I'm a worried sister trying to offer help... Suggestions Please!!
My 16 year old sister just came to me and confirmed what I had suspected for some time. She has been living with me for several months now, she had admitted to a pot habit before and was supposed to be clean, but she wasn't.
She hit her low point 13 days ago, and admitted she had been using drugs of many sorts for 6 years... that broke my heart! What concerns me the most is her addiction to methamphetamines. Meth is very prevalent in our area, and new to me, we didn't learn about it in school because it wasn't around as much. I know just enough to know it is very scary, comes in many shapes, and is nearly impossible to kick. My area of concern is how do I help her with the physical symptoms? She has been clean for 12 days now, and I am very proud of her, she has made the right steps to stay that way. she has cut herself off from the group of friends she used with, she has joined an NA group, we have an appointment with a counselor next week, but she is sick now.
She has been complaining of an upset stomach and has vomited on a couple of occations, i have let her call in to work on a couple of days because of it, she is having problems eating. Everything I can find to read says it only stays in your system 3-4 days, and that the w/d symptoms should subside by then, is it common for it to be lasting this long? Is there any vitamins or other holistic remedies that could possibly make her more comfortable?
Any insight or suggestions are very helpful!! Thank You in Advance!!
Re: I'm a worried sister trying to offer help... Suggestions Please!!
Hello Big Sis
I am sure there is great concern for your sister. Sounds like you have taken on a mothering role with her. You are a good sister to care so much.
Sis, I spent a lot of years working in a high school and sadly have seen this many times with our young people. Absolutley get her to a doctor. It may well be that rehab is going to be needed. Getting of drugs is a long, long journey and so much help needs to be in place. If your little sis has been using drugs for six years, then there are a multitude of issues going on with her. Your love and caring will always mean so much in her hopeful recovery, but you are in way over your head here. She will not, she can not, get clean with love alone. Expertise and lots of professional care is going to be needed. Lots. If you have never dealt with this, you have no idea what it involves. It is overwhelming. As you seek help for her, find local Nar-Anon or Ala-anon meetings for yourself. Call a state social worker and they will help you. ( Front pages of phone book).
I am so sorry you are facing this, but help is available and is needed immediately. Hang on and keep us posted.
Re: I'm a worried sister trying to offer help... Suggestions Please!!
Thank you all for your replies, yes she is 16. She is in NA, she goes every day she can, appx 3 per week. And she has a meeting with a counselor on Thursday. I guess my questions weren't very clear, by no means did i mean to imply we were going to try to get through the whole process alone. She will be seeing professional help.
I decided to write to the forum for more first hand information about what she is going through, mostly physically. I know what her emotional triggers are, and what lead her to drugs in the first place. I was hoping to find out what physical symptoms come with w/d's from 'weekend' meth & pot usage. And what we can do here at home in the mean time to calm her stomach, and help her eat. She's not a big whiner, so if there is other symptoms that are common around day's 10-15 that she is just toughing out I'd like to know what to ask her about.
Any other first-hand general information about how to help her cope outside of therapy, or any other comments are all very welcome! Again, I am all new to this whole world...
I'm a worried sister trying to offer help... Suggestions Please!! 
