Addiction and loratabs?!
Question: Addiction and loratabs.?
i need some advice and please ya'll help a white women out...
my husband is currently taking loratabs 7.5,(according to the bottle)he's supposed to take 1 every 4-6 hours and gotta question.i have 2 empty pill bottles one of which has 7.5 120 of them,filled on 10/06 and another is loratabs 10's which was filled on 9/02 and both are empty and he just got his med's filled today....is he taking more than he's supposed to,or its my overreacting.? someone,please give me some advice,i'm very worried my husband is officially addicted to these cause of his bad extreme mood swings he's been having...thanks so much!Health Question & Answer
my husband is currently taking loratabs 7.5,(according to the bottle)he's supposed to take 1 every 4-6 hours and gotta question.i have 2 empty pill bottles one of which has 7.5 120 of them,filled on 10/06 and another is loratabs 10's which was filled on 9/02 and both are empty and he just got his med's filled today....is he taking more than he's supposed to,or its my overreacting.? someone,please give me some advice,i'm very worried my husband is officially addicted to these cause of his bad extreme mood swings he's been having...thanks so much!Health Question & Answer
Answers:
Lortabs are EXTREMELY addicting. They would be the cause for his mood swings. He could be abusing them without taking more than his daily amount. He could be taking 2 or 3 at a time instead of 1 every 4 hours. That is what I would do when I abuse them. I am addicted to the but I take my daily amount all at once and am good to go for the day. Every ones calculations are correct, if he is getting up and taking them every 4 hours at night. As his wife you should know if he is getting up at night. If he sleeps through the night then this should give him some extra days at the end of prescription. Is he calling and asking for refills early. That is a sure sign of addiction also.Health Question & Answer
He can take up to 6 tablets a day from what you've told us.According to my calculations he is taking between 5 and 5.22.I would say he is taking his medication correctly.However loratabs are very addicting due to the hydrocodone in them If he needs to take them longer than 6 months he may need to talk to his doctor about other pain relievers.Pain causes many people to become irritable.His bad moods and mood swings may be due to pain more than the pills.He may need professional assistance if he does become addicted,but as I said he can safely take them for about 6 months before you should worry to much.Health Question & Answer
In the setting of long term pain, the dose he is taking isn't so important as whether the pain medicine is actually working. It is very common for depression and isolation to occur after a persistent painful injury--especially if he is trying to work thru it. On the other hand if he is going to multiple docs, getting them off the street, snorting or injecting the pills those are bad signs.
A simple way to see how much risk for addiction you are looking at is to ask some questions
1) is he addicted to other substances.? alcohol/smokes.?
2) Are his family members addicted to substances.?
3) Was he abused as a child.?
4) Does he like risky behavior
5) Does he have mental illness.?
The more yes answers the closer you have to watch. On the other hand, the best thing might be to get what ever is hurting him taken care of.
Best wishesHealth Question & Answer
A simple way to see how much risk for addiction you are looking at is to ask some questions
1) is he addicted to other substances.? alcohol/smokes.?
2) Are his family members addicted to substances.?
3) Was he abused as a child.?
4) Does he like risky behavior
5) Does he have mental illness.?
The more yes answers the closer you have to watch. On the other hand, the best thing might be to get what ever is hurting him taken care of.
Best wishesHealth Question & Answer
It does not sound like he is taking to much. 120 tablets taken every 4 hours would last 20 days. It has been that since the last refill 10/06. Of note research shows that pain medications taken only when actually in pain do not lead to addiction. If your husband really has an injury that he is causing pain then the medication will not lead to an addiction. Addiction occurs when people take drugs they do not need for the feeling of euphoria they receive from the medication.
It is also normal for people to act very out of character when they do not feel well. Certainly people in pain can have some very strange mood swings. I know that does not make it any easier for you to have to put up with his mood swings but, his behavior really does not sound like anything to worry about.
All that said if you have further concerns or questions feel free to e-mail me or if you just need someone to talk to. I have been a nurse for a long time and your feelings are normal as well. It is great that you have taken the time to double check this issue and care so much for your husband. I hope all is back to normal for you soon. Take care.Health Question & Answer
It is also normal for people to act very out of character when they do not feel well. Certainly people in pain can have some very strange mood swings. I know that does not make it any easier for you to have to put up with his mood swings but, his behavior really does not sound like anything to worry about.
All that said if you have further concerns or questions feel free to e-mail me or if you just need someone to talk to. I have been a nurse for a long time and your feelings are normal as well. It is great that you have taken the time to double check this issue and care so much for your husband. I hope all is back to normal for you soon. Take care.Health Question & Answer