Pain Pill Addiction: Methadone Detox Facts

Question: Worried about a friend, and potential pain pill addiction?

(Posted by: Lynn on 2010-01-15 09:16:42)

I have a friend who has been showing classic signs of abusing prescription narcotics. Her and I used to be very close, we lost touch for a while and about a year and a half ago I was involved in a motor vehicle accident that left me with ruptured/ torn discs. I am currently being prescribed oxycodone 15 mg and only take them when needed. When my friend found out that I was prescribed those she began to only come around to ask me for pills. I of course didn't give her any because I am being treated through a pain center, and you can get called in for random pills counts and if you are short you can get released from the program. I informed her of this but she stayed persistent, trying to give me $30 for just one and begging and pleading for me to give her some. She would get agitated and stop talking to me for a little while when I stayed stern on not giving her anything. She swears she has all of these different problems but all of her tests that her PCP has done has been negative and even he stopped giving her pain pills since he doesn't feel that she is in enough pain to warrant taking them. He put her on anti inflammatory pills and muscle relaxers. She will not take those, she will go up to the local hospital and be seen in the ER just to get a script of pain pills. She recently went to her OB/ GYN and said that she was still having pain from her episiotomy and her OB/ GYN of course prescribed her another month worth of pills. When you confront her about her so called pain she becomes defensive and will not speak about it. She just down right refuses to listen to anything you have to say. She swears her doctor is wrong and that there is something that is wrong with her but she has been seen by one of the better doctors in this area so I trust his opinion. I am stuck between a rock and a hard place, I want to help her as a friend but since she won't listen to me and swears she doesn't have a problem and is in legit pain she brushes me off. I know her and her mother are super close and I have been thinking about going to her mother to tell her that her daughter needs help. This girl is in her second marriage with two kids, and one step kid and used to have so much going for her and has now starting to lose everything because she spends her time looking for pills. I saved all the text messages on my phone where she begs me to sell her one of my pills and where I told her that I wouldn't do it and then she gets mad about it. Should I tell her mother about this and show her the proof and let her mother intervene and get her some help? Or would you just let her learn the hard way?

Posted by: Razor's Edge on 2010-01-15, 10:15:27

She also has an addiction problem. It is not your responsibility to provided her with any kind of prescription meds. She is not your friend when she continues to ask you to do something illegal such as provide her with narcotics. The fact that she begs you for the pills indicates an addiction. The fact that she goes from provider to provider for pills indicate addiction. You must be true to yourself, and you should not be "shamed " into playing her game. You are not stuck, you must be assertive and say no. It may be difficult, but you cannot be an accessory to an illegal activity. Her behavior is that of an addict. You may want to tell her that directly. If she decides not to be your friend so be it. Friends do not put friends in harms way.

Posted by: Mad Mama on 2010-01-15, 09:22:49

Her mother is probably already aware of the problem - but tell her about it anyway. And then dump the "friend ". She is coming around for drugs - not friendship.

Posted by: xxxpunkrkgrl on 2010-01-15, 10:19:07

Ok as a former addict myself I can tell u legit pain or not your friend is simply being an addict .....she really is no longer your friend... I was just like that 10 years ago although I do suffer from legit pain I can tell u if u really are suffering a dr will know it may take a while and when you are not an addict u are willing to wait for a legit dr to prescribe the proper amount of medicine... I would talk to your friends mom it may not help though ... The next thing u need to do is tell your friend next time she harrasses u about pills u are going to the police then do it! U can't make an addict stop but u can cut them off completely and I suggest that's what u do...

Posted by: Douglas B on 2010-01-15, 10:27:19

You of all people should know that not every dr. understands the pain that we are in. By what method did he come to the conclusion that she no longer is in need of the pills? she seems to be going to long lengths to get them if she doesn't need them for something. Even if she is hooked on them there should be some help for that rather than just dropping her. Until the medical profession stops handing out pills when there are simpler and better ways of dealing with pain, actually getting rid of the pain, they are going to continue to create these kinds of problems. You can take it to her mom to see what she has to say and at least you can say you tried to do something. I don't know what you mean by the hard way but someone already got her hooked, how much harder can it be?

Posted by: Sarah on 2010-01-15, 11:50:19

First off, I am sorry that you are in the position you are in with your friend. Speaking from my own personal life, I would really hope that you go to her mother. She is out of control, and yes, it does become a full time job getting these pills. Enough to keep you going when you are an addict. I think your friend is at a point, I again have been there, where she is no longer getting the high feeling. But needing the pills to function even half normal! The withdrawls are so very awful, you would beg for even one to keep them away for a few more hours. Go to her mom, go as her friend, she will be angry. No doubt, but she needs help. I know for me, I kept thinking that I could get myself out of the hole I had drug so deep. I could not. Nor can your friend. Help her.....today.