Pain pill withdrawl(withdrawal) symptoms

I had to pick up my brother from work today.
He has been to rehab for pain killer addiction.
My family and I think he is still using.
He said he must have food poisoning.
He had vomiting and diarrhea.
He was crying, which is not like him.
He said he was to weak to carry his tool box and that
he had muscle aches, between his shoulder blades, sharp, like a knife.
He would jerk his head or other parts of his body a few times.
I was driving, so I just saw this briefly.
He wanted to go to the ATM and then was trying to get a hold of a friend who was going to give him some amoxicillan, supposedly, to cure what might be the flu.
I dropped him off at a girl friends who was going to take care of him.
In retrospect, I wish I had the strength to just drop him off in front of a hospital and leave.
But, what if it was the flu or food poisoning.
How do you tell the difference?

[cathy5841]

sorry you are going through this.  those symptoms could be the flu, but with a pill addiction in his past it could be w/ds.  there is no way to tell for sure.  i would just confront him...and ask are you using.  we all know addicts are notorious liars, but at least he would know you were on to him.  and just maybe he will be honest and seek help.  good luck.

[122 Tactical Fighter Group]

Ceertainly sounds a lot more like withdrawal instead of food poisoning to me.You do not use amoxillin for flu. Its a penicillin type thing. Why the ATM if the friend is giving him some pills? Muscle twitches are pretty common with withdrawals...........

[pemberley]

I think your right about confronting him.
I thought about calling him earlier this evening.
But it is frustrating, because his reactions are so predictable.
He will never admit to anything, he vehemently denies any accusations.
So I just felt it would be of no use.
But now that I think about it, I should confront him and tell him that I just can't be there the next time, because I can't know for sure whether he is being truthful with me.
Unfortunately, my Mother buries her head in the sand and never confronts him
and my Father is down his throat and never trusts him.
I really don't want to get mixed up in any of it.
But seeing him look like a junky today really hit home.
Thanks,
P

[VicoMom]

It is tough to see someone you really care about throwing their lives away. It's also very hard to be constantly on-guard and aware of every little indication that there might be a problem and at the same time trust someone who proves to be untrustworthy time and time again. I have been on both sides of this... I have watched someone spiral out of control and lie and cheat and steal to get what they needed and been helpless to help and often times almost too frustrated to care anymore and I have also been that person spiraling out of control...

The addict in me tells me that with what you described... the upset stomach, body aches, weakness could very well be the flu... But that coupled with the ATM, the friend who was going to give him antibiotics for what he thinks is the flu... Well, I know what it means when I am like that... But - I don't know your brother so I really hate to speculate...

The thing is... It will ultimately have to be him who makes the decision to stop. A lot of times, a person has to find the bottom or get so fed up with chasing their drug around and around that they just say, "Enough already."

All you can do is be there for him when that time comes...

Good Luck to you and your family.

[pemberley]

Thank you for your supportive comment.
My instinct tells me he's using.
I hope my confronting him will do more good than harm.

[owhatamistake]

Man...that sure sound suspicious to me....but, I hate to pass judgment.  I would certainly confront him and see what he says.  Have you seen him since he got his *antibiotics*?  The problem is the flu is a virus and antibiotics aren't used to treat viruses.  If he's all better.........hmmmmm...:::::shaking head:::::::  Good luck and let us know!

[bluespence]

Plus if it were really the flu..why not go to the Doctor instead of a friend's house...sorry doesn't make sense and like Judge Judy would say "If it doesn't make sense then it is probably a lie!"

Sorry....

[owhatamistake]

Pretty much. :-)

[worried878]

He is lucky to have u tho...u do care...some do not have someone to care