by: Debbie Wicker

Dear Kim,

I have too many questions to be able to give you specific advice.

Does your husband usually drink 4-5 drinks a night?

Have you gone back to his Dr. And described the situation and asked for advice?

Is your husband still experiencing pain or is he now using the drugs recreationally?

Has he ever called the police on you before?

Did you tell them he was abusing hydrocodone and alcohol?

With very little information I believe your husband has become addicted to the hydrocodone and may also be an alcoholic. Because addiction is a disease of the brain and OFTEN causes behavior changes, the addict’s brain is changed and the primitive part of the brain is overriding normal emotions and reactions.

You must get your husband to a doctor ASAP and help him to STOP taking this lethal drug combination. Opiate addiction can occur with very little usage and your husband could have become addicted during his first week of use.

Once addicted he will be unable to stop on his own and you must get him the help he needs as quickly as you can.

Good luck and I’m so very sorry you are in such a terrible circumstance.

Debbie

by: Kim

I’m sorry that I didn’t include the answers to those questions in my first message. My husband has never been a heavy drinker. He use to buy a 6 pack and a month later they were still in the fridge.

I have talked to the Dr and they aren’t going to prescribe him anymore, but he still has some from a refill. He never seems like he is in pain. He does all of his normal things and he works out and lifts weights. If you are hurting that bad you aren’t going to be able to lift heavy weights.

Also no he has never called the cops on me before!!!!

That type of stuff has never happened!!

by: Debbie Wicker

Dear Kim,

Wow this is a very serious situation. It sounds like your husband has completely surrendered to opiate addiction and he has lost the ability to think clearly.

You can’t FORCE him to do anything, but you have to do an intervention and enlist the help of anyone who cares about him. He must go into addiction treatment ASAP. Call his doctor and ask for him/her where to go to get good addiction treatment for opiate addiction.

They can help your husband to have a less severe reaction to the withdrawal and also get him into a 12-step program so he learns how to avoid relapse. If he is unwilling to go to treatment you must not enable his addiction in any way.

Because his addiction is new (hasn’t been going for years) he should listen to you and be willing to do as you ask. You must let him know that opiate addiction is a fatal disease and he MUST stop using the hydrocodone now and also stop drinking as well.

You should also attend Al-anon meetings in your area for support and information about addiction and recovery.

Good luck and I hope your life gets back to normal soon:)

Debbie

by: Lisa

I’m having the same problem. We’ve been married 28 years. Kids grown. Last year doctor gave husband Loratab for his back. I did not know this?

This year, starting in January its every month or every 3 weeks, he acts weird, wants a divorce, calls me a liar, blames me for any little thing.

This past Easter weekend, I found his Loratabs and took it, OMG!! He pulled my hair twisted my arm and kept saying I NEED THEM for my back. He’s getting meaner and yes, he wants a divorce and won’t talk to me about it. I am not going to live in fear. It’s Loratabs or divorce, you know my answer.