Vicodin Addiction/Physician Over Prescribing

[Robert]

I would like to here from anyone who has become addicted to Vicodin as a result of a physicians inability to recognize the addictive nature of this drug and as a result over prescribing it for perceived pain in the pelvic region.

In addition, any nurses currently working in a hospital environment who recieve "professional courtesy" from coworkers issueing prescriptions for vicodin, please let me know.

One Dr. at a wll know hospital in NY was issueing my wife 2-3 prescriptions a month  over a two year period following  surgical procedure after her primary physician refused to give her any additional pain medication. The addiction accelerated to the point where he was issueing her 400-500 pills a month over a two year period.

[From Aunt Lindy to Mariah]

Hi Susie,
Is this man the kids dad?
Whether he is or isnt you are doing the right thing!
Your poor little babies!  From your post it sounds like if he truly had the desire to get his act together you would let him come back.  Is this what he is currently bothering you about?  I mean the phone calls, him not wanting to get his clothes is he wanting you to tell him that he can come back?  If he got help would you let him?  Or would he have to get his act together first?  If he comes home before getting help I see this as a vicious cycle happening.

Susie, you have finally had the last straw.  Something has to change.  You are very couragous!  Keep in mind that your kids are watching your every move right now.  This is one of lifes lessons they will NEVER forget.  

My Mom left my dad after 10 years of marraige.  He was an alcoholic who ultimately lost his family because of this disease.  He would counsel people at AA meetings and then leave the meeting and go drinking.  My mom had never worked a day in her life.  She stayed home and took care of us.  I was 10, my sister was 8 1/2  (and a juvenile Diabetic). Like you Lisa my mom was courageous. She had the guts to do what most might not have.  We went from a big home on the water, belonged to Yacht Clubs, my mom was a volunteer in the hospital, Special Olympics, the Diabetis Center. The perfect life (so to speak).  We ended up on food stamps, in a trailer, and a mom who worked (for the first time in her life) in  factory assembling pens for a living.  NO Child Support.  MY POINT TO ALL THIS IS WAS MY MOM WAS MY BEST FRIEND THEN AND SHE IS NOW.  Susie, my sister and I were little but we grew up fast because of our environment.  My mom is a hero to me.  She did the hardest thing she could ever do!  My sister and I have a relationship with my mom that kids who come from an OZZIE AND HARRIET type of situation would never know.  I cant put into words how much I love my mom.  I love her more for what she did for us.  I tell her to this day that she made me what I am.  I know from that experience that life gives you no guarantees.  That situation prepared me so much more for life.  And now it will help me prepare my daughter and son to be a survivor in their life. This is hard to explain Susie but what I mean is I feel like young children who have strong, supported caring moms like you WILL TURN OUT OKAY AND WILL LOVE YOU MORE IN THE LONG RUN.  

That whole scene back then was traumatic at the time.  We went from donating all our toys to charity every year for the needy one year to RECEIVING TOYS FROM CHARITY (THE NEXT YEAR) BECAUSE WE HAD NO MONEY WHATSOEVER! Pretty ironic dont you think!

What I am trying so hard to get across is do whatever is best for your kids and you.  YOU THREE ARE THE MOST IMPORTANT PEOPLE IN YOUR WORLD!!!! Your kids will learn from you SUPERMOM that you cant help those who dont want to help themselves. You are teaching them that even though you can love someone so much sometimes that just is not enough.  Let your babies know that they are the most important thing in your life (which I am sure they know but its always great to hear again and again!).  They must know that if they are in that situation one day that YOU DONT HAVE TO STAY IN IT!!!!

It tears my heart out to know that they cry for him at night.  I have an idea for you. WHAT IF you had your kids (do you have boys and girls or both?) write on paper how they feel.  I mean just tell them to write down what it is that makes them cry.  What are they thinking?  What kind of sense are they making of this?  I mean why do they think he is gone? I mean could you say something like if you could tell ____ whatever you wanted to say what would you tell him?  After they do this as part of your LAST intervention with him SHOW HIM THE LETTERS.  Let him see and read what you are seeing those kids go through first hand!
Let him know that you have cut him all the slack that he is getting from you and your kids.  Let him know that he has made a mess of his life and that he will NOT be allowed to bring that on to your kids. They are precious little souls that should not have to be dragged through his world.  

