Living with someone with Soma and Norco addiction.

[Erika C]

I live with someone who has a Norco and Soma addiction - 14 Norco per day appear to have no affect, but over the last 8 months she is stoned on Soma every day. She takes 6 to 8 Soma at a time and falls, shuffles, can't speak and now is having black-outs from it. She won't admit that she is taking this much, but she's become non-functional. She has had two neck surgeries and some other medical issues so she has some pain and doctor shops to keep herself in plenty of stock. I know it is crazy for me to keep trying to get her to admit it, stop, etc., but I keep on trying. She is financially reliant on me, but I don't want to threaten her anymore, it doesn't work. Does anyone else out there have similar experiences and, if so, how did you learn to cope. I've tried detaching myself and just not talking to her when she is like this, but then she insists on talking to me until I just want to scream (and sometimes do). I hate this and don't know how to get out. I feel insane. Any help with coping skills would be greatly appreciated since I know I can't control what she does. Thank you.

[Ycooper]

Al-Anon/Alateen Hotline: [phone] enabling an addict to continue his or her addiction is to kill them.  

[chelle498]

ummmm ya i had the same addiction 2 all 4 of them dont hide anything cause she starts goin threw withdrawl shell wanna start killin 2 get them and i spent 39 days in rehab and i started back again myseld once ur addicted u nvr stop craving it and im 19year old and ive been takin all this since i was 11-12 but just help her quit again and let her no u trust her also!!!!!!!!

[Bayleaf777]

I know exactly what your going through but a little different, he's not my spouse but my fiancé. He takes hydrocone/norco first he would take 3 pills a day than 4 that's when I confronted him he admitted it and asked me to help him quit, he told. Me that he will be going through huge mood swings meaning going through withdraw of course um going to help him it took us 3 months and then he was clean for a bit only and then right back, he takes so many pills now he relies on it, I threaten him by telling him I'm going to take it too just to scare him and it works for a day or two and then right back, is there anyway I can help him besides detox or counceling? Becuz he will not go to either u think maybe hypnosis will work? anyone know anything about the hypnosis I heard my friends having smoking problems and got hypnosis and they all quit cold turkey after that and they were totally fine, is there one for pain killers?

[GoingToMakeIt]

Welcome to the forum! You just posted on a old post. So start a new one at the top of page and hit 'Post a Question' button. Also, if you are not wanting to quit the pain pills, I would recommend the pain management forum. These pills can control your life, even if you are just dependent.Normalcy is a relative term. Most of those who have quit have found that the pain levels went down after getting away from the pain pills.

[DAshton]

I am 27 years old.  About a year ago I herniated 3 disks in my lumbar spine which caused constant pain and muscle spasms.  I have done physical therapy, accupuncture, massage therapy, epidural injections, ice packs, heat packs, stretching, and exercise therapy to help with the chronic pain.  Being a former athlete, I am no stranger to pain.  I have taken hydrocodone before due to having chronic sinusitis for 3 years.  After 2 sinus surgeries, my doctor pretty much told me that this sinus problem was going to be like this for the rest of my life.  

When I hurt my back it affected everything.  I was no longer able to hold my newborn son as much as I would have liked.  I couldn't do any physical activities and was pretty much a couch potato for about a month.  I was doing construction at the time, but about 2 months ago I was told by my doctor I might need to change my career.  I have since changed my career but I am still having pain and still needing to take the meds.  I don't want my doctor to think I am one of those who are seeing different doctors and trying to get as many pills as I can.   Why have all the addicts screwed it up for the people who really need help.

I feel like I need a higher dose or a time released medication, but there is such a stigma behind these drugs I don't know how I can talk to my doctor without him feeling as if I am addicted.  The medication I take is  Norco 10/325mg (3x daily), Soma 325mg(0-2x month), Zolpidem 15 mg (2x week).  This seems as a far cry compared to the amount some of the people on here.  I have never taken the Soma and Norco together. I have never taken Zolpidem within 3 hours after taking either Norco or Soma.  If needed, can you take these together?

I try and do as much as I can, but some of it is assisted with pain meds, because I will not let the  pain get me down.  How do I talk to my doc about changing my prescription?  Is it time to change my prescription?  I want to lead a normal and active life, but I am to the point where the meds make my back feel normal.  I am not doing this for euphoria, but normalcy.

[notmenow!]

Erica, I also had a friend addicted to hydrocodone and soma 350, Very addicting combination of drugs, I understand the soma over dose which could be fatal. I've seen people turn into retards right in front of me in a matter of minutes. They loose motor skills and in some cases the ability to talk the high that causes these severe reactions is gone before you could call 911 and get them off the floor. soma is so dangerous because it contains an old tranquilizer called Miltown which is very addicting. Especially when combined with hydo. My heart goes out to you. My friend finally cleaned up and went into detox after I had called her doctor and told him what was happening. he thanked me and talked to her about it , Just out of curiosity his secretary called 10 pharmacies in a 15 mile radius. She had rx for the same meds under her maiden name, She was so pissed when she got cut off, The Doctor took the total blame, but i told her i had called, She was very angry at me but i was not going to see her die without trying to help her, she did the detox thing or the dr was going to have her arrested! She never did get over it so she lost her marriage and her best friend and still refused to give up the soma and hydro, I told her she was not welcome in my house when she was high, Last I heard she was  living in Las Vegas of all places and she had crossed the line over to heroin-- I pray for her often but I suffer no guilt- its been about 10 years since our last contact I don't know if she is dead or alive.

