So my mom has neuropathy and she’s on a few different medication. She’s been addicted to pain meds all her life so she’s also on subtext and gabapentin. She overtakes these drugs daily and is so messed up. She cannot walk. I don’t know what else to do. I’ve asked her to please stop doing this but she doesn’t seem to care medication is all she cares about I’m lost i’m tired of this and it’s taking over my life because she doesn’t want to be a responsible adult. I have kids to worry about and kids that have seen her act like this. I’m over it.
Hers was the thyroid tablet that had to be taken on an empty stomach. No matter what I did she couldn’t understand how to take the pill correctly.
Thankfully she never seems to have pain.
Nueropathy can be so painful.
I feel bad for you and your mom. She has a lot of health issues to manage.
I wonder if a (addiction) rehab would be a good idea for her? She might benefit from the therapy and get her meds a bit better under control.
You could get a little break at the same time. I really don’t understand how she could overtake them without running out before the month is out. I wouldn’t want her to get a 90 day supply. Too much temptation for her.
If she has dementia she needs help with them but if she has been overdosing it might be hard to tell. I would count the pills and let the doc know. She needs help getting a grip on this and hopefully help for the pain as well.
I would talk to her doctor. I would tell him what you have observed. Between the 2 of you, come up with a plan.
It is very possible that the only way to get her pain under control, will be to move her to a facility that controls her ability to get the drugs. Even then, after that, she still might not be able to stay away since taking these pills has become a way of life for her. Because it is a way of life, it will take a monumental effort and self-control in order to stick with the plan. In addition, sticking with the plan means that she will have to accept a certain level of pain for the rest of her life and be mentally strong enough to stick with the plan, even though another part of her brain is screaming that pills are the answer.
My best wishes to you. I suggest that you talk to her physician to discuss with him, what you can do.
Also, Gabapentin has side effects that could cause dizziness, a bad one for elderly. My mom had to get a different med from the doc with less side effects, or at least that does not include dizziness.
and I label morning and evening
and put them in for each week marked with day of week
also bought couple of those large wall clocks for elderly which clearly show day time ( and date)
that helps my end
This woman needs a person to manage her meds.
She should not be managing her medications. Someone else should be managing this, under supervised care at home or in a facility. I don't know those particular drugs, but it could be dangerous to take them away from her, cutting her off cold-turkey.
I hope you or your mother finds a suitable solution. Just remember You can not control her behavior, and your worry and stress is not going to change the outcome. You say you are over it. Try to let it go.
Good luck.
Some doctors offices are good at calling the patient back ahead of the next appointment but not all. Abuse of pain medications should be a big concern to all prescribers because of a CDC best practices guide from a couple of years ago. It was a wake up call that had an immediate response on how doctors severely limited their prescriptions...for the good.
If you go to Al-Anon usually affiliated with Narc-anon you will learn that you have only the ability to decide whether you wish to be around a drug and alcohol abuser or you wish to LEAVE them. You certainly can do ZERO to change them. And your being "at them" gives them the excuse of YOU are making them "whatever" and YOU are the problem.
She will soon enough be injured by "going down" behind this abuse. Once in care medications can be managed. From sad first hand experience I can tell you that abusers will find a way to abuse, even if it means drinking gallons of Listerine. There is a reason that stuff is on the ends of the aisles along with the potato chips. And it ISN'T bad breath.
Get help for yourself. She is beyond help from you.
Find away out of trying to help your mom, and get yourself mentally grounded, if not for you do it for your children
I don’t think you understand how addiction works. You say that your mom has had a substance abuse problem all her life and that you want to help her stop abusing meds.
You have no power whatsoever to control your mother’s behavior. Not only that, your mom has serious concerns and needs someone who will oversee her care. Are you willing to be her advocate? That is the first step in helping your mom.
May I suggest that you attend a few NarAnon or ALAnon meetings to be around others who have dealt with similar issues. Or spend some time discussing addiction issues with a counselor who specializes in addiction.
Best wishes to you and your mom.
If you are talking about Subutex, this is the brand name for buprenorphine. Buprenorphine is a partial opioid agonist that works by binding to opioid receptors in the brain, thus preventing withdrawal symptoms from occurring. It does not produce a high like other opioids when taken in higher doses, as it only partially activates those receptors. Subutex is not available in the USA as of 2011.
If your mom lives alone and refuses managed care or to be supervised in any way, you can call APS and report a demented elder with drug problems living alone. If she lives with you or you with her, can you apply for Medicaid and get her placed, if you are her POA?
My mother had neuropathy and that is why she could not walk. She finally went into a wheelchair fulltime for the last 3 years of her life, with dementia as well. Nothing really helps neuropathy because it's nerve pain which opioids do not touch.
I'm sorry you're going thru such a thing with your mother. I wish you good luck and Godspeed figuring out what to do.