Father addicted to vicodin... need help!!

[erie_ash]

Hi. This is my first time posting, and I'm getting deperate for help. My father suffers from chronic back pain, from years of service in the military. He has some bulging disks and nerve damage. He also suffers from migranes. He has had back pain and migranes for over ten years. He recently retired from the military, and he has been thrust back into "civilian" medical care. He has been seeing surgeons, back specialists, chiropractors, and pain management specialists, but has not received any help. From several of the doctors, he has been prescribed vicodin for the pain. He has been taking these for over a year now, and he is showing symptoms of addiction. He hides the pills, he is taking WAY more than he should, and he has them filled at several pharamacies (which he hides from my mother and me). His eyes are glassy, he speech is slurred, and HE IS NOT THE SAME PERSON! He is not my Dad anymore. We have confronted him, seeked help from his doctors, and have gotten no where! The doctors continue to prescribe him vicodin, and he continues to take them. He refuses to accept the fact he has an addiction to vicodin. He is no longer taking them for the pain, but for emotional pain and depression (which he has been diagnosed with per the chronic back pain). What can I do to help him? He is slowly killing himself. My family and I can see it, but my dad doesn't. He is going to lose his job, his family, and everything he worked so hard for. I can't seem to help him, and it is emotionally wearing on me. I need help. What advice do you have for this situation? How can we help him? Any tips for getting him to admit his addiction. Any advice what-so-ever would help. I've reached the end of my road, and it's getting to the point where our family is falling apart. We can not live with him any longer and watch him slowly kill himself. It's breaking my heart. I need help. Please. The doctors aren't helping, and he can't go to rehab (according to the local centers) because the other medication he is on will not allow him to be completely sober. I NEED HELP!!

[10356]

I'm so sorry to hear of your family's desperate plight. I do not intend to sound mean but you can lead a horse to water but you can not make him drink, you and your mother can do something for your selves though you can join a co-dependent group of family's living with addicts to learn how to cope with your own feelings, any NA or AA   meeting  could put you in touch with such a group, it might prove invaluable to you and your family. I wish you all well and you will be in my thoughts. Please let us know how you are doing Limbo

[persnick38]

I feel badly for you. My mother is addicted to vicodin also but she won't/can't admit it. She too has prescriptions to take it from her doctor for chronic pain but takes more than she should and, I suspect, greatly exaggerates her pain to continue to get the RX. She is also addicted to Tussionex which is a cough syrup that has codeine and hyrdrocodone in it. I worry so much about her taking too much of both and can relate to your descriptions of your dad's behavior.

I agree with others and have seen in my own life that an addict has to really want to stop using. I know that isn't much help to you and I'm sorry for that but know that you are not alone.

[cathy5841]

i am so sorry oyur family is hurting.  that is a side effect of the addiction.  as addicts we tend to be numb to the things around us. because of this we dont feel the pain of our loved ones, most times till we have done major damage.

[erie_ash]

Thank you.

I think he's going to reach rock bottom when he realizes he doesn't have a family, job, or the life he's always wanted anymore.

I hoped it wouldn't come to this. But, I just want him to be healthy again. Thanks.

[cathy5841]

sorry erie, the bottomline is you cant do it.  until he reaches rock bottom.  if dont recognize he has a problem he dont need help.  i know that is not what you wanted to hear.  but that is the truth.  you can try tot alk to his dr's and let them know he has a problem and is abusing the meds.  if he is getting meds from dif drs tell them that too.

i hope he realizes it soon.  i too will pray for your situation.
cathy

[erie_ash]

Thank you so much.

[lucyred68]

Lord, I don't know how to help erie's father, but You do.  i pray that You cause him to see his need for help and that he will admit his addiction.  Wake him up to what he has become.  Give erie and her/his mother the strength and wisdom to do whatever is neccessary to help.  in Jesus name, amen

I will continue to pray for your father.  until he is ready, there isn't much you can do so my prayers will continue to be that he will wake up to what he is doing to himself and his family.  love,  Lucy