Dear CBlue,

Wow, you already started a taper on your own .... successfully!!! that shows you have a good stock of willpower up your sleeve! KUDOS for that. it will make this process easier. ok, so then a a whole new stash showed up and .... BOOM!!! ack! the fact that drugs enter the household via hubby and then just "sit there, beckoning," makes your situation particularly hard. hoarding is another psych addiction st.

i think you will really need a rehab program - inpatient - because as i see it you need a "safe" place where there IS NO AVAILABILITY, while you get through the rehab process.

And yes, your pdoc will be the place to start. tell him the whole deal as you have done with us.

a rehab program should do two things:
1. get the drugs out of your system, physically
2. teach you to reprocess cravings and avoid cavings.

i would be sure to talk to your pdoc, as well as the therapists wherever you go to be treated, about the fact that your husband is prescribed pain pills, and so you are likely to have an available source - especially since he doesn't take them. i don't get why he picks them up if he doesn't want them and you may be able to persuade him not to do that. but if at some point he does have to use them himself, YOU need to be prepared.

i am sorry your hubby does not understand mental illness. addictions are also really hard to understand for some people. especially "all in your head" kinds of people.

after you are out of rehab, i would also encourage you to seek a support group especially if you still have cravings and themoreso if your hubby still keeps pills around waiting to expire.

we are always here of course. i apologize for my (typical) longwindedness.

take care and keep us posted.

waves

I made a mistake...my husband threw out the rest of his pills once I told him about my problem....he said he will never get them again. He dosen't know anything about addicition or anything...he never thought I would ever take them.
I went to my psychologist today...I told her all...she gave me some names of some out patient facilities. I left a message at 1 today.
Right now I am scared of the thought of inpatient.

Thank you waves!

CBLUE

It may seem like a mistake right now. But honestly you made no mistake.
It is your husband that made the mistake.

He brought the medicine into the house, left it were you could just pick
it up and take it. Now he has tried to help, by just getting rid of it.

But it will be okay, you have made the first step, by going to the pdoc,
and you have also made the 2nd step by calling the therapy place.

Now keep up with this. If you don't hear tomorrow, call them back.

I admire how you are handling this. And I believe you will make it through
this just fine.

Also if you have problems, call your pdoc back, they should be able to get
ahold of someone immediately for you.

Donna

I know the idea of inpatient treatment is scary. I remember. But I've been inpatient & it's worked for me. In alcohol treatment, I could leave at any time. When I'd ODd on drugs & signed myself in, I didn't try to leave--don't think they would have let me. Getting off drug dependency, having signed yourself in....I don't know. States vary.

But inpatient has a better chance of succeeding. & it's necessary if there's any chance you may go into seizures or have other medical complications.

Do you have a pdoc? mdoc? tdocs don't always know much about drugs. If you have a pdoc, please make contact.

I'm just afraid outpatient may not be enough if you have serious withdrawal. Will your husband freak? Turn you in? How will your children handle it?

C.G.

BlueCarGal

Right before I posted, CBlue posted, about most of the things you asked.
Please go back and read that. I think it will answer most of your questions.

Cblue,

You just continue coming in and talking to us when you need to. I am not sure, but I'm going to look and see if we have a room that might be of use besides this one. Hopefully when your here one of us will be around.

If you would like to chat and I'm here, I would be more than willing to try and get in chat to talk.

donna

Dear CBlue

As far as your husband throwing out the pills, at least we know now he is going to be sensitive to your problem, and you won't have to deal with having pills in the house.

However, you are now in detox on your own - bad thing. you were taking opiates so pls do not wait to develop sx.

call your pdoc (PSYCHIATRIST) immediately to advise of the entire situation. make sure you tell him:
-- that your husband has disposed of all the pills
-- the type of medicine and daily dosage you were taking.
-- when your last dose was.

pdoc may advise you to do one of a variety of things based on the medicine and dosage you were taking, so be as accurate as you possibly can, and then follow his instructions.

Bottom line: Do not wait. tell the doctor NOW, that your husband has precipitated an unplanned and sudden detox.

IF you have not heard from pdoc and you get ANY sx - even if you think it's "in your head" - go to ER immediately. Do not hesitate, and do not drive - if there is no-one to take you immediately, call 911.

Also, I would prepare a list NOW of information ER will need, in case you should need to go, as follows:

RE: PAIN PILLS
- the medicine name,
- daily dosage and frequency,
- time and amt of last dosage

GENERAL
- list all existing medical conditions
- any other medication you normally take (bring bottles with rx if possible)
- any OTC medication you have taken
- GP name/phone
- PDOC name/phone

i am sorry if i am scaring you, better scared and safe though.

(((hugs))) and keep in touch

waves

Dear CBlue

i am reading up more. What i am reading is that opiate discontinuation by itself does not generally produce life-threatening conditions... he key terms there being "generally" and "by itself" ... you need a doctor on board right now who is aware of the entire situation, your overall medical status, all other medications, etc etc etc.. They can make the call as to whether you need to be under medical supervision.

We cannot make that call so, while i hope to have reassured you somewhat after giving you bolded instructions to go to ER etc, i do not mean to take back any of what i said before. CALL YOUR DOCTOR!!!

Finally, even in the best of cases, it seems advisable to have another person with you just to help look after you.

(((HUGS)))
waves

NO, no...I didn't mean it was a mistake for my husband to throw them out...I meant I said something wrong in one of my other replies. I am glad he threw them out. I am a mental case though...the prob I am having right now is a mental addiciton to them I think...I don't know. When my husband got them meds he had no idea what it was or that I had a problem at all. Yes, one would say he must be so stupiid not to know what it is....well..I couldn't argue with that.

I spoke to a woman from the outpatient rehap house and she dosen't take medicare, os that's out. She gave me some other names of facilities that I am too lazy to call. I need to call. I will do that at 2pm. I can't handle much more in my brain than that.

I haven't even called my psychiatrist and told him yet...psychologist, yes, I told her. I am nervous that he will want me to come in..that is $125.00 because he dosen't take ins of any kind. I like him tho, i can afford him every 6 weeks. It takes forever to find a pdoc that you are comfortable with so I don't want to change...I thhink I have an appt next week anyway.

Thank you everyone! I so appreciate your help! When I am feeling like I can't take it I come here to get a boost. Thank you!

CBLUE

Okay lets think this out.

1. Call your Psychiatrist, before the other center.

2. If you call the center first, They may then get you right in.

A. Then you wouldn't need your psychiatrist yet.

3. Will it bother your psychiatrist that you left him out of the loop
so long.

A. He is going to understand that you need a place, that will
take your insurance? Right, I would think he will.



You have a appt. Next week, so just let him move it up a few days.
Doesn't cost anymore, it just makes it due about say the most
7 days sooner.



Please call other center, And / or first your Psychiatrist.

I personally vote for your Psychiatrist, let him help you make a decision.

Its his job if you ask me. And you said, you like, and I'm guessing trust
him. You can always take what you first wrote here to him, and give
it to him, if nothing else.

Then let him call you.


Donna