Hydrocodone & Methadone - Help for Wife

[aNewman]

Yes, I'm worried about the Xanax being a problem too. She has kept me conviced that she only takes it at bedtime, but she apparently took about ten 0.5 pills last night (and wondered why she woke up at all). How much would be lethal? I want her out of pain, but I also want her to wake up!

She asked me to get a refill for her, but I hate the thought of having this stuff in the house!

Thoughts please!!!

A

[windysan]

Opiates and benzos(Xanax, Valium, Klonipin, Librium....and others) is a LETHAL combination. Please keep in mind that if she does methadone and a benzo together it may KILL her. My friend's 19-year-old son took methadone and klonipin then went to sleep forever. He did the Jimi Hendrix thing....drowned in his own vomit. I don't want to scare you but you need to know that the opiate/xanax combination is very serious. What happens is that the opiate will cause nausea/vomiting and she'll be so knocked out by the Xanax that she won't be able to roll over. Make sure that she sleeps on her side for now. If she's eating piles of Xanax then she has a BIG problem. If it were my wife I'd check her *** into a detox then follow up with a 28 day rehab. Fooling with this tapering crap while she's still gobbling benzos is ridiculous. She'll make up a million excuses not to go to detox/rehab.....I've heard them all. Xanax has a very short "half-life" and what she'll end up doing is waking up in the middle of the night, gobbling a handful, then passing out again. She'll use the Xanax to "sleep through" the withdrawals of the opiates. Please take this very seriously.....it sounds like she's in DEEP TROUBLE. You need to let the doc know what she's doing with the benzos too. Remember that methadone(and/or opiates) and benzos DO NOT MIX. Please be careful. It sounds like she will have a hard time "tapering". Not many true addicts can do a taper....not many at all.

[aNewman]

This is the kind of stuff I need to hear. I have learned more than I've ever wanted to know about meds, but I guess there is always more to learn. I'm not familiar with the term Benzo (assuming that Xanax fits into that catagory), but I'm aware that certain combinations can be harmful.

Right now, she's staying isolated (I'm keeping watch on her) and hasn't had access to Methadone since Thursday (when she took her last 5mg -- that was all she had that day).

As far as detox/rehab, I think that that is something she's dreaded all her life. She's never been or even talked to anyone who's been (as far as I know). I think, no I know, that 90% of her reluctance has to do with worry of what her family and friends will think of her. This is a case of Pride being her 2nd worse enemy.

Also regarding the Xanax, she has expressed that the Generic (Alprazolam 0.5) that she has been taking is so much weaker than the brand name that she justifies taking more than prescribed -- or gets caught up in the "take as needed for anxiety" as printed on the label...either way, how much is too much?!?

Thanks for your help!!

A

[RebeccaW62]

I think is great that you are supportive of your wife, however, it is like a couple having a baby. Only the woman actually "has" the baby. Although her addiction has caused you problems, the drug addiction belongs to your wife. You can be supportive but it is up to her to do it. Why isn't she posting? Why are you posting for her? You say your wife would love to hear about this and that. How do you know? Let you wife talk for herself. If my husband kept saying "our" withdrawals I would kick him you know where! They are "my" withdrawals. You (the husband) are facing something totally different.

I don't mean to be rude, please don't take it is that. I think it is important for the addict to take ownership of his/her disease. I know you are trying to help and that is great. But let her do it. That way, she will have a sense of accomplishment. It is like a kid who doesn't want to mow the lawn. And then you make them do it all by themselves and they are so proud they did it. They hated doing it, but they have a sense of accomplishment. Don't rob your wife of that.

I know you don't want her to suffer but she needs to to remember what it was like and not go back. She has to learn from her mistakes so she can play the tape all the way forward the next time a doctor or friend says, "You want any?" And it will happen. A good meaning friend will offer. You won't be around. She has to face the devil down herself. She has to know she can do it. Not that you can do it. Not that you can help her do it. But that SHE can do it.

You need to read my post on propoxyphene. I don't pretend to be an expert, but I have been there too. The only thing we can share is our experience, strength, and hope. I think you are right. It will open another can of worms. (My post of that is under the thread where someone on this board is asking for an explanation between Darvocet and percs. Propoxyphene is the generic word for Darvocet.) Read if you can find it.

Wife- Good luck to you. You can do it.




Methodone withdrawal I heard is the pits. Worse than hydro, cocaine, alcohol put together.

[RebeccaW62]

DallasAlice-Those hardcore N.A. members and A.A. members can go to hell! You get the help you need and don't worry about them. You will find adversity where ever you go and these places are no exception. I have been to both. Most A.A. groups where I live do not like junkies in there meetings. But each group is different. If you don't have a problem with alcohol, although they say a drug is a drug and alcohol is a drug, you may want to go to a N.A. meetings (Narcotics Anonymous). I don't have a pyschological dependence on alcohol and won't say that I have, and I can't mention pain pills in most of the AA groups around here where I live. (Alabama). I have been asked to leave a group before. This group said that they don't like Rif Raf in there meetings so no junkies please. lol Drug addicts are Rif Raf and alcoholics aren't? Is that not a hoot? I used to drive a Mercedes.

Anyway, I feel more at home in N.A. meetings because you can talk about drug use. My drug of choice is hydro. I don't tell them I am on Suboxone because it is none of their business. You may want to tell your sponsor though. You need a sponsor and the meeting chairman will help you find one. This is a person you can trust with your life. If you can't, find another one. Views differ on the Suboxone/Methodone treatment. To me, what ever keeps you away from your drug of choice. Taking hydro almost ruined my life. Suboxone has given me my life back. So there is a difference. Again, view points differ. I know one guy who thought you weren't clean if you were on an anti depressant. What? Anti depressants aren't making my life out of control the hydro is. Hydro is what I was seeking help for. I didn't let his opinion of anti depressants keep me from taking them or keep me from going to meetings. This guy had told a woman she shouldn't take anit depressants if she wanted to be clean. She went home and committed suicide. Remember, these people (most) are not doctors. They aren't your doctor anyway. Seek the advice of your physican and stick to it. Take what you want from these meetings and leave the rest there. That is what they say. They also say, some are sicker then others. This is true.

Find a group near you and give it a try. Keep going until to you find the group you feel the most comfortable with. I think you will like the support. You will hear stories that make mine and yours pale in comparison. Some meetings you cry some you laugh. I enjoy them. I know I can say whatever is bothering me and someone will say, "Me too!" It is nice to know you aren't alone. It is like this board only in person. Don't expect to be babied or pittied though. They aren't into that. You own your addiction and these people know it. They have been there, done that.

I hope I didn't give you the impression these people are mean. They aren't. They just hold you accountable which is good. No pitty party here. They will tell you fast to, "Get off the pitty pot" which is also good. It is not a group where people gather around and cry about their using. They want you to get clean, stay clean. Clean up your life and keep coming back.

Okay okay. The group is about attraction not promotion. I hope I didn't break a N.A. tradition here. We don't go to pharmacies and hand out brochures. But I feel someone with an admitted addiction needs encouragement to go. If you didn't feel you had an addiction, I wouldn't be encouraging these meetings to you. I just want you to have encouragement not discouragement because of what you heard about some hardcore addicts. That is what they are-hardcore addicts.

Let me know if you go and what you think. Good luck to you. Again, I love your story. I love to hear other people's stories. Usually, you find you aren't alone. There is always someone who has been there too. Me too!