Please Read What happened to me so it don't happen to you

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idlehunters
idlehunters Member Posts: 1,787 Member
edited March 2014 in Colorectal Cancer #1
Hey Everybody!

I haven't been on the boards lately because of an issue that came up at home. For the past Year I have been on many heavy duty pain meds. Especially the past 5 months while dealing with those fractured bones in my back. Many of you know I got addicted to the Oxycodone and had to go to rehab to get off of them. There were many many times over the past year that I would go to take a pill and think...man, have I taken that many....sure don't remember taking all them..... I thought I was getting chemo brain... or just plain going nuts. There were even several times I would just go to the drug store and get my Oxy's filled, come home and put them on the counter..... and then I could not find them..the whole bottle..GONE! I am serious.... I really thought..WTF????? Is this chemo brain this messed up...am I friggin going crazy....Well,........ NO. I finally found the answers to all those questions 2 weeks ago. My 23 year old son has been stealing and taking my drugs! I had no idea. For over a year he had been taking them. I found out because when I got back from rehab I noticed my son was acting very wierd.... stomach cramps....headaches...shaking... can't get out of bed...He was going thru withdrawals.... I knew the symptoms because I just went thru it. So all this time of him stealing my drugs....he got addicted too. ALL drugs were cleaned out of my house and thrown away after I entered rehab so my son was then left with nothing...so he started going thru withdrawals. I confronted him... a BIG denial arguement started and finally he admitted taking my drugs. He tried to tell me he was selling them...NOT taking them.... I told him he was going thru withdrawals and needed to get help but no .... I was the frigging crazy one he said and stormed out. He went home that evening, got in a fight with his girlfriend and left there telling her "You can read about me in the morning paper" He tried to kill himself that night. He got on The highway in his truck and was trying to hit anything in sight including oncoming traffic. Luckily, his girlfriend was following behind him because she was scared he was going to do that. He was going off the shoulder...in the dirt...barely missing concrete walls when he swerved back into traffic....he would get in the other lane and cars had to go off the road to keep from hitting him.... he was still just inches from hitting them... several people called the police and 4 cop cars pulled him over. They called an ambulance and he was taken to the hospital. He had to go thru a rehab program just like me and is now seeing a shrink. I wanted to tell you all this story because a lot of you have a medicine cabinet that looks just like mine. Many of us take pain meds...or anxiety/depression pills...all of these are attractive to young adults.....OUR KIDS. I was a clueless parent and was blaming it on chemo brain. Please.... if you have teens ot young adults that have access to your drugs...... Keep your eye out for this. This was a horrible experience and quite an eye opener. It was something I did not even think about.....I didn't think MY kid would take drugs...muchless steal mine. Live and learn...... you all take care.

Jennie

Comments

  • classicman
    classicman Member Posts: 34
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    Its sad to say, but in my
    Its sad to say, but in my profession, (corrections officer) i all to often see people abuse other peoples pain medications, i have even seen home healthcare people steel them and even kids of the caregivers steel them, there has even been cases of caregivers taking the prescription and altering the name to get them for them selves,, Its so sad, I personall hated the meds i was on, and told my Dr it made me feel stupid, so i gave to the pharmacy and told them to dispose of them, and i used Tylenol and/or Alieve
  • RickMurtagh
    RickMurtagh Member Posts: 587 Member
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    Hmmm....
    Jennie,
    I am so sad you had to deal with that, especially after everything else you are having to deal with. I mean who needs that kind of crap? I hope your son gets all the help he needs.
  • Kathleen808
    Kathleen808 Member Posts: 2,342 Member
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    Jennie
    Jennie,
    That is a parents' nightmare. I am so sorry that you and your son went through such hell. I hope he has good support and can find peace and serenity.

    aloha,
    Kathleen
  • KathiM
    KathiM Member Posts: 8,028 Member
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    Thanks for the head's up....
    I lock mine in the safe we have in the house...

    A bit less convenient, but safe...

    Hugs, Kathi
  • PhillieG
    PhillieG Member Posts: 4,866 Member
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    Sorry you had to go through that Jennie
    I'm very surprised that the pharmacy would refill your prescriptions. They track that stuff very closely by me and won't refill anything before it's time.
  • Unknown
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    KathiM said:

    Thanks for the head's up....
    I lock mine in the safe we have in the house...

