My 25 year old son is addicted to opiods. Started 2 years ago when a doctor prescribed them for pain due to an accident he had at work with a piece of equipment. I had no idea of the addiction but suspected it because he became withdrawn and non-communicative to the family. He was born with a heart defect which he discovered 4 years ago from a physical exam. Surgery was in his future to correct it. He came down with a blood infection and was hospitalized for a week, Then another one which hospitalized him for two weeks. The last one was bad, he said he felt like he was going to die. I don't know how this blood infection was contracted, either time. He was secretive then about the drugs he was taking and because of his age the doctors could not tell us anything he didn't want us to know.
I found out he was taking Suboxone maybe two years ago from a document that came through the mail saying the doctoe who prescibed it was seeking approval from insurance. My son was still covered through my insurance.
Two weeks ago, he had the surgery for his heart and was put on a "pain management" system and finally admitted to us about his addiction. He was released from the hospital after 5 days and we were to administer the drugs according to the directions from the pain management people. That was done and all the while he complained the pills were not helping. All the pills were gone in two weeks time. Then, he supposedly contacted his doctor for his "prescriptions" and we were supposed to beleive it was for suboxone and his regular adderall. He said he was trying to get off the opiods prior to surgery with the suboxone medication.
I received a call from his father (we are divorced) saying that he freaked out on him, screaming and yelling and fighting in a way that he had acted prior to his surgery. Now we wonder what medicine he has now taken or gotten back on to make him act this way again. Does suboxone cause this horrible behavior? Is he back on opioids? No way of knowing and now that I am supporting him during his recovery, I feel wrong about giving him money for something that may be the wrong thing for him to be taking.
I am truely at a loss as to how to help him. Do I call social services and have him taken away to treatment? Do I have a right to see the prescriptions he bought? His father is ready to throw him out. Then he will come to me. Help.
I hate to say this but you and his father are enabling your son. He is banking on the fact that you two will always be there to hand him money clean up his mess. That is part of addiction, we hurt the ones we love to get the drugs we love more.
your situation is complicated. I have no experience with an addicted person who's health is compromised and recovering from surgery. I don't think most of us have this experience. I have seen other posts from people who's loved ones have had surgery or serious illness and leave hospital and then use..... it is heartbreaking and feels out of control.
I would start trying to find as much information as possible that will help your son's situation.
look at the tabs at the top of this board - Find Treatment, Programs and Resources, etc.
Talk to the doctors office in person - tell the situation and you are afraid for your son's health and see if they know where a person can go for care...
You have two things going on. The medical problems and the addiction.
Using drugs is more dangerous for people with a heart condition.
Some how tell start telling your son that his medical complications and possible addition is too much for you to handle - that you are not a medical professional etc..... start laying the ground work that you will not continue to enable.
Go to Nar-anon to start understanding addiction and how to stop enabling. there may be others who have been in your situation.
it is complicated. how do you help with his medical care but not enable the addiction.
I would start trying to find as much information as possible that will help your son's situation.
look at the tabs at the top of this board - Find Treatment, Programs and Resources, etc.
Talk to the doctors office in person - tell the situation and you are afraid for your son's health and see if they know where a person can go for care...
You have two things going on. The medical problems and the addiction.
Using drugs is more dangerous for people with a heart condition.
Some how tell start telling your son that his medical complications and possible addition is too much for you to handle - that you are not a medical professional etc..... start laying the ground work that you will not continue to enable.
Go to Nar-anon to start understanding addiction and how to stop enabling. there may be others who have been in your situation.
it is complicated. how do you help with his medical care but not enable the addiction.
I'm sorry for all you are going through. I am a recovering addict, so I am going to tell you what I see from my point of view.
It is very common to acquire serious blood infections from IV drug use. I don't know what his drug of choice is, but even pills can be prepped to be used IV.
His behavior sounds like he is in withdrawal..it tends to make one angry, sick, belligerent and desperate. Suboxone, when used properly can bring much needed stability to an addict's life. However, some people just use it to "fill in the gaps" when they run out of their drug of choice.
I have no idea how old your son is, but you mentioned he is on your insurance,so I am assuming he is either in high school or college. I think that complicates things because you are involved with his healthcare to a point.
Just know that he is responsible for his own recovery and you are responsible for making him responsible!!! Good luck!
It is very common to acquire serious blood infections from IV drug use. I don't know what his drug of choice is, but even pills can be prepped to be used IV.
His behavior sounds like he is in withdrawal..it tends to make one angry, sick, belligerent and desperate. Suboxone, when used properly can bring much needed stability to an addict's life. However, some people just use it to "fill in the gaps" when they run out of their drug of choice.
I have no idea how old your son is, but you mentioned he is on your insurance,so I am assuming he is either in high school or college. I think that complicates things because you are involved with his healthcare to a point.
Just know that he is responsible for his own recovery and you are responsible for making him responsible!!! Good luck!
Hi, sry for ur situation, your son is gonna need help, ,as the other person said he most likely in withdrawal,acting out like that,& the Adderall can do that if you misuse it I'm sure combination of withdrawn and that is very hard to deal with. Good luck I'm new to this site trying to quit taking subs myself, I'm here, to talk if u need it.
