Helping a Vicodin addict

[jam]

My boyfriend has been batting vicodin addiction for over 1 year. At one point a few months ago, he stopped and got his life back on track after being unemployed, depresseed and addicted for 1 year. He continuously lied about the addiction and doctors visits even though it was completely obvious what he was doing. I really thought that he got his life on track, but he hasn't. He has started back up..seeking out doctors, getting the drug on the internet, etc. He tells me to "mind my own business" and let him handle this. Being that we live together, sharing not only our lives, but expenses etc, I feel that this is my business. He will not accept my help, I am willing to help him through this even though he has continuoulsy lied about this and his problem to me. I have lost alot of trust and respect for him at this point however. What do I do now? leave him? stay around and watch this whole cycle again? I love him and do want to share my life with him, but at this point, he is either in denial or just doesn't care what happens. Any advice here?

[tlv49]

Screw everyone where you live. Get Help! Your Children's mental health and safety depends on it! What if something happens in the middle of the night and they need you?!!!!
I know what I am talking about. My wife has been battling multiple addictions for 20 years. Multiple DWI's with kids in the car. It is a miracle they all survived to adulthood. She has been to inpatient rehab 3 times (6 weeks worth in the last yerar) and goes to AA meetings only to get drunk or high on the way home. I have given her an ultimatum to sober up completely or I will divorce her. I have come to the grimm realization that I have no choice but to protect myself. Our last child will move away to college in the fall and I have told all 3 not to come back. She will embrace sobriety or die sad lonely addicted and filled with self pity.

This may seem callous, but we have all been to her funeral in our minds too many times to count. I love her with all my heart but will not spend the rest of my life watching her poison and stupefy the beautiful, smart, caring person that she is when sober. I pray she succeeds.

[proudworkingmomof3]

I am a single mother of 3. I have a decent job and a "normal" life but I have also been fighting an addiction to vicodin and percocet for years and years. Nobody at all knows and I want to be free from this addiction but if I reach out for help I believe I could lode my job, my kids, my family's respect. I have always kept it "under control" and only take them at night after my responsibilities have been met. I have found it gives me the energy to do all of the things I need to get done as a single mother. Without them I am depressed, anxious, etc. I was that way before I ever took them and it feels like they "fix what's broken" in my brain. I just want to stop. I don't want this to be part of who I am any more but I am scared and ashamed and don't know what to do. Just trying to find anonymous support. I wont go to AA or NA meetings. My ex goes to them and everyone knows everyone where I live. That wont work for me. I need an alternative. Help please.

[MisPixie]

Hi. I've been reading a few of your post and I have a question. My doctor has prescribed low dose Norco for pain, genuine pain, for over 2 years and they have been taken for such pain, with very few exceptions. Ive had two surgeries and finally am feeling pain relief but I think Im addicted. If so, how can I stop and what can I expect after stopping?

[onlymovingup23]

Today is my 5th day on a weaning program from vicodin. On Friday, I ran out of my 10/325 hydrocodone script and didnt think anything of it bc i didnt think i was addicted to them.. well, little did i know i was in for a LOOOONNNGGG day.. at first, i thought it was the flu but then my emotions started in with it. I was freezing cold but couldnt stop sweating, i had terrible loose stool and then began to vomit. I felt guilty about EVERYTHING! I then realized, I was a drug addict.....

In August 2011 I gave birth to a beautiful healthy baby boy. I have always fought with depression and naturally of course I had post partum depression no matter how happy I really was for having a son now in our lives. As the weeks went on my body became more more painful and I knew something was physically wrong. After many tests, we finally narrowed it down. I had fibromyalgia. I was only 22 and I had a disease that could never be cured.. what did i do to deserve all of this?? After talking to the doctors we came up with a game plan; start taking a fibro med and a pain pill to ease the pain i was having while the fibro med worked itself into my system. Sounded like a great plan to me... I would have my good and bad days just like everyone. If it was a rough day i would take a vicodin to healp ease the pain and i could fall asleep... then it was everynight i would take a vicodin, then it was lunch and before bed.. you can see where this pattern is headed. I always told myself that it couldnt happen to me and i could stop anytime i needed too... As my rx was close to running out i began to panic, but no worries i got refills for about another 6 months...until friday that is... with my last refill i went through 90 pills in about 12 days... i took them bc i "needed" them right?! wrong! i took them bc they made me feel good and i didnt think about the problems that were really going on.. I am your average person with a great job, a wonderful loving husband and now a family.. how did i get myself in this position?? My body is now physically dependent on these little white pills and i feel like a complete failure. I just hope i can over come all of this and look back and say "trust me, it will get better" to another friend that goes through the same thing... I have the perfect life, so why did i need to ruin it with pills?