    A bit less convenient, but safe...

    Hugs, Kathi

    This comment has been removed by the Moderator
  • greybeard
    greybeard Member Posts: 24
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    Sorry to hear this
    I am sorry you had to go through this, and I hope your son is getting the help he needs.
    I am hoping that this for you is the last of the negatives you must face for awhile. I am sending you a PM.
  • Annabelle41415
    Annabelle41415 Member Posts: 6,742 Member
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    Sorry
    Sorry to hear of this and hope that you son gets the help that he needs and then stays off of everything. It's hard to know if it is chemo brain when you have so many things going on around you. Could thing you put two and two together. Hope you both are doing better now.

    Kim
  • pamysue
    pamysue Member Posts: 105
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    KathiM said:

    Thanks for the head's up....
    I lock mine in the safe we have in the house...

    A bit less convenient, but safe...

    Hugs, Kathi

    Me too
    I also bought a safe just for my meds. I keep them ALL in there. I have a 23 yr old son at home. He's in nursing school and I know he knows better... but. Plus he has company in the home and they all know how sick I have been and that I take a lot of pills.
  • lisa42
    lisa42 Member Posts: 3,625 Member
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    Dear Jennie
    Jennie,

    As if you haven't already been through enough! You poor dear- sounds like a lifetime movie network show, except that it's been your reality. I can't even imagine.
    At least with you cleaning out the house of your meds, your son's addiction was caught and dealt with. I guess locking up meds in a safe of some sort is really a neccesity. I will be cautious in the future if I ever take anything that strong.

    You've sure been through the wringer- but you've come through it all. I know you will be okay.

    Love to you,
    Lisa
  • jillpls
    jillpls Member Posts: 238
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    thank you for sharing
    I'm so sorry you had to go through this but what an incredible story to pass on. I have 4 kids all in 20's and never thought about this. I will keep an eye on my drugs. God bless you and keep fighting.
    Jill
  • patsy1954
    patsy1954 Member Posts: 85
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    How Timely
    First how sorry that you had to go thru this. Your family will be in my prayers.
    Second we just went thru a similar bizaree situation. We went on a weekend trip with our little camper, when we got back things were a little odd, mini blinds closed, pieces of jewelry on my dresser, loose pane of glass in the basement. I blamed the blinds and the jewelry on chemo brain, and the window on the cats who pick at that window to alert me that they want to come in (I work in the basement) When I was telling a friend, she said have you checked your narcotis. I don't take them so I didn't notice that they had been stolen. We have a new neighbor who (by my own investigation) was recently arrested for drug possession and intent to sell. The thief had crawled under our deck and removed the window, then spent the better part of a day searching my house!!

    I want to share part of my correspondence with a friend who is the chief of police:

    "Best places—I’ve always liked the concept of hiding things in plain sight. Do you have an old spare suitcase or travel bag in your closet? Good place, especially if it is meds you aren’t using every day. Toss your spare meds into the pocket of a jacket hanging in your closet. Pull out the BOTTOM drawer of a dresser-lots of room there. Not IN the drawers, it’s the first place they look. Don’t waste your money on one of those little fireproof safes unless you buy one as a decoy, because it’ll be the first thing they carry off. If you keep it simple, you’ll be fine."

    Hope everyone learns a little form these horrible situations.

    Pat
  • HollyID
    HollyID Member Posts: 946 Member
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    Jennie,
    You've already been through the wringer and now this. I am so sorry!

    You know, I used to work in corrections as a nurse. During their intakes, I asked them questions, mostly about drugs and what they took. Most juveniles admitted to stealing their drugs from their mothers, siblings, grandparents, neighbors, or whoever was vulnerable.

    I don't take heavy narcotics. My ativan is the only thing I keep and it's in my bathroom. I do still have a 20 year old son at home, but nothing has come up missing. I'd seriously blame my chemo brain, too. Nobody wants to believe that their kids are stoned out of their minds. My love and hugs to you and your family. I'm glad he's in rehab, that he didn't hurt anyone in his driving rage and that you found the cause of his "weirdness". You're a good mom. Don't forget that. :)

    Love and Hugs,

    Holly
  • tootsie1
    tootsie1 Member Posts: 5,044 Member
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    Oh, my
    Oh, Jennie.

