14: A Rock and a Hard Place

Chronic pain is a medical condition doctors have struggled to treat. When medicines like oxycodone and hydrocodone hit the market, they seemed like a near-magic answer.  As doctors were assured by manufacturers that these new drugs weren't addictive, they prescribed them freely.  What doctors didn't know was they were all made from heroin; by the time manufacturers were brought to court, it was too late.  In this episode I talk with Jeremiah, who is overweight with severe back pain. He finds relief in the form of prescription pain pills,  which allow him to push through the pain and exercise but ultimately lead to bigger problems. My second guest, Dave, shares his struggle with addiction which impacted his life in an earth-shattering way.