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For 30 years, Christian leader and spiritual adviser Billy Graham has been offering advice to the thousands of readers who share their problems ...
Read more about By Billy Graham, Tribune Media Services.
For 30 years, Christian leader and spiritual adviser Billy Graham has been offering advice to the thousands of readers who share their problems ...
Read more about By Billy Graham, Tribune Media Services.
What Can I Do About My Husband's Addiction to Painkillers?
By Billy Graham, Tribune Media Services
Q: I'm afraid my husband is about to get addicted to painkillers. He
had major back surgery a couple of months ago and says he has to have
them to fight the pain. This scares me, but all he cares about is
getting relief. I don't know what to do. Can you help? -- Mrs. K.S.
A: I'm not a physician, of course -- but the first thing I urge you to do is to talk frankly with your husband's doctor about your worries. You are wise to be concerned, and his doctor needs to answer your questions.
After all, he knows your husband's situation, and he can help you understand what to expect as your husband recovers. It takes time to get over major surgery, and his doctor can help you be realistic about it. You also may discover that the doctor is already planning to change your husband's pain medication from time to time, which should reassure you. If you don't think the doctor is taking your concerns seriously, however, seek a second opinion. People sometimes do become addicted to painkillers after surgery, and you should do everything you can to help your husband avoid this.
At the same time, be an encourager to your husband. The Bible says, "Therefore encourage one another and build each other up, just as in fact you are doing" (1 Thessalonians 5:11). At times he may feel like he never is going to get better -- but he can, and you need to encourage him to do whatever he needs to do to gain strength.
Most of all, let this be a time when you both find new strength from God. He loves you and wants to encourage and help you -- and He will, as you open your hearts to Christ.
========
Send your queries to "My Answer," c/o Billy Graham, Billy Graham Evangelistic Association, 1 Billy Graham Parkway, Charlotte, N.C., 28201; call 1-(877) 2-GRAHAM, or visit the Web site for the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association: www.billygraham.org.
(c)2008 BILLY GRAHAM DISTRIBUTED BY TRIBUNE MEDIA SERVICES, INC.
This news arrived on: 09/01/2008
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Posted Comments:
10-05-2008 13:26
Robin Phillips wrote:
My Husband and My painkillers
I have severe arthritis and it has settled in my right knee, right hip, spine, and hands.
My doctor put me on something so strong I was sick and laid up in be for the weekend. My doctor changed it for me and gave me vicoden for pain.
My husband in his past suffered from addiction to street drugs. Since he has been off those, he fights for my pain medicine. I am suppose to take 3x a day, but it is too strong for me so I take a half a pill usually a day. He fights with me to the point I run out before I can get them refilled. I don't know what else to do, but ask the doctor to remove this medicine from me. I have asked for the shots but, unfortunately the shots that they had been giving me before this, increases bone loss. So I stay on this med-struggling with husband that as long as this is in the house he will take them. I believe he is addictive to it, as he is a bear without it. One night the police was called by a neighbor. She over heard us arguing. The police had heard what was being said", and advised him that if he takes them from me it is a felony and if I give them to him it is a felony. They explained since it is a narcotic both of us could go to jail either by giving or taking it from me. I told the police try not giving it to him. SO I NOW KNOW HE IS ADDICTIVE TO THEM, BECAUSE IF HE DOESN'T GET THEM HE WILL MAKE MY LIFE PURE HELL UNTIL HE GETS ONE.
PLEASE PRAY FOR US, love in Christ Robin
My doctor put me on something so strong I was sick and laid up in be for the weekend. My doctor changed it for me and gave me vicoden for pain.
My husband in his past suffered from addiction to street drugs. Since he has been off those, he fights for my pain medicine. I am suppose to take 3x a day, but it is too strong for me so I take a half a pill usually a day. He fights with me to the point I run out before I can get them refilled. I don't know what else to do, but ask the doctor to remove this medicine from me. I have asked for the shots but, unfortunately the shots that they had been giving me before this, increases bone loss. So I stay on this med-struggling with husband that as long as this is in the house he will take them. I believe he is addictive to it, as he is a bear without it. One night the police was called by a neighbor. She over heard us arguing. The police had heard what was being said", and advised him that if he takes them from me it is a felony and if I give them to him it is a felony. They explained since it is a narcotic both of us could go to jail either by giving or taking it from me. I told the police try not giving it to him. SO I NOW KNOW HE IS ADDICTIVE TO THEM, BECAUSE IF HE DOESN'T GET THEM HE WILL MAKE MY LIFE PURE HELL UNTIL HE GETS ONE.
