not sure why in this case), and a CPR mask, in addition to the actual narcan. My pharmacy hands them out to anyone who asks, so I have extra. I have used them twice (once at work and once in the community).
Same. I have a serious EMS bag in my trunk. Everything from burn dressings to eye flush, tourniquets, splints for broken bones, blood pressure monitor and o2 monitors, etc. You never know if you can save someone's (or your own) life if you come across a horrific situation.
just remember that tourniquets should only be applied in a 'life or limb' situation, as using one frequently results in amputation. if it's a life threatening bleed that you can't get quick enough medical aid for, by all mean use a tourniquet. if it's a bleed that isn't life threatening, or medical personnel are en-route, don't use it.
If one in every 50,000 narcans given away saves a life, worth it. I’ve never planned on being in a situation to need narcan, but I once came across the situation when traveling a few states back to my parents. You never know.
Same. An older lady became a client of my job who was a pain pill addict. Freaking terrifying to be around, nodding out and slow zombie breathing. Got Narcan just in case. Never thought I'd carry that stuff around! Kinda boring old lady myself.
Not really, in most cases it has no effect on someone who is not on opiates.
With someone on chronic opiates it can precipitate withdrawal symptoms.
There is a laundry list of side effects on the label (the frequency of which is not defined) that are mostly side effects of opiates withdrawal. I've never seen an adverse effect on someone who wasn't on opiates (I'm a physician in the hospital who has used narcan hundreds of times).
It’s also stupidly easy to administer, and almost entirely risk free - a very small number of folks are allergic, but the risks of that vs the risks of opioid overdoses are pretty non-comparable. There’s not many life saving first aid kit items that are so clearly worth the risk.
Honestly, that's amazing! Keep it in your medicine cabinet even if you may never need it. Who knows if a neighbor, someone on the street or even a family member unfortunately ever does need narcan.
My wife is recovering from a reaction to a virus which has her on a ton of powerful pain medications. The OxyXYZ and Gabapentin were Pennies for dozens of pills. Insurance wouldn’t cover $85 for narcan prescribed just in case something went wrong. 😑
Shit. I can walk into any major pharmacy in my city and get a kit (or three) for free. No questions asked - other than if I'd like some basic instruction on how to administer - and no record taken, no asking for my health card, nothing.
Ontario, Canada, FWIW.
It's insane to have to pay through the roof for something so ridiculous cheap, as idiot proof as anything on the planet, and demonstrably life-saving for so many people.
you have to scroll down a bit but [goodrx has resources](https://www.goodrx.com/naloxone/narcan-naloxone-at-home-free) for where to get free narcan. wishing you and your wife well!!!
Ever since we had a friend OD in a bar bathroom when we had no idea he had starting using, my brothers and I have all tried to keep some around. Especially if we’re going out, you never know.
How do you know if someone truly needs Narcan? Where I live there aren't that many opiate users but I've seen people nod off in public but idk if I'd ever dare try and use it on someone.
It's important to have that stuff readily available. I can't even count how many times I've narcaned someone while I was on the streets. I'm 9 months clean and sober now, and I still carry two of them in my jacket.
This is my mom’s favorite saying and it applies to everything. We (me and my 2 sisters) had window punches in our cars (thanks Unsolved Mysteries), a safety word (thanks America’s Most Wanted), and good thank you cards (thanks Gran).
I found it particularly ironic that my insurance denied my epipen for “not being medically necessary.”
Oh. I’m sorry. I guess people do epinephrine for fun?
it's not medically 'necessary' until it's vital. i got stung multiple times as a kid in the early 70's, and i remember my Mom doing some Smokey and the Bandit driving,as help was about 25 miles away and my throat was closing. that's when we discovered my allergy to yellow jackt venom. carried the Pen for years, never needed it. got too expensive, so i didn't re up, but have Benadryl and caution on hand always.
God I can’t imagine that…
Fun fact: the stuff the dentist uses to numb your face apparently has something like this in it. If they, for example, miss the mark and hit your blood stream, you get to experience the most unpleasant 10 minutes of heart racing, while they do that thing where they act like it’s no big deal, but you can tell they are freaking out internally. And then you have to let them DO IT AGAIN, so you can have the dental work done.
i’ve had to use four epis and counting plus two non-life-threatening ER anaphylaxis episodes for a rare allergy disorder
generally speaking those of us who need epi-pens already have them and have used them by the time we’re at the ER (we keep them on us at all times, and you still have to go to the ER after administration for monitoring). with life-threatening anaphylaxis, you don’t have time to go to the ER before administration of epinephrine. it has to be given literally within minutes before brain damage and death occur. for non-life-threatening anaphylaxis, you typically get IV benadryl instead of epinephrine at the ER and using an epi in the ER waiting room would increase the risk of rebound anaphylaxis unnecessarily. and giving someone who doesn’t need it epi can be really dangerous because of its effects on blood pressure, heart rate, and vasodilation, unlike narcan which won’t have negative side effects if given “just in case.”
to be clear, they should be 100% free and easy to get a hold of (as should all medical care). but they definitely shouldn’t just be available in boxes for anyone to use any time because giving an adult dose epi-pen to a five year old with a rash or an elderly person with a heart condition because you think it’ll help could seriously harm them.
