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carol's sister

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Dec 18, 2006
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PALS
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va
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arlington
I would like to know if there anybody has had experience with an ALS patient abusing drugs. My sister was diagnosed a year ago with ALS. She has been abusing drugs for most of her life. Just prior to the diagnosis the drug use got worse. She is a patient at an ALS clinic. But this clinic has not had the experience of treating a patient with drug abuse. Her drug of choice is oxycontin. She doesn't just take the pills she abuses them so that she gets 12 hours of medicine at one time. The clinic is now prescribing her the oxy so that she doesn't buy it off the street. But that hasn't stopped her from using the street stuff. She doesn't follow the directions of the professionals at the clinic. Her motivation of going to the appt is next month's prescription. The clinic has said that rehab could be very painful & since her life is short anyways....

Help!
 
Hi Carol's sister. Sorry to hear of your difficult situation. I have a friend who has a severe dependency problem with that drug and can relate a bit to where you are coming from. She is probably using it to block the pain of knowing what is coming. There is virtually no reason to need it for ALS from a pain stand point except near end stages it might help. The rehab would be very trying and I'm sorry that I can't offer any magic solutions to your problems. I can't recall of anyone else on the forum with the same problem. AL.
 
Carol's Sister -

I work with people who are alcohol and drug addicted for a living. My experience is that addicts facing terminal illnesses (cancer, AIDS, etc.) often choose to resume or continue their substance abuse probably because they know of no other way to cope with the severe stress and because they can no longer see any point in sobering up. Rehab is strictly voluntary anyway and from what you say it seems unlikely your sister would agree to go. This must be a very painful experience for you. :(

Liz
 
I have the same problem

My husband was DX with ALS in Jan. of 2004, prior to the DX he drank and abused RX drug when ever he got the chance. We divorced after 20 years because of his abuse and low and behold he got sober/ sort of. He had quit drinking. After 2 years of being off the booze he was DX with ALS, we remarried in March of 2006. Once he was DX he stated he was in severe pain and his Neuro perscribed anything he wanted, His theroy is/was that he is dying anyway so let him have his way. Now I am told that cutting him back would kill him. We now have hospice so some changes have been made. He was taking the OXY and still does sometimes. Fentyl patch. Those two togetther cause quite a affect on him. Now he is taking long acting Morphine tablets, Morphine liquid for break through pain, Percocet liquid and the pills, Valium, Xanax, paxil, Elavil, for sleep, Remaron for sleep and depression. It can be hard for the caregiver because it is hard to tell what is the disease and what is the drugs. I have lived with an the booze and drugs for the last 26 years.
I feel your pain. I wish he could take one pill and just be high for the day instead of having all these drugs which I keep locked up in a heavy wall mounted safe. Be safe and protect those around your sister.
 
my brother too

My brother is abusing drugs, alcohol, left family of 38 years. here i am fighting t o live while he parties killing himself 59 years old i'm 53 i want to stay with my family. i love him, but ,he makes me mad sorry venting here people make their on decision to abuse or not( or my brother did) he had everything and wanted more of the world.. sorry yall' i do love him but all i can do is pray for him he doesn't want to be better. In fact if stress causes ALS he's the reason i have it haha ya'll just teasing. I have a bottle of oxy I hate the stuff . VENTER JANf
 
Hi Jan. Not a problem venting. I have a friend that gave his sister a kidney about 10 years ago and since then she has abused alcohol smokes and God knows what else and he has told me it really makes him mad that she has a second chance and blows it and people like us don't get a second chance. Funny how life is eh? AL.
 
Thanks Al

YES, AL ISN'T LIFE STANGE. HERE WE ALL ARE THANKING GOD WE HAVE ANOTHER CHRISTMAS TO SHARE WITH FAM AND FRIENDS. I GOT TEARS IN MY EYES THIS AM THINKING ABOUT AND THANKING GOD FOR THE PEOPLE THAT LOVE ME. AND LOOKING IN MY GRANDGIRLS 2WK OLD FACE LAST NIGHT MADE ME WHAT TO BURST. SEN-TI-MEN-TAL. WE ALL HAVE DAYS WE ARE JUST DOGGONE MADE ABOUT ALL THIS BUT MOST DAYS SPEAKING FOR MYSELF, I'M REALLY BLISSFUL AS I FALL ALL OVER THIS HOUSE LOL HAHA... AND FRANKLY AL I'M JUST GLAD I'M STILL ALIVE. WOW I'M NICER TONIGHT HEHEHEH! WISH I WAS IN YOUR NECK OF THE WOODS AND MAYBE IT WOULD FEEL LIKE CHRISTMAS BUT, I'M SURE YOUR SICK OF THE COLD . :mrgreen: HAVE A MERRYCHRISTMAS YOU ALL JAN AND FAMILY
 
Hi Jan. We've only had snow once and it melted in a few days. It's not supposed to snow until Tuesday and be above freezing so it'll be a brown Christmas up here. Better for travelling anyway. Christmas dinner for Lee's family is about an hour away for us and there are about 50 there. Boxing Day is my side's family Christmas and that's about a 40 minute drive for us and about 40 family show up for that. We both come from big families. So no snow can be a good thing. Merry Christmas. AL and Lee.
 
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