This withdrawl period will end but i just hope i will feel better emotionally without this medication. It has been my back up since my son has been born and now what am i going to do?

does anyone have advice on this?? I want to know im not crazy and all alone in this...

[Rosie209]

I am so tired or taking Norco 10/325 I have been abusing this drug for 3 years and need help!!! I have 4 kids that need me in their life and most of all the guit is killing me inside. I am so depressed about this sometimes I fell like my life dont mean anything! What did I do to deserve this! I hate being a addict and I really need help...Everyone sees me as a beautiful person but I am realy dying inside! I lost myself somewhere! PLEASE,PLEASE,PLEASE HELP ME!!!!!!!!

[cameron1122]

My fiance has been addicted to Vicodin for about 3 yeas now. We've been together for a year and I've known about his addiction for about 6 months now. Ill admit I haven't been the best support for him because I'm so tired of him constantly lying about taking them and if dragging me a long to go buy them. I've been better about it recently tho. He recently has "stopped" taking them but I can usually tell when he takens them by how slow he talks and his pupils and his amount of energy. He's admitted to me before that he wants to stop but doesn't know how. Anyways he's telling me he hasn't been on them in wks but I don't believe him. He's been trying to take my car to work an hour early recently which he never does or tells me he has to go run an errand and when I tell him I wanna go with him he gets mad and says he wants alone time. Well about a month ago I found out I was pregnant and after we found out he said he would stop for me and the baby but I know how hard it is for someone whose relied on the pills for so long to just stop lk he's claimed he's done. We've looked into rehab places before but they're so expensive. Does any1 have any suggestions please...I could really use the advice because I have no idea what to do anymore! I love him and I want to be with him I just don't know what to do at all. The worst part is I've told his immediate family about his problem hoping they'd be there for him but they just don't care at all and haven't said anything to him and don't want to....his family has never been there for him or cared...I'm the only one who has.

[ektnef]

Thanks for your response, it was quite kind.  Can you direct me to some of the up-to-date posts for this type of topic?  I cannot say I've overcome the desire to numb myself and/or change my emotional state with drugs/alcohol completely.  My issues are very directly related to what they call "treatment resistant depression" (I also call it 'ongoing existential angst').  Still, reasons for drinking or taking drugs can quickly take a second place to results of drug/alcohol use itself.  What starts as 'self-medication' becomes dependance and addiction. I empathize with people going through all of this.  Living isn't the easiest thing sometimes.
Thank you so much for responding!   I'm glad someone actually read what I wrote (given the date of the original post!) :)

[Rose703]

Hi and welcome to the forum!! This is a very old post but I wanted you to know I still read it and it sounds like you've overcome addiction yourself? I loved your response to Jam as it hit the nail right on the head.

If you ever need a friend let me know or post a question yourself and you will be amazed at the knowledge and caring from the people on this board. I found this board at the most important crossroads of my life and thanks to everyone here, I've never looked back. Thanks for your caring response and I do wish you would join in on the up to date posts as you have alot of caring insight!!

[ektnef]

I just looked at the time/date stamp on the original question and realized it's from 2000, eight years ago.  Well, I'm an idiot.  Still, I think the painkiller problem is just getting worse and the issue is still quite valid.  I don't post things on the internet much but if anyone reads any of my postings here, let me know. good luck to all.

[ektnef]

I empathize with many of you in all these situations (friends, spouses of users and addicts themselves).  I've been through some things myself and am still finding my way out.  I want to say that the help of loved ones and treatment programs are essential to overcoming addiction.  Still, there's one thing that seems to be lost in many of these discussions.  Addiction of all types (not just drugs and alcohol) is often a symptom of other issues.  With many people there is something that gets them to start and continue using.  But, as we all know, after a while, the catalyst for drug use becomes eclipsed by the psychological effects of the drug itself.   Basically, the alcoholic who took his/her first drink can no longer have one drink without drinking the whole bottle.  Psychology and biology conspire to make quitting feel impossible.   Most of us with any experience (personal or otherwise) know this well. The question I want to ask everyone here is, what do you do with your emotions when you leave your addictions behind?  

I don't have too much to offer "jam" except to tell her that if my husband actually noticed and was worried enough about me to post a question on the internet, I would be grateful.  Granted, I'd feel angry and violated for about five seconds before I realized he was actually observant and interested in my well-being.  No drug I've ever done would ever compare to him sitting me down, looking at me and saying, "Honey, what's going on in your head and how are you feeling right now?"  

I haven't done it in a while, but I've taken vicodin in the past to make the things in life that sadden me more bearable.  I know a lot of it is poorly-treated depression.  But I think that to overcome any drug problem, you have to replace it with something better...communication, expression, intimacy, exercise and so on.  

