How to help the sedated member
Guest
Thread Starter
Join Date: Nov 2010
Posts: 3,452
How to help the sedated member
Hi...was at book study meeting today.
One member had difficulty reading, and then sharing, talking, forming thoughts, and had to basically stop sharing when memory failed.
After the meeting one member was telling her that they noticed and she said, "Oh, yeah, that's my mood stabilizer topamax."
This is the second time I have witnessed this.
I suspected she was on something the first time there was slurring of words, but today, learned what she is taking.
I looked up this drug online, and read about the side effects... the things I am seeing are listed as symptoms of an overdose.
I suspect she could be taking too much.
I just don't know if I should keep quiet.
Maybe someone else will hear her, and do something....like encourage her to ask her doctor if this is okay...these side effects.
I said nothing other than "I don't even know what that is"...when she told me that her medication was the cause.
I see this..the sedated alcoholic in meetings, and I guess it is really no different than someone under the influence of alcohol present at a meeting.
Thoughts?
One member had difficulty reading, and then sharing, talking, forming thoughts, and had to basically stop sharing when memory failed.
After the meeting one member was telling her that they noticed and she said, "Oh, yeah, that's my mood stabilizer topamax."
This is the second time I have witnessed this.
I suspected she was on something the first time there was slurring of words, but today, learned what she is taking.
I looked up this drug online, and read about the side effects... the things I am seeing are listed as symptoms of an overdose.
I suspect she could be taking too much.
I just don't know if I should keep quiet.
Maybe someone else will hear her, and do something....like encourage her to ask her doctor if this is okay...these side effects.
I said nothing other than "I don't even know what that is"...when she told me that her medication was the cause.
I see this..the sedated alcoholic in meetings, and I guess it is really no different than someone under the influence of alcohol present at a meeting.
Thoughts?
1000 Post Club
Join Date: Dec 2010
Location: Midwest USA
Posts: 2,284
My thoughts are that Topamax is an issue with his/her doctor. It is not a drug that people typically use to get high or euphoric off of. If they just started taking it these side effects could go away after a few weeks.
Topamax while being a mood stabilizer is also being researched to reduce cravings in alcoholics.
Topamax while being a mood stabilizer is also being researched to reduce cravings in alcoholics.
where the light is
Join Date: Dec 2007
Location: Ontario, Canada
Posts: 2,763
One of my best friends in AA takes about a million different drugs because of a rare bone disorder and cancer. Much different than coming to a meeting drunk. Sometimes he rambles, repeats himself, etc. But he is over 5 years sober and a good man. Working the steps, always smiling despite the constant pain. I look up to him.
Guest
Join Date: Jan 2010
Posts: 270
A lady in my group began overdoing the pain pills that she took for the pain that prevented her from working, but didn't prevent her from doing anything else. Since she had 10yrs before she started showing up as you described your lady, no one said anything for some time.
Her sponsees dropped her, and eventually one of the older women talked with her about the danger she and her doctor were putting her in, but she just loved her pills and kept on.
Eventually she dropped out of meetings entirely and after a couple of years drank and then started shooting up again and dealing...her husband, a guy I sponsor took it for years, hoping she'd straighten out, but when she began coming home at dawn, sleeping all day, and cleaned out his bank account and spent the mortgage money instead of paying it for the house, he dumped her sick butt and moved in with a pretty redheaded sober Shrink. They plan to marry this year.
If your lady continues coming to meetings loaded someone will say something and she'll either stop and start over or take off in some new and unpleasant direction.
So, the situation won't go on forever as is.
Her sponsees dropped her, and eventually one of the older women talked with her about the danger she and her doctor were putting her in, but she just loved her pills and kept on.
Eventually she dropped out of meetings entirely and after a couple of years drank and then started shooting up again and dealing...her husband, a guy I sponsor took it for years, hoping she'd straighten out, but when she began coming home at dawn, sleeping all day, and cleaned out his bank account and spent the mortgage money instead of paying it for the house, he dumped her sick butt and moved in with a pretty redheaded sober Shrink. They plan to marry this year.
If your lady continues coming to meetings loaded someone will say something and she'll either stop and start over or take off in some new and unpleasant direction.
So, the situation won't go on forever as is.
Member
Join Date: Jul 2010
Location: the high desert
Posts: 887
I take it for migraines. What u listed r not side effects of overdose but side effects. She should discuss them with her doctor. It is prescribed for many reasons (and no you do not get high from it ) as they need to decide together if the side effects are worth the benefits for the prescribed cause.
Member
Join Date: Nov 2010
Location: Texas
Posts: 150
I have bipolar d. and have been through medication changes that effected my behavior. I was all but thrown out of my meetings by people saying I wasn't sober for taking meds. I didn't like being fuzzy, and did eventually get stable on meds but it took a while, I was unmedicated while I was drinking. It's a sore, sore spot with me. I almost left AA and unfortunately I go to a different group and cannot admit to being bipolar and on meds. I'm just too burned by the fist group. But I eventually came to realize that I'm more "sober" on meds than off. My whole reason for quitting drinking is to be there for my family, and I can't do that from the adult psychiatric unit. It's a medical issue. Of course, people can and will abuse meds, but a lot of people need them.
