Hey y’all. It’s been a long time since my last post. A lot has happened including an attempt at taking my own life. Thankful God had other plans!! Anyway, my question is does anyone know of a way to help my son manage his meds? He is prescribed Xanax and Percocet along with all his other meds…invega susteena, lithium, Effexor, phenagren, and so on. The problem is when he gets his narcotics, he eats them like candy!! The invega shot makes him eat everything and that includes his meds!! I’ve tried to keep them locked up to no avail. I’m disabled myself and am his sole caregiver! He wants to come off the Percocet which I’m thankful for but what can I do to help him with his other? I was also in Xanax for cptsd and migraines. That is what I tried to od on. I took myself off them and have been off since this past June 20. But he is afraid if I hold on to them to dispense, that I might try to take my own life again. I won’t! But that is a legit concern for him. I’m just at a loss. No family close by that can help either! He is 33 with sz/bpd and the Xanax, when he is taking them properly, do work for him. But he feels like he has been turned into a drug addict due to the Percocet/Xanax combo. Any thoughts?
Hi, I’m really glad you posted. I wonder how you and your son are doing. Thank you for the update.
Is there a case worker or anyone who could talk to the prescriber and pharmacist? My family member gets meds once a week in blister packs and this is really helpful.
Hi, My son was both an addict and sz and his psychiatrist was extremely strict on refusing to write scripts for anything addictive, especially drugs meant for shorter term use like percocet and xanax. I made sure his psychiatrist and his family doctor were able to communicate. Both of my son’s doctors said that those kinds of meds were not complementary to the psychiatric meds he was already taking. I am sure there are the very rare few that can manage to take these medications as are needed without issue (or so I have heard) but the larger population finds them to be very addictive, often with unpleasant side effects and difficult to get off of as well as realizing that they develop a higher tolerance over time and more and more are needed to get the desired effect. I would discuss all of your concerns with your son’s prescribing doctor and make sure he or she knows about the addictive behavior. I found this interesting article and I thought it explained things very well and was very informative. I wish you and your son well going forward. Xanax: Side Effects, Dangers & Long-Term Impacts
Great to hear from you again @Hereandhere So how did you go about getting the blister packs. And do they send them one week at a time? This would keep him from taking all 120 of them in one week! He may still try to take a weeks worth in two days but at least it would help some! Thank you so much for your advice! 
Thank you for this info! It was very helpful!!
The med provider arranged this with the pharmacist. Yes, we pick them up one week at a time.
Hello, new to this site. Actually new to online forums in general. I agree with most of the post. My son (sz and marijuana abuse) psychiatrist avoided prescribing Ativan and any narcotic pain meds because of his drug abuse history. He is on a mood stabilizer though (Escitalopram) which does seem to help with his negative symptoms of withdraw and depression.
Can you ask the mental health department for suggestions?
Same here and most days (99% ) of time I’m grateful he isn’t Prescribed anything that’s addictive. It would just mean a battle each day.
We have an appt with his mdoc tomorrow and I’ve already called the nurse and asked her to help us find a way to help him with his meds. He is really concerned and wanting to adhere to his meds as they do help him. But the drug addict inside him seems to take over whenever he gets his shot and he is unable to control his meds. I’m praying for a solution. For the first time in 13+ years he is actually making sense and asking, really begging, for help.
I understand this completely. It is like we are asked to choose between an motivated addict when medicated or an unresponsive person barely able to manage their care.
At one point I wonder if the meds don’t hit on those addict centers but his doc says no when I voiced it to him. He is talking a lot now and mentioning needing Adderal. He cannot have it because it causes psychosis.
How did the appointment go for him?
Sheyelo, that is really good to hear. I was just wondering how you both were doing. Keep us posted and see if he can start seeing a therapist for CBD and motivational therapy. I was reading last night that it helps everyone including the family. Take care and hang in there.