For "jam", the only advice I can offer (beyond what everyone else has said--treatment, therapy etc...) is to talk to him without judgment.  Just get him to talk (not too easy with most men!) Try to help him find out what exactly it is about drugs that makes him feel better (is it feeling high, happy, numb?)  It's different for everyone.  Try to help him think and feel before and beyond the drug use.  Help him figure out who he is, who he wants to be and what he wants his life to turn out like.  Try to see the drugs as a symptom of a problem.  But also help him see that while drug use may start out as a way of coping with other things, they eventually become the problem itself.

Good luck to you and your boyfriend.  

[Tonie47]

It sneaks up on you!!! don't do it!!! its not even good, you get rebound headaches and you think you need it to help the pain.,but you really really don't.  It took me a week.  I was restless, stomach pain, tremendous joint pain!!!! my bones ached, I thought I was developing arthritis.  The good part, no more constipation!!!!!! and now I can think better.  I must be very honest and say I never exceeded 5 or 6 a day.  I'm not sure how others do it, it gives you a severe stomach ache, and dry mouth.  You become sleepy...never good for a professional person, or anyone for that matter.  Just stop is all I can say.  I'm 125lbs, so maybe that amount for a female is excessive if you think about it.  It becomes an addiction, in my eyes, when you think you need it, you don't want to run out of it, you don't want to share it, you think about it all the time....Its like a love affair...sadly.  Most of us have had to get over at least one great love, so that's kinda how it is.  The best thing is you do get over that feeling of having to have it.  Then you find yourself and all the beauty you were missing.  Even food tastes better.  Your senses are awaken, and you also see everything you let go!  Fix it!!! You can do it.  Even if your life is a mess, you will be able to get the things you need to make it better once you're more aware.  Find your friends, your family, your support group, church, this forum!
Best wishes to all, I have the messiest house to clean, and I don't just mean my home.

[wait2long]

sorry hun, but you are posting to an old thread from year2000, 7 years ago.... we have all done it...LOL

[Bethanyatg]

You can not help someone that doesn't want the help. Your husband needs to have the energy and will to quite for himself. You should join alanon or one of those types of support groups to get help for yourself. You need to find your own happiness because your husband is not going to be there for you like he once was until he decides to get clean. An addiction is an addiction whether it be vicodin, methadone, percocet or even smoking. When your husband wants support be there for him but don't ruin your life trying to fix someone that doesn't want fixing. I am working at finding my own happiness and Alanon is giving me the support to do just that.  It is horrible to watch someone you love suffer so terribly. It hurts but there is help out there for him when he is ready and for you during these trying times.

[John]

You know everyone is asking about how much is too much, or if you need help.  Whatever the question may be, if you are thinking about being on pain killers allot as (maybe) being a problem,  99 percent of the time you are already crying out for help.  In my case I have been taking the hydrocodone for about 3 months straight, because I have severe dislocations of my shoulder on a regular basis, and have already had 2 operations.    I just came off the vicodin two days ago, after abusing the drug for about a month, taking much more than the recomended dosage.   At my peak I was taking 15 plus of the Vicodins each day.   So after taking that high (abusive) dosage of the drug for a period of time, I noticed ways it was effecting my life.  I was having more arguments with my girlfriend, I was turning into a lame person, that just wanted to sit around on the couch all day, meanwhile I usually am a very much an outdoorsman.   It was like I was going into hibernation.  Well realizing that being on the drug for the summer, has really destroyed my summer, I came off of the drug 4 days ago.  They way I did it, was called my doctor and had him cancell my prescriptions, telling him that I was abusing the drug, then flush the remainder of the pills down the toilet.  Next the little withdrawel kicks on.  Nothing serious, just feels like a weak version on the flu, with hot/cold sweats for a couple days, dizziness, stomach upset, and so on.  Dont worry about the symptoms,  they are strong enough to know why you are sick, and what you are going through, however, weak enough as not to affect your work or life.    So just hang tough, because they go away on the third or 4th day, and thats it, you are off.   Now the first leg of the battle is won.  The way I plan to finish the fight, is work only with my doctor who understands my problem, and this way we can work out alternative medications, instead of the narcotics, that some of us fall prey too.   Just remember, you ar e never alone, just seems so at the time,  but you bounce back quick,  its human nature.  I have never felt better than the past week,  back into my old routine of riding and working out everyday,  taking it day by day,.

[janie]

Hello,

      If there is any men out there can can help me with some questions about Lortab/Vicodin addiction that my husband has would you PLEASE email me at ***@**** I am wondering about  could these drugs make him sterile!  Please reply!

[Brian to Sick and Scared]

Narcotics are perfectly appropriate for chronic pain patients.  Tolerance will develop but this is NOT the same as addiction.  Please do not feel bad about using narcotics for chronic pain.  Those of us who are addicts are different from those with chronic pain and tolerance to their medications.  Are you having problems due to the medications?  Why do you ask if you are doomed?  Some people have to stay on narcotics for their entire lifetime.  Use a cost-benefit analysis.  Would your quality of life be any better if you stopped the narcotics and lived in terrible pain?  Doubtful.  Only you can decide however.  I know it is a difficult thing to face.  I wish you luck.

