We tried our best he will die without intervention or help

reddevilfan · 15-09-2018 01:09AM #1

A friend had a freak accident on a push bike that damaged his ankle. This proved to be a good thing and also a bad thing.

The good being that it triggered investigation into an underlying issue, He had been feeling numbness and slight paralysis on one side on and off.

In a few short weeks a worn disc on the 4th vertebrae, All the time this has been squashing the nerve causing this issue and has now been identified.

The op is successful and my friend is told he needs up to a year rehab to get the nerve back functioning properly and the body used to the new modified disc. He is now wheelchair bound for a few weeks and the doctor prescribes tradol, Lyrica and some diazepam.

He then gets released with a recurring prescription as above with some nerve tablets and instructions on daily dosage and to decrease every 2/3 days.

After a few weeks the tradol is removed from prescription and he is constantly complaining of pain and is swalling more Lyrica and nerve pills than prescribed!!!, It's not long before the doctor pulls the script (He went to the doc 2 weeks early wanting a new script) He is left with just the nerve pills and told to get up of his BS.

While in hospital his family polished his home and painted it whilst laying new floors. My friend met plenty of people whilst in James and now he is home he meets one at the local spar ND invites this friend to his home.

This friend has now been supplying my friend with heroin daily. My friend has a weekly bill of up to 150 per week for heroin and 50 rent and esb which leaves him 20 euro to buy food and smokes.

He has lost his family they gave up on him when he refused help. I have tried everything to help him and have been feeding him with food from my home and take away food.

I have no more will to fight for him, The flat is now filthy and stinks his bedsheet has his body shape imprinted into it from sweat and dirt
It's just filthy. I washed his bedclothes so much that I had to buy him new pillows and a bed set which looks like 3 muddy pigs rolled around in it.

I asked him can he see the dirt but he claims he cleans it and can't tell me when he last showered. The worst thing is that he only notices how skinny he is and as much as he says he wants to sort his weight out he does not do it.

He is app 5 ft 7/8 inches and used to have a beer gut now he looks like Joe MvDonnell in the Maze ( R. I. P JMcD). My friend has no family as he won't give up smoking heroin he claims he is bored and not gonna let money build up and everything is heroin heroin heroin. The landlord knows this and does nothing and sometimes his flat is like a drug den

Doctors and HSE won't do anything until he wants the help, I feel nobody wants to do anything and I feel my friend will soon die if not from the heroin, It will then be from the filth of his home or his dramatic weight loss

I nor any bodies can do anything till he asks for help but he is more than content to sit in his chair paying for this guy to bring drugs daily when available ( some days he won't come for 2/3 days and I look at my friend sick and weak

What can I do or should I do

ceadaoin. · 15-09-2018 02:04AM

This is probably better suited to personal issues. I'll say though that there really is nothing you can do to force him to get help. You've been a good friend but if you don't detach it will destroy you to watch him kill himself. Easier said than done I know but having no one around might be the shock he needs. I hate to say it but you are enabling him by bringing him food and cleaning up after him. Let him know you will be there when he's ready to get help but only then and maybe look into to attending Al Alon meetings or whatever ones there are for drug users if any. They are specifically for the family and friends of addicts.

JustAThought · 15-09-2018 06:08AM

Are you his partner? Its a pretty bad situation for him but tbh it seems like a huge and sudden jump from doctors supervision to heroin smoking junkie and having friends over for drug parties and to deliver drugs. Sounds like there may well have been a drug habit or familiarity here before. Who knows heroin dealers so casually ? Your friend support should be through pain management via his /her GP - if you look at any documentary on tje epidemic of herion and opiate addiction amongst middle class populations in Canada or the US they all have the same roots -a back injury or car crash leading to fependency on perscription painkillers which wjen taken away or finished leads to them getting herion for psin relief and then becoming a junkie, turning to crime when the money runs out etc. Try and get your friend to go to his /her GP or try and write or get in contact with them to reel him back in to get the medical support he should have for pain management

punisher5112 · 15-09-2018 06:18AM

Opioids are an extremely dangerous pain killer.

These can easily start people on drugs such as heroin as more often then not it's cheaper and easier to get.

Sad way to go but all you can do is try op.

Has anyone spoke to his doctor or hospital especially the family as they may get further.

There are services out there but he needs to be willing to go to them.

15-09-2018 06:41AM

Here's a list of Narcostics Anonymous meetings in Dublin

https://www.na-ireland.org/na-meetings/east/dublin/

I know people say that it's the addict himself who has to be motivated to attend, but you could begin by asking him to attend as a favour to you, for all that you're doing for him. It might spur him into action, and it may start to give him some insight into how he can address his addiction.

The Family Support Network is an organisation that provides advice and support for families and friends of people affected by drug abuse. It sounds to me like you could use some support yourself OP, if you're going to support your friend, you can't try to do it alone. It's a huge task for one person.

Cuddlesworth · 18-09-2018 12:10PM

JustAThought wrote: »

Are you his partner? Its a pretty bad situation for him but tbh it seems like a huge and sudden jump from doctors supervision to heroin smoking junkie and having friends over for drug parties and to deliver drugs. Sounds like there may well have been a drug habit or familiarity here before. Who knows heroin dealers so casually ?

Strong pain killers to heroin addict is a serious issue globally. The OP needs to focus on the fact their friend is a heroin addict and their flat doesn't just look like a drug den, it is one now.

https://www.drugabuse.gov/drugs-abuse/opioids/opioid-overdose-crisis

Roughly 21 to 29 percent of patients prescribed opioids for chronic pain misuse them.
Between 8 and 12 percent develop an opioid use disorder.
An estimated 4 to 6 percent who misuse prescription opioids transition to heroin.
About 80 percent of people who use heroin first misused prescription opioids

We tried our best he will die without intervention or help

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