Forward we go...side by side-Rest In Peace
Join Date: Jun 2002
Location: Serene In Dixie
Posts: 36,740
The majority of my home group take various meds for their health.
What med's I take and why has nothing to do with AA
My AA committment has nothing to do with meds prescribed
by my doctors.
I think this is where "Love and tolerance is our code"
can be applied.....
BB Quote-1 st. Edition
What med's I take and why has nothing to do with AA
My AA committment has nothing to do with meds prescribed
by my doctors.
I think this is where "Love and tolerance is our code"
can be applied.....
BB Quote-1 st. Edition
Life the gift of recovery!
Join Date: Aug 2007
Location: Home is where the heart is
Posts: 7,061
I take mental health drugs and have been on a lot of different ones over the past 10 years of my sobriety. Some of them have had some serious side effects, some have not worked, some I just did not agree with my system.
I was on a med called buspar at one point and it made me sound and feel like a drooling idiot. I could not find words, I was sluggish, my thinking was slow, it was miserable. But I believe that being an active participant in my treatment is essential for good care so I told my doctor that we needed to find a new med as that one was not going to work. Many people do not realize that their doctor is only one part of their healthcare team and that they are the other and need to not be passive about their therapy. Yes, I did continue to go to AA meetings during that time as AA is essential for the treatment of my alcoholism.
The reason I say that is because this woman could easily be on a new med for her mental health condition. For the first few weeks to a month side effects are not uncommon. Many of them lessen over that time but some do not or they get worse. I do believe that if she suspects these are side effects which they sound like to me (I was also on topamax at one point), she should speak with her doctor as he and her are the only ones that can decide what is best for her. Personally, I have learned over the years to pass when called upon if I feel I am having side effects from medications but this woman may not be at that point yet or she may have the need to talk.
That said I have been taught that Alcoholics Anonymous is just that, a treatment for alcoholism. It is not a treatment for drug addiction, that would be narcotics, marijuana, cocaine, etc... Anonymous. To consider someone not sober in AA because of the medications they take is in my opinion not correct. Not sober in AA is someone who is drinking. The Big Book states that there are times when outside help is needed. It is not for AA'ers to judge that outside help. "The only requirement for AA is a desire to stop drinking" That does not state a desire to stop using drugs. I have had people try to accuse me of not being sober because of the mental health drugs I take. I let them know that I am in AA because I have a desire to stop drinking and that qualifies me to be there, medications for my mental health are an outside issue that does not need to be addressed by them only my doctor, trusted friends, and myself.
I know for a fact that without the mental health drugs to control my mental health issues I would not have stayed sober from alcohol over the past 10 years. I would have long ago started drinking again and most likely if I go out I will stop taking my mental health drugs which between the two I do not see myself living for very long if that were to happen. I would either kill myself or drink myself to death quite quickly.
Please let outside issues be outside issues when dealing with the AA program. If I were a close trusted friend of this person then I can see voicing my concerns with her as I should be doing. Otherwise it is not my place to judge her.
I was on a med called buspar at one point and it made me sound and feel like a drooling idiot. I could not find words, I was sluggish, my thinking was slow, it was miserable. But I believe that being an active participant in my treatment is essential for good care so I told my doctor that we needed to find a new med as that one was not going to work. Many people do not realize that their doctor is only one part of their healthcare team and that they are the other and need to not be passive about their therapy. Yes, I did continue to go to AA meetings during that time as AA is essential for the treatment of my alcoholism.
The reason I say that is because this woman could easily be on a new med for her mental health condition. For the first few weeks to a month side effects are not uncommon. Many of them lessen over that time but some do not or they get worse. I do believe that if she suspects these are side effects which they sound like to me (I was also on topamax at one point), she should speak with her doctor as he and her are the only ones that can decide what is best for her. Personally, I have learned over the years to pass when called upon if I feel I am having side effects from medications but this woman may not be at that point yet or she may have the need to talk.
That said I have been taught that Alcoholics Anonymous is just that, a treatment for alcoholism. It is not a treatment for drug addiction, that would be narcotics, marijuana, cocaine, etc... Anonymous. To consider someone not sober in AA because of the medications they take is in my opinion not correct. Not sober in AA is someone who is drinking. The Big Book states that there are times when outside help is needed. It is not for AA'ers to judge that outside help. "The only requirement for AA is a desire to stop drinking" That does not state a desire to stop using drugs. I have had people try to accuse me of not being sober because of the mental health drugs I take. I let them know that I am in AA because I have a desire to stop drinking and that qualifies me to be there, medications for my mental health are an outside issue that does not need to be addressed by them only my doctor, trusted friends, and myself.
