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.
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 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.
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.
Find away out of trying to help your mom, and get yourself mentally grounded, if not for you do it for your children
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.
Good luck.