PLEASE PRAY FOR US, love in Christ Robin
09-01-2008 11:36
Revmark wrote:
Pain Killer Addiction
I can relate to your husband on this one. I injured my spinal cord 10 years ago, and have been in chronic pain since then. But, I had to have 2 surgeries on my spinal cord, and the pain was tremendous.
Unless you have had such pain, you can never truly understand how it feels, and the need to have it gone.
The main thing, is that you keep track of when he takes it, to make sure he is taking it according to the prescription that the doctor has written out.
After my 2 spinal cord surgeries I had to take narcotics for almost 3 years, and was able to back down off of them myself, according to a back down process. So as long as he is not abusing them, by taking them the wrong way, you should not worry about it.
Chronic pain can do a lot of bad things to you, to include depression, confusion, memory issues, as well as other things the doctor can tell you.
But, the main thing is that when it comes time for him to have therapy, he needs to push himself through the pain, no matter how hard it gets, and no matter how much it hurts.
I found that after my surgery, the more I moved, the less it hurt in certain areas, but in other areas, the more it hurt, so it takes time, and the pain killers are a great way to get him through the therapy, and to get him moving.
Hope this helps.
God Bless
Unless you have had such pain, you can never truly understand how it feels, and the need to have it gone.
The main thing, is that you keep track of when he takes it, to make sure he is taking it according to the prescription that the doctor has written out.
After my 2 spinal cord surgeries I had to take narcotics for almost 3 years, and was able to back down off of them myself, according to a back down process. So as long as he is not abusing them, by taking them the wrong way, you should not worry about it.
Chronic pain can do a lot of bad things to you, to include depression, confusion, memory issues, as well as other things the doctor can tell you.
But, the main thing is that when it comes time for him to have therapy, he needs to push himself through the pain, no matter how hard it gets, and no matter how much it hurts.
I found that after my surgery, the more I moved, the less it hurt in certain areas, but in other areas, the more it hurt, so it takes time, and the pain killers are a great way to get him through the therapy, and to get him moving.
Hope this helps.
God Bless
09-01-2008 11:23
normajun wrote:
pain killers open to addiction, and more
Nena is right!God is the master healer!Let us offer our bodily aches and trials or sufferings to our savior Jesus, who offered His whole life and death for our salvation.Drugs always have side effects.God will heal us, if our faith is FIRM, 100% total surrender and complete dependence upon His mercy and grace!He is the source of life, of everything, creator of heaven and earth, and more! Read on the gospel of JOHN.Receive the sacraments, reach out to the needy.Take up your cross, deny yourself, and follow JESUS!Miracles flow forever, and believe, trust, love HIM, with all your heart, being, mind, and strength!Amen, in JESUS name!
09-01-2008 09:17
nena yochum wrote:
painkiller addiction
My heart goes out to this woman. I have been in her shoes. My husband and I had been married less than a year when he fell three stories on a jobsite, landing on his feet. The doctors said it was a miracle he lived.It crushed his right heel, and damaged his spine. Though he went thru months of rehab for the heel injury, he never got his "step' back correctly. The doctors could do nothing for the back injury, and he was declared disabled to work. But during all this, his doctors kept him on large doses of hydrocodone. Needless to say, he became very addicted.
This addiction took over our lives. When one doctor would try alternative methods of pain relief, he would just get a new doctor, which was very easy as he had Medicare by this time. Doctors love patients with Medicare. He eventually found one that would perscribe Methadone for pain relief. He felt great!! But then it started taking more of even that to make him "feel good." Of course by this time it wasn't just pain relief he sought, it was the high.
To make a long story short, my husband died from an overdose of methadone and hydrocodone (loritab)2 weeks after getting out of drug rehab.
This is a powerful addiction, and I know now that my God is the Great Physician, and encourage anyone facing a situation like this, to seek Him first, and to have a spiritually sound foudation and relationship with Him.
This addiction took over our lives. When one doctor would try alternative methods of pain relief, he would just get a new doctor, which was very easy as he had Medicare by this time. Doctors love patients with Medicare. He eventually found one that would perscribe Methadone for pain relief. He felt great!! But then it started taking more of even that to make him "feel good." Of course by this time it wasn't just pain relief he sought, it was the high.
To make a long story short, my husband died from an overdose of methadone and hydrocodone (loritab)2 weeks after getting out of drug rehab.
This is a powerful addiction, and I know now that my God is the Great Physician, and encourage anyone facing a situation like this, to seek Him first, and to have a spiritually sound foudation and relationship with Him.
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