Everyone

[anaddictswife]

I am a wife and mother. My husband has a long time addiction prob.  Alcohol and pills.  Alcohol he kicked to the curb finally 3 years ago.  The pills have proved much harder.  Recently he was feeling unwell, lethargic and has lost a lot of weight.  He got some blood tests done.  The next day the dr rang me and told me to take him to hospital immedicately, he needed a blood transfusion ASAP.  His Haemoglobin was 70 (should be around 140) and his iron level was 3 (should be around 100). After 2 units of packed cells (blood) and a bag of iron transfused, he finally admitted to dr at hospital that he has a NUROFEN PLUS addiction.  He has over time (3 years) been able to build this up to 96 tabs a day.  Every day.  Further tests revealed that he has severe ulcerative Osphegitis, many duedenal erosions and a pyloric channel ulcer.  We still are waiting further tests to reveal where all his blood is going.  He has had a colonoscopy, a gastroscopy, xrays, cat scans and now waits for more blood tests and a capsule endoscopy.  Why are these available over the counter, from what i have read in here...they appear to be highly addictive.  My family has been thru hell in the last few weeks and now they have him on valium to help with the withdrawals.  Which is yet another thing that must be monitored and managed.  And yes it is me that will monitor and manage this.  Yet again.  There have already been arguments over how many he can have at once.  As a life partner of an addict, people need to  know it is damned hard on us too.  We cry, we plead, we threaten and we LOVE.  Question:  Anyone have any suggestions for severe leg cramping, he is still having them and has been withour the NP for 2 weeks now....any ideas?

[alexandra fox]

Hello, this is alex here, I'm from australia too, and am also hooked on N+, was taking up to 48 per day, now in preparation for my withdrawal date of Nov 15th I have cut down to 39. Like your husband, I am terribly anemic, doc wanted to do all those tests but I said no because I didn't want to explain my addiction. I have sent you a private message, just in case you want to have an email chat with a fellow Aussie, but I will say I feel for you enoumously. I have been with addicts as my partners, and it is incredibly painful, difficult and incomprehensible, especially if you are not an addict - from the outside looking in, addiction is madness, and from the inside too it IS madness, but the compulsion to use against all sense and reason is akin to being posessed by something.

Cramping legs - make sure he is not dehydrated, eat bananas for potassium, plus vitamin supplements - having been losing so much blood and with his tummy such a shredded mess, it is likely your hubby is very undernourished, and would not have been taking in nutrients, which will just retard the healing that his tract has to do.

Tummy - something called "slippery elm" is helping me, fine powder bought at health shops, mixed with water, creates a soothing slimy lining on the intestinal mucosa and helps it to heal. Since taking this stuff, my previously chronic ulcer pain has eased. Not the best taste, just bland and woody, but it did the trick for me.

All the best to you,
Alex

[justlikeyou]

if and when he feels better your going to need to discover why he started with the pills...what was wrong?

[savingourmarriage]

I too am a wife of a vicodin/alcohol addict who is just days into his recovery of a 10-15 year addiction.  I do not understand why the drs are so unaware of these addicts right under their nose.  Unfortunately, it does leave the spouse to deal with the constant trials and tribulations of addmission, recovery and maintainence while still having love and respect?

  This is exhausting  trying to stay one step ahead of an addict who may not want what is best for him or you.  I wish you and I the best of luck in maintaining our strength and sanity throughout our husbands recovery.  I sure hope someday that this will not consume our life, leaving many good years to enjoy.

Sincerely, Understanding

[Teelee1979]

I am also the wife of a xanax/alcohol addict.  Our life together started out wonderful....9+years ago.  He was not taking any prescriptions at that time. We had 2 beautiful daughters together.  Then he was diagnosed with hepc 3 years ago and did the horrific treatment for that for a year which did him no good.  It was pure hell for him.  The doc put him on antidepressants and xanax before he began his treatment for hep c and he is still on them and drinks almost every evening.  Life has gotten very difficult.  I feel so alone and he is scared to try and get off of any of his medication for fear of siezures, etc.  I try so hard to be supportive.  At this point our future looks so dim.  He has his next appt with doc in dec and said he will mention to him about his addiction and that he wants to wean off of his meds. He is so good at convincing the doc in the past that he has no problem with xanax, and has told me he has to have it in order to cope with dying from hep c.He is in the early stages, but all these drugs and the alcohol only make it worse. I know it all has got to be so hard for him.  I just cant stand to see him withering away like this and he cant cope without it at all at this time.  It never seems to be a good time for him to go talk to the doc, now the holidays, and for his work which is a high stress job, there is never a good time, nor will there ever be. Any words of wisdom are welcome.  I am so glad to find this place, been needing to talk to someone about it.  So lonely here.

