Aa
Just Need To Rant
I have been running out of my pain meds early. It has happened before but now for the last three months I have run out early. At first I thought it was me. Maybe I was getting busy and forgeting and maybe taking an extra dose or something but I was very very carefukl this month and now I am out 5 DAYS EARLY!!! I think someone in my family has been taking my pain meds not caring about the fact that I will now be in pain for several days.
My mom had the same problem awhile back and we figured out who it was and we turned her in and also called the local Dr's clinic (there is only one) we live on a Reservation and everyone goes to the same clinic, and we turned her in for taking my mom's pills. Well she got questioned and they did a urine test and she had my mom's meds and not her own in her system. We know that this happened cause she confronted us and cussed us out for turning her in and said we should be understanding cause she is a relative. They also cut her off of her own pain meds for violating her contract with her doctor. I know that this suggestion and some of the others may sound severe, they are not, when you have pain severe pain not just the kind a tylenol can get rid of, than you treasure your pain meds they are your lifeline to normalcy. Do what you need to do to keep your meds save, even if you sleep with them under your pillow, do it cause if you run out before your time and have to continuously call in for an early fill, you will be the one to pay for someone else's bad deed. It is not your fault for someone elses's addiction or problem. Each of us have been through the ringer and feel greatful to even get pain meds these days, so please no matter who it is confront them and keep your meds safe. I am sorry you have to go through this. Be strong, hope suggestions help.
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Thank you! This will never happen again. I am going to keep a days supply in locked drawer in my desk at work. I will caryy only 1 days supply with me from now on and I have purchased a lockbox. I am taking no chances on this happening again.
Believe me, I understand how you feel. I just feel so badly for you being in such pain for two more days for something that is not your fault.
Ghilly
Ghilly
I doubt it. My doctor has already called it in to the pharmacy but it is on hold until the 12th. I'm not sure if they will or not. It also depends on who you talk to. Some of the people at the office are a little more willing to work with you than others. I hate to call and ask them for early refills. It makes me feel like guilty even when I have done nothing wrong.
It doesn't surprise me that the person you suspect the most is one that is on you about taking them. It's probably all an act so that they would be the LAST one you would suspect. Unfortunately the discovery has come at your expense, but at least now you know and will never trust them again.
Do you have to wait the whole two and a half days? Won't your doctor renew them even a DAY early so that you don't have to go that whole time? I know that my renewal day is the 23rd. I would be able to call him on the 21 and have him overnight my prescription for the 22nd so that I could get it filled in time so as not to miss a dose on the 23rd. Is there no way you could talk to your doctor today and see if you could get a refill a LITTLE early so you don't have to suffer any longer?
Ghilly
Do you have to wait the whole two and a half days? Won't your doctor renew them even a DAY early so that you don't have to go that whole time? I know that my renewal day is the 23rd. I would be able to call him on the 21 and have him overnight my prescription for the 22nd so that I could get it filled in time so as not to miss a dose on the 23rd. Is there no way you could talk to your doctor today and see if you could get a refill a LITTLE early so you don't have to suffer any longer?
Ghilly
I am two and a half days away from my refill. I am pretty cranky and I'm hurting pretty bad by now. I am doing what I can with OTC meds for now but they really do not help much.
Wow, you are a regular medicine Sherlock Holmes.
The really sad thing about the person that I think is stealing mine is that this person is always on me about being dependant on meds. But they are the only person who had any kind of access to my meds at all.
The really sad thing about the person that I think is stealing mine is that this person is always on me about being dependant on meds. But they are the only person who had any kind of access to my meds at all.
Hi Ghilly,
I am glad you found out who was stealing your medications and took action I only wish the police had been able to catch them. When we have medications stolen it is very hard for us to believe that people would have us suffer so they can have pleasure from them , but as you say when its family it just makes it incredibly sad. If these people had to go through just one day of the pain we suffer and not have any relief they would see their "pleasure" in a whole new light.
I am glad you found out who was stealing your medications and took action I only wish the police had been able to catch them. When we have medications stolen it is very hard for us to believe that people would have us suffer so they can have pleasure from them , but as you say when its family it just makes it incredibly sad. If these people had to go through just one day of the pain we suffer and not have any relief they would see their "pleasure" in a whole new light.
I got so angry when I read your post!! How DARE someone from your OWN FAMILY care so little about you that they would put you in this position!!!! It is bad enough that we cannot trust the world-at-large to be honest and not steal from us, but FAMILY?!?! That is just reprehensible!
