MY BROTHER IS KILLING HIMSELF!!!!!!!!

[lauren954]

MY BROTHER WAS STABBED 3 YEARS AGO AND EVERY INTERNAL ORGAN WAS DAMAGED. HE ALSO HAS EPILEPSY HE HAS BEEN TAKING PERCOCETS EVER SINCE WHETHER HE GETS THEM FROM A DOCTOR OR OFF THE STREETS. HE ADMITTED THAT HE BECAME DEPENDENT ON THEM AND WENT TO DETOX. ALL HE DOES IS COMPLAIN ABOUT PAIN SO HE WENT BACK TO THE HOSPITAL AND THE DR. SAID THAT THE INTERNAL STITCHES OPENED UP SO EVERY TIME HE EATS THE HOLE STRETCHES AND CAUSES EXCRUCIATING PAIN  HE HAS NO INSURANCE AND THEY TOLD HIM HE WILL LIVE WITH THIS PAIN FOREVER THERE IS NOTHING THEY CAN DO SO THEY SENT HIM TO PAIN MANAGEMENT AND THEY PRESCRIBED HIM ROXIES. MY BROTHER IS NOT MY BROTHER ANYMORE HE IS ALWAYS ANGRY HES LOST TONS OF WEIGHT, SLEEPS ALL DAY CANT EVEN FORM SENTENCES BECAUSE HE IS SO MESSED UP ALL THE TIME. HE CANT GO ANYWHERE WITHOUT FIGHTING  BEEN IN 3 CAR ACCIDENTS IN THE LAST YEAR BEACUSE HE BLACKED OUT BEHIND THE WHEEL HIS BODY JERKS ALL THE TIME HES JUST NOT HIM SELF.  SO IM ASKING IF HE HAS NO MONEY TO GET SURGERY AND FIX THE PAIN WHAT ELSE CAN BE DONE???????  IF HE DOSENT DIE FROM THE PAIN HES ENDURING HES SLOWLY KILLING HIMSELF ON THESE PILLS BECAUSE WHAT CAN I DO? I DONT WANT MY BROTHER TO DIE MY FAMILY WILL BE SHATTERED! SOMEBODY PLEASE HELP MY BROTHER AND MY FAMILY. MY HEART BREAKS FOR HIM :(

[lynniev]

I am so sorry for his pain and the heart break of you and those who love him.  He certainly did not ask for this!   We don't plan on becoming drug addicted, it just happens to most of us and it is insidious especially because of the pain he is enduring.  I would like to make a suggestion and that is to seek a substance abuse counselor who can meet with your family and do an intervention.  It may not be your answer but at this point I would try anything.  You sound so stressed and heart broken and love your brother very much.  

Sometimes, a drug and alcohol specialist (I know several in my area) who do take on medical cases like your brothers who are involved in Federal Funding Programs to help those in trouble for nothing.  You would have to do some investigating and the leg work as you brother does not seem well enough and in too much pain to even think about looking for help.  Then talk to them about a family intervention.  You need family support to do this.

The first thing is to get him to agree (and they are professionals and a lot of experience in doing interventions.)  The second thing is to get him to a Dr. or a Clinic to be Medically evaluated.  I am in the medical field  by marriage and I have never heard my husband say, "just go and take pain meds., there is nothing we can do".  He doesn't give up.  I certainly know that all Dr.'s are not like my husband (he never gave up on me) but they are out there.  Some, and I say some, are not about the money.  There are caring Physicians who can get your
brother in the right hands.  But like I said you have to do the leg work and never give up.  

If you need me, please leave me a message and I will get back to you.  God bless you.  You really touched me and I can hear your pain and that of your brothers.

God Bless, Lynne

[Tuckamore]

Your brother sounds like he has two issues. Obviously that pain he is trying to deal with and the apparent abuse of narcotics. If he is going to a PMP he should be drug screened ever month or so. These screens are designed to catch the abusers, too little or too high of the prescribed narcotic will show up. Once caught he should be dismissed from the PM Clinic which would obviously eliminate his legal narcotic supply. Has he been dismissed from the PM Clinic?

Can you attend one of his appointments? I know that there are HIPPA laws that cover confidentiality but he can wave that for you, if he will. Discussing this problem with the PMP in your brothers presence may be beneficial. As you are observing pain and narcotics can drastically change one's personality.

My heart goes out to you and your brother. It is heart wrenching to watch a loved on be destroyed by pain and narcotics. The above posts are correct, there is nothing you can do for him. Your brother has to recognize that he has a problem and than want to do something about it. I assume part of the concern will be how he will deal with the severe pain without pain medications. I'm hoping his PMP will offer some suggestions.

Best of luck to you both,
Tuck

[beatingthis]

Sorry you have to go thought this and I am sorry for your brother.
If you read most of the post here, some of us started that with pain as well.
There is nothing you can do until he want to do something.

Terry

[Calamity2]

I'm sorry about your brother. Can you give him this forum information so he can read some posts and perhaps get the desire to stop.  For me, nobody could have forced soberity until I decieded I had enough. I told alot of lies about my pain to justify my meds.