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Original poster

Husband's employee has taken/stolen my pain medication

197 replies

6demandingchildren · 30/07/2021 00:52

This is a message expanding what happened today, it's from me to a good friend as it saves me typing it all out again, sorry it's long and probably complicated.
This is the message
I'm so angry right now and I was going to chat tomorrow but in too much pain to sleep.
Obviously we only have 1 week until holiday so we need to try and make some extra money as we won't be able to earn anything while we are away and we need money while away so the pressure is on.
We decided to go into work today to list as much as we can to sell on eBay.
Dh then had to go to the building site as the tree surgeon was going to be their early as he needs to do his bit before we can get the electrics in, so I said I would go to the warehouse on my own.
I have run out of tramadol at home but knew I had 6 at work so decided to wait until I got there as I'm in so much pain and the co-codamol isn't touching the pain.
I get to work and do a few things before settling down to a cuppa and 2 pills.
I go to get my tablets and they are gone, I look round and can't find them so go to the car and as I knew nothing in there so I phone dh who said employee pinched 1 tablet and they are on her desk.
I look everywhere and can't find them so phone employee and she said she has them in her bag.
I have spent the day in agony and I was also angry at dh as I thought he had given them all to her.
Met dh at home and he is also angry with her as he said she could have one then a bit later saw the strip on her desk and questioned why she wanted one when she had a strip she said they were the ones he said she could have and he said no, he explained that he said she could have 1 not all of them and to put them back on my desk as I need them.
But instead of putting them on my desk she put them in her bag and took them home and I doubt she will return them as she will of taken them all.
I'm so angry as she has stolen from me.
Sorry that was so long but I need to vent.

For context she knows I have 3 prolapsed disks and a spinal fracture as well as other medical issues, but she is also a family friend.

I am in so much pain I can't sleep and it's worse as I have not kept up with the pain relief.

Aibu to be so angry or could it be a honest mistake? (But I honestly can't see how)

OP posts:
me4real · 30/07/2021 01:58

If she's a friend she can drop them back tomorrow/ should've this evening.

Original poster
6demandingchildren · 30/07/2021 01:59

I'm hoping to get it sorted tomorrow as I think I need something different as they don't really help much.
I just can't get comfortable and it's not helping that my son last night at 1am made me search for a baby Scorpion in his room, turns out it was an earwig 🤣

OP posts:
me4real · 30/07/2021 01:59

I'm a night owl. Smile

me4real · 30/07/2021 02:01

Aww lol, well earwigs are pretty weird looking and we don't get as many these days so he mightn'tve seen them much.

Get an emergency appointment tomorrow as you're so uncomfortable.

Original poster
6demandingchildren · 30/07/2021 02:05

I do think pain is worse with stress and in the past few weeks my husband has had a terrible head injury that could of been fatal and my darling cousin has died and I miss her terribly we didn't see each other often but kept in touch and she just had a way of wording things that made you laugh, it's her funeral next week and I won't be able to make the journey.
But my son does get married in 3 weeks so that's something to look forward to as he is marrying someone who has become such a good friend to me and a genuinely lovely person so we are blessed.
I do hate doom and gloom and moaning and I'm being that person and their are so many in physical or emotional pain that have it so much worse.

OP posts:
Wh0Knew · 30/07/2021 02:07

Why haven’t you rung this person and told her to bring the medication to you?
Tell her that she stole it, that you, your DH and she all know that, and that she is to bring the meds over immediately. If she has used them, then she will have to admit it - she is NOT a friend, and should no longer have a key to access the office.
Your medication should be in a secure place anyway, so should be locked away with keys on yourself and DH only.
I deal with severe chronic pain 24/7, and I would never be able to look at a person again who had stolen my pain meds.

Original poster
6demandingchildren · 30/07/2021 02:08

My youngest is 13 and has autism and he is just so amazing, we had a McDonald's party this evening as it was the youngest dogs 7th birthday and he insisted.
My eldest is 31 so quite an age gap.

OP posts:
Original poster
6demandingchildren · 30/07/2021 02:13

Wh0Knew I will be taking steps to remove all my medication, she was going to join us on our holiday for a few days but this will no longer happen, I won't be seeing her as she is only part time, but this has changed the dynamics and it's theft and to me it's no different than her stealing from my home.

OP posts:
me4real · 30/07/2021 02:14

I do hate doom and gloom and moaning and I'm being that person

I don't think you are @6demandingchildren , the pain and things you describe sound really unpleasant.

It's ok and healthy to have a moan sometimes if you're in pain or stressed etc.