    I'm so sorry to read this. You don't need more to worry about. I pray your son will recover well. Thank goodness his girlfriend followed him, and the cops were able to stop him.

    *hugs*
    Gail
  • Paula G.
    Paula G. Member Posts: 596
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    Just read this one. Sorry
    Just read this one. Sorry Jennie! I hope he can pull out of this and stop it. We haven't had the pain meds around. John hasn't needed them. Like you said live and learn. Take care Paula
  • 66Rose
    66Rose Member Posts: 58
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    ME TOOooooooooooooo
    Jennie,

    I FEEL YOUR pain and then some! I fell victim too! I have a 19 year old son that turned to drugs when I got sick and taking mine was another sideeffect. I hate to say this but from what I know and have researched it is not only your drugs, I am sure there is more behind it. I guess we can't PM here, but please contact me 66Rose@q.com.

    I have been to hell and back several times this past year and My son has been in out of Drug Rehab, on the streets, tried to kill himself and the list goes on. But what saved my life to has been Al-Alon and he is working the steps too, he wants help...but unfortunately a guy named HEROIN also found him and that stuff is wicked!!!

    I could go on and on, but I hope you contact me YOU ARE NOT ALONE! And I thought my cancer DX was bad this has been just as bad if not worse. Neither of us deserve this!

    Liz
    Tempe, AZ
    DX May 2006 Stage III Rectal
    Permanent Colostomy
  • idlehunters
    idlehunters Member Posts: 1,787 Member
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    66Rose said:

    ME TOOooooooooooooo
    Jennie,

    I FEEL YOUR pain and then some! I fell victim too! I have a 19 year old son that turned to drugs when I got sick and taking mine was another sideeffect. I hate to say this but from what I know and have researched it is not only your drugs, I am sure there is more behind it. I guess we can't PM here, but please contact me 66Rose@q.com.

    I have been to hell and back several times this past year and My son has been in out of Drug Rehab, on the streets, tried to kill himself and the list goes on. But what saved my life to has been Al-Alon and he is working the steps too, he wants help...but unfortunately a guy named HEROIN also found him and that stuff is wicked!!!

    I could go on and on, but I hope you contact me YOU ARE NOT ALONE! And I thought my cancer DX was bad this has been just as bad if not worse. Neither of us deserve this!

    Liz
    Tempe, AZ
    DX May 2006 Stage III Rectal
    Permanent Colostomy

    Thank you all
    It made me feel so good to read all your comments. Thank you to you all for your well wishes. My son went thru his withdrawals and seemed to be doing really good. Everything had a calm about it. However, he stopped by yesterday and since I don't take any drugs anymore.... asked if Dad had anymore Tramadol..... UGH! He said what his doc had given him was making him sick to his stomach. BULL! Doc didn't give him anything strong and he wasn't getting a buzz no more. SOOOOO..... just shows me we have a ways to go still. Thank God I am now feeling 100% and physically/mentally can handle anything now.... YAY ME! Hey Liz.... I am going to email you when done here. You all take care!

    Jennie
  • Kathryn_in_MN
    Kathryn_in_MN Member Posts: 1,252 Member
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    Thank you all
    It made me feel so good to read all your comments. Thank you to you all for your well wishes. My son went thru his withdrawals and seemed to be doing really good. Everything had a calm about it. However, he stopped by yesterday and since I don't take any drugs anymore.... asked if Dad had anymore Tramadol..... UGH! He said what his doc had given him was making him sick to his stomach. BULL! Doc didn't give him anything strong and he wasn't getting a buzz no more. SOOOOO..... just shows me we have a ways to go still. Thank God I am now feeling 100% and physically/mentally can handle anything now.... YAY ME! Hey Liz.... I am going to email you when done here. You all take care!

    Jennie

    I'm so glad
    I'm so glad that you are doing well now, and you got off the drugs in time to save your son too. I hope you can get your son counseling or whatever he needs to get through the last steps of staying clean.

    I have a bucket of percocet, darvocet and vicodin, along with some ativan. They kept giving me more with each hospitalization or surgery, and I don't like pain meds - they make me sick. I honestly hadn't even thought about my kids getting into them. I don't think any of them would. But after hearing your story I'm putting them away somewhere safe, or flushing them.