You said that you could tell that your boyfriend was calling you from his moms house.  Do you mean that he found out what your phone number is ?  Is his mother an ENABLER or WHAT!  Please stay strong!  What a great Christmas present to yourself and to the kids.  A whole new life! Please Hang in there.  Your kids will thank you for it. Later on down the road if he does get his act together maybe he can meet with the kids or something that way the kids get some closure if you even think they need it.  Are there addiction counselors for kids that they could maybe talk to?  Susie, you have handled yourself so well through this.  You know his mom is LOCO. You dont need him as a boyfriend and you dont need that woman (his mommy)in your life!  You are young and smart you have two wonderful, sensitive kids.  You all are going to make it.  Please dont let that man bring you all down please.  Life is so short.  The kids will be grown and in college and you will STILL BE a human punching bag, verbally abused, will a house messed up all the time for someone with CHRONIC FLU SYMPTOMS!!! I want you to stay strong. I dont ever want him to one day just break you down with the name calling and ruin your spirit! You know you are doing the right thing NOW RUN WITH IT SUSIE!!!!!!!   There is a fine man out there somewhere just waiting for a lady like you with two sweet kids. Someone who deserves you and the kids. PLEASE DON'T GIVE IN. Now Susie I want you to give me something to hope for, for you three!
MERRY CHRISTMAS SUSIE.  WE LOVE YOU TOO.
Love to you and your sweet little angel kids.
Marcie.

[J.B. to Brian and Vicky]

I believe you are doing the right things.  I don't have any experience with ALATEEN but how else are they going to learn?  And it won't cost you any money.

Take care of yourself and your kids first!  You don't need any harassment, especially right now.

I don't know for sure how DEA handles these matters but they sure have most doctors scared.

[susanlea]

well it's a week and a half to Christmas.  I changed my home number to an unpublished and unlisted number.  Last night I saw my boyfriend trying to call me several times from his mom's house. I just couldn't pick up the phone, either he wants to yell and call me names, make another excuse for why he can't get the rest of his things yet, or he's probably gone through all 30 oxy's in 4 days which for him wouldn't be hard, he either doesn't want his parents seeing him go through withdrawals(they know about the detox and addiction, but his mother swears I've been making it out to be worse than it possibly could be and that it's all my fault in the first place, that I should as his live in been able to prevent this from happening, I should have stopped it, I tried an intervention months ago after finding out he was using again, got his sponser, his friends and his family to come over and try and get him back in detox, she called him and warned him I was trying to hurt him, so of course, he knew what he was coming home to and didn't come) I've been pretty much alone in this, my kids 9 and 10 know all about it and are very supportive of my decision in getting him to leave. But last night they cried again, because they love and miss him, and can't understand how he could hurt them so close to Christmas, I tried to get them to understand that as an addict, he can only think about himself right now, but it still hurts them, they are so little.  I'm sure I will eventually forgive him, but right now I have too much anger that his choice was himself, always himself.  My NA sponser a great women has been through this herself and suggested I take them to Al-a-teen tonight, since my boyfriend is supposed to come by tomorrow and take all his stuff, it's over. The pharmisist told me that this Dr. is very well know for giving out narcotics and she said that there will be a DEA investigation up here because too many Doc's are giving out stuff in this town, should be interesting.  Anyone know how that works, funny thing is my ex-husband is former DEA, any suggestions? Thanks for being there and listening, My friends all mean well, they just think a couple days away, and he'll make a big turn around and straighten up, they don't realize it's not that easy, thanks for anyone who will listen to me ramble, I just need to know I did the right thing, he has to make a choice, meetings, rehab, outpatient, something, give me something to have hope for. Merry Christmas, I love you all.

[J.B. to Brian and Vicky]

Several years ago we had a "Doctor Feel Good" in this area.  I was one of his many patients and usually got whatever I wanted out of him for a price.  His name used to pop up at NA and AA meetings all the time when somebody would have a relapse.  Eventually he got busted and lost his license but only in this state.  As it turned out, he was also a fellow addict that used some of his patients to get drugs for himself(including his wife).  You have to wonder what your own doctor's motives are.  If it seems wrong to you that he's trying to manipulate you into something stronger, then I would seek another doctor.  He certainly isn't improving your life or your boyfriend's.  Remember one thing,  doctors take an oath to do no harm!  Reread your letter and tell me that he's doing no harm to you both.

