Newbie with Questions

[tweedy]

My sis is addicted to Soma.

I've confronted her, she's denied it, but I know it.

What am I in for? Is it hard for her to get off?

I would expect that she takes this round the clock, but she holds down a professional job and I think does well with it - is it possible to be addicted to something by only taking them at night?

why are online pharmacies able to keep sending her this stuff - why hasn't someone stopped them?

thanks for any advice/answers - I really really appreciate it!

[Ten Chips Down]

Tweedy, hello and welcome!

Soma = carisoprodol = a muscle relaxer with heavy sedative properties.

It is exceedingly easy to get it online because it's not a controlled substance on the federal level like Valium, Klonopin, Xanax, and the opiates are. Some states have designated it a C-IV controlled drug, and those may be much tougher to get delivery if you reside in those states.

Your sister has a problem which I think is fairly easily managed: Should she ever decide to quit using them, they are MUCH easier to discontinue than other drugs. I have personal experience; I have taken up to 6 and 8 of the 350mg tablets a day, for months on end. While it was never a great pains-take to stop, the dangers are there, yes. (Keep reading.)

"is it possible to be addicted to something by only taking them at night?"

Oh certainly. Heavy users come to need it to go to sleep. It becomes an entrenched ritual to their day. (Again, speaking from experience.) I suppose one can get "addicted" to the Soma, most especially if they are taking more than 3 or 4 tablets everyday.

I have found other meds
far more difficult to discontinue, but that's no reason to discount the dangers of this substance. Supposedly the body metabolizes carisoprodol into meprobamate. Meprobamate is danegerous in high doses. It can suppress one's breathing and heart-functions.

It is very dangerous to take with anything else such as alcohol.

Meprobamate is the old-school tranquilizer from the 50s called Miltown. It was quickly replaced with benzodiazepines (Valium, Librium, etc) because they have a much lower toxicity.

=-=-=-=-=

Tweedy, in the end though, if you've confronted her then there's very little else you can do. It's quite easy to get as I've explained. You may benefit from checking into the "Friends and Family" forum on here, as well as hitting an Al-Anon meeting or two in your area.

Ten

[Ten Chips Down]

LOL - I'm sorry. Nar-Anon, I think it is. LOL

Al-Anon is for friends and family of Alcoholics; Nar-Anon I think, for friends and family of addicts.

[tweedy]

oh - she also had hydrocodone around the house and I think she had some percocet also. she also takes ambien.

over the years it has been valium, percocet, hydrocodone and who knows what others.

thanks for helping me

is there a test that I can give her to see if she is still using?

I'd like to believe that this will go away quickly...but I think that she'd been doing this kind of thing for 20 years or so....which makes me think that I'm being optomistically niave to think that this problem will go away quickly.

God bless you for being willing to help a newbie..

I'm seeing a counselor and will go to alanon meetings.

[Ten Chips Down]

... Bless you for being here and for being brave. You all don't know it but you give the forum the life that it has as well as, you help so many others. It ain't just the TenChips guys who have a little knowledge--it is you, constantly showing the readers & lurkers they are not alone.

"is there a test that I can give her to see if she is still using?"

Oh Lord i dunno, I kinda doubt it. When you throw the hydro in the mix, it really complicates things.

Glad to hear you've got your end covered. Maybe some other ppl will weigh in - you've lost me a bit, now. Never taken the hydro. Hehe.

Hang tough

[StagebearNJ]

Originally Posted by tweedy

she also had hydrocodone around the house and I think she had some percocet also. she also takes ambien.

over the years it has been valium, percocet, hydrocodone and who knows what others.

Well, unless a person who has been taking that Whitman's Sampler of meds is closely monitored by ONE doc, I'd say there may be a pill problem lurking there somewhere, speaking from experience.

As to testing: what for? Knowing what, or if, she's using changes nothing. It's her road, help her when you can and leave her to fend for herself when she refuses. That's my humble opinion.

All my best,
Stagebear

[Ten Chips Down]

Originally Posted by StagebearNJ

As to testing: what for? Knowing what, or if, she's using changes nothing. It's her road, help her when you can and leave her to fend for herself when she refuses. That's my humble opinion.

(lol on Whitman's Sampler of meds )


Wow Bear. That's such a great point you make. "Knowing what she's using changes nothing." "It's her road." Wow!! I am proud of ya. That little fact totally escaped me. Sounds as if my no-nonsense style may be spreading.

Nice Bear, nice.
Ten

[Ten Chips Down]

Oh hey - like the siggie as well. Now that I've read it again. It's quite catchy.

[consilience]

Originally Posted by tweedy

oh - she also had hydrocodone around the house and I think she had some percocet also. she also takes ambien.

over the years it has been valium, percocet, hydrocodone and who knows what others.

These are all very addictive. The best thing you can do is talk to her, ask her questions, make her understand that she has a problem.

[StagebearNJ]

Originally Posted by Ten Chips Down

Sounds as if my no-nonsense style may be spreading.

Yup, it's all about you, Ten.
Oh, and the 22 odd years around various programs of recovery, all of which add up to, for this alcoholdrugfoodsex addict:
"If it feels good, do it.
But if you do it twice, it's going to hurt in the morning."