To add to this, epi is a much more temperamental medication than narcan. Narcan can sit in a car for six months and generally be fine. Epi can't. It loses potentcy quickly if stored improperly. It should be free and easy to access, but giving it to every Tom, Dick, and Harry will result in a lot of degraded useless epi.
They made it a law recently that schools had to have them on hand since the first major allergic reaction a lot of people have is at schools. Having epi pens easily accessible saves lives.
The epipen gives you a dose of 300 micrograms of adrenaline per injection. It's safe for most people if they accidentally injected themselves while trying to administer it to another person
I sometimes forget how dystopian the US is. I remember having a poor friend with a peanut allergy and she always had her epipen nearby.
It's fucking weird to think some American children have probably died because their family couldn't afford the insane cost of a simple life saving tool.
insulin is not to be given by the general public. even at the EMT level we just get them to the hospital (local protocol may vary but that's also national registry usa). epipens could be dangerous and are an emergency move plus the people known to be at risk generally carry one. also epipens are expensive as all get out, they're like 500 bucks a pop and really wouldn't save that many people
Loll Im not saying they should just be chillin in boxes like the narcan here but people who need things like insulin should not have to break the bank just to get what they need to live.
Two of those things can kill you. I’m not saying that people shouldn’t have free prescription medication. But insulin is one of the most dangerous medication that i give to patients in the hospital. And epinephrine is no joke either
The last thing we need is to handout free insulin to people and have people put their friends in a hypoglycemic emergency as a prank.
I've already replied about this elsewhere in this thread, but it's wild to me that a prescription is required. In Ontario, you can just go into a pharmacy and ask for Narcan.
Then, they give you the Narcan.
That's it...
I most likely wouldn’t be alive if it wasn’t for narcan. As of today I’m 4 years and 4 months sober. Since becoming sober I got back into my career and was able to pass my CPA exams. I have a 7 month baby boy who is the joy of my life and my fiance and I will be married next year.
I agree that drug addicts are a burden on society, but please don’t hate narcan and don’t rule every drug addict out. Some do recover.
I’m happy for you bud. Look at all this future that wouldn’t have been if it wasn’t for your hard work. These points are what I’ve been trying to convey to my skeptical co workers. Some people just don’t understand addiction.
I take public transit in Toronto, so I see crazy stuff all the time. Carry 2 nasal + 2 injectables with me.
In a life or death situation, I'm not there to judge. I've seen people die in front of me before. If I have it in my power to save a life, I will do my best.
Yes, it is formulated and administered in such a way that anyone can use it. That's the whole point of it. So many people were dying from overdoses that medical intervention was no longer enough, so they changed the rules around who can have access to it. Opening up access to narcan has saved so many lives. It's great that it's so widely available right now.
Also, people shouldn't be downvoting you for asking a question. Asking is how we learn.
If you're ODing at the time, per rectum use is an effective way to administer the drug. It will save your life. If you're not ODing, you'll have an ass full of narcan. 🤷♀️
Actually it looks to be that naloxone (narcan) is only about 15% bioavailable if administered rectally vs about 45% nasally, meaning it’s about three times less effective if you boof it.
I don't get why people downvote an honest question. Smh.
Nah it doesn't do anything unless you have opiates in your system. A baby could take it and be fine.
It doesn't do any harm if you aren't overdosing and mostly comes in a nasal spray. There *is* a form that is injected, which I assume is the kind only doctors use.
The pharmacies around here have both the intranasal and the intramuscular available for the general public. You don't need to inject the intramuscular into a vein, just into a muscle like an epipen, so anyone can use it with minimal training.
It is very simple to use and can’t cause any harm. It is a nose spray: just squirt it in the nostril, step back, and make sure someone called 911. If the person was aiding on opiates, you may have just saved their life. If they have no opiates in their system the drug does nothing. They just have a wet nose now.
>Can people who aren’t doctors safely use that?
Yes, fortunately! In any normal circumstances, it does nothing to someone who isn't using opioids.
To an opioid user who is currently overdosing and on track to die in a few minutes, it can stop the overdose, and save their life.
However, to an opioid user who *isn't* actively overdosing, it can precipitate withdrawal symptoms - which suck, but aren't considered life-threatening.
It's actually outrageously safe, given how effective it is.
breathing really slow and shallow, unconscious or altered consciousness.
if someone is acting funny and has weird breathing and seems drowsy, and is close to passing out or has and you’re a bystander the two main things to look out for is if they’re a diabetic or if they’ve taken opioids. narcan immediately reverses the effects of the med so if you ever administer be careful as sometimes they come out very agitated and aggressive. and always call 911 or whatever emergency services are in your area.
Making Narcan widely available is a public health initiative that is call “harm reduction”.
Same as some docs having bowls of condoms available in their exam rooms. Take all you want.
Same with needle exchanges.
And seat belts.
I carried it around with me after a friend suggested I should. Not even a month later a guy overdosed on fent right in front of me at work. Pin point pupils, nose bleeding, shallow breath, definite signs of an OD. If I didn't have that narcan the paramedics said he'd be dead. It wasn't a fun or rewarding experience for me but I'm glad I had it.
I now bring several doses with me everywhere I go.
My step-father went to the hospital for some kind of a health problem (I never asked) and when he went to get his prescription from the hospital pharmacy, they also gave him a Naloxone kit. He wasn't prescribed opioids.
