Skeetermag

My husband is and has been addicted to painkillers for many years...now he is dr shopping in two different states..isn't there anyway that rx laws to catch on to him?? I wish I could just report this to someone so he would get into some kind of legal trouble!

ElegantlyWasted

What are your motives for reporting Him? To me involving the legal system to help a loved one would be the Last Resort. Can you do a sort or intervention (whether TV style, or just coming up with consistent coordinated boundaries, joint counseling, etc.) Just my two cents. Humbly on day 37.

URMYEVERYTHING

I'm with anvil on this....
I would confront him about this behavior and set boundaries/limits of what you will put up while in the home. I always told my addict BF that if he stole from me... he's out. Well, he stole again, he's out and to not return. As far as legal action, I could have pressed charges but opted not to. I love him and what he did was him operating from an addict. I had him in my house and knew that if I took him back in after a county jail stay something was bound to happen (I didn't listen to my gut). I should have stuck to my boundaries of having him go straight to a half way house. So, I got that one.. That was my slip... but next time... no slips.

Learn2Live

skeetermag,

Yes, there are some computer-based systems that can detect when people are doctor hopping/shopping for drugs. However, this type of system is not typically spread out across the nation and doctors cannot know when he goes to see another doctor. Also, in the U.S. all medical information is privacy protected under federal law, so that limits who can see the information about your husband that could reveal what he is doing.

He probably will not be caught right away (unless he goes to the same pharmacy/drug store in both states). I'm surprised it has taken him "many years" to start doing this. He musta' had some pretty good source all this time. In my experience, calling the authorities will not "get" you what you want or need and could backfire on you.

What typically will happen is he will continue this until he gets caught. That could happen tomorrow, or it could take years, or it might never happen. One way or another, he will get those pills. Once he cannot get those pills, he will switch probably to street drugs. I have no magic ball to see into the future, but based on my history, I think this is safe to say. I'm not sure you want to be the one to cut off his supply of prescription drugs because the alternatives may be much worse.

Take care of yourself; get yourself to N.A. and/or An-Anon.

Skeetermag

Thanks evy1 for your advice...just venting i guess and I do love him when he is him. I have confronted him but i get all the typical addict mentality answers.
He does however go to the same pharmacy but they don't seem to care. The one dr. gives him tons every month and maybe I should be pressing charges on him b4 he kills my husband.

rookitty

one of my concerns with my addict fiance is that he has admitted to all his doctors that he is opiate dependent, and yet, they still consider to prescribe them to him because they are the only medicine that has helped his recovery. he has degenerative disc disease, osteoarthritis, and multiple buldging discs from an auto accident :/. i thought doctors were supposed to help addicts, not enable them...

Skeetermag

Yeah, you would think... there needs to be some reforms in these laws.

littlebird77

I have called doctors, pharmacies, and insurance companies, nothing works. The only thing that work was me stepping back and not letting it effect me.

URMYEVERYTHING

And letting the natural consequences hit the addict head on... however, stepping back when an addict is in your home and your husband is tough in som many aspects.