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?

@Bluntness100

Could he be selling them.?

I was thinking that. I know people who get codeine prescriptions from their doctor and then sell the tablets on individually. The worrying thing in the op’s case is that these pills are illegal and therefore unregulated. There could be literally anything in them

@GreyishDays

No. I disagree

Many people take codeine. It's available to buy in chemists. Just like paracetamol. So is co-codamol

It's not a gateway drug. It can be. But the majority of people who take it. Don't then go onto harder drugs like heroin.

I'm prescribed cocodamol for a slipped disk in my back. They make me super chatty when I take them (I'm not sure why).

I know everyone is like 'HE'S A DRUGGY' but am I the only one thinking you need to at least give him a chance to explain first? What if they ARE prescription? What if he has had an embarrassing injury he hasn't told you about? I think you need to give him the chance to explain first.

But yes I do agree they are addictive

Nor does it tend to escalate into higher doses

As many have pointed out here. It does tend to have a component that can make you very tired. Lots of people can find they take one or two and it knocks them out.

Lots of people are prescribed huge boxes of cocodamol long term. I have lupus, amongst other things, which causes me extreme pain. I can’t take many other painkillers because they interact with the other conditions I have. The GP prescribed me boxes of 100 cocodamol on repeat. I actually don’t take that many really, maybe a couple every other day if I’m really struggling. I try not to take them as they give me dreadful constipation! But I know I’m not alone in being one of the many people in severe pain who get them prescribed like this. I do cancel them on my repeat so I don’t end up with too many but if I didn’t do that I could easily end up with boxes and boxes of them.

Are you sure this isn’t the same situation here? Are they coming from an online pharmacy perhaps?

It would be unlikely he was taking in the region of thirty a day, but not impossible, so the only other solution is he’s selling rhem...

The OP says they're bought online. No mention of being prescribed.

You need to have it out with him. Why are you doing his washing anyway?

Thanks everyone for your responses.

I highly doubt he's selling them, he just isn't that kind of person. He goes to work and comes home, no social life or really close friends barring a couple (not at the minute anyway with Covid).

I know they aren't prescribed because I actually took the parcel in. He told me not to look at the packaging, which I assumed is because they were birthday presents (mine is coming up).

And I'm doing his washing because I want to?! Not sure what that has to do with the story at all.

I highly doubt he’s being honest, asking you not to look at packaging 🙄

He told me not to look at the packaging.
Tell him to have his parcels delivered to his own house. And tell him exactly why.

[quote Happyheartlovelife]@GreyishDays

No. I disagree

Many people take codeine. It's available to buy in chemists. Just like paracetamol. So is co-codamol

It's not a gateway drug. It can be. But the majority of people who take it. Don't then go onto harder drugs like heroin. [/quote]
Harder drugs like heroin. Drugs are all the same - coffee, codeine, alcohol, heroin - it's how they are used which can lead to addiction.

I took codeine/paracetamol recently 2x5 days and the constipation was horrific. I wasn't eating very well but like a PP said he must be selling them or are they soluble ?

[quote Happyheartlovelife]@GreyishDays

No. I disagree

Many people take codeine. It's available to buy in chemists. Just like paracetamol. So is co-codamol

It's not a gateway drug. It can be. But the majority of people who take it. Don't then go onto harder drugs like heroin. [/quote]
I was just addressing the point that the paracetamol component is the main problem.

I don’t understand what you mean by “It’s not a gateway drug. It can be.”

And I'm doing his washing because I want to?! Not sure what that has to do with the story at all Well he doesn't live with you? Does he do your washing?

Anyway ask him why he's getting his parcels of unprescribed pills delivered to your house?

Come on OP, if he’s careless with them to the point they’re falling out of his clothes then he needs to be elsewhere, you have a child for crying out loud.

He’s doing this in your home and his getting dyne pills delivered your home. If you’re comfortable enough to do his washing then you should be comfortable enough to ask what the hell he’s playing at.

Has he got a long standing health issues? My OH takes 8 of these a day and has been for years and we always have a huge boxes of them in the house. Kids are told not to take any medication that's ever left around the house.

God why would he have to be selling them necessarily?

I know someone who takes loads every day, arthritic - you can buy them on the internet fgs, no prescription required, come from SA.