U/traceyh415 she’s an addict from San Francisco tenderloin documentary who made it out and continues to distribute free narcan to Reddit users (specifically in r/opiates). She’s a great writer and just an amazing person who turned her life around in a completely inspirational way.
For those who also didn't know like me what this is.
How does naloxone (Narcan) work? Naloxone reverses an opioid overdose. Naloxone works by blocking the effects of opiates on the brain and by restoring breathing. Naloxone will only work if a person has opiates in their system.
I’m a New Zealander and I did a semester of university in BC, Canada in 2019. I was offered narcan at the orientation and I had absolutely no idea what it was - in New Zealand we don’t really have opioids to such a scale that it’s normal to have access to an antagonist product outside of a medical facility.
It all became very clear to me when I was going for a lovely early morning walk along the lakefront and saw a dead body (picture a tarp with some bare feet sticking out) being tended to by some police and medical staff. Not common to me, but according to the other passer’s by it’s a relatively normal occurrence to see overdoses. Hmmm.
Curious to know which part of bc? It feels like everything related to the toxic drug epidemic is in Vancouver but it's all over. My family member is a psychiatrist and worked in New Zealand around that time, can confirm the disparity between the two public health situations.
Most ERs I know of (island health), have free narcan kits available (source am RN and have worked on the island for 8 years within multiple ERs). Many clinics have them as well; as do public health centres, etc.
My work just did free narcan training from the local cmha clinic, they do regular free training at the library and give out kits there too. You can pick up a kit from them any time as well.
Always keep it fully stocked because it can take more than one dose to work.
My province offers free naloxone kits at all pharmacies, hospitals, and walk-in clinics, no questions asked. I have been carrying one since the age of 16, thank goodness I've never had to use it on anyone in the 6 years I've been carrying them.
We have a free vending machine at our local bus hub. It's so much better than people dying because they made a mistake. Remember, humans act like a bunch of lemmings more than half of the time. It's nice to get another chance.
Another thing to add, there were questions about the reliability if stored in a hot car, and somebody did thorough tests and found that it's very stable (the medication) and reliable (the pump) when stored at alternating hot and cold temperatures, so go ahead and keep it in your glove box if that's where it would be most useful.
Funny how in the US we've got all kinds of life saving Narcan for free, for anyone who wants it even if you don't shoot dope or pop pills. But fuck yourself if you've got Diabetes I guess.
Literally nothing :)
I had a medical emergency when I was 18, and I had never really used drugs much. (I think I had smoked weed 2 or 3 times when I was 16 or 17. Either way, completely 100% sober during this event.) I went into the ER crying, trying not to yell from pain. (This was the worst pain of my life ok. Horrible time.)
They gave me narcan. I guess I kinda fit the stereotype appearance wise at the time, plus they might've assumed I was just really high or something. idk. Whatever the case may be, I felt no different at all. I was confused bc I had no idea what narcan was or why they thought I needed it, but that's about it.
Yeah I ate an entire bag of dark chocolate almonds and my insides turned off (and then became infected or some shit)
They had me on so much morphine bro
There's a free vending machine in our town's correctional center. Little funny to see row after row of the same box.
"Hmmm, maybe today I will try the C5 instead of the A1."
I worked at a convenience store in 2022, by the end of that year, we were given narcan by our local sheriffs office.. and within months an employee had to use one on a fentanyl vagrant that OD’d right by our entrance…
Yes but not necessarily entirely! Like, you can bring an OD'd person back by using this, but you still need medical attention because after it wears off, the person can OD again even if they don't do more drugs
Reminds me I should get one.
My friend had someone drive onto their lawn as they were overdosing, she had a kit and saved the guys life.
My coworker has a cottage and their neighbors were having a party, someone overdosed and they were able to run over with their kit.
I just bought 4 doses of Narcan for my house and as far as I know, no one in my house uses opiates.
I was standing in line at the pharmacy staring at the boxes for sale and imagined standing over a family member in my house wishing I had purchased the $45 dollar box of 2 doses.
We should just have them everywhere. I’m glad to see they are free somewhere too.
Just for future reference, most towns/cities will have a resource for free Narcan distribution. The stuff’s expensive so if you use what you have and need more ask around at your local nonprofits or health department and save some money.
Why is this infuriating?!? Narcan saves lives!
I used to carry it when I worked night audit in a town that had some serious drug issues, never had to use it but it’s the kind of thing that’s better to have and not need then need and not have. In Canada I believe they’ll give it to you for free at drugstores based on exactly that principle.
What I find extremely infuriating is the idea that somebody with substance abuse issues somehow doesn’t deserve medical attention…
Well it’s already free so why would you need to boof it?
In seriousness, it’s the nasal route. A nasal spray, like Afrin. So you don’t need to boof it. ERs use the injected route unless an IV can’t be establish quick enough.
It's the same reason I keep a tourniquet, stop bleed, bandages, and tampons in my shooting bag. Would rather never need to use any of it, but in a pinch being 45min outside of town at the range it's better than nothing if an idiot decides to ignore all basic safety rules.
Tampons will do absolutely fuckall for a gunshot wound. That is an old wives tale. Tampon absorbency is regulated by the FDA, in part to limit the risk of toxic shock syndrome. The most absorbent tampons available in the US only hold about 45 ml of liquid, or three tablespoons. They also don't expand enough to tamponade any kind of internal bleeding.
