Is he addicted to painkillers?

[gdrcclmn]

I've been with my partner around 18 months. We don't live together but he's here around half the time. I was doing his washing and some tablets fell out of his pocket, and I noticed him taking something a couple nights ago but I thought maybe they were just paracetamol. Today Ive found 300 co-codamol tablets in the wardrobe that were delivered here about a week ago. There seems to be just over 100 left.

I don't know how to talk to him about it. If he's taken almost 200 tablets in a week that seems like a pretty serious addiction to me. My ex-partner lied to me about substance abuse for over a year so I have previous with this and it honestly feels like a betrayal keeping something this huge from me, although I dunno if that's an overreaction.

WWYD?

@notsurewhattodo22

You can't order these online without a prescription

Not legally, no, that’s not the same thing though is it?

There's something very dodgy going on here, whatever it is.

And by having those pills delivered to your address, he's involving you. You need to ask him what's going on.

He'll probably lie, but at least he'll know you're on to him.

Find some NA (narcotics anonymous) literature and leave it in his flat. Or maybe you try al-anon? They do online meetings now

@GreyishDays, But not with paracetamol without significant risk.

And get hold of the pills when you talk to him. Otherwise he may have hidden them, or deny it all.

It certainly sounds like he has an addiction. The more he takes the more he will be able to tolerate them until his body cannot take it any longer and his organs fail. I think you need to confront him about this. They are very difficult to detox from.

I’m on paracetamol four times a day as prescribed by my doctor, for bad period pain long story I’m allowed two codeine if in bad pain, I only take if in agony, had to have extra for bad back muscles which I happen during examination last Friday, I think. I’m off them now

[quote SparklingLime]@GreyishDays, But not with paracetamol without significant risk.[/quote]
Sorry, can’t quite work out which comment you’re replying to.

@GreyishDays: Well of course people do use large amounts of opiates, unfortunately. You might not be able to imagine it. smile

That was in response to someone suggesting it was impossible to take more than a very few.

Yes - possible but not without significant risk due to the paracetamol, @GreyishDays.

@GreyishDays
I wasn’t saying it’s impossible, I was saying as in reference to how he is, would suggest he’s hardened to it.

He's either addicted, or dealing, or both.

[quote SBTLove]@GreyishDays
I wasn’t saying it’s impossible, I was saying as in reference to how he is, would suggest he’s hardened to it.[/quote]
Oh I see!

Christ he must be mad constipated. Codiene addiction is super common OP, but you might get more helpful replies on an addiction board such as Soberrecovery. If he'll talk to a GP, the NHS drugs and alcohol outpatient rehab centres are fantastic. They sort you out with a taper and give you heaps of support. Good luck.

I knew someone who took 15-20 a day who was addicted. Of the 30/500 too

Could he be selling them.?

Codiene actually isn't as dangerous as paracetamol. Paracetamol is a hepatic drug.

People take paracetamol before sleeping after drinking all night. Which is really dangerous. As both work on the liver. That's the danger.

Both are dangerous in high doses though

@notsurewhattodo22 poster might not be UK, she/he says pants for trousers.

I used to take those 30mg cocodamol for severe pain. I was literally off my face whilst taking them & struggled to sleep as a result of the codamol, had to knock myself out with sleeping pills, It will be the codamol that will be disrupting his sleep. He is a hardcore user if he is addicted to those. Seriously strong stuff those are.

OP I think you have to ask him, because of your DD if nothing else. He's storing prescription strength drugs (probably acquired illegally) in your home and taking no care to secure them.

Your description of him dropping tablets from his pockets, plus him ordering a box to your house and storing them there - has he done that on purpose? Does he actually desperately want help but is too ashamed to ask?

Op has he mentioned any long term painful health conditions that may warrant him taking these? If not .... you finding them falling out of all sorts of clothing & pockets is addicts behaviour I'm afraid. I do know that doctors will be very reluctant to prescribe the 30/500 now unless he is in severe pain on a regular basis.

@Happyheartlovelife

Both are dangerous in high doses though

And the problem with the Codeine is that it often escalates.

He's an addict dealing drugs to fund his own habit.
Worse, he's having his supplies delivered to and stored at your house. That puts you at risk of criminal charges, and even worse, breakins from any of his druggie contacts who know where he keeps his stash.

There are probably a lot more drugs in your house that you haven't found yet.

Get rid of the drugs and him <strong>right away</strong>