My husband has taken my diazepam, again!!

[Givenup2026]

This is at least the second time that it has happened. My GP is very kind that they give me 6 pills very much every now and then that I use when to relax as a “one off “. They’re great, and genuinely maybe I’ve taken like 12 pills in my entire life.

anyway I’ve just discovered my husband took my whole stash at some point because of “hip pain”. The irony is don’t even work for him!!!! I’m furious!!

TBH outside of this he’s a fairly decent husband and father.

again, getting angry won’t solve anything, and will just affect me.

No no he’s not. He’s not decent. The man can’t be trusted eound drugs. He takes them in your home if he can access them, he steals from you. That’s not something that can be set aside/

If he’s not in active addiction they’ll not do anything in addiction services. It would depend what’s going on with him behind your back, but if he’s just taken these two sets of pills they’ll send him packing. He’d be better joining a support group like NA. Some charities have community support groups that are really effective.

Many moons ago when we tried the NA approach (for the first instance) it was just so religious it was hard to follow.

What he did was wrong, and this is absolutely not an excuse, but does he have ADHD? If he does and he was medicated for ADHD it might reduce this impulsive behaviour (won't make him less inconsiderate though!)

I disagree with posters who are overly concerned about addiction or habit. You can't form a habit out of doing something a couple of times a year. If it was starting to turn into an addiction you would be doing things like seeking more / escalating use, doctor shopping, taking more than one dose at a time etc etc. You clearly have a very honest therapeutic relationship with your doctor who agrees they are clinicically appropriate. GPs are extremely wary of prescribing benzos and will cotton on at any of the above signs. None of that is happening on 6 tablets a year.

We do suspect he has ADHD, but not enough to get him referred. He always talks about his brain as a blank space.

Does he suffer anxiety op?or stress ?

People can get really funny about certain drugs
I was on oramorph for at least 6 months. I’ve also been prescribed diazepam before for back pain for a good few weeks
have been on dihydrocodeine for nearly a decade
it’s legal and prescribed appropriately

If he does then he needs to go to the GP for himself, rather than taking drugs that were prescribed for someone else. Presumably the GP will ask him why he took them in their 1-1 meeting. Maybe he just enjoys the feeling, you could spend ages trying to work out why he's doing what he's doing and not get anywhere.

Good luck OP.

I think really what I was reacting to was the multiple posts horrorstruck that the OP should be prescribed a benzo for the symptoms she described. It absolutely should be used with caution and care, but that seems to be the case. It wasn't the fact that her DH has an issue that PP were responding to, but the fact that a benzo should be prescribed at all to meet her needs. It's a draconian and excessive response. There's absolutely nothing wrong with OP using benzos in the manner that she describes - and her GP obviously agrees. The suggestion of switching a very occasional benzo for daily SSRIs is just laughable.

However, I completely agree with you re the risk of her DH. OP says he took them once before - that would already be one too many times for me. I'm genuinely not trying to kick OP while she's down, but after he took them once before, those tablets should have been under lock and key. No one should have to lock medication away from another adult but if you want to remain in a relationship with someone that has a problem, that's the only solution. I would understand her GP being reluctant to prescribe them now, unfortunately.

OP also seems a little bit naive about her DH - this is a man that has stolen her medication at least twice. He clearly has a problem but neither of them seem to be accepting that.

This is so sad. You think he took all six in one go? That’s scary behaviour. The addiction/abuse is just grim but the stealing and deceit feels so insulting.

He’s showing you who he is and how he feels about you and your medical needs versus him wanting to get high.

No I think he probably took 2 and then 4. 60mg in one go is a lot and he definitely would just have passed out.

So what did the surgery say when he rang to confess to stealing your tablets?

He’s seeing the GP face to face and will be referred to a substance abuse service with a key worker.

There is a scene in Goodfellas where Ray Liotta is absolutely all over the shop and a doctor tries to give him 10mg and that felt huge to me when I watched it.
I have never known anyone be prescribed 10mg even in such a restricted script. What am I trying to say? When you panic you must be in a really bad way, you have my every sympathy.
Taking them off you, I’m sorry but I still think it’s personal.
And taking 60mg in one go he must have been off his head.
I was given 10mg once in a clinical setting a good long time ago and it knocked me out.

Have RTT, and am glad some proper action is being taken. It is pretty shitty of your DH to take your medication, regardless of what it is. It leaves you short at a time you are really going to need it.

Typical MN for people to be questioning you about your prescribed medication. On here, having a thimble of wine at Xmas is the gateway to addiction.
I have a script for diazepam too, and that is for when I need blood tests.

Im glad he's getting help. I have a diazepam prescription for major muscle spasms, but was warned that misuse by anyone in my house would lead to it being revoked. DH stealing it would just be leaving me in pain as I won't get more. You are lucky to have generous GP.

In these circumstances the GP has a legal duty to refer him to addiction services, and will probably advise OP at some point that she needs to ring 101 to get a crime number to record on her medical notes. Once the theft of a controlled drug is reported it triggers NHS protocols and safeguarding.

Exactly. Posters being concerned over the rate and way OP is taking diazepam is a bit like warning someone who bets on the grand national that they might develop a gambling addiction, or worrying someone who gets a bit drunk at weddings might be an alcoholic.

Read what OP actually wrote in this post. Her DH didn’t tell her he would take cancer meds at all. OP told him that was her fear.

I am not questioning the OP being prescribed the meds. I am surprised at the dosage being 10mg in one go as that is quite an amount. I did add she must really struggle to have to take that in one go, but it’s clearly only very occasionally. She sounds very responsible in managing it.
I have add 2.5mg before on a limited script and had to go through an inquisition.

Im surprised nothing triggered after the first admission of her Husband taking her tablets but I think if they prescribe now after this they are incredibly irresponsible.

Yes and he said nothing, if he wouldn't he surely would say of course I would never. The fact is this man has behaved selfishly for a buzz on more than one occasion and doesnt seem to have any care for the way he has affected his wife because the GP would be massively irresponsible to prescribe these again now, so its likely impacted her in the long term and he barely seems bothered about this.

I think by the sounds of him the OP is right, he would happily take cancer meds from her if it served him in the moment, he is selfish.

Exactly, which he hasn’t. That’s why I think he took them in 2 or 3 occasions. Maybe 1 , then 2, then 3.

The GP will add a note to both records - OP and her DH. An admission made direct to a HCP triggers a strict NHS protocol for reporting theft of controlled drugs and OP will likely be asked to report via 101 to obtain a crime number for the record. The GP is then legally obliged to refer DH to address drug seeking/addictive behaviour. There is zero tolerance for this in the NHS and the GP will not replace the stolen meds. OP will likely have to wait until the next prescription is due, she will have to satisfy the GP that she’s taken steps to stop this happening again, and she may find that the amount of tablets is reduced on the next prescription, with more monitoring.