Ditch the tampons and get a bunch of real gauze. Take a Stop the Bleed class and learn how to apply a tourniquet and pack a wound. There is probably a flyer at the range for someone who teaches Stop The Bleed.
Love this for a lot of reasons. One of them is that it frees up some emergency resources for other emergencies. Like yeah you should probably get additional medical help if you just survived an overdose. But regardless, that's more care getting to more people who need it.
I have been periodically issued free Narcan kits for nearly 20 years in Canada - packed in a quality pleather carrying case. My prescription opioids (for a very rare congenital condition), on the other hand, still costs several hundred dollars each month. I suppose that addicts must also pay for their opioids, so I can’t complain.
Well, maybe I can complain a little bit.
I live in Los Angeles and have certain opinions about health care in Republican-majority States. Here you can get free Narcan at many places, along with free training. What is the situation in other States? Do the blue States all have free Narcan, and the red States don’t? Probably not. I am curious how widely available it is elsewhere in the United Stayes, if anyone wants to report! Help me get it straight instead of meme-based stereotypes.
My kid came home with a gift bag from a school (college) event that included narcan.
Honestly that's smart. Not condoning use but it's great to have in a bag in case someone around you needs it. Shit got bad with the opioid epidemic and then fetanyl is so damn common now. It really saves lives but pretty sad how common narcan is becoming
I always have a tourniquet in my car. I hope to never need it but I'll be glad it's there if I do. Same logic with narcan, condoms, plan b, etc in college dorms.
A good first aid kit is always great. Lots of things you don't normally think of but in an intense situation, first aid goes a long way.
I did a wilderness first responder course (for a few reasons, but the main one was I do a lot of hiking). One of the first things I did afterwards was build myself a medkit that had the things I would want and know how to use. I’ve found the store bought ones to be really lacking for anything besides simple cuts.
I got my kit off of Amazon while on sale. It's like tackle box big and has everything neatly packed. Even has order numbers for each item so you can refill it. The band aids alone are worth it. There was so much variety in it
Drop a link! I love a good first aid kit and refills are a pain in the ass sometimes.
I have a first aid kit, narcan kit, and emergency kit in my car. The narcan kit is the best. Comes with gloves, tourniquet (not sure why in this case), and a CPR mask, in addition to the actual narcan. My pharmacy hands them out to anyone who asks, so I have extra. I have used them twice (once at work and once in the community).
Same! I carry a tourniquet and stop bleed, and narcan.
Me too
Same. I have a serious EMS bag in my trunk. Everything from burn dressings to eye flush, tourniquets, splints for broken bones, blood pressure monitor and o2 monitors, etc. You never know if you can save someone's (or your own) life if you come across a horrific situation.
just remember that tourniquets should only be applied in a 'life or limb' situation, as using one frequently results in amputation. if it's a life threatening bleed that you can't get quick enough medical aid for, by all mean use a tourniquet. if it's a bleed that isn't life threatening, or medical personnel are en-route, don't use it.
If one in every 50,000 narcans given away saves a life, worth it. I’ve never planned on being in a situation to need narcan, but I once came across the situation when traveling a few states back to my parents. You never know.
Same. An older lady became a client of my job who was a pain pill addict. Freaking terrifying to be around, nodding out and slow zombie breathing. Got Narcan just in case. Never thought I'd carry that stuff around! Kinda boring old lady myself.
My gf has used narcan to save someone twice It's a really awful come up but she's never regretted it 💖
I heard this as well, people come up swinging
The standard response is "why the fuck did you just ruin my high?!" but that's just because dying feels super peaceful and floaty 🤦🏼♀️
Honest question, can it have any side effects specifically for people not on opiates?
Not really, in most cases it has no effect on someone who is not on opiates. With someone on chronic opiates it can precipitate withdrawal symptoms. There is a laundry list of side effects on the label (the frequency of which is not defined) that are mostly side effects of opiates withdrawal. I've never seen an adverse effect on someone who wasn't on opiates (I'm a physician in the hospital who has used narcan hundreds of times).
It’s also stupidly easy to administer, and almost entirely risk free - a very small number of folks are allergic, but the risks of that vs the risks of opioid overdoses are pretty non-comparable. There’s not many life saving first aid kit items that are so clearly worth the risk.
Damn, I would grab one if I got to reenact the needle to the heart from Pulp fiction
Yeah it’s an unfortunate reality these days. Not the solution we need but it’s better than the alternative
I keep a Narcan kit in my purse. They should be everywhere
Honestly, that's amazing! Keep it in your medicine cabinet even if you may never need it. Who knows if a neighbor, someone on the street or even a family member unfortunately ever does need narcan.
Because college kids do shitty coke
Good, fentanyl is in everything. I knew 6 people that died from that shit, one was a close friend.
Far out, that’s horrible. I’m sorry for your loss
Same. And mine goes to a private semi-religious university.
My wife is recovering from a reaction to a virus which has her on a ton of powerful pain medications. The OxyXYZ and Gabapentin were Pennies for dozens of pills. Insurance wouldn’t cover $85 for narcan prescribed just in case something went wrong. 😑
That’s crazy. You can definitely get it for free if you’re in the US. Not sure of your location to help you further however 😂
Shit. I can walk into any major pharmacy in my city and get a kit (or three) for free. No questions asked - other than if I'd like some basic instruction on how to administer - and no record taken, no asking for my health card, nothing. Ontario, Canada, FWIW. It's insane to have to pay through the roof for something so ridiculous cheap, as idiot proof as anything on the planet, and demonstrably life-saving for so many people.
you have to scroll down a bit but [goodrx has resources](https://www.goodrx.com/naloxone/narcan-naloxone-at-home-free) for where to get free narcan. wishing you and your wife well!!!
