My dad has been taking Tramadol for 3 years. Before he started taking it, he was addicted to hydrocodone. The family doctor we both see was very free with handing out the painkillers in the past. My doctor was prescribing me 180 pills of Tramadol a month. The nurse that prescribed them told us they were not much stronger than Tylenol, and she didn't warn us of their highly addictive nature. I don't take them anymore, but I know my father does, and I am so worried about his health. He is in his 50's and has high blood pressure, he also smoke at least one pack of cigs a day, and he only gets a few hours of sleep each night.
I take Adderall for ADHD, and my father knows I take it and what the physical side effects are. A couple of months ago he told me that he has been buying a few pills of Adderall here and there from a guy that works at his mall. KNowing my dad and his history of drug dependency/addiction, I just know he is probably abusing Adderall in addition to Tramadol and got knows what else the stupid doctor will give him. Sometimes when I see him I can tell he has not been to sleep for a day or so. I mentioned the Adderall issue to my stepmother, but I didn't tell her that I knew he was definitely buying them.. I don't know what to do...I want to help but I don't know how.