goldenguru
Active Member
Wow. I'm overwhelmed by all of the responses. Thank you.
I guess if the only red flag that I was seeing was the morphine use, I would be less concerned.
Janet ~ after reading the article you posted I would most definitely place my mom in the addicted category.
inability to take medications according to an agreed upon schedule- my dad has the medications in the locked safe. He doles them out one dose at a time. He doesn't trust her to not take too much.
frequent reports of lost or stolen prescriptions they have fired two housekeepers for stealing medications. They never called the police. I knew the one woman. There is no way in hello that she stole my mothers medications.
isolation from family and friends - she has become a hermit. She routinely skips out on family functions. She even missed out on Christmas last year and has already stated that she doesn't want to do family holidays anymore.
non-compliance with recommended non-opioid treatments or evaluations; that would be her refusal to get physical therapy or hydro therapy ... to join a support group or get therapy.
insistence on rapid-onset formulations/routes of administration- she chews her vicodan ... I have tried to explain to her the dangers of this practice. It falls on deaf ears.
reports of no relief whatsoever by any non-opioid treatments they have tried oxycontin, codienes, and pain patches. She insists they do nothing for her.
persistent sedation or intoxication due to overuse she sleeps around the clock. She falls several times a week. She loses whole days
And as I have explained, there are the mental components that has red flags waving all over the place.
She has only seen one doctor. There were no long extensive battery of tests. One pain specialist. He diagnosed and has slowly upped the medicinal ante. I have BEGGED my parents to allow me to go to one of these visits. To meet this man and ask some intelligent questions. I have been flat out refused. She refuses to seek other opinions.
As I stated in my earlier post ... she is a mere ghost of the person that she used to be just two years ago. She tells me "I'm just getting old". (shes' 64). She tells me "This is as good as I'm gonna get".
It is very scary. It is very sad.
Thank you for your insights and responses. It has given me something to chew on.
I guess if the only red flag that I was seeing was the morphine use, I would be less concerned.
Janet ~ after reading the article you posted I would most definitely place my mom in the addicted category.
inability to take medications according to an agreed upon schedule- my dad has the medications in the locked safe. He doles them out one dose at a time. He doesn't trust her to not take too much.
frequent reports of lost or stolen prescriptions they have fired two housekeepers for stealing medications. They never called the police. I knew the one woman. There is no way in hello that she stole my mothers medications.
isolation from family and friends - she has become a hermit. She routinely skips out on family functions. She even missed out on Christmas last year and has already stated that she doesn't want to do family holidays anymore.
non-compliance with recommended non-opioid treatments or evaluations; that would be her refusal to get physical therapy or hydro therapy ... to join a support group or get therapy.
insistence on rapid-onset formulations/routes of administration- she chews her vicodan ... I have tried to explain to her the dangers of this practice. It falls on deaf ears.
reports of no relief whatsoever by any non-opioid treatments they have tried oxycontin, codienes, and pain patches. She insists they do nothing for her.
persistent sedation or intoxication due to overuse she sleeps around the clock. She falls several times a week. She loses whole days
And as I have explained, there are the mental components that has red flags waving all over the place.
She has only seen one doctor. There were no long extensive battery of tests. One pain specialist. He diagnosed and has slowly upped the medicinal ante. I have BEGGED my parents to allow me to go to one of these visits. To meet this man and ask some intelligent questions. I have been flat out refused. She refuses to seek other opinions.
As I stated in my earlier post ... she is a mere ghost of the person that she used to be just two years ago. She tells me "I'm just getting old". (shes' 64). She tells me "This is as good as I'm gonna get".
It is very scary. It is very sad.
Thank you for your insights and responses. It has given me something to chew on.