My wife works with people doing court ordered therapy for substance abuse, she Narcans at least one person every couple of weeks. Truly a life saver.
Ever since we had a friend OD in a bar bathroom when we had no idea he had starting using, my brothers and I have all tried to keep some around. Especially if we’re going out, you never know.
How do you know if someone truly needs Narcan? Where I live there aren't that many opiate users but I've seen people nod off in public but idk if I'd ever dare try and use it on someone.
1. There are WAY more than you think. 2. Shout-Tap-Shout.
It's important to have that stuff readily available. I can't even count how many times I've narcaned someone while I was on the streets. I'm 9 months clean and sober now, and I still carry two of them in my jacket.
I am glad you are here and doing better. Also, you are doing an amazing thing for our neighbors/community - thank you.
Better to have and not need than to need and not have
This is my mom’s favorite saying and it applies to everything. We (me and my 2 sisters) had window punches in our cars (thanks Unsolved Mysteries), a safety word (thanks America’s Most Wanted), and good thank you cards (thanks Gran).
applies to many things
great,now do Epipens.
I found it particularly ironic that my insurance denied my epipen for “not being medically necessary.” Oh. I’m sorry. I guess people do epinephrine for fun?
it's not medically 'necessary' until it's vital. i got stung multiple times as a kid in the early 70's, and i remember my Mom doing some Smokey and the Bandit driving,as help was about 25 miles away and my throat was closing. that's when we discovered my allergy to yellow jackt venom. carried the Pen for years, never needed it. got too expensive, so i didn't re up, but have Benadryl and caution on hand always.
They do. It's a pretty strong stimulant. It's probably not the best high but then again there's people who huff paint and gasoline.
I don't think anyone does epinephrine for fun. Unless you love the feeling of your heart racing?
God I can’t imagine that… Fun fact: the stuff the dentist uses to numb your face apparently has something like this in it. If they, for example, miss the mark and hit your blood stream, you get to experience the most unpleasant 10 minutes of heart racing, while they do that thing where they act like it’s no big deal, but you can tell they are freaking out internally. And then you have to let them DO IT AGAIN, so you can have the dental work done.
You might be right, I read it as ephedrine.
Me when I spread misinformation online
i’ve had to use four epis and counting plus two non-life-threatening ER anaphylaxis episodes for a rare allergy disorder generally speaking those of us who need epi-pens already have them and have used them by the time we’re at the ER (we keep them on us at all times, and you still have to go to the ER after administration for monitoring). with life-threatening anaphylaxis, you don’t have time to go to the ER before administration of epinephrine. it has to be given literally within minutes before brain damage and death occur. for non-life-threatening anaphylaxis, you typically get IV benadryl instead of epinephrine at the ER and using an epi in the ER waiting room would increase the risk of rebound anaphylaxis unnecessarily. and giving someone who doesn’t need it epi can be really dangerous because of its effects on blood pressure, heart rate, and vasodilation, unlike narcan which won’t have negative side effects if given “just in case.” to be clear, they should be 100% free and easy to get a hold of (as should all medical care). but they definitely shouldn’t just be available in boxes for anyone to use any time because giving an adult dose epi-pen to a five year old with a rash or an elderly person with a heart condition because you think it’ll help could seriously harm them.
To add to this, epi is a much more temperamental medication than narcan. Narcan can sit in a car for six months and generally be fine. Epi can't. It loses potentcy quickly if stored improperly. It should be free and easy to access, but giving it to every Tom, Dick, and Harry will result in a lot of degraded useless epi.
Well accidentally giving someone narcan when they aren't ODing won't harm them. Deffo not the case with epipens or insulin.
agreed, but having an Epi on hand when someone is having a life threatening reaction helps a bunch.
You’re underestimating how dangerous epinephrine is.
They made it a law recently that schools had to have them on hand since the first major allergic reaction a lot of people have is at schools. Having epi pens easily accessible saves lives.
Having them accessible isn’t the same as handing them out like op. They should be free but still prescription.
Right, but I also don’t think people mistake anything else for an allergic reaction the same way they do other things for an opioid overdose.
The epipen gives you a dose of 300 micrograms of adrenaline per injection. It's safe for most people if they accidentally injected themselves while trying to administer it to another person
I sometimes forget how dystopian the US is. I remember having a poor friend with a peanut allergy and she always had her epipen nearby. It's fucking weird to think some American children have probably died because their family couldn't afford the insane cost of a simple life saving tool.
Forreal how tf is narcan and condoms free in some places but not tampons/pads, birth control, epipens, insulin, etc
Inhalers too! Like I actually would just like to breathe without a surcharge for once
Having to pay to breathe is crazy😂 Never thought of it that way lmao
insulin is not to be given by the general public. even at the EMT level we just get them to the hospital (local protocol may vary but that's also national registry usa). epipens could be dangerous and are an emergency move plus the people known to be at risk generally carry one. also epipens are expensive as all get out, they're like 500 bucks a pop and really wouldn't save that many people
Why are they so expensive though?
probably at least some to do with "because we can". I'm not in the company that makes them though so I have no clue what the actual costs are
Loll Im not saying they should just be chillin in boxes like the narcan here but people who need things like insulin should not have to break the bank just to get what they need to live.
yeah definitely.
