SF doctors observe fentanyl side effect that causes people to be completely bent over after use 

Happy for the man who recovered from a fentanyl addiction - that is quite a feat. I hope he keeps his life on track and wish his success and happiness.

Thank you for including a success story of someone that got off of drugs.

I started doing drugs 15 years ago as a teenage, got addicted to fentanyl. Spent my whole life fighting fentanyl addiction. I suffered severe depression and mental disorder. Fentanyl addiction actually destroyed my life. Not until my wife recommended me to psilocybin mushrooms treatment. Psilocybin treatment saved my life honestly. 3 years totally clean. Never thought I would be saying this about mushrooms.

congrats to the dude who got clean!! You are awesome

Had to become a homeless addict in order to receive quality medical service - now that's a headliner.

I’m a substance abuse nurse. Some of that is also probably xylazine in the fentanyl

Hats off to the guy who got clean. 🙏 Keep up the good work. These videos keep me on my own recovery journey. 12yrs come July one day at a time. Its worth the effort to continue on no matter what. Praying for all who struggle.

The dope fiend lean. Ain't new.

Are we not gonna talk about the fact that chronic pain is what drove that guy to Fentanyl addiction?

The thing that is most unusual is why people don't fall down. They stay on their feet but bent over to such a degree that most people would lose their balance.

Long term impacts? They won't live long enough to worry about that.

Thanks for shining a compassionate light on this matter.

It’s amazing how they can lean and wobble so much and not fall over.

I’ve been suffering from bulging discs for 14 years with no promise of relief from my doctors, but this guy, god bless him, gets silicone pads to replace his bad discs? What do I have to do, become a fentanyl addict?

My husband and I visited San Francisco last year, from NZ. It is the saddest city I have ever been in, and I’ve been in many cities around the world. Fentanyl is destroying families and communities everywhere.

Fascinating that the news made this into a story. One thing this story did not cover is that heavy opiate users frequently have severe nerve damage caused by nodding out for lengthy periods. If their body part (usually a limb) is restricted in a certain way, blood flow is cut off, sometimes for 6-12 hours. Humans naturally move all the time, even when asleep, and even if it's just micro-movements. It's enough to keep blood circulating properly. Someone who is essentially nodded out cold will not have those micro-movements. I've seen this most commonly in opiate users who also use benzos. I've seen faces turn black due to tissue death where people were out cold while face-down for too long. It's also a common contributor to the limp that so many street drug users have. Nerves are quick to die and very slow to recover.

I'm definitely not a doctor but I am a daily opioid user (Methadone) and although I no longer do fentanyl I have many times and in my experience I believe the answer is a much simpler one. When high on opioids you tend to start to pass out (nod) and that causes the body to bend forward like you've seen in this video. I know in my experience it can be hours, sometimes even a day or 2 bent over in that position and what happens is once you're body/back stays bent over in that position for an extended period of time it becomes very hard to return back to the normal upright position. Basically, the longer you stay bent over in that position, the harder it becomes to stand back upright. I believe it really is that simple... for me it was.

The “bending over” is related to the xylazine that the Fentanyl is cut with. It is used as sedation and anesthesia in large animals like horses and elephants. It enables the animal to be worked on without having to lay them down. The “Fetty Bend” is the result of consuming xylazine.

Say no to drugs !

True treatment is a path to sobriety. Not clean supply.

It makes my day to see that Mr. Campofreda has been able to turn his life around, & stays active and grateful !

You can’t stand up, your legs swell like balloons, your back deteriorates (sounds like a wonderful time)

Same happens with people on high on Heroin. They lean at impossible angles without falling over.

The fentanyl that they are talking about is not FDA approved, but black market version of it from over seas.

Why isn’t this drug considered a bio weapon?

Nice to see a survivor…my son overcame fentanyl 20 years ago, thank God, but has lost many friends to addiction.

Did it really take them four years to notice/address the fenty bend??????

Interesting how suicide prevention is widespread yet we tolerate public widespread drug addiction

My younger son is a fentanyl addict, was homeless, had decided he would never quit, finally got busted for something, and while in jail decided to go into rehab. He's doing it now. As much as I don't like to criminalize addiction, it seems these kind of addicts don't have much chance until they are forced into sobriety and have a chance to make a reasonable and sober decision.