I would go one step further than the lock box. I had a problem a couple of years ago with an employee here that I was training. The ONLY time in my 10+ years of pain management that I have been short on my meds save for the time I was stupid and forgot to call for my refill on the correct day was the time that at the end of the month I was 22 pills short because the employee I was training was hitting my pill bottle when I wasn't looking while I was training her at work. I hadn't even TOLD her that I TAKE pain meds, so I didn't think about anything happening, but apparently when I was in the ladies' room or otherwise away from the front desk, she went through my purse and read the label on the bottle.
After that, I decided to set her up. I obviously did not want to lose any more pills, so I "faked" pills by taking Tylenol tablets and cutting them into quarters with my pill splitter so they would sound the same as my little pills when you shook the bottle. I put about a dozen of the pieces in the bottle. Then I took a hair from my dog because I needed a light-colored hair and mine are dark brown. I wanted to be able to see the hair if you knew where to look, but a dark hair would have been too obvious and I didn't want her to spot it and know it was a trap. I took the bottle with the pill pieces in it and I used the TINIEST little dab of super glue to glue the hair to the top of the bottle and the other end to the bottle itself. Then I waited.
That day was a Sunday. On Sundays here it's usually very quiet unless it's our busy season, which it was not. The only two who were behind the front desk that day were the thief and I. I made sure to make two or three trips to the ladies' room that morning. Shortly after lunch I checked my "bait bottle" and lo and behold, the hair was broken! I brought it to her attention and told her that I knew what she had done, and I asked her why she did it. At first she was going to deny it, but it was obvious from the way she was acting that she was lying. She was stammering and her face was flushed BEET red in patches, it was obvious she was in distress. Then she started to cry and apologized to me for taking them and said that her HUSBAND has a problem with them and she had stolen them for him. I called him into the office (he was on the property because, as an employee, she had had her apartment assigned to her already and he was busy moving stuff in while she was working) and I confronted him with it. He denied anything to do with it and said that she had had a drug problem for YEARS and this was nothing new. He even said that she makes him go to the ER and fake back injuries to get pills for her, and he does it because he loves her.
I told him not to bother moving anything else into the apartment and I terminated her IMMEDIATELY. They were slick, let me tell you. They BEGGED me to allow them to spend "just one night" in their apartment so they could have the rest of the day to find somewhere else to move to, and I agreed figuring at least I would know where they were because I planned to call the police and have them come out to handle the situation. I wanted to wait a bit to call them because I was alone in the office with them and I didn't want to place myself in a 2 against 1 situation waiting for the police to get here, so I figured I would let them go back to their apartment, wait about an hour, and call the police.
When the police came out about 90 minutes later, there was not a TRACE of them to be found ANYWHERE. They had outsmarted me. I guess they knew I was going to call, but thought that by asking if they could stay, I would think they were not going to run and wouldn't rush to report them, and that's exactly what happened. But my trap worked, at least I found out where my pills had gone. If I were you, I would do the same thing. At least that way maybe you could find out who is taking them. Play detective. It will pay off for you.
Ghilly
I would go one step further than the lock box. I had a problem a couple of years ago with an employee here that I was training. The ONLY time in my 10+ years of pain management that I have been short on my meds save for the time I was stupid and forgot to call for my refill on the correct day was the time that at the end of the month I was 22 pills short because the employee I was training was hitting my pill bottle when I wasn't looking while I was training her at work. I hadn't even TOLD her that I TAKE pain meds, so I didn't think about anything happening, but apparently when I was in the ladies' room or otherwise away from the front desk, she went through my purse and read the label on the bottle.
After that, I decided to set her up. I obviously did not want to lose any more pills, so I "faked" pills by taking Tylenol tablets and cutting them into quarters with my pill splitter so they would sound the same as my little pills when you shook the bottle. I put about a dozen of the pieces in the bottle. Then I took a hair from my dog because I needed a light-colored hair and mine are dark brown. I wanted to be able to see the hair if you knew where to look, but a dark hair would have been too obvious and I didn't want her to spot it and know it was a trap. I took the bottle with the pill pieces in it and I used the TINIEST little dab of super glue to glue the hair to the top of the bottle and the other end to the bottle itself. Then I waited.
That day was a Sunday. On Sundays here it's usually very quiet unless it's our busy season, which it was not. The only two who were behind the front desk that day were the thief and I. I made sure to make two or three trips to the ladies' room that morning. Shortly after lunch I checked my "bait bottle" and lo and behold, the hair was broken! I brought it to her attention and told her that I knew what she had done, and I asked her why she did it. At first she was going to deny it, but it was obvious from the way she was acting that she was lying. She was stammering and her face was flushed BEET red in patches, it was obvious she was in distress. Then she started to cry and apologized to me for taking them and said that her HUSBAND has a problem with them and she had stolen them for him. I called him into the office (he was on the property because, as an employee, she had had her apartment assigned to her already and he was busy moving stuff in while she was working) and I confronted him with it. He denied anything to do with it and said that she had had a drug problem for YEARS and this was nothing new. He even said that she makes him go to the ER and fake back injuries to get pills for her, and he does it because he loves her.
