Bornwet

My girlfriend takes or wants Percocet every night. She tells me that it relaxes her after the day. Her argument is that it's nothing more than someone coming home to have a glass of wine.

This scares me and just doesn't seem right. I was in a 5 yr relationship with an alcoholic so I know the signs of that - however Percocet is new to me.

Can this be an addiction? She gets very po'd if I call her on it and ask her not to take anymore. She says she is an adult and turns it around on me telling me I don't trust her. This is the same quacking I heard from my ex alcoholic girlfriend.

But I have no idea if one Perc a day can get someone addicted? Or this is a sign or?

So what say you?

d

Ann

Was it prescribed by her doctor?

I ask because I think that is the key. It's one thing to take something prescribed by a personal doctor (as opposed to on-line) and another to take a drug obtained illegally or on-line without consulting one's doctor.

Is she an addict? I think the above question will help clarify.

And, whether she is an addict or not, this obviously is of importance to you and causing you distress, yes? I'm not sure why.

Hope this helps a little.

Hugs

BohemiMamaof3

I found this and this article helpful in clarifying or identifying what is or is not an addiction. The fact that she counts on and uses a painkiller everyday is alarming, the fact that she is irritable and defensive about it is alarming. To me those are red flags. You say you have been through this already with a former GF who was an addict, so you are trusting the warning signs your gut is giving you. Welcome to SR, I hope you will find some tools and support around here to help you find some peace and serenity in your life.

I am curious as to weather or not it's prescribed, and was it for a medical condition she had/has? Your post makes it sound like she's just taking it out of the blue.

URMYEVERYTHING

If it quacks like a duck, looks like a duck and walks like a duck, then more than likely it's a duck.

I would say go with that uncomfortable feeling you have and keep your boundaries intact. Time will reveal what you are dealing with.

outtolunch

Heroin is an opiate.

Perocet is an opiod, a semi-synthetic opiate.

Our culture seems more prone to rationalizing addiction, when it 's painkillers.

Addiction to painkillers is an epidemic with potentially serious cultural consequences.

Trust your gut, on this one.

Bornwet

No she does not have a script for Percocet. She has been taking them from me. I helped clean up my Dad's house after my step mother passed away from cancer and there was a big bottle of Percocet left over. I foolishly took the bottle gave my GF half of the contents and the other half was in my house. So she at least 60 of them. This occurred the middle of August.

Other stuff:
I have ripped my cartilage in my hip and I need a hip resurfacing - I have a script for Vicodin but I maybe take at the most 5-10 a month as I don't like the way it makes me feel but it does get rid of the pain on bad days. So my rate of usage is extremely low. On August 8th I noticed almost all of my Vicodin gone. I asked her about it and she got really angry at me for even thinking she took them.

So you see I took the Percocet thinking I might need it for my hip in the future but the stuff makes me sick so I only took one. No excuse it was wrong and I am an idiot for doing so...

I've found out she has used the 60 Percocet she originally got and has been sneaking out the of the 60 I had. She is always asking me for some.

Like I said I confronted her on this and... Quack Quack Quack... sure enough she turned it all around on me - deja-vu all over again...

I am sick to my stomach over this as I became her enabler/supplier. I threw the rest down the toilet.

I thought maybe I was being overly sensitive because of the previous alcoholic but now I'm thinking my gut is correct... She even said I was being overly sensitive over this. This is the same blame game the alcoholic played on me.

Now I have absolutely no way of knowing if in fact she only took one a day as a "relaxer" like she said or if she woofed down multiple Percs a day.

Dam! I really love this girl and poof it's all happening again.

I am a fool...

Thanks for giving me feedback!

outtolunch

What's done is done.

She can easily acquire her own script by doctor shopping or just buy the stuff, off the street. She may or may not have felt the need to do so, yet.

You know the drill. Pay attention to her actions/behaviors, not the quack.

Ann

It might be a good idea to get rid of the pills you have too since they were not prescribed to you. Maybe see your doctor and get something appropriate for your pain and then hide your pills where she cannot find them, or lock them up.

From what you say it does sound like a problem, sadly you can't change her but you can take care of yourself and find support through meetings or SR for you.

Take a read around here and maybe you will find information that might be useful for you.

Hugs

Bornwet

Thanks... I've been on here for awhile - it has really helped me get past the pain, confusion, etc of dealing with my ex alcoholic...

This is the first place I turned to for this - I knew I could count on the people here to do tell me if my gut was right...

I have flushed the Percs down the toilet. I have a script for the Vicodin and like I said I hardly use the stuff, only on really bad days - hence my surprise when it was almost gone!!

I'm fine - I know the drill... It's just a real disappointment - this addiction problem seems to be really widespread... I'm glad I'm overly sensitive to it.

peaceteach

Hi BW,

Okay, it's established that your girlfriend is an addict. And that you recognized it because you were previously involved with an alcoholic.

Maybe you are getting sick of being involved with dysfunctional people, and it's time to put some focus on you, and why you continue to choose people who are not healthy or "normal".

I read the book "Codependent No More" by Melody Beattie when I found myself at rock bottom with my now ex-alcoholic husband. It really opened my eyes and helped explain why MY life was so miserable. And it showed me that there was a better, healthier path for me to follow, one where the focus was ME and not the addict/alcoholic in my life. I also found that it was not within my power to control or cause OR cure the problems of that person. They will continue to do what they want, regardless of my actions, until THEY figure out they don't like their life.

Putting the focus on ME really has made a big difference in my life. I hope that you stick around and realize that YOU have just one beautiful, precious life and you really owe it to YOURSELF to be as happy as possible in that life, with or without your addict.