That’s like being dead while breathing.

I’m more fascinated by the fact they don’t fall over.

Doctors in SF see this all the time and sometime administer specific meds to counteract this bending effect. Anesthesiologists see this with various opioids sometimes. The opioids affect the nerves that cause the abdomen and chest to contract. That’s why the guy interviewed says it hurts as he tried to get upright. We know it destroys the central nervous system already.

Bravo to the man who over came his addiction and refused to be a victim anymore.

First time I ever saw this "lean" phenomenon was at a train station in Southern California in about 2013 I think. A guy in his early 60s, in entirely brand-new clothes, was waiting for a train. The fact that his clothes were all new suggested to me that he might have just been released from the court down the street. He would stand normally, then slowly start to lean over and teeter about. This happened over and over for about 5 minutes. When his train arrived, he was in full-lean mode and as he realized the train was about to close its doors, he "woke up" and lept into the train just as the doors closed -- leaving his backpack on the train platform. His hat also flew off his head. I'll never forget his panicked face as he looked out the window, fruitlessly tapping on the glass for the door to open, at his backpack on the ground as the train rolled away. Probably everything he owned was in that bag...

This is news.... I'll leave my apartment in Philly and walk past a keeled over zombie and they'll literally still be there three hours later after I've dropped off work, grabbed breakfast, and run a few other errands. They say its from an animal sedative that I believe starts with a Z and not the Fentanyl but who really knows. The only thing certain is that this misery is condoned, encouraged, and it strikes me as if they're being sacrificed as if in a satanic manner. The painkiller pills to dope pipeline is long gone and people are still succumbing to this hell. It makes no sense.

I will *never* understand addiction nor why anyone would willingly take drugs knowing they are bad for the body.

The man who almost died of treating his pain from severe medical neglect, only to FINALLY receive the life changing care he needed all along fucking BROKE me. These insurance cartels are killing us, cannot imagine how anyone works under them and manages to sleep at night. America is Hell on Earth.

We travelled to the northwest and saw these folded over people wandering everywhere. Very disturbing to see so many people like this.

I have had fentanyl once. Was at Johns Hopkins in critical condition and excruciating pain cue to pancreatitis. Nothing was helping, so they gave me an iv dose of fentanyl. I tripped hard. Hallucinating. Having conversations with people who were not there. It was awful and did not touch the pain. So now my medical chart states allergic/sensitive to fentanyl. Awful stuff.

I have used it for chronic pain and if you use a therapeutic amount it doesn’t affect you like that at all. You are as able to go about your life like anyone else. I didn’t stay on it bc the health insurance would only allow me so many days a week and the patches would wear off before I could put a new one on and that just wasn’t as effective as taking other medications by mouth. I’ve been on pain meds for decades and i don’t have any issues. They treat my pain from a multitude of issues with my spine and rheumatoid arthritis as well. I’ll always be on pain meds and I just thank God that they’re available to me

This story is a swing and a miss. If the reporter had researched the affliction in any detail, she would’ve realized she missed a chance to tell that addict that it’s not the fentanyl, rather it’s what they’re cutting it with. that’s making his legs swell and if he keeps using the same product, he’s going to have open sores that are untreatable.

China is laughing its butt off

I spent a summer in SoMa back in 2018, right across from the Tenderloin, and I don't recall seeing anyone in this condition. I moved to Sacramento at the start of 2024 and I encountered someone in this puzzling condition for the very first time late last night. I'm a big, clean cut guy, been sober since the mid-90s, I don't present like a drug seeker, but since I moved here not a week goes by that I don't get hit up on the street, usually by people looking to score. I am firmly in the camp that people don't stop until they're utterly beaten, but sometimes a "nudge from the judge" is what precipitates that. A mass roundup to a detox camp is a slippery slope, civil liberties wise, but we gotta do something about this.

Congrats to the guy who got clean. I know the addiction never leaves you. You dream about using still. It is a lifelong battle.

A woman died from overdose three times. When asked if she wanted to quit, she said no, that she could handle it.

Stop the supply chain.