[secretsquirrel]

hi guys- i've been reading this forum for the last week- and it has helped me kick the n+ !! writing this i am in disbeleif - as i haven't had anyone to actually share the news with.  i am in aus- and like most of you this has been a secret thing . after taking at least 18 tablets a day for the past 3.5yrs i knew i had to do something soon. i was getting kidney pain every now and then, and horrible stomach burning. then on the Sunday i really hurt my back/ kidney, and went to the doc. got given panadeine forte- so decided to take this instead to go easier on my stomach. (side note- i have been addicted to herion in my past- and recovered on methodone, and then subutex ). the pain continued, so i started looking on the net and got freaked out about liver and kidney damage. i thought i was going to die- was home alone and feinted, not knowing if it was my organs or just anxiety- but it was scary enough to make me decide to quit cold turkey.. ... i have endured every painful minute since then- day 1 was bad- diahrrea, headache, legs starting. - took 1 valium to help the worst of it... day 2- all of the above + major leg cramp, severe stomach burn/pain, abdominal cramping, even my ankles and elbows ached... day 3- ventured to health store and i also got some slippery elm, and l-tyrosine. i have 5htp here for the first few nights. these all helped. day4- starting to subside- with the supplements mood is good as feeling empowered. day5- my legs still ache at night. got a lymphatic drainiage massage- highly recommend this to dislodge the toxins from ur body. my stomach is still sensitive and still have loose stool.finally got more than 2hrs sleep in a row! yay... day6- again a little better, but still uncomfortable abdomin (abdomen), loose stool (been going 10 times a day still!). discovered buscopan to help releive cramping. difficult sleep again- up for 1.5hrs during the night. day7- hopeful that symptoms will subside- emotional today.. didn't take l-tyrosine as want natural mood balance. still with the loose stool. realised i have lost 4kg this withdrawal! is this usual? i went from 64kg to 60kgs!! i am wondering when my digestive system will be recovered ? i am eating banana's, yogurt drinks, vegetables, rice and chicken, taking multi V, fish oil, milk thistle, slippery elm when needed and just starting st johns wort. oh another thing, now my throat is sore! arghh is this further withdrawal or am i getting a cold now too ?? ............                  officially in day 8 now so hopefully tonight will bring rest and repair-- it is a good thing tho.. i'm feeling free and lucky to be here.. best of luck to you all out there struggling with this.. read these forums- hear others stories and advice.. the herbal supplements help a lot. get spiritual, reconnect.. good luck xxxxxxxx  and thank you!

[secretsquirrel]

oh also- i got some relief by drinking peppermint green tea, using a heat pack on my legs, tummy, back and having baths..

[alexandra fox]

hello to another aussie! Good on you, thank you so much for posting the detail of your withdrawal, i was very interested to read your story, all of that is waiting for me in november, so it is great to hear that you got through it! Me too heroin and methadone in the past - I'm scared that you were having kindney pain at 18 pills a day, s*** what am i doing to mine?

How terrific to be 8 days off the rubbish, and boy oh boy what rubbish it is! I was kind of hoping (deluding myself) that I wont get crook, but I think I need to accept that it might not be pleasant. I also got supplements etc, where did you get 5htp from, I havent been able to find it here?

If you would like to write to me, just click on my blue name and send message - I'd appreaciate hearing your progress, as I hope to be following in your footsteps within a month.

All the best to you, just keep going on your path, you are doing all the good things for your body and your spirit, just give it time for things to get back to normal.


Alex

[eliminnopee]

     I know this is way way  off the subject and I hope not inappropriate, but, I have a question for you.  Is Keith Urban famous down under like he is in the USA?

[alexandra fox]

LOL, you are so asking the wrong person here LOL

I am totally illiterate about the names of movie stars, I know Brangelina, Madonna, a couple of others, and thats about it. So yes, I have heard of him, but as to how famous or not, no idea.

:-))  I am what is called a nerd I think

[secretsquirrel]

haha- he's a singer : ), not an actor .. as to his level of fame in Aus - not sure -  i don't subscribe to the mainstream so much either... sorry!

[secretsquirrel]

just a quick update- day 8 is a million times better than day 7! i slept, only waking once, for 8hrs and no more leg ache! finally!

[wait2long]

if you dont mind me asking...what is NUROFEN?  and why IS IT available over the counter if it is so addictive?  
is the medical community aware of this, or is this drug somewhat new?

[alexandra fox]

Nurofen plus is 200mg ibuprofen and 12.8mg codeine per tablet. In australia, codeine is available over the counter - I think this is one of the higher amounts of codeine per pill, others such as panadeine are 500mg acetomiphen/8mg codeine or mersyndol 500mg acetom/9.6mg codeine. So to get a decent dose of the codeine unfortunately one has to ingest a lot of **** with it. The fact that it is an OTC headache/pain pill is how I got started on it, to treat headache pain.

And not new, and I suspect more and more the medical community will realise that addiction is a potential problem.

[wait2long]

thanks for the reply...  wow, that simply amazes me that something addictive can be sold OTC...but its the same in Canada i hear...and then again alcohol is also...good luck hun...and keep on posting, it does help as long as you continue to get positive feedback!!  XXOO

[anaddictswife]

Thanks everyone for sharing your stories, it was good to hear that some of the systems he is having such as frequent loo visits and aching legs are a part of this, as I wasnt sure.  

Teelee & Saveourmarriage - Your words brought a tear to my eye.  I so know exactly how you are feeling.  I hope everything turns out the how you would like it too and i wish you so much luck.  xxx TC

Alexander - Thank you for your advice.  I wish you ALL THE VERY BEST - good luck with 15 Nov.

Secret Squirrel - You seem to be doing great, good luck to you too.

Eliminoppee - Keith Urban seems to be bigger there than here. lol.

wait2long - I have been wondering whether this OTC lunacy is all political/drug company ****.  Is our government living in the pockets of these mulit billion dollar companies at the expense of our community, our families ???  They KNOW it is addictive.

[wait2long]

that is so possible...but stomach turning at the same time...how scary is that, they have some major control in this world (drug companies)...when actually...they should have no control, because we all know the majority of them only care about the $$$$ and never mind the people who suffer from their products...scary situation, HUH???

[ithink]

[ithink]

I too am cutious what Nurofen plus is? Is it an Austrailian thing?