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Nurse addict, Help
12 days without using wnet back to work for 2 nights and used each night, now at 5 days without using back at work tommorow. I am DESPERATE not to use again this comming rotation. Does anyone have any tips on how to manage ones self around all that temptation. I am close to losing everything.\
Just thought of something. You don't have to tell us the drug you are taking, but could you tell us if it's a pill or an injectable? The reason I ask is that there's a huge difference in Schedule III and Schedule II drugs as far as the law is concerned. Schedule II can get you some federal charges and even federal prison jail time in addition to everything else. And if that doesn't scare you, nothing will! Post as often as you can--you'll need support tonight most of all. See you soon.....
Welcome! I am glad you are here.
You HAVE to get another nursing job. There are many nursing opportunities that do not feature yummy (for you, anyway) drugs! I realize that you may have to take a pay cut or another job you might not like quite as well, but this is not just your license on the line....it's your future. You can go to jail. No one will hire you. Some states are much stricter on guidelines for impaired nurses. It will totally mess up your life, far worse than you think it is now. Your job can do a urine test any time of day or night if they suspect any nurse of stealing from the cookie jar, so to speak. They also can test everyone if the narcotic count for the shift is off. You could be caught being perfectly innocent that shift but them finding traces of something you took a couple days ago in your urine! There are also hair tests that can tell what you've been taking a year ago up to the present.
It's hard when the helper needs help. You were brave to write and tell us what's going on. Start today by checking the guidelines in your state for impaired nurses. There's a reason you wrote today----your "spider sense" is going off big time. Get out NOW.
You HAVE to get another nursing job. There are many nursing opportunities that do not feature yummy (for you, anyway) drugs! I realize that you may have to take a pay cut or another job you might not like quite as well, but this is not just your license on the line....it's your future. You can go to jail. No one will hire you. Some states are much stricter on guidelines for impaired nurses. It will totally mess up your life, far worse than you think it is now. Your job can do a urine test any time of day or night if they suspect any nurse of stealing from the cookie jar, so to speak. They also can test everyone if the narcotic count for the shift is off. You could be caught being perfectly innocent that shift but them finding traces of something you took a couple days ago in your urine! There are also hair tests that can tell what you've been taking a year ago up to the present.
It's hard when the helper needs help. You were brave to write and tell us what's going on. Start today by checking the guidelines in your state for impaired nurses. There's a reason you wrote today----your "spider sense" is going off big time. Get out NOW.
What will work for you can you go to AA can you stay quit on your on. My advise is try to go to at least 2 meetings a week. I would rather go than drink it will get you out of your stinking thinking we call it in AA. Good Luck.
Hang in there.....I think you have gotten some great advice....AFTERCARE!!! My wife is an RN and she tells me of nurses they suspect having problems.....They have some great programs at the hospital or the NA or AA if you want to be discrete.
I too had a problem......I would go sober as long as I did not have access to them. It was a visious cycle. One day, after detoxing a 1,000 times said enough! I was spending all my time and energy on maintaining my habit. I was losing the things around me and just didn't realize it! I am now 6 months sober and I will have to tell you that I am stronger than ever. Life on the other side is truly wonderful and I say that will all due seriousness! It is 1000 times better than my best "high" on pills. Towards the end of my usage I was taking anywhere from 150-200 mg's of almost anything mostly hydro and oxy.....I had a slight bout with methadone and let me tell you that was a doosie!
Anyways, you sound a lot like me and I did it with the support of a local AA group.....I seem to fit in better with AA vs. NA.....Best of luck to you but you do know you have to do something right? Good luck and God bless!
I too had a problem......I would go sober as long as I did not have access to them. It was a visious cycle. One day, after detoxing a 1,000 times said enough! I was spending all my time and energy on maintaining my habit. I was losing the things around me and just didn't realize it! I am now 6 months sober and I will have to tell you that I am stronger than ever. Life on the other side is truly wonderful and I say that will all due seriousness! It is 1000 times better than my best "high" on pills. Towards the end of my usage I was taking anywhere from 150-200 mg's of almost anything mostly hydro and oxy.....I had a slight bout with methadone and let me tell you that was a doosie!
Anyways, you sound a lot like me and I did it with the support of a local AA group.....I seem to fit in better with AA vs. NA.....Best of luck to you but you do know you have to do something right? Good luck and God bless!
Hi there! You simply shouldn't go to work. Can you see the pattern that I just saw,Sweetie? Work is making you use along with a little addiction thrown in! I really don't think you CAN manage yourself around it. It IS temptation,even for nurses who aren't addicts. Trust me! I've been a nurse since birth!! Well, it feels that way...and anyone has to be pretty tightly wrapped not to take anything. It's nature sometimes...
So, what can we do to help YOU? What do you want to know? How much do you understand about addiction?
There are so many great people here, you'll get a plethora of suggestions! My suggestion is don't go to work. It's way to dangerous for everyone and you DO NOT WANT TO GET CAUGHT! I'm not yelling at you. You just don't want to go down that road. I'll tell you, I was extremely lucky in that I didn't divert any drugs (they just didn't have my brand) and I was always sober at work. Doesn't make me wonderful;it makes it all the harder to admit you're in a lot of trouble...
Keep posting!
So, what can we do to help YOU? What do you want to know? How much do you understand about addiction?
There are so many great people here, you'll get a plethora of suggestions! My suggestion is don't go to work. It's way to dangerous for everyone and you DO NOT WANT TO GET CAUGHT! I'm not yelling at you. You just don't want to go down that road. I'll tell you, I was extremely lucky in that I didn't divert any drugs (they just didn't have my brand) and I was always sober at work. Doesn't make me wonderful;it makes it all the harder to admit you're in a lot of trouble...
Keep posting!
I can only imagine how hard this is for you. I have a really good friend who became addicted to narcotics, ativan and ambien and lunesta. She got to the point she was stealing meds from work and from her dad, who was dying of pancreatic cancer. She eventually found an impaired nurses group and they helped her get sober and she kept her license. You are in a really tough spot, but if you can find an impaired nurses group, they'll help you tremendously. Are you withdrawing when you don't use or is it just more the mental addiction at this point? You cannot put your patients in jeopardy. Nursing is sooo tough at the best of times. (I just had a 6-day stay inpatient and can't believe how overworked the nursing staff is ... really, I hated to bother them for anything!!)
The best thing you can do for yourself (and your patients) is to seek help from whatever group is available to you. Lots of doctors, nurses, pharmacists ... lawyers ... there's someone in every profession that suffers from this disease. Get yourself the help that you need so you can move forward. All the best.
The best thing you can do for yourself (and your patients) is to seek help from whatever group is available to you. Lots of doctors, nurses, pharmacists ... lawyers ... there's someone in every profession that suffers from this disease. Get yourself the help that you need so you can move forward. All the best.
you have to get counseling ,one on one and also get to some support groups.
you have to learn the reason you use and learn the tools to help you remain a recovering addict and not an active one.
is it possible not to dispense the meds for awhile?
can you take a leave from work?
you need to get stronger mentally before you put yourself back in the line of fire.
you have to learn the reason you use and learn the tools to help you remain a recovering addict and not an active one.
is it possible not to dispense the meds for awhile?
can you take a leave from work?
you need to get stronger mentally before you put yourself back in the line of fire.
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