Congratulations Ben … stay strong

EXCELLENT COVERAGE AND STORY 👏🏾👏🏾👏🏾

I've been on crutches for 3 years now with a herniated disc compressing a nerve that affects my left leg which doesn't really work because of it. Doctors want me to lose weight before they do surgery. How can I lose weight if I'm in pain every day, can't walk unassisted, can't stand for more than a few minutes? Maybe I should do drugs too. Physical therapy doesn't help. Injections doesn't help. I wish I could get that disc implant he got. Do you have to do drugs to get help now a days?

It’s the tranq/xylazine.

Terribly tragic. This atrocity needs to stop

Seeing that poor dog broke my heart.

I am absolutely astonished that this is accepted by society (in SF at least). Will never understand

Love that they included someone getting better and showing a healthy life is possible

So many wonderful things to do in life, don't drug up like this and throw your life away.

I call it the “fentanyl fold”

Great reporting. Amazing recovery story, wishing continued good health to him.

I was on the bus in SF on my way to work yesterday and saw two dudes slumped over while they are sitting down. Its disturbing.

Heartbreaking 💔 I’m so sorry for everyone impacted by this tragedy!

This was very helpful for understanding what I'm seeing out in my community. Thank you for doing this story.

You should see it in Portland. It’s now been in front of my sister’s apartment building in what used to be a lovely part of the city. She is terrified to go to the grocery store across the street. I feel deeply for the addicts and the police are trying their best, but sometimes people do get violent, mix it with meth, etc. it is very frightening.

I always wonder why countries in Asia never have this problem. Our society should take a page or two from their playbook

Thank you for this report

This story went from asking the question, "why are fentanyl users bent over?" to "here is an uplifting story about a guy who used fentanyl that has a completely unrelated back injury that was healed through surgery." What?

This has been happening for a very long time. You just now found out about it?

The human body has an amazing ability to heal.

I can't imagine living somewhere and having my two young daughters see this happening around where they live. The fact that people are tolerating others self-destructing right in front of them is insane.

Lost a cousin this week to fentanyl. My family has a history of back pain, I was able to help my sister get a disc replacement. My sister got her disc replacement at 26. She would have eventually gone paralyzed. It is a shame our parents are against Universal Healthcare but it would be a step to fighting the drug crisis.

It's amazing that they bend double but can still stand on their feet and some even walk.

Former street addict is now flying to Europe and hiking in Spain while the rest of us are choosing between groceries and filling up the tank. 😂

My brother, I’m so proud of you. It’s midnight after midnight right now in Texas and I’m watching this video I had knee surgery. I’m so proud of you man. It literally brought tears to my eyes to see this. I understand your pain Met I was not a fentanyl individual I was before all that, but what he says is correct your life has been that’s what you live for tear to my eyes and not tear tears plural more than one when I heard him say that I’ve been over that hump for two years nine months now of the 15th of this month nine months two years and he’s right he looks so different and I guess I saw it in his eyes that he is a recovered individual once again. I’m so proud of you, brother. I’m so so grateful that you made it back and he’s right not many of us make it back whether it’s fentanyl or some other type of debilitating use of drug whatever that might be for me. It was something else but it’s still addiction and I suffered so many years so many not being able to escape and wanting to escape there’s a difference between not knowing there’s a problem not believing there’s a problem and wanting to escape, but can’t there’s a huge difference in all of that. Yes you’re still in the insanity but at least you want to get out the first two man they’re brutal because denial is not a river in Egypt number one and number two not thinking that there is a problem, the problem but nobody can could’ve told me there was a problem. I was darn sure I had to see it almost took me almost losing that what I loved most and that was my dad that last relapse was two years nine months and two days or three days I believe now I think today is the 18th once again, I’m so proud of you brother so so proud of you and it took an emergency to get you there and that’s what they say. It’s gonna take one or 231-0103 medical death death one of those three men because even incarceration will not stop you, I’ve heard stories of people being incarcerated for decades coming out and the first thing they did was do drugs. I’m just saying so. It’s not where you’re at. It’s the attitude that has side one heart go to any link to stop this.

It’s called nodded out af. So happy for that guy that got off of it though. A miracle!

I thought that was "tranq". Commonly seen in Philly.

