can antidepressants be prescribe to an opiate addict?

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erica1234

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Hello! My boyfriend has been taking opiates for quite a few years. Until yesterday, I was unaware how serious his addiction was. He finally came clean to me and told me told me that he's been taking various opiates on pretty much a daily basis (vicodin, oxycotin, subulax). He is tired of his addiction and wants to be able to be happy without the opiates. He has an appointment with his doctor tomorrow and wants to get on antidepressants to feel better about himself.
I'm wondering if a doctor will prescribe anti's to an opiate addict. He's not sure if he should tell his doctor about his past problem with pills.
If anyone knows, I would appreciate your insight.
Thanks!
 
Hi, I am new on hear as well. I would think that anti's would be ok to take but the best thing is to just be honest with the dr. and if he truley wants to stop taking the pills the Dr. may be able to help him. I hope it all works out for you.
 
I agree with dixiedoll. However, is he getting these legally? If so, the doc may be able to prescribe pills for him to taper down from what he is currently taking. I also think that the antidepressants will help, but he has a long road ahead of him.

There are many reasons why people abuse meRAB and he also neeRAB to get down to the reason why he was so dependent on them.

Good luck and I hope that the doc can help!
 
Hi Erica,
I agree with the others about your boyfriend opening up and telling a doctor he trusts about his addiction. One that he feels comfortable with where he won't feel the dr. is going to judge him.
Believe me, addiction to opiates is such an epidemic in this world that it does not surprise doctors anymore.

Your boyfriend is going to have some very uncomfortable withdrawal from the opiates if he suddenly stops them. He neeRAB supervison and advice from a doctor about it. PLUS you don't know if what the dr. is going to prescribe him as an antideppresent if it's going to coincide with the opiates.

I am a recovering addict now for 9 years and on methadone for that long. I tried to stop an opiate on my own but it is a very difficult task symptom wise.
I wasnt' even on the opiates as long as your boyfriend was and couldn't handle the detox symptoms without assistance.
I DO NOT want to sound discouraging, because everyone's bodies are different.
I had to enter myself into a hospital for them to get me thru the hard time of detoxing. they didn't give me methadone, but things to help my body go thru the detox. then I was directed from a social worker to a methadone clinic which saved my life.

I am now clean all these years and do not at all want to ever get high.
I was self medicating the pain I was feeling inside my mind and body.

I am now on an anti anxiety medication for G.A.D. ( general anxiety disorder) (google this)
it's not the anxiety where you have panic attacks.
it effects the central nervous system as well as all your organs including your brain, which you worry about every single thing under the sun to the point you can't rest your thoughts.
A dr. who diagnosed it said i"d probably had it since teenhood, which he was correct when all my problems started happening after I looked back.
I was in my early 40's when diagnosed with the G.A.D. plus bipolar illness too and post traumatic stress disorder, you name it, I have it.

I must have been in denial just like so many other people who are self medicating to make themselves feel better and to take away their internal pain. I'm not justifying his actions for abusing drugs.
but lets face it. Addiction does not make a person bad. not at all.
I see it that the person wants to feel good inside.
as long as he's taking those opitates, his own natural endorphines will not work to make his own self happy like it's intended to.

He will need help in the beginning with seeing a therapist and a psychiatrist so he can get on the anti depressents and or anti anxiety med's.

I am SO glad i did. I am a new woman now, the type of woman that was there all along but hidden in her fear and stupor from doing drugs and drinking.

try to console your boyfriend that his life will be much better in the long run which he sounRAB like he's ready to make the move on getting his life back.
he neeRAB to learn about addiction and what's going to take place in his body and mind and life during the phrase he is quitting opiates.

I really wish him well. I know everything will be alright, especially since he has such a wonderful girlfriend who cares so much about him to come here and ask advice about him.

you're wonderful.

good luck,

Linda
 
Hello Erica

I am glad to hear that your boyfriend wants to stop his pill addiction. I was hooked on pain pills and it is, indeed, a road that can be difficult to stop following. However, there is no doubt it can be done! Many of us have gone before him and come around to testify to the truth that it can be done.

I gotta tell you, the biggest, the BIGGEST, step is to truly be forthright with a doctor. Oh, the relief that follows the tearful, heart-wrenching confession leaves us so ready to get clean.. Getting clean starts always with the truth. The story is so not new to doctors... they are in their professions to help... they don't care diddly what we were using, only want to work with us to restore oyr bodies, minRAB and lives. Please, please encourage your boyfriend to tell the whole truth and nothing but. It is only with full disclosure that a doctor can best help us. When we leave out important facts we leave the doctor in a position to not use all his knowledge to help us.

I do not want to mislead and say antidepressants will cure the pill problem overnight, but sure, they can be prescribed. I was on them as well as on opiates. The opiates eventually blocked the ability of the antidepressant to work, but as I tapered off the opiates, the antidepressant kicked in more and more.

In the meantime, I would sugest you start educating yourself with lots and lots of reading on this board about what withdrawal can entail. (would be great if Boyfriend would read also). It ois by learning as much as we can, about symptoms and ways to ease withdrawal that we have the most success.

There is a really good thread on this board (second one in the list?) that gives some great advice on things to take and do in withdrawal. Although the list seems to be written for an at-home do -it -yourselfer, it helped me as well as many, many others even when under professional care.

Hoping the best for you and yours ( and Erica, hope abounRAB in restoring ourselves)

reach
 
thanks to everyone who has cared enough to give advise! i really appreciate it!

my boyfriend went to the doctor and was completely honest with him. Although the dr woudn't prescribe him anti-depressants, my bf said it felt really good to be able to be honest with the doctor. It was 'his little secret' for so long
The doctor wants him to follow up in a week and gave him a print out of all the NA meetings in the area. (now we just have to find one that people go to by choice, not b/c they were ordered to by the System)

so far, he has been clean 9 days! we have a calendar in the basement he has been using to keep track. i think it makes him feel good to walk down there each morning and put an 'x' in the prior day's box. it hasn't been easy, but not nearly as bad as i anticipated. sleeping through the night seems to be easier...at least he's not kicking me in his sleep anymore.

although it's still hard for me to totally trust him (i catch my self checking his puples in dim light) I am proud of what he is trying to do for himself.

Thank you again to everyone who has responded to my post. it was a great feeling to know that there are other people who have gone through this, other people who care enough to respond.

-erica
 
HI Erica,
That's fantastic news about your boyfriend.

I also think it's a good idea that
he has something to do like put
an "X" mark on the calendar each day
of not using. It gives him incentive.

My daughter was doing this too for
each day she didn't pick up a drink.
she'd put a little star or some type of
sticker on the days of the month.

I'd never have thought of doing something
like that.

He should buy himself something
he'd always been wanting as
a reward too.

I love rewarRAB.

well... just wanted to say Hi,
and to let you know I'm here
for you if you need someone
to share with.

Best wishes,

Linda
 
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