I know for a fact that without the mental health drugs to control my mental health issues I would not have stayed sober from alcohol over the past 10 years. I would have long ago started drinking again and most likely if I go out I will stop taking my mental health drugs which between the two I do not see myself living for very long if that were to happen. I would either kill myself or drink myself to death quite quickly.
Please let outside issues be outside issues when dealing with the AA program. If I were a close trusted friend of this person then I can see voicing my concerns with her as I should be doing. Otherwise it is not my place to judge her.
Guest
Thread Starter
Join Date: Nov 2010
Posts: 3,452
I wasn't judging her, I was worried about her.
I have known many women in my home group that had very bad things happen for them from prescription drugs.
I know a woman that burned her house down, lost everything because of her medication.
I just worry about her that's all.
But, again, I will say nothing. Thanks all for your thoughts.
I have known many women in my home group that had very bad things happen for them from prescription drugs.
I know a woman that burned her house down, lost everything because of her medication.
I just worry about her that's all.
But, again, I will say nothing. Thanks all for your thoughts.
12-Step Recovered Alkie
Join Date: May 2010
Location: West Bloomfield, MI
Posts: 5,797
I like to talk to those folks Veritas... To hear them tell me how everything's fine, life's looking up, they're getting things in order..... etc etc etc. I'm not being critical but it's a gateway into how I used to be - full of fear, drunk, lying my pants of......yet convinced everyone's buying it.
I was sooo convinced, early on, that I was some "high bottom drunk" or that nobody reeeeeally suffered from my alcoholism but me.....or that I hid my intoxication well...
I like to hang with those folks mostly cuz I think that's who the God I'm trying to get some conscious contact with wants me talking to. Sure, I'd rather talk to the step-guru or the BB-thumper so I can get something good for ME to take home and ponder...... but I think God would rather have me trying to carry a message to that one person nobody wants to talk to. The other thing I like about those folks is it reeeeally reminds me of how I used to act, think and live. Sooooo full of delusion - completely NOT able to see what was so obvious to everyone else. I'll bet if that person got sober today and you were to ask them in a couple months about being high/drunk/etc at meetings they'd say something like "I took some extra Z,X,Y before a handful of meetings but I never went TOO far and didn't make it obvious that I was out of it."
She sounds like JUST the sort of person you might do some reeeeeally good learning from. Invite her to sit next to you and be God's helper here on earth for her. Not only will you feel good about yourself after and probably won't drink that night......you'll be taking ACTION down this new spiritual path - u know - the one where we don't try to call the shots anymore and do what God wants us to do not what we want (or think) to do.
(of course, all this "action for God" can be tiring...... so MAKE SURE YOU'RE GETTING YOUR REST AT NIGHT)
I was sooo convinced, early on, that I was some "high bottom drunk" or that nobody reeeeeally suffered from my alcoholism but me.....or that I hid my intoxication well...
I like to hang with those folks mostly cuz I think that's who the God I'm trying to get some conscious contact with wants me talking to. Sure, I'd rather talk to the step-guru or the BB-thumper so I can get something good for ME to take home and ponder...... but I think God would rather have me trying to carry a message to that one person nobody wants to talk to. The other thing I like about those folks is it reeeeally reminds me of how I used to act, think and live. Sooooo full of delusion - completely NOT able to see what was so obvious to everyone else. I'll bet if that person got sober today and you were to ask them in a couple months about being high/drunk/etc at meetings they'd say something like "I took some extra Z,X,Y before a handful of meetings but I never went TOO far and didn't make it obvious that I was out of it."
She sounds like JUST the sort of person you might do some reeeeeally good learning from. Invite her to sit next to you and be God's helper here on earth for her. Not only will you feel good about yourself after and probably won't drink that night......you'll be taking ACTION down this new spiritual path - u know - the one where we don't try to call the shots anymore and do what God wants us to do not what we want (or think) to do.
(of course, all this "action for God" can be tiring...... so MAKE SURE YOU'RE GETTING YOUR REST AT NIGHT)
Member
Join Date: Apr 2010
Location: Raleigh, NC
Posts: 105
OK I am another one who has been prescribed a variety of psychotic meds the past year and a half. I have ADD/ADHD, PTSD and some anxiety thrown in for the heck of it. When I first came in I was diagnosed with Bi-Polar, severe depression, etc. I was put on some pretty harsh stuff that basically made me feel like a zomby. I could not think, speak, even know where I was half the time. I kept talking about it to my Dr and she kept changing meds on me sometimes making me feel even more out of it. The Dr I was seeing at the time had to move out of state so I had to find another one with experience in addiction as well as my other issues. Well I got one who actually allowed me to ween off the meds and just see where I was. I never had a baseline as I was drinking when I started the meds, given the bi-polar in rehab etc. Well needless to say I owe a lot to this new Dr that I am seeing..she pointed out the ADD/ADHD, PTSD and anxiety. Through the new meds and an awesome counselor (who also was an insurance switch in the middle of this)..I am feeling the best I have in a very long time and others really notice the difference.. Thanks Scott
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