Friend in trouble

[cutup3]

Hi I found this forum trying to get some  info for my best friend who is a former nurse. She is on alot of meds for various ailments. My concern is the hydocodone and the anti-depressants. She came up for a visit and ran short on the hydro.
She called my husband to try to borrow a couple of his but could not drive to get them. Her  husband called for her later and my husband spoke to him. Seems she was freaking out  a little but her husband managed to calm her.I read that the doctors are not very sympathetic to pain med dependency. I am concerned for her does anyone have any suggestions?

[roadrunner940]

how about slowly decreasing the dosage a half tablet per day then do this for a week. then next week another half tablet and so and so on untill your completely off.

[cutup3]

Hey thanks for  the response.She plans on trying to get off. She wants her  husband to dole out her daily portion until she can stop. Maybe a rehab but she knows she needs to change something and I would love to have my friend back.

[Cozmo925]

Missing Oxycontin is a problem I've had too. It seems that these, unlike other drgs, have the ability to just vanish into thin air. I've had that happen. Of course, I was kind of out of it at the time. YEAH, RIGHT !  Hey, it's real easy to do one here and there and not care about the next day or a week away when you're goig to need that one because you can get your scrip filled until Friday because the drug store says it hasn't been a month yet, or your appointment isn't until the 10th and you run out as of the 7th, and OH, MY GOD! What am I going to do????? Here's the advice of an adict who takes 3 80mg Oxy's a day by Rx. Get one of those pill things that you put a weeks supply into. Like all your meds for Mon. Tue. Wed. etc. and stick to the allotted portion for each day and you won't run out. Also, try to cut down a pill a day when you feel like you can, like a sunny day when there's something to do to take your mind off the pills. If you can save a few each month, then when the Urge stikes, you'll have a couple and won't run out. But, QUIT? I have no idea. I'm still a hooked oxy adict

[cutup3]

Well i talked to my friend today and she said she is missing 8 oxycontin and has no idea what happened to them. She is  having  her son  fill a codiene prescription because she is out of pain meds. She seems to be doing ok but is afraid of tomorrow,  I offered her 7s' hydrocodone if she get really bad withdrawl.( I have had these since Nov when I had knee surgery)  She said she really wants to get off of the pain meds and maybe get into a rehab and go to NA meetings. If  you pray please keep her in prayer

[landbray]

I love PA. I think it is so beautiful.! I was born in New Jersey though.
Good luck to you with your friend. It is hard to see someone you care about  going down the wrong path. Just be there for her . You will know when she needs you. Something she has to do alone but yet needs a strong support system. That is where you come in. It's draining but rewarding ..

[cutup3]

hey thanks for the imput.  i am from pa also. i used to go to a doctor for diet pills and got myself hooked on them. he was arrested eventually. my friend is prescribed these  meds but i think with all her issues it keeps her from dealing with what she needs to deal with.
i have suggested to her husband getting her into rehab so we will see what happens

[cutup3]

hey thanks for the imput. i have been clean and sober for 23 yrs now. i love my friend and do not judge her. we have known each other since we were six and now we are 53. she has alot of disfunctional people around her. her husband is great. she had some brain surgery some years back and thats when her pain med addiction started. she has a wonderful personality and is very compassionate. i hate to see her losing  control over her life. her mom has psychotic breaks and verbally abuses her and puts  her down. well  i guess when she is ready i will be there

[landbray]

Hi,
Does your friend take these pills for chronic pain? They have always been scripted from the doctor, sounds like? Allot of people who are prescibed hrydro's for chronic back pain ect.... they get addicted even if they never got into drugs before. This happened to allot of women in the 1960's. with valium. gyn/ob drs were giving all these "housewives"  valium to deal with their day!! What happened was he reitred and a young dr. took over his practice, and had to get all these women off valium. Some had to go to detox !  Sounds kinda of funny but it is true. So some people, who have chronic pain that take any pain pill , narcotics,, for a long period of time is addicted and they don't even know it until that pain pill is gone, do you know what I mean?
If not. if she is a drug addict, just remember that the only thing they/addicts, think about is their drug and will hurt, lie to anyone. Suggest a meeting. We don't have na meetings in my small town, only aa.
good luck to you
paaddict

[limodan73]

Just food for thought, Opiate addiction is second only to meth, due to the mis-understood properties it has on the human mind and the amount of damage it does to the nuropathy.  When she IS ready, sit her down at a computer and have her start looking for help and answers. We are all here to try help. Its helps us.

[limodan73]

HI, first thing, don't judge her. The hardest thing in addiction is acceptance. Second, if she isn't ready, she's not gonna commit. The best thing you can do for her is be there for her. Unfortunately, most of us have to hit bottom before for we look up and realize what we've lost. She is spiralling and can't see strait right now. I wish I had better advice for you. Its a long road back from that place. I know. I am still walking. 3 months, 12 days. When she is ready, their is a ton of info on her. And, best of all, alot of us who want to help. God bless.