vicodin

[ready_to_run]

My husband has been taking vicodin for pain for 4 years since he had a hip replacement. He has changed tremendouly, VERY negative, explosive, reads the news paper, as usual, for cover to cover and TALKS about all the bad things. He is never happy unless he's drunk. I think he has a serious problem and he doesn't. How can I help him see what he has become???????

[nyychic]

It isn't that he's definatly addicted to them I was on them (vicodin 10/550's) for a year and I became like that.  Once off the pills I was fine.  I wasn't addicted to them but I was dependant upon them to relieve the pain.  It's hard.  I still take one here and there (mostly when the barometric pressure changes) But I had surgery on my back and don't need to use them very often.  Thing is I knew what I was doing but it didn't feel like my fault.  It was kind of like the kids would act up I'd yell at them and when I questioned if I should have yelled then I would rationalize it with "He was out of line or he knows better"  I knew that I was out of like I had my mother help me.  It's a hard line and you have to get him off of it for the real realization to hit.  It's not easy but it's worth it!!  If he's addicted it may be hard.  Like I said I wasn't addicted I stopped 4 days after my surgery!!.  But if he's addicted it may prove difficult.Good luck to you with it I hope that it works out for you guys!!

[idesofmarch]

Drinking on top of vicodin is very dangerous.  I would have a sit down talk with him when he is sober and get him to see that he shouldn't be still taking vicodin 4 years after his surgery.  If he continues to have pain he should get an MRI to see why. Does he get his meds from different doctors and use different pharmacies? If so he knows that he is scamming himself and other.  Look into Alanon for family and friends of  addict/alcoholics for support.  You can't force him to change or cause situations like throwing out his pills or alcohol to make him stop.  Get that support for your family before you make altamatems (sp?) like leaving him or kicking him out.  You make get to that later with a intervention with help-but lets hope that it doesn't have to go that far. He will probably cover all his tracks once you get wise to his addictions.  be careful.  If he ever uses mental, emotional or physical abuse on you or others, get out and call the police.  Please don't think twice, just do it.  Keep in touch...

[el_dave]

How much has his dosage increased over four years? IOW how many mg. daily did he start at, and how many mg. daily does he now consume? How much APAP is in the vikes? If he's not meeting his tolerance requirements, they may still work to alleviate any pain (especially since by now it may be mostly psychological) but leave him wanting more to achieve a buzz. Do you know about proglumide? Do you know about grapefruit juice?

-El Dave

[BLONDIE41785]

my husband was  addicted to Vicodin,Percoset ,drinking, etc. he schemed and scammed to get the pills. he often stolled scripts from drs offices and wrote his own medication. well, he finally got caught, went jail and was sentenced for 3 yrs upstate. i tried ton convince the ada to put him into treatment because he was an addict but the courts dont really care.

he went upstate to Elmira correctional facility but he was still addicted. his letters started getting more and more depressing each passing day. one night,around midnight the phone rang and i heard my 16 yr old daughter scream "daddys dead". ill never forget that scream. you see between the pain and the addiction he did anything to ease it. so he did the one thing he swore he would never do in his life...Heroin. at age 37 he died alone in a cold cell leaving behind a wife and 3 kids.that was 4 and a ahlf years ago. yes he overdosed on HEROIN

we suffer everyday. we long to see him one last time. im telling you this because addiction is more serious than you know. in the end it will take your life and leave pain and destruction.

please do all you can to help your husband, but he has to want the help. intervention may help. start going to alonon or support group for families of addicts so they can guide you through this crisis. dont wait until its too late. dont try to do it alone

your in my thoughts
cathy

[triedeverymed]

People change while addicted to opiates, I did. He needs and intervention of sorts. Tell him that if he doesn't sober up, you are going to leave and set a time limit, then stick with it. He needs to see his addiction is holding the family hostage and the family isn't going to tolerate it anymore. If he doesn't get help, he will continue to spiral downward and you don't want to be around to see that. Don't enable him, give him one option, treatment!