Vicodin question

[Heaven Can Wait]

My husband confessed to a psychological addiction to vicodin about a month ago.  We immediately flushed the remaining pills and he is in therapy.  My question is this.  What drugs are off limit for him?  He had back surgery in '02.  Can he drink alcohol on occasion or is it off limits too?  I know that all drugs with COD are no-nos, so what can he take when  he has flare ups??  Help!!

Thanks!!

[Heaven Can Wait]

I was just frustrated because Nauty said I was a control freak.  Well, apparently I wasn't or else this wouldn't have happened, would it?  Yes, I flushed them.  There was no need to have them around.  I wasn't going to take them.  I figured selling them on the street might be a no-no and my husband knew he could not take them any more.....hence the "confession".  He is the one that wanted to get help, thank God he did not go through physical withdrawl aside from a little trouble sleeping for a few days.  I had NO idea he was doing this.  I had the pills hidden, and had no idea I needed to have them under lock and key!!!  I wanted to make sure we had "a stash" so when he had a back flare up he wouldn't be in pain, some times it takes a while to get in to see the specialist.  Little did I know.......thanks for the support and good luck and congrats to you!

[retiredrn]

I hear you saying,"Yikes!!  Am I in prison??!!! " and   "He is NOT a two year old and I should not have to dole them out as needed....should I?"  Well, it seems like the reality is that he is like alot of us, unable to control himself when it comes to taking something that makes him feel so good, and what we, and you, are afraid of is that he will become so addicted that he has to go through withdrawals next time.  My husband refused to be my 'jailer'--unfortunately, I hit bottom with him by my side saying 'thru thick and thin' (he and my children were totally fed up with me by that time).  My catalyst for sobering up was my daughter saying, NO MORE, she refused to see me unless I shaped up.  Well, I hope all this helps--reading all the posts on these forums has sure helped me. Best of luck and please keep us informed, we do care.

[Heaven Can Wait]

I was holding the pills.....he's found them before. This is the 3rd time in the past several years, other times he said his back was hurting and he didn't want us to worry about him, and the family bought it.  I had them hidden to give them when he had a 'back flare up'.  He said he spent almost three weeks looking for them.  It became a 'game' to see if he could find them is what he told me.  When I'd leave or when he couldn't sleep, he was searching.  So smart ***, that didn't seem to be working.  Thanks for your input though.  He knows he can't take them 'as needed' because he knows that he imagines aches and pains to justify popping a pill.  This last time he started because he had a tooth ache and then kept on when he was having a stressful day at work.  He is NOT a two year old and I should not have to dole them out as needed....should I?

[NautyOne]

oh, and ...........let the dude have a beer.  Good lord  He is a man and not a 2 yr. old.....Isn't he?

[NautyOne]

you sound like a major COnTrOl FrEAk.  If I were your husband .....I'd take pills too.  It sounds to me like you know what your doing.  Give the guy a break.  Why don't you try holding his meds. instead of flushing them, and give them to his as needed.  That way you are in control and your happy.  Good Luck.

Nauty..........

[shelby74]

Maybe find an Alanon group - I am sure they could answer your questions on alcohol.  

[Heaven Can Wait]

Never a problem with alcohol.  We are occasional drinkers, I just don't want him to substitute one addiction for another and I worry that that is a possibility now.  We seldom even have alcohol in the house....but now I'd be scared to have alcohol in the house.  I have just purchased a digital safe to keep my fiorinol in that i have for migraines.  Yikes!!  Am I in prison??!!!

[retiredrn]

sorry, you posted before mine posted and I see you answered a lot of my questions already.  It sounds like he is being honest with you.

[retiredrn]

Hi, you said he had a 'psychological addiction to vicodin' and you flushed the meds.  Does this mean he had no withdrawal symptoms, his usage hadn't become physically addicting?  Had he been using regularly since '02?  What is his history with drugs and alcohol?  Is he being totally open with you and the therapist and with himself?  A lot of us got into addiction thru legitimate pain like your husband and we all fear going thru flareups without opiates, this site has a lot of helpful posts on alternative pain relief, please read them(I know I read and learned a lot).  Best of luck.

[Heaven Can Wait]

He has not been taking vic since the surgery, only off and on when he'd have flare ups.  We had 2 bottles (30 each) that he started taking on 'bad days' at work back in April.  He was not taking them every day.  Mon - Fri occasionally, total of 42 before he "confessed" in July.  Not a lot I guess, but enough for him to know that he was in trouble.  He didn't have any withdrawl other than some problems sleeping that first week. He was on vacation, so that was good since he was use to taking it 'at work' when things were stressful.  He is in counsiling and does have 'bad days' where he says if he had them available, he would probably take one.

Like I said, there were 19 left when he told me and we flushed them.  I'm still freaking out though, I don't even know who to ask if it's ok if he has an occasional beer!!  Thanks for your help!

[princ]

There is no easy answer to what you ask and I am no expert for sure. It is very individual. Do you have any counselling or medical support? To just stop Vicodin cold turkey is extremely difficult. I have never taken it but have read a lot and felt the pain of people on this site for example. Has he been taking them since his surgery, how many etc. I am sure others on this site could tell you more but I think he may been other temporary meds or at least medical/psychological support to get through it. In my opinion will power is not enough but again I am no expert. I wish you all of the best and will keep you and your husband in my thoughts...God bless