What drug is he using now?

[ugh]

Hi I am hoping I can get a bit of advice. My exhusband has a long hx of substance abuse. He is also bipolar and on disability. He now lives in another state but despite his myriad issues he has maintained a pretty good relationship w/ our children who are 13 & 15. Shortly before he moved from our area I know he was abusing drugs again. I assumed when he left he had stopped (he left to take care of his elderly father) He was here this weekend to visit and when I picked up our son looking at my ex I saw that he had some blue residue on his nostril. I motioned him to brush it off which he did. This is my question: what drug had he been snorting? I am not familiar with snorting a blue drug, although I have seen that residue on his nose before. I suspect it was oxycontin because last Spring when he was in the hospital after getting his nose broken the doctor told me he tested positive for oxycontin. (I really don't know why the doctor told me that as I am not privileged under HIPAA to receive that kind of information-I was just there carting the kids to visit him). He has now broken the rules about using when he is with the kids. Now what do I do? The kids do not think he is abusing drugs at this time. If I tell them they can't see their dad they are going to want to know why and believe they have enough issues w/ him and therapy hours under their belt because of it already. Things are going pretty well for my kids right now after a very turbulent three years or so and I really dont want to throw a monkey wrench into the fray-for my part, I have never had a substance abuse or mental health problem (unless you count ADHD) I'm thinking since he is living so far away just not to say anything to the kids. My greatest fear is he is going to kill himself inadvertantly and then I will be left to deal with the consequences. I am not, however, willing to get involved with his problem or getting treatment or any intervention or even notifying his family-I am so done with that. Any advice?

[splendra]

I am wondering if he could have been playing pool and got some blue cue chalk on his fingers and touched his nose.

[ugh]

He was having visitation with my kids, they had been playing video games in his hotel room. When I noticed it I motioned to him to wipe his nose then a minute later I was like, what was that? And he was like, "Nothing nothing I only did it when I knew they were leaving. I didn't do it when I was with them" (except for he did because I was there picking the kids up) I'm pretty fed up with him and have been for years. Right now I don't really care and am just glad he's leaving today. And grateful the kids didn't notice because they are pretty mature and well, not naive.

[MarkSichelCSW]

I have no idea what blue drug he could have been snorting...the range of substances and pharmaceuticals that drug abusers discover is vast.

You've got a terrible bind on your hands and you're juggling a tough decision about your kids welfare while trying not to ignore your welfare or be pulled back into the dance drug addicts do.

I agree with your thinking that you don't have to take action now given the geographical distance and also...your kids are old enough to know when or if they need to give messages that they need protection.

I'm sure you'll keep a close watch on the situation and know in your heart if and when its the right thing to intervene with your kids visitation. For now..let go and let God. You seem to be doing that.

[lar523]

The only drug that I can think of that is blue would be Valium. He could definitely be snorting these, because a lot of people abuse them that way. I was addicted to opiates and there is no oxycontin that is blue. If people snort them the residue would be white.

[ugh]

I guess I don't know what drug the blue was but he pretty much admitted that he was having issues w/oxycontin. Dumbshit. I told him the next time he saw the kids he would be clean. End of discussion.
He is a 44 year old man. Not a child.

OMG Just when you think you've seen EVERYTHING on the Wacky World Wide Web, *DING*. There's a Google discussion group devoted to hardcore drug tricks--supposedly for ''research purposes only''. Two of the drugs outlined for ''improving the experience'' are OxyContin and Adderall. That blue powder sounds to me more like it's an amphetamine salt or methamphetamine.

Deep Sea Blue or Royal Blue powder: likely was Oxycodone 160mg.
Turquoise or Aquamarine powder: probably Adderall 10mg

[I am not an expert. I am neither a physician nor a pharmacist. Although I do have 10 years experience in the pharmacy.]

[BigD]

Brand Xanax 1mg. is blue. I'm pretty sure all oxycontin is white once you remove the skin (as all good junkies do).
Don

I was going to add that fact about the Oxy, BigD, but I didn't get a chance to edit the post. Only the candy-coating is colored on the Oxy's. You're right--Xanax 1mg is a very pale blue.

[BigD]

Hey Midas,
Seems like you can't edit after someone repies to a post after you. Guess we have to make changes quickly!
Take Care, Don