Posted by cnbj on July 06, 2000 at 00:42:26:

In Reply to: Re: girlfriend addicted to lortab posted by Karen on July 03, 2000 at 23:57:17:

: Hi! Talk about re-living something, you're going through exactly what I did only a month ago. My boyfriend was on Lortab 10 for FIVE YEARS. They must have the same doctor. His just kept on filling the scripts over and over. He injured his left shoulder (he is also left-handed, by the way) really bad and had to have surgery. That's what started the pain pills and he got hooked on them but good. I'll never forget the day I had a bad headache and he told me to take one of his pills and my headache would go away. My headache sure went away, but I was nauseated all night long and never slept a wink. I told him if this is what happened to me after only one of those damned pills, what are they doing to him? But of course he was so hooked on them I was the one being irrational. Anyway, I stuck by him as he is a terrific guy but holy mackerel, he usually runs out of his prescription two weeks early so it's been two weeks of good times and two weeks of hell every month until he gets his prescription filled again.

: Well, I finally had it and told him to give me his bottle when he gets it filled...The first time he got it filled and gave me the bottle with 25 pills in it. I asked him where the other 75 pills are and he said he's going to keep those but he will give me the 25 to hold on to to wean him off (he also gets 100 pills but with 4 refills). So we had words, another month went by and this time I went to the drug store to pick up his prescription before he did. He would take on an average of 15 pills a day. The doctor's orders on the script were 4 pills a day as needed. The first day I gave him 3 pills in the morning, 3 in the afternoon and 3 at night for the whole week. Week 2 was 2 - 2 and 2 each day for the week. Week 3.......he wanted his bottle back. I was determined not to give them back so wow did we really have words and it went on and on and on and on. He wanted more pills and said his body was calling for more. I told him if kept this up I was going to call his doctor. Needless to say, you can imagine what went on after that. I stuck to my guns tho. But week 3 was still 2 - 2 -2 each day for the week even tho that by now he wasn't talking to me. TOO BAD!! He is now down to 2 pills a day. (I still have the bottle). A far cry from 15 to 20 pills a day. Keep in touch and have a Happy 4th of July but stay away from glass doors (no pun intended)! but if you and I didn't have some humor, we'd both be nuts..........

Sorry...I thought we would be staying home all day for the fourth. But wouldn't you know it we were out all day. I read your response the same night you posted it and I was half asleep so I didn't respond then. At any rate I am going out of town tomorrow, going to Va beach to see some family and get my son. The plan was I would be joining him to live there at the end of August, but I've changed my mind and hopefully we can beat this thing, the addiction. I'm going to go and get her prescription the next ime and try the wean method. But I have to tell you she is pretty slick when it comes to those pills and she has "secret stashes" all over the house, in her car and at work. No matter, that will only last for so long and then she'll be dependant on the regimen I set. You said that your boyfriend was still taking them, well my plan is to wean her totally off of them and I know there will be some side effects. I broke my ankle on Easter and they gave me those damn lortabs for the pain. Well I stopped taking them after the second day because there was no more pain, and I had to miss 2 days of work because of the withdrawal symptoms. I was having sweats and chills and felt really rotten. I couldn't sleep for 2 nights. That was really when I started to make a big deal out of her addiction because I had only taken them for 2 or 3 days and they had me totally screwed up, so imagine what they're doing to her. She's getting low on the script so I suppose it'll be about 3 or 4 more days before she gets a refill. She said she's willing to give them to me but I can tell she hopes I forget about it all. Huh! She's in for a rude awakening. Well, I'll keep you posted on the situation, and if you have time please stay in touch. I know we don't really know each other but I feel like you're going to be sort of my support throughout this whole deal. Well it'll be a couple of days before I can write again, probably Sunday. I'll be in touch. Have a great weekend. By the way we had a cook out with her mom and dad on the 4th. I told her mom about you and she said definitely take your advice and take control of the pills. Well g'night or g'morning whichever it is for you.
By the way my name is Cheryl.