[DJG]

I started taking Vics in 1981 when I started having BackSurgeries now in the year 2000 after 6 Back Surgeries,Strokes,and having Diabetes I'm on Lorcet10/650 plus Oxycontin 80mg. Is there any hope for me, or am I doomed. The doctors say my pain is so severe it causes my blood pressure to rise, which effects me having mini strokes,and my sugar, so what do I do???????????Can anyone answer me or talk to me????????

[J.B. to Brian and Vicky]

To Elizabeth:

     Tell your friends to stop because it is just a matter of time before they get caught.  I had made copies of all my wife's scripts so it was easy to duplicate them on to script blanks I found at the medical center.  You really have to be desperate withdrawals or totally stoned to pass forged scripts.  When I look back at what I did it is mindboggeling considering that I was supposedly an outstanding member of my community.  Your friends may not be as lucky as I was!

   Take care,   JBRO

[J.B. to Brian and Vicky]

The way I got busted was my pharmacist told me he was out of MSIR but that he called another pharmacy that could fill my script. While leaving, I was met by two officers who took me into custody.  I confessed to the whole thing later when I realized that the police and my pharmacist were trying to help me out of this nightmare.  I live in a small town and everybody pretty much knew that I was in trouble.  I agreed to Detox and treatment and no charges were ever filed on me.  I was very lucky indeed.  I had taken over $740.00 of narcotics in less than four months and morphine is very inexpensive at about 50 cents per 30 mg dose.  It was a nightmare in every sense of the word.  

JBRO

[Brian to JBRO]

Yes, I can definately relate.  Studies with monkeys have shown they will choice an opiate over food and sex ALL of the time.  They will even choose the opiate over food until they starve!  Since our brain chemistry is similar, your own experiences are commonplace and expected with this serious disease.  Relapse, even after many years is not unusual.  The drug dreams are also pretty common and can continue for what seems like a long time after use.  The good news is that with time the cravings, drug dreams, etc. diminish.  The bad news is that you never know if they are gone for good, or are only lurking and waiting to come forward.  I guess that's why a program like NA seems to be so successful.  By keeping the addiction in the forefront of your mind, you are best equipped to battle it.  Good luck on the future and thank you for your service to our country.  I have high regard for those of you that served during the war everyone seems to want to forget.  Best wishes.

[To JBRO from Elizabeth]

I was just wondering about what happened when you were writing your own scripts and got busted? I have a good friend that has been doing the same thing for awhile, and I am so afraid they are going to get caught!!!!!! I would like to know how you were doing it and how you got caught,if you would please give me any info. it would really help. I keep telling my friend they are going to get caught and he does not think so!! So I was thinking that if I could tell him a story of someone, like you, getting caught it may help?? Thanks for any help you can give!!

[jbro]

I am a morphine addict.  I became addicted thirty years ago from medication I recieved for wounds suffered in Viet Nam.  I went through withdrawals and treatment in 1971. I then went about my life and never really thought about my addiction as a serious problem.

In 1994, my wife had colon cancer and was prescibed Lortab in large quantities.  Later on she had to have morphine and Dilaudid.  To cut a long story short, I was hooked again.  I remember crying as I took her morphine and injecting it into my own arm!  I also wrote perscriptions for more over several months which eventually got me busted and into Detox.  Now, after several years I still think about narcotics daily.  It is like a lost Lover that I am seeking.  Does this make any sense to anyone out there?  The saying is "Once a junkie, always a junkie".  I still have dreams at night about the stuff which are more real than those of even SEX.  I think that the feeling one gets from narcotics can be compared to an orgasm and the delivery method is the act itself.  Can you relate?

Thank you!
JBRO

[Vinnie to Karen]

Karen, the 1st step and the big one is DO YOU WANT TO STOP? if the answer is yes and im sure it is. look at your self in the mirror, Karen we all love the vike buzz, can you live like this forever? ***@****

[Karen to Vinnie]

Vinnie--
I think the approach depends upon the type of person you are.  If you are a strong loner type, then on your own perhaps with the help of a good doctor (not one who's watchin is own butt/wallet).  On the other hand, if you are social and like being around people, Narcotics anonymous might be helpful.  If you have to be taken care of for the first few days and your insurance will pay, the treatment center (though heavily after $$$)will provide that type of care, and take you to your first few variety of meetings (AA, NA, CA, and in bigger cities Rational Recovery).  All of these options simply require a few phone calls and a whole lot of courage.  Good luck.  There are people who can help.

Karen