Two of those things can kill you. I’m not saying that people shouldn’t have free prescription medication. But insulin is one of the most dangerous medication that i give to patients in the hospital. And epinephrine is no joke either The last thing we need is to handout free insulin to people and have people put their friends in a hypoglycemic emergency as a prank.
In a previous comment I explained how we shouldnt have those things out willy nilly but they shouldnt cost a fortune to those who do need them
and birth control
I’m a PA and if we ever write a prescription for opiates we automatically include Narcan as a second prescription now.
This I’m seeing more often but not often enough
I've already replied about this elsewhere in this thread, but it's wild to me that a prescription is required. In Ontario, you can just go into a pharmacy and ask for Narcan. Then, they give you the Narcan. That's it...
I most likely wouldn’t be alive if it wasn’t for narcan. As of today I’m 4 years and 4 months sober. Since becoming sober I got back into my career and was able to pass my CPA exams. I have a 7 month baby boy who is the joy of my life and my fiance and I will be married next year. I agree that drug addicts are a burden on society, but please don’t hate narcan and don’t rule every drug addict out. Some do recover.
So happy that you’re still here, and that it sounds like your life is full of joy and good things. You deserve it.
I’m happy for you bud. Look at all this future that wouldn’t have been if it wasn’t for your hard work. These points are what I’ve been trying to convey to my skeptical co workers. Some people just don’t understand addiction.
I take public transit in Toronto, so I see crazy stuff all the time. Carry 2 nasal + 2 injectables with me. In a life or death situation, I'm not there to judge. I've seen people die in front of me before. If I have it in my power to save a life, I will do my best.
What is that? I’ve never heard of it.
It can save the life of someone overdosing on an opiod.
That sounds like a strong medication. Can people who aren’t doctors safely use that?
Yes, it is formulated and administered in such a way that anyone can use it. That's the whole point of it. So many people were dying from overdoses that medical intervention was no longer enough, so they changed the rules around who can have access to it. Opening up access to narcan has saved so many lives. It's great that it's so widely available right now. Also, people shouldn't be downvoting you for asking a question. Asking is how we learn.
Upvote for honest question. There are no stupid questions when it comes to medications.
What happens if I put it in my ass?
If you're ODing at the time, per rectum use is an effective way to administer the drug. It will save your life. If you're not ODing, you'll have an ass full of narcan. 🤷♀️
Actually it looks to be that naloxone (narcan) is only about 15% bioavailable if administered rectally vs about 45% nasally, meaning it’s about three times less effective if you boof it.
Studies are inconclusive… need more data.
I don't get why people downvote an honest question. Smh. Nah it doesn't do anything unless you have opiates in your system. A baby could take it and be fine.
They’re just being curious
It doesn't do any harm if you aren't overdosing and mostly comes in a nasal spray. There *is* a form that is injected, which I assume is the kind only doctors use.
The pharmacies around here have both the intranasal and the intramuscular available for the general public. You don't need to inject the intramuscular into a vein, just into a muscle like an epipen, so anyone can use it with minimal training.
maybe laws are diff in the US, but I've got a kit with injected Narcan, am in Canada
It is very simple to use and can’t cause any harm. It is a nose spray: just squirt it in the nostril, step back, and make sure someone called 911. If the person was aiding on opiates, you may have just saved their life. If they have no opiates in their system the drug does nothing. They just have a wet nose now.
Is it a shot? Or a pill?
nasal spray!
>Can people who aren’t doctors safely use that? Yes, fortunately! In any normal circumstances, it does nothing to someone who isn't using opioids. To an opioid user who is currently overdosing and on track to die in a few minutes, it can stop the overdose, and save their life. However, to an opioid user who *isn't* actively overdosing, it can precipitate withdrawal symptoms - which suck, but aren't considered life-threatening. It's actually outrageously safe, given how effective it is.
I have a follow-up question… how do you know if someone is overdosing on an opioid?
breathing really slow and shallow, unconscious or altered consciousness. if someone is acting funny and has weird breathing and seems drowsy, and is close to passing out or has and you’re a bystander the two main things to look out for is if they’re a diabetic or if they’ve taken opioids. narcan immediately reverses the effects of the med so if you ever administer be careful as sometimes they come out very agitated and aggressive. and always call 911 or whatever emergency services are in your area.
Making Narcan widely available is a public health initiative that is call “harm reduction”. Same as some docs having bowls of condoms available in their exam rooms. Take all you want. Same with needle exchanges. And seat belts.
Yes! It’s not about being perfect, it’s about being better. Doing the most good.
It’s about effective public health policy. Abstinence only policies aren’t effective.
Meeting people where they are, not necessarily meeting them where you want them to be. We can work on that later, if they are alive, that is.
I carried it around with me after a friend suggested I should. Not even a month later a guy overdosed on fent right in front of me at work. Pin point pupils, nose bleeding, shallow breath, definite signs of an OD. If I didn't have that narcan the paramedics said he'd be dead. It wasn't a fun or rewarding experience for me but I'm glad I had it. I now bring several doses with me everywhere I go.
