spouse ordering prescriptions under my name for him

[sakurarose2022]

This is the first time I have posted here.... Here goes....

Not sure what to do but my husband has been ordering painkillers under my name... Co codamol. He requests the prescription for me however he uses them for himself. He regularly requests tramadol under his own medical records and is therefore not able to request co codamol since they should not be taken together. So I have since found out that he has been ordering co codamol without my knowledge and consent, I am mad about this because he has been ordering them on a regular basis, typically every 2 weeks. There are 100 tablets per prescription so roughly speaking it works out that 7 pills are taken daily. This is on my health records! So it looks like I am taking these when I am not. . More to the point it looks like I am addicted to them as the guidance says you are to have tablet free days. I am worried because I have health conditions where this could impact my treatment, etc. I am so cross about this, I spoke to my husband about it but he thinks I am not supporting him by allowing him to continue with ordering them.

I have explained to him how I feel about this and how it could effect my health plan in the long run but he doesn't seem to get it, it's like his need is greater than mine. He is obviously addicted to pain killers but I need to put myself first. He gets angry when I explain and tell him that I will speak to the Drs to prevent anyone other than myself to request medication. I am in a stuck situation... Continue to let him do this or put a stop to it and have to put up with his behaviour towards me.

Any words of wisdom of advice would be gratefully appreciated!

It's certainly possible to have cocodamol on repeat for some conditions. I have codeine tablets (not cocodamol, just 30mg codeine) on repeat for migraine, I just tick the box online any time I need some more.

Codeine is a class B drug; you need to make absolutely sure you cannot in future be accused of supplying your husband with this drug. How is it going to look if it turns out that you just let this go once you knew about it?

And get naloxone. The chances of him ODing and dying are high.

Ask for a medication review & have the Co-codamol removed from your prescription list.

You need to report this.

1. This absolutely is going to impact your treatment. If you are in pain and ask for help, they may look at your records and think you are drug seeking.
2. this is someone you care about. He is the father of your child. He Has an addiction. Covering it up for him doesn’t help him.

i can’t guarantee he won’t face any legal repercussions, but this also isn’t the kind of thing that gets prosecuted very often. If he does, then he does. You can’t hide this.

GPs are unlikely to “get him in trouble” as they would be in trouble themselves for allowing this situation to happen. Instead they can put an alert on your file to ensure this can’t happen again. They can also then review his prescribing and help him to address the situation.

Also given how long he has been able to abuse them behind your back have the, removed from repeat where they should never have been in the 1st place. You can always keep a pack in a locked box at home in case you need it.

Jesus go to your GP and tell them about the fraud!

My mother was on tramándole after a surgery. It turned her utterly insane.

Lose your shit at the pharmacy and threaten to report them to their governing body if he does it again. (Pharmacist Guild?)

Nope… Here you go. This is who you threaten to complain to.

www.professionalstandards.org.uk/what-we-do/our-work-with-regulators/find-a-regulator/general-pharmaceutical-council

You can get them on the same prescription I was prescribed tramadol and cocodamol together for 5 years but I've weaned myself off them. It was hellish. He can't just stop taking the cocodamol he will have dreadful withdrawal symptoms and won't be able to function. He's got himself into a right mess.

I have chronic health problems and I am prescribed cocodamol and tramadol as long as I am aware not to take them on the same day and have been on repeat for about 7 years. My Grandmother also has them both because I collect her prescriptions.

On my bad days I take tramadol and the good days I take cocodamol. Does he have anything on his record that the GP would think he is an addict to deny prescribing him this? What he is doing is illegal and dangerous, he would end up with kidney problems. I think you might need to report this.

Why? A broken bone is an acute situation. Some pain is chronic. Don’t those of us with chronic pain deserve pain relief?

More to the point, they’ll flag your notes as you being a prescribing risk too. Can you just initially request that your dose is reduced, since you’re not using it all? Then switch to a different pharmacy? Don’t tell him which one you’ve switched to.

He is commiting at least one crime, he has an addiction and he is not treating you well.

He needs to be in trouble.

To everyone saying, "why would a GP prescribe so many?" for those of us living with chronic pain yes we need that amount of medication. Yes a GP will put those meds on repeat.

You can buy co codamol in a chemist . Not sure you will be able to prevent him having it. But you need to clarify with the surgery, I think, what is actually happening.

Cocodamol comes in three strengths of codeine. The OTC stuff is nothing like as strong as prescribed cocodamol.

I think you can only buy 8mg over the counter but 30mg from the GP on prescription. There are also limits of how many packs you can buy in each pharmacy. I have a chronic pain condition so have some codeine prescribed, although I rarely take it as it's a horrible drug.

@CloseKnittedSilkPrint You can only buy 16 at a Chemist and they are low strength codeine 8mg.

On prescription they are 15 or 30 mg.

My GP prescribes them to me 100 at a time.

You can only buy 16 at a Chemist and they are low strength codeine 8mg.

No, I bought a box of 32 at the weekend. As you say though, only the 8mg ones, where I get the 30s on repeat.

Yes I’ve just worked out that at 8 a day times 28 days my monthly cocodamol repeat is 224 capsules a time. I expect some posters here think I should make do with leeches, but a misappropriation of prescription painkillers could get serious very quickly. If they dragged us all in for weekly face to face appointments and 7 day scripts, OTOH, primary care would collapse. There are an awful lot of patients being treated for chronic pain in the community.

That’s bs and won’t help. Her notes will not be flagged as being unsuitable to prescribe they will just flag they need to speak to her directly and make arrangements for safe prescribing ie not having too much of a supply at home at one time and possibly safe storage procedures.

I would go to the surgery and tell them you no longer take it and ensure it is off your repeat prescription list.
We have a visiting pharmacist that you would speak to st ours

The guidance from the NHS and the department of health is that controlled drugs shouldn’t be added to repeat scripts, That doesn’t mean those with chronic pain should have to jump through hoops but clearly this surgery doesn’t have a robust review procedure in place which is dangerous.

I thought cocodamol was schedule V and that’s why it can be on repeat? I’ve had this conversation before.

You'd be surprised how many people are on strong painkillers and for many years. Even on repeat.

Ask your surgery to remove them from repeat and put a warning something along the lines "only patient to order medication" which pops up which in practice should be read before going into the medication screen. Make sure the GP is advised too.