[susanlea]

some of you may have read some of my earlier posts about the boyfriend who's addicted to oxycotin, been through detox, came out and went right back using, lying being verbally abusive, always threatening to leave, sleeping in a different room , totally detached, he has no endorphines left. But what pisses me of the most, is his Dr. knows he has no real pain, knows he's addicted(has told me) to the oxy's, but he still gives him a perscription every two weeks for 30 20mg. What's wrong with this picture? Does this Dr. want to keep him addicted for the insurance money or what!  He's not a specialist just a family MD. He's also my Dr. I have neuropathy, TIA's and an unoperatable tumor on my spine, I have cronic pain everyday, and he makes me come in weekly for a perscription, I will not take oxy's for what it did to my boyfriend. I take 1 vicoprohen with advil 3 times aday I barely can stand the pain, but the Dr. keeps trying to push me to take something stronger, what's wrong with this Dr. He's vey nice but I'm beginning to think he's just in it for the money, keep them coming back.  Well I'm going back to my neurologist to treat me. I can't stand this anymore, My boyfriend is so far gone, he finally just up and left me and my kids because he couldn't stand  my constant bitching to go back to rehab, of course he denies taking the meds. But every weekend he seems to have the flu, I'm tired of watching the Dr. keep him addicted, he wouldn't go back to rehab, so I ask him to leave, he chose to give up a great home, great kids, and a women who has loved him for over 5 years, and stuck by him emotionally, financially, held his head up so when he vomited he wouldn't drown in it, cleaned up the diarreah when he couldn't make it to the bathroom in time, too many withdrawals, too many relapses and most of all too too many lies. He's slept in a different room for the past year, called me every bad name in the book, never helped me around the house, because he couldn't get off the couch or out of bed, no sex no kiss, no nothing for over a year, well this time I'm not asking for sympathy, this time I'm not trying to get an intervention going, this time I finally give up, It took me this long to love myself through NA and AA and love him enough to make him leave, I will not watch him die and I will not bury him, it just makes me mad that the Dr. has made it so so easy for him, maybe if it would have been harder for him to get access to the drugs he might have a little bit more of a chance, he knows no one who takes them and he couldn't afford them, he has 4 kids he pays for. Well he's now home with his momma, let her bury him. Please don't take it that I'm not understanding, believe me I love this man with all my heart, but he doesn't love himself how can he love me.  I pray to god everyday, he makes it, because the only thing he hasn't lost yet is his job, one just one more absence and he will(he's missed 52 days in a year) Thank you DR.

[From Aunt Lindy to Mariah]

Thanks for the Post!
I see a pain managment doctor.
The Oxycontin is a timed release long acting opiate.
My Chronic Pain problem is Fibromayalgia, Arthritis, TMJ.  I have been told too that I have high levels of mercury which also can cause problems.  I am now in the process of changing my diet (eliminating caffeine, white rice flour etc.) I wake up in the morning feeling like I am 90 years old.  Yoga helps.
I have been diagnosed(with the Fibro, Arthritis) by 5 doctors. One is a physiatrist, one a anesthesiologist, a primary, a neurologist (he had me on so much verapimil for headaches I swelled up like Elvis).  My pain was so bad that my blood pressure was always high so now I am on blood pressure meds. too. Why on earth would I be angry!  You need to post here more often.  I think you are a great expert in the medical field.  Please hang around here.  We need your guidance!  If you know of a longer acting timed release opiate other than the Oxycontin let me know!  My pain managment doctor is a GREAT GREAT man who does more than just write a script.  He believes in a holistic approach to healing.  Yoga has been wonderful! Chiropractic is great too.  Frank, I even go to a stress counselor!  To me it is the BIG picture not just a script.  I work part time and what money I get goes to making me a better me!  I get massage once a week at the house.  My personal physician is a GOD in my book.  I did not know if my sentance came across wrong when I said "Why should my doctor take away this medication that has given me a new lease on life"  He is the one that said that the Oxycontin would be a good idea rather than the Short Acting narcotics that have the other ingrediants that make your liver and kidneys sick.
I have bloodwork done every 4 months to check on liver and kidney levels, thyroid TSH etc.  My doctors have been wonderful (they are compassionate and they know what I am going through.  My primary more than once has met me in his office on his day off and has given me trigger point injections (with the novacaine) and an occasional Depomedrol injection. The TENS unit also helps!  Frank, whatever advice you have I welcome it!  I dont plan on being on the Oxycontin all my life but until something gives this medicine has been a godsend for me.  The stress that my body was going through being in constant pain was just like going through a slow death. That is the only way to describe how I felt. I get lots of trigger point injection in the occipital area and also in my back.  I have been an outpatient for two procedures where I have received deep sacrilliac injections in my spine.  That lasts longer than the  trigger points.  The trigger points are good in the sense that the novacaine works immediatley giving instant relief. I could go on and on.  Thanks again Frank, Please stick around we need you here!
Kimmie