LanisHouseLot · 30/07/2021 02:15

Sometimes you just need to have a moan to get it out your system - someone stealing your prescription medication is definitely up there as something to complain about!

In hindsight, it might have been best if your husband's reply had been that you need them asap and to please bring them round now. Is it too late to get them back?

IsItAKindofDream · 30/07/2021 02:18

Why can’t you call your (ex) friend and tell her to bring the medication back to you immediately. She can pay for taxis for herself if necessary.

ClumpingBambooIsALie · 30/07/2021 02:23

It's a class C drug so supply is illegal. He should never have said she could have even one.

Original poster
6demandingchildren · 30/07/2021 02:23

She doesn't drive and it is a 3 hour round trip from my house to here and back for her by public transport. Not that I'm sticking up for her, but she hasn't even messaged me an apology.
Even if I took something by accident I would keep apologising so I think her silence speaks volumes.
Just counting down the hours until the doctor's open as no point in calling 111 as I won't wake dh up to collect it as he will need to look after the youngest tomorrow as well as go to work and do housework, I do wish I could get him wearing an apron to do the cleaning just so I have something to laugh at.

OP posts:
Original poster
6demandingchildren · 30/07/2021 02:25

ClumpingBambooIsALie turns out he didn't know until he saw them on her desk and told her to return them, even though she ignored him and took them home!

OP posts:
ClumpingBambooIsALie · 30/07/2021 02:27

Sly cow!

Original poster
6demandingchildren · 30/07/2021 02:32

Ok I want going to go throwing names around but sly cow is rather apt

OP posts:
IsItAKindofDream · 30/07/2021 02:35

@6demandingchildren

She doesn't drive and it is a 3 hour round trip from my house to here and back for her by public transport. Not that I'm sticking up for her, but she hasn't even messaged me an apology. Even if I took something by accident I would keep apologising so I think her silence speaks volumes. Just counting down the hours until the doctor's open as no point in calling 111 as I won't wake dh up to collect it as he will need to look after the youngest tomorrow as well as go to work and do housework, I do wish I could get him wearing an apron to do the cleaning just so I have something to laugh at.
Are any of these options workable?
  1. She brings the medication back to you on public transport - her wasting 3 hours is no concern of yours
  2. She gets a taxi at her own expense
  3. You call 111, get you DH to collect the medication, and he does whatever he can manage with work and childcare and skips the housework tomorrow.

I’m only restating these in case it helps, as your posts sound quite muddled (not surprisingly for someone in pain).

Soontobe60 · 30/07/2021 02:40

Hang on here, this doesn’t add up. You say you keep your meds in your drawer at work but that you only go into work one day a week. So you only need meds for your pain once a week?
Keeping Tramadol in a drawer at work is a very very bad idea, as it’s a powerful drug that should be kept safely. Your dh told her to take one - why? If my employer gave me access to tramadol she’d be in big trouble!
I doubt your GP will give you another prescription as you’ve still got some of the last prescription, all be it in someone else’s bag. How are you going to explain that to the GP?

milkyaqua · 30/07/2021 02:50

Nobody "accidentally" nicks someone else's prescription pain meds.

Frannibananni · 30/07/2021 02:51

She didn’t just take paracetamol it was tramadol. That’s not for just a headache at work - huge red flags as an employer.

EmmaGrundyForPM · 30/07/2021 03:09

Is your husband aware it's a controlled drug? If he is, then he is a complete idiot allowing her to have one.

You say she's DH's employee,not yours. So your dh needs to challenge her as to why she took more tablets than he agreed to.

Torvean · 30/07/2021 03:15

111 won't deal with this due to the drug it is.

If you had only 6 left how often do you use them? Given the fact it can take time to get a prescription. Ordering in plenty of time is best.

Leaving that kind of medication in a desk drawer is not safe.
Can you not carry it with you in case you need it at work.

If you say somebody has taken it they will want you to report it to the police and give them a reference number.

TheNestedIf · 30/07/2021 03:25

She doesn't drive and it is a 3 hour round trip from my house to here and back for her by public transport. Not that I'm sticking up for her, but she hasn't even messaged me an apology.

Let's be honest, there's a good chance she was already out of her tree hours ago.

Hang on here, this doesn’t add up. You say you keep your meds in your drawer at work but that you only go into work one day a week.

I used to leave a packet of Levothyroxine in the office when our team still used to go into the office. I don't take mine in the morning and it saved forgetting to take any in.

CallMeRisley · 30/07/2021 03:37

Your DH texted his employee “I don’t want to see you tomorrow as I can’t be doing with you”? The whole thing sounds pretty unprofessional.

FortunesFave · 30/07/2021 04:05

Sack her. It's a terrible thing to do.