[IBKleen]

Hello and welcome to the forum!

this is an old thread you are posting on and may get over looked. Please go to the bottom of the page. Hit the back to the forum button. You will see a "post a question" button on the top left. Hit that button and follow the instructions. You will then your own post. Type exactly what you did here. You will get a lot of support on this site.

Hope to see you out there.

[nbwv28]

I have recently came to the conclusion that I have a problem with Lorcet Plus 7.5. It all started with me having back pain from a car accident. Now I take them when I am not in pain. Just to get through my day. I take 5-7 a day. I am 28. Before I started taking them I had allot of energy now if I dont take them I feel horrible. I mean horrible. I want to stop and I know it is not going to be easy. I guess I am writing to make myself realise I need to . If I stop taking them all together and just deal with it will I be ok? I have been taking them since about may of this year. It is really hard to believe I have done this to myself. If anyone has any helpful advise I am all ears!! Thank You for your time.

[spouseofaddict]

Thanks for your posts.
I am following your advice and contacting detox in my area.
My wife has admitted her problem and is trying to quit.  I just dont know enuf about the subject and even if I did I dont know what her plan is.  I dont know if she is at the I know I have a problem and need to quit stage, or if she is weening or if she is trying to quit ct.  

I just want to do what ever it is she needs.
I dont know if I need to take the kids away for a week to give her time to deal w/ wd, or schedule counselling etc.
I have a friend who has a spouse w a drug problem.
I think I will talk to them.
Part of what I need is to deal w my issues.

I know this forum is mostly for people w a substance problem and not for the family of those people.
To help my wife I am keeping my feelings about the issue to myself.  I think one day it will be good to discuss them, but she doesn't need that right now on top of trying to quit.

I am going to follow your advice, learn more, contact detox, therapist, talk about my feelings w/ my friend in a similar situation, offer my support to my wife and hope it all works out.

I have tried to find a forum like this one aimed more at the spouses/family of addicts but it is hard to find.

I know my post are long.  Its therapeutic to get it out and I have no one to turn to.  THanks for listening. THanks for the advice.

Good luck to you.

[spouseofaddict]

My wife is addicted to hydrocodone, soma, tramadol and ambien.  She grew up in a family that used and understood Rx.  She knows all the different kinds of antibiotics etc.  has the PDR etc.  My family kept no medicine in the medicine cabinet.  We just had bandaids, mercuricom (sp), asprin and vicks.  I dont know anything about Rx, I just take what my doctor gives me.
She has been taking the above pills for 3 years and I have known.  She supposedly quit with the help of a therapist.  She started back about a year ago and I have know it.  She actually probably really never quit.

I just confronted her and she is quitting.  I didn't ask if she is going cold turkey or tapering off.  

What do I need to do for her?

So far
I have told her I will help however she wants.

I will pay for counselling.

I have not told her but I have told myself I will not criticize her about her addiction although it is hard not to want to talk about the $50 - 75,000 she has spent and the fact that we are selling our dream home because of her addiction.  (I'm not mentioning this to her, but it feels good to say it)

I have ordered a drug test and told her in 60- 90 days if she test positive I will tell her mom and her doctor.

I have taken over all household duties that require money.  She now has no credit card and I will buy all groceries and put gas in her car when it is running low.  I cannot give her any money or she will buy drugs.

She is from a very pill oriented family.  Even when there arent addiction issues she is always taking something.  Tylenol, benadryl, imodium, advil, sneezy, coughy, stomach, acid reflux, diareah, constipation, whatever.  The way I grew up was just the opposite.  I think besides the obvious adiction to the hydrocodone, tramadol, soma, ambien she has some sort of general pill addiction.  I am thinking about locking up the bare necessities advil, imodium, benadryl.  I will give them when needed and other wise if I see any pill of any sort I am throwing it away.  Is this harsh?

Is there a forum like this one aimed at the spouse/family of addicts.

Can she do it on her own?
SHould I insist on counselling?  If so, do I make the appointment and physically take her there? She says she has tried to call but cant get through.
What is she going through physically?
How long

Any help or advice is appreciated.

Sorry this is so long.  Obviously this is a first post.
Thank you

[spouseofaddict]

Thanks jmille
She went to counselling for a short time last time.
Are you saying she needs counselling or detox?
If so, do I wait for her to sched or do I make appt and physically take her?

[trixie1111]

contact her doctor.. have him cut her script down.
dont let her know you called tho. That would be where I would start.