I told him not to bother moving anything else into the apartment and I terminated her IMMEDIATELY. They were slick, let me tell you. They BEGGED me to allow them to spend "just one night" in their apartment so they could have the rest of the day to find somewhere else to move to, and I agreed figuring at least I would know where they were because I planned to call the police and have them come out to handle the situation. I wanted to wait a bit to call them because I was alone in the office with them and I didn't want to place myself in a 2 against 1 situation waiting for the police to get here, so I figured I would let them go back to their apartment, wait about an hour, and call the police.
When the police came out about 90 minutes later, there was not a TRACE of them to be found ANYWHERE. They had outsmarted me. I guess they knew I was going to call, but thought that by asking if they could stay, I would think they were not going to run and wouldn't rush to report them, and that's exactly what happened. But my trap worked, at least I found out where my pills had gone. If I were you, I would do the same thing. At least that way maybe you could find out who is taking them. Play detective. It will pay off for you.
Ghilly
As above As above - and start keeping a journal I know I have to check whether I have or havent taken my meds And then of course I forget to write my meds up and double dose and run out early So lockbox and journal AND dont tell anybody wear it is keep them seperate .
Hi FeCielo,
I am sorry that a family member has decided to help themselves to your pain management medications. They have put you and themselves in a very compromising situation. Sandee has offered some good suggestions. I also keep my medications in a locked box.
Be prepared for a possible investigation when you inform your physician. In my state the physician is required to report this occurrence. What ever family member is has made your pain their pleasure is committing a felony. When this happened to a member of my family I suggested that a post a sign near his medications that reads, "Taking my needed prescription narcotics is a felony. Regardless of your relationship to me I will prosecute to the fullest extent of the law. I have notified law enforcement." That has stopped the depletion of his narcotics.
Though I have been lucky that I have not had any missing I keep a similar sign on my locked box. It is common knowledge with family and close friends that I require narcotic medications it allow me to function. I do not want anyone to think that this nice person would not prosecute for theft of my controlled substances.
Good luck to you. Keep in touch and let us know how you are doing. Peace, Tuck
I am sorry that a family member has decided to help themselves to your pain management medications. They have put you and themselves in a very compromising situation. Sandee has offered some good suggestions. I also keep my medications in a locked box.
Be prepared for a possible investigation when you inform your physician. In my state the physician is required to report this occurrence. What ever family member is has made your pain their pleasure is committing a felony. When this happened to a member of my family I suggested that a post a sign near his medications that reads, "Taking my needed prescription narcotics is a felony. Regardless of your relationship to me I will prosecute to the fullest extent of the law. I have notified law enforcement." That has stopped the depletion of his narcotics.
Though I have been lucky that I have not had any missing I keep a similar sign on my locked box. It is common knowledge with family and close friends that I require narcotic medications it allow me to function. I do not want anyone to think that this nice person would not prosecute for theft of my controlled substances.
Good luck to you. Keep in touch and let us know how you are doing. Peace, Tuck
I plan to do that this afternoon as soon as I get off work. I have 4 left to last me until the 12th. I usually take 4 a day. I am trying to break them up so even if I don't have a full dose I will still have some pain relief to last me until then.
I had not even thought about informing my doctor. Thanks for the advice. I am just so angry about running out. My next appointment with my doctor is on the 16th.
I had not even thought about informing my doctor. Thanks for the advice. I am just so angry about running out. My next appointment with my doctor is on the 16th.
The fact that someone is taking your pain meds puts you in danger of losing your doctor and them as these medications are for the people they are prescibed for only.
I would suggest that you go get yourself a lock box and keep it and the key somewhere safe. It is a reality we each face that someone may try and take our meds for their pleasure and frankly I find it very insensitive that someone would do that knowing you need your meds.
Please do not delay go and get a lock box! I would also call the doctor and let him know whats going on and that you have purchased a lock box so that this will not happen in the future! If you do not let your doc know and he surprises you with a test then your in trouble and have lost your doctor.
I know it is very frustrating and your welcome to vent here all you need to!:)
I would suggest that you go get yourself a lock box and keep it and the key somewhere safe. It is a reality we each face that someone may try and take our meds for their pleasure and frankly I find it very insensitive that someone would do that knowing you need your meds.
Please do not delay go and get a lock box! I would also call the doctor and let him know whats going on and that you have purchased a lock box so that this will not happen in the future! If you do not let your doc know and he surprises you with a test then your in trouble and have lost your doctor.
I know it is very frustrating and your welcome to vent here all you need to!:)
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