I have always taken care of my body and I am dying a painful death from advanced cancer. And to think of someone taking these harmful drugs and do this to their bodies is beyond my scope of understanding.

I've seen this for decades with other drugs. Nothing new.

When I was homeless on the streets I saw people do this when they were nodding off and sleeping, it's amazing acrobatics, they never fall over.

😭😢 I’m hurt seeing folks suffer like this🙏

This makes the zombie apocalypse look like child play.

I read a post before from a person who used heroin. He said they're SLEEPING standing up.

I just want to thank you for the respectful way you conducted this news story. Often addicts are demeaned but I don't feel you did that at all. Props and respect

The main issue that was resolved for the addict was his constant PAIN. After the successful surgery that solved the ever present pain he could then recover, initially supervised but away from his drug of choice and so he had no reason to take it because he had neither pain or an addiction.

How about quit working with the Cartels and close the borders

Man it's cruel that these people arent in a jail cell getting clean

I dont understand how you can be so out of it youre all hunched over but still your legs work enough you dont fall all the way over

Thanks for reporting on this. Was in downtown SF this week and it’s so sad. Talked to one kid outta his mind…gave him the rest of a 1/2 liter water bottle, he was so grateful it was💔 IDK the solution but there has to be One🙏💪❤️✨🌎

I've lived downtown among addicts my whole life. Nothing every bothered me. The bent-over zombies..they bother me. They don't abide by the law of gravity!! It just doesn't make sense to me from a physics or a human perspective.

Proper medical care would prevent people from having to live with chronic pain and constant medication.

They have to be forced off of it. No way those people will willingly quit lol.

If we wait for drug abusers to decide to get clean on their own, 99 percent of the time it won't happen. Yes, they are making their own choices. It is their life. It is their "right" as some would say to do drugs or not. Who are we to force someone to get off drugs if that's what they wan to do, they say. Forcing people to get off drugs is a police state, they say. I would offer that you could say the same thing about grabbing someone before they jump off a bridge, or by grabbing the gun from their hand as they raise it to their head. You could say that about seeing someone drowning in a dangerous riptide area and justify not saving them because "They knew the dangers and did it anyway." We could justify not helping because "They'll find a way to kill themselves sooner or later because they're depressed and can't help themselves." My take on it is that taking one's own life either through drug abuse, negligence or other means affects not only the individual but whole families and communities who love and care about these people. Would they say, "Naw, just leave them alone. They brought this on themselves. If they don't care, why should we?" I say, because people get so far down in the well it is impossible to get out. That when we are in the weakest state, that to give their fate over to that weakness without intervention is immoral. There is more consideration now about making public drug use a crime. That those that do it should be arrested and taken in for detox and treatment, without their consent. I agree. As time goes on, there will be fewer users as they know it will mean being arrested. The side benefit is they will be fed, clothed, seen by a doctor, and many will be reconnected with family, who have given up on them. Many will be offered long-term housing by agencies, family or friends once they are clean. It gives them an opportunity. Some will become drug counselors to help others. It bothered me to see that part of the clip with the little child in the background within feet of bent over, knocked out men staring at the sidewalk, not knowing what they were doing.

I‘m very happy for Ben 👏 and wish him all the very best 🌷

More and more this drug is looking like it’s going to cause the zombie apocalypse.

HE IS TRULY A BLESSING, GOD BLESS HIM ON HIS JOURNEY...🙌🙏😘😇🗣️❤️

What is more amazing to me is they bend over in crazy ways and never fall over.

It seems odd to me that "the medical community is trying to understand what fentanyl actually does to the human body" ( 0:04 ) when it's used in hospital operating rooms everyday.

What keeps them from falling over?

Good reporting. 👍

This is very educational. We do need to force people into drug treatment. It worked for this man, and it would work for a lot of people. Great reporting, and exceptional delivery by Lyanne. She speaks clearly and well. So many reporters today can barely speak English!

Or maybe the mainstream news could start explaining to people why our southern border needs to be controlled to better stop a main thoroughfare for fentanyl getting here in the 1st place.

This is why it is so important to legalize drugs so bent-over Americans can enjoy their lives.

Well it’s all over Seattle