Is This Really Recovery?
 

My AH just completed inpatient treatment(21 days). He was not only going off of alcohol, but Oxycodone as well. He has chronic back pain, but the medication taking had gotten out of control because he was using it with the alcohol. One week out of treatment, and he has gone back to his dr and requested more Oxy. He told me in treatment that he was done with those "****** pills", and he was going to do WHATEVER he had to in order to take care of his back w/o using narcotics. He as well as I know that taking these meds can be dangerous in sobriety. Now he is telling me that he is only taking one pill per day instead of the 3 that he was taking before he went into treatment.

I am scared to death of what this may lead to. He is going to LOTS of meetings, and he has a great sponsor who he connects with. And he is talking all about his "recovery", but I'm really beginning to think this isn't recovery if he is taking these pills all over again. Am I wrong? Can he take these meds and still be "recovered", or is he just fooling himself? His treatment was pretty much centered around his alcohol useage over the pill taking. He continues to deny abusing the meds, but to me...using them with alcohol is abuse. I know for certain he has not had a drink. I am proud of him for that, but I am really finding it hard to be supportive knowing that he's taking these meds again. The drinking increased GREATLY when he injured his back and starting taking these meds. I'm so worried that we are headed back to that awful place of addiction again.

Drugs and Recovery do not mix.

And yes, you are heading back to that awful place called addicton, or should I say "You are still in that awful place called addiction". He is not in recovery.

Work on you, that is the only answer, for you.

Dolly

Dolly

This is a common "debate" in 12 step recovery. Is his doctor aware of his addiction? I have no experience with it personally, but I do have some friends in AA who take pain medication for other pains. They have not drunk alcohol again.

Good luck and take care.

No, his dr did not know. I went there frantically(being the co-dependent that I am) and told him what was going on and begged him not to give my husband those pills. It was too late though, he had given him the prescription. His dr did tell me that he obviously did not have all the information he needed before prescribing them. Those pills totally CHANGED him. I hated him when he was on them. Even when he wasn't drinking I hated him on them. I felt like I just got my husband back for a few weeks and now he's going to be "lost" again.

Hi,
I'm sorry you are so worried.

What I need to try to do when I am wondering 'what if' type questions regarding someone, is to take myself out of it and leave it to them. It's not easy, especially when we are very close with the other person.

The best thing I can do is go to meetings, come here and share and learn as much as I can about the disease and about my own condition of codependency.

My son needed meds a few times and did abuse them. He also used them at other times as directed. If someone is going to use or drink...they will do so regardless.
For some, a drink starts up the drugs and for some a drug starts up the drink.
Either way, he has to work this out for himself and I hope he will.

Enough about him... how about you? Do you attend any anon meetings? If not I hope you will try some and also continue to keep posting. It helps me so much to come here and find (sadly) so many who understand.

I'm sorry to hear that. Not a good sign that he is lying to the doctor.

Much love to you.