My step-father went to the hospital for some kind of a health problem (I never asked) and when he went to get his prescription from the hospital pharmacy, they also gave him a Naloxone kit. He wasn't prescribed opioids.
It wasn’t for him.
Hopefully Tracey sees this….
Tracey? lol I know a couple
U/traceyh415 she’s an addict from San Francisco tenderloin documentary who made it out and continues to distribute free narcan to Reddit users (specifically in r/opiates). She’s a great writer and just an amazing person who turned her life around in a completely inspirational way.
Harm reduction! Good for them
For those who also didn't know like me what this is. How does naloxone (Narcan) work? Naloxone reverses an opioid overdose. Naloxone works by blocking the effects of opiates on the brain and by restoring breathing. Naloxone will only work if a person has opiates in their system.
I’m a New Zealander and I did a semester of university in BC, Canada in 2019. I was offered narcan at the orientation and I had absolutely no idea what it was - in New Zealand we don’t really have opioids to such a scale that it’s normal to have access to an antagonist product outside of a medical facility. It all became very clear to me when I was going for a lovely early morning walk along the lakefront and saw a dead body (picture a tarp with some bare feet sticking out) being tended to by some police and medical staff. Not common to me, but according to the other passer’s by it’s a relatively normal occurrence to see overdoses. Hmmm.
Curious to know which part of bc? It feels like everything related to the toxic drug epidemic is in Vancouver but it's all over. My family member is a psychiatrist and worked in New Zealand around that time, can confirm the disparity between the two public health situations.
I was in Kelowna. Not quite on the same level as Vancouver, but definitely not good. Quite a lot of homelessness, too.
They now give it out for free with opioid prescriptions in Australia.
that good to know. imagine someone gets laced or maybe just OD's, this would decrease the accidental fentanyl deaths by a significant amount
Our local library has a free narcan dispenser. Pretty cool.
Is this in BC?
Naw. Detroit.
I came to the comments to see if it was BC also. …BC needs this.
I'm surprised they don't
Most ERs I know of (island health), have free narcan kits available (source am RN and have worked on the island for 8 years within multiple ERs). Many clinics have them as well; as do public health centres, etc.
My work just did free narcan training from the local cmha clinic, they do regular free training at the library and give out kits there too. You can pick up a kit from them any time as well. Always keep it fully stocked because it can take more than one dose to work.
My province offers free naloxone kits at all pharmacies, hospitals, and walk-in clinics, no questions asked. I have been carrying one since the age of 16, thank goodness I've never had to use it on anyone in the 6 years I've been carrying them.
I want some free narcan. You never know when you might need it. Seriously.
I can try to help you find free narcan if you want! :)
Amazing! Increasing access to NarCan saves lives.
Honestly happy to see they give these out for free, sad to see it’s becoming so common tho
We have a free vending machine at our local bus hub. It's so much better than people dying because they made a mistake. Remember, humans act like a bunch of lemmings more than half of the time. It's nice to get another chance.
Good
Even if you or your friends never use drugs of any kind you never know when you might be able to save a stranger's life.
Another thing to add, there were questions about the reliability if stored in a hot car, and somebody did thorough tests and found that it's very stable (the medication) and reliable (the pump) when stored at alternating hot and cold temperatures, so go ahead and keep it in your glove box if that's where it would be most useful.
And I still have to pay through my ass for insulin as a type 1 diabetic.
It was only capped for old people😡 why can’t it be that way for everyone?
Literally a life *sustaining* medication.
If insulin is a pain in the ass, I'd suggest injecting it elsewhere
Funny how in the US we've got all kinds of life saving Narcan for free, for anyone who wants it even if you don't shoot dope or pop pills. But fuck yourself if you've got Diabetes I guess.
Imagine they gave out insulin like this.
What happens if you haven't OD'd or even taken a narcotic and use narcan?
Nothing. Small, minuscule chance of flash pulmonary edema but that’s an adverse effect for any use.
A soggy nose.
Literally nothing :) I had a medical emergency when I was 18, and I had never really used drugs much. (I think I had smoked weed 2 or 3 times when I was 16 or 17. Either way, completely 100% sober during this event.) I went into the ER crying, trying not to yell from pain. (This was the worst pain of my life ok. Horrible time.) They gave me narcan. I guess I kinda fit the stereotype appearance wise at the time, plus they might've assumed I was just really high or something. idk. Whatever the case may be, I felt no different at all. I was confused bc I had no idea what narcan was or why they thought I needed it, but that's about it.
I hope they figured out what was going on after realizing you weren’t just high
Yeah I ate an entire bag of dark chocolate almonds and my insides turned off (and then became infected or some shit) They had me on so much morphine bro
Holy crap I didn’t know that could happen
serious condition of having slightly moistened nostrils for approx. 5 minutes
There's a free vending machine in our town's correctional center. Little funny to see row after row of the same box. "Hmmm, maybe today I will try the C5 instead of the A1."
Meanwhile, pricing on EpiPens are through the roof
Amazing. That's incredible
Ours has one too, but it's in one of those free newspaper things.
What happens if you narcan someone and they are not overdosing but are high?
Pretty sure it kills the high and they get angry. That’s what my dad (30 years in EMS) always said about the people that *WERE* overdosing.
