Question Title: pain pill dependency

I have a close friend who I am getting very concerned about. She has been dependent
on vicodin for several months, since she had back surgery about 9 months ago and even
before then from two previous surgeries. After this last one healed she just could't give
up the vicodin, has taken it for cramps, headache, backache, you name it. She tells her doctor
she needs it and maybe sometimes she does, but usually she is taking it when I know she
is not truly in pain. I have been being treated for disc degeneration and am going to have
lumbar fusion soon, and I have been put on oxycontin. She started taking these from me, I didnt
know for a long time, couldnt figure out why I was running out sooner than I should. As my dosage
has increased she has kept this up, and now I take 60 mg 4xday, and I found out she is taking them f
from me and has increased her own dosage to the same 60 mg!! Now, of course, her vicodin no longer
cut it for her. I dont know what to do, I told her she cant have my pills but she is acting all
panicky and saying she cant go without them. She is in school and is heavily into her studies.
How can she get off these? Will she need a treatment center? What are the side effects, and is it
dangerous for her to be cut off cold turkey? She says she wants to try to wean herself but I know
shell never do it, she has no self control with addictive substances. Your
advice will be extremely apprecitated, I just dont know what to do and this is interfering
with my own treatment and I surely don't want my own doctor or hers to get into trouble.
thanks.

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Your friend is in a very serious situation, she is obviously seriously
addicted to narcotic prescription drugs and needs help very soon.
It is not advisable that she attempt to do this herself, quitting "cold turkey"
could be extremely dangerous and you cannot continue to support this habit.
She needs help from a specialist in addiction and may need inpatient treatment,
I realise it may be difficult but I suggest you give her a deadline, saying
that your drugs will no longer be available to her after a certain point (soon )
thereby forcing her to take action.
You cannot continue to subsudise this addiction by giving her your pills,
ideally you should go withnher to a doctor and help her to set up some
sort of program to get out of this situation.
Another option would be to contact the physician who prescribed her drugs
in the first place and have him / her organize help, the origional
prescriber bears some responsibility for this situation and is obliged to help.
You haver proven to be a good friend so far but you need to take this situation
a step further as soon as possible.

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