Kimm992

I was just wondering if anyone has an answer to this.

I'm wondering how a person dies from prescription painkiller addiction (other than overdose of course).

Does the liver slowly shut down?

marle

If the person is using a prescription painkiller with acetaminophen in it then they can cause permanent liver damage. An overdose can be accidental in the case of someone who on one day can use a certain amount and for other reasons that same amount on another day may be too much and they just stop breathing. If they are snorting the drug they can cause lung damage. One person that I know of died from a pulmonary embolism from snorting heroin. Don't know if the same thing could happen from say percoset or vicodin. Hope that helps. Hugs, Marle

rozied

The amount of Acetominiphen ( Tylenol ) cannot exceed 3000mg in 24 or there will be liver damage. Vicodin has 325mg in every tablet & Vicodin ES has 500mg in each.
Alot of people that use prescription painkillers take them with other drugs like muscle relaxors, tranquilizers, sleeping pills or anti-depressants. Many times it is the combination of drugs that kills people. You must take them exactely as your dr directs,
Sometimes people go to more than 1 dr & each dr does not know what the other dr has prescribed.

thisisnotmylife

A relative of mine had been clean for a while and was participating in the suboxone clinic. After a while she ended up getting injured and was prescribed pain killers. She took a very large amount in a few days and was admitted to the hospital she ended up going into shock and went into complete organ failure and was on a respirator and almost died. Doctors sadid it was a miracle she lived. Her liver was so damaged from years of drug use. She also ened up with a blood infection somehow.

BayAreaPhoenix

From what I've researched, I agree with the above. There is a lot of informaiton about this. My AH is a pain-killer (opiate) addict, and I think - not sure if I'm remembering too right - that the codeine won't really effect his organs, but the amount of the acetam., etc. that is included in what he takes is what does the organ damage.

How are YOU doing?

Kimm992

Thanks for the responses guys.

My mom is addicted to painkillers and the last time I saw her she'd lost LOTS of weight. I know she will eventually die from this so I was just wondering what will happen. I don't know why I want to know - I just do.

Lynette57

Renal failure causes blood infections with can be fatal.

My ex-husband died at 37 from alcoholism. They always told him that his liver would kill him. He destroyed his pancreas and then his kidneys got infected. He never could fight of the kidney problems and died of septic shock due to renal failure.

So the liver seems to put up with alot, but the lungs heart and kidneys cannot.

This man I know was on pain killers for years due to back surgery. At one point he took toomany and although they could get the rest of his body cleaned up his kidneys would not recover. He died from kidney failure.

The liver does have to filter everything we put into our bodies so maybe putting a hardship on the liver starts the process of other organ failure.

When my daughter and her boyfriend came for help a last year she was emaciated. He was big and swollen. They were both snorting oxycontin in large amounts.

As he got well she returned to normal, think she was mostly malnourished. He was full of water, and his kidneys struggled to get rid of all the poisen. He has used many drugs to excess since he was 12, she had only been using for 2 years habitually.

He is still not healthy and seems to be suffering from some kind of organ problem.

I believe he is using methadone since he can't afford suboxone any longer. I am guessing the methadone will contribute to more kidney problems.

So I guess what kills is the abuse in the first place, what method can be different for each person.

So you might want to google renal failure and the DOC, or any organ and DOC to see what damage it does long term. I didnt know about the lungs and snorting.

I learn something new here each day.

Impurrfect

There are actually a lot of ways addiction to pain pills can kill you, which everyone above me pointed out.

When the liver or kidneys are affected by long-term drug use, they get less able to filter out things. Therefore, someone who could take x amount of drugs one day, may OD from a much lesser amount the next day. We addicts (I'm recovering) do not take good care of ourselves. Checkups are on the bottom of our priority list. Something that would be normally a minor health problem, or something that can't be managed, can be fatal when it's not taken care of.

I'm really sorry you are going through this.

Hugs and prayers!

Amy

Kimm992

Thanks for the responses!!

Kathy123

if they kick it - what are the long term effects and does its have to kill you if they eventually stop?? I suppose it matters how much for how long but any insight is appreciated.