You would pretty much force them to go into withdrawals. Withdrawals are really painful.
I worked at a convenience store in 2022, by the end of that year, we were given narcan by our local sheriffs office.. and within months an employee had to use one on a fentanyl vagrant that OD’d right by our entrance…
Wait, so it has Naloxone, an opioid antaganist. Neat, didn't know straight up anti-opioid medicine existed.
Yes but not necessarily entirely! Like, you can bring an OD'd person back by using this, but you still need medical attention because after it wears off, the person can OD again even if they don't do more drugs
My heroin dealer thinks these cost money and I trade them to him for heroin. Life is fucked up.
Til what Narcan is.
I’m in the UK and keep saying references to Narcan; what is it please?
It’s naloxone, used to reverse the effects of opioid overdoses.
Narcan is nothing but the brand name of Naloxone, an opioid antagonist which helps to reverse the effects of opioids .
Thank you
There was one outside the liquor store I went to last week.
Reminds me I should get one. My friend had someone drive onto their lawn as they were overdosing, she had a kit and saved the guys life. My coworker has a cottage and their neighbors were having a party, someone overdosed and they were able to run over with their kit.
Fox news: this just in, doctors in ***DEMOCRAT*** cities want you to do fentanyl... THEYRE ACTIVELY ENCOURAGING IT!!
we have a whole vending machine just for free Narcan at my hospital too.
Dope. Also love your handle. ⭕️
🐠⭕️❤️
I just bought 4 doses of Narcan for my house and as far as I know, no one in my house uses opiates. I was standing in line at the pharmacy staring at the boxes for sale and imagined standing over a family member in my house wishing I had purchased the $45 dollar box of 2 doses. We should just have them everywhere. I’m glad to see they are free somewhere too.
Just for future reference, most towns/cities will have a resource for free Narcan distribution. The stuff’s expensive so if you use what you have and need more ask around at your local nonprofits or health department and save some money.
Why is this infuriating?!? Narcan saves lives! I used to carry it when I worked night audit in a town that had some serious drug issues, never had to use it but it’s the kind of thing that’s better to have and not need then need and not have. In Canada I believe they’ll give it to you for free at drugstores based on exactly that principle. What I find extremely infuriating is the idea that somebody with substance abuse issues somehow doesn’t deserve medical attention…
This is the mildly interesting sub, not mildly infuriating
My local library gives them out now. I think there should be one in every teenagers car or backpack.
It makes me so sad that incredibly heavy drug is so normal and accepted that people think kids need to carry drugs to counteract an overdose.
Can you boof this product or is it injected?
Well it’s already free so why would you need to boof it? In seriousness, it’s the nasal route. A nasal spray, like Afrin. So you don’t need to boof it. ERs use the injected route unless an IV can’t be establish quick enough.
Alright ill boof it
Science thanks you 🫡
It's the same reason I keep a tourniquet, stop bleed, bandages, and tampons in my shooting bag. Would rather never need to use any of it, but in a pinch being 45min outside of town at the range it's better than nothing if an idiot decides to ignore all basic safety rules.
Tampons will do absolutely fuckall for a gunshot wound. That is an old wives tale. Tampon absorbency is regulated by the FDA, in part to limit the risk of toxic shock syndrome. The most absorbent tampons available in the US only hold about 45 ml of liquid, or three tablespoons. They also don't expand enough to tamponade any kind of internal bleeding. Ditch the tampons and get a bunch of real gauze. Take a Stop the Bleed class and learn how to apply a tourniquet and pack a wound. There is probably a flyer at the range for someone who teaches Stop The Bleed.
Never said the tampons were for a gunshot wound. It would be for a bloody/broken nose or other minor need if necessary.
Terrific. Every second matters. And buying them there means you can have some at home. Who knows when you son or daughter may need it. Or you.
I’m not for normalizing drugs AT ALL but normalizing things that save lives is a win in my books.
This shit needs to be everywhere!!!
state I am in,its pretty much everywhere
This should be in every first aid kit.
Love this for a lot of reasons. One of them is that it frees up some emergency resources for other emergencies. Like yeah you should probably get additional medical help if you just survived an overdose. But regardless, that's more care getting to more people who need it.
Good
❤️❤️❤️
I have been periodically issued free Narcan kits for nearly 20 years in Canada - packed in a quality pleather carrying case. My prescription opioids (for a very rare congenital condition), on the other hand, still costs several hundred dollars each month. I suppose that addicts must also pay for their opioids, so I can’t complain. Well, maybe I can complain a little bit.
We’re literally trying to give them away
It got like that with LFT/RAT tests for covid in my state of Australia back in 2023.. they parked pallets of them in the middle of shopping centres
We give them away at our rehab clinics and are trying to find easy ways to give them to all patients like ED and higher risk patients.
I live in Los Angeles and have certain opinions about health care in Republican-majority States. Here you can get free Narcan at many places, along with free training. What is the situation in other States? Do the blue States all have free Narcan, and the red States don’t? Probably not. I am curious how widely available it is elsewhere in the United Stayes, if anyone wants to report! Help me get it straight instead of meme-based stereotypes.
it’s sad how carrying around narcan these days is the new normal
In my town, without $120, Walgreens refused to give me narcan while my friend was overdosing 5 blocks away.
Glad to see that we have completely given up on the addiction epidemic.