Relationship His Addiction

[lovehopepeace]

I suspect my man is abusing one of his meds. He's had trouble with this in the recent past. He denies slurring his words, acting dopey, or any of his symptoms basically. He is continually forgetting to do things of importance, dropping stuff on the floor (like food) and not cleaning it up, not knowing what day it is, asking the same question over and over, forgetting my answers, just way out of character for him. He calls my concern "nagging", says he doesn't have a problem - it's all me. Any advice on how to deal with this?

 

[amethist]

Hi lovehopepeace

Until he admits he has a problem, there is very little you can do. For now you will probably have to back off a little and let him see his mistakes for himself. A bit like leading a horse to water, but not being able to make him drink.

Just do what you normally do for now, and then support him to get through this once he does admit it.

 

[BigBear]

Any advice on how to deal with this?

There are actual diseases that can have a very similar effect. Including that the sufferer becomes incapable of seeing the symptoms.

Do you think that he would let a doctor look at him? Does be have any hot buttons that you could push to scare him into seeing a doctor on his own?

Bear

 

[lovehopepeace]

My goodness, Bear. He sees so many doctors it's hard to keep up with them all.

 

[BigBear]

If his doctors can't tell that he's abusing his meds, then they are worthless. In the otherhand, Huntington's is tricky for many doctors to diagnose. Mini seizures can also have similar effects. I have recent experience with both. (But I'm no doctor!)

Bear

 

[Toria]

I'm with Bear on this one I think - a lot of the symptoms you describe go on in our house and Husband is on no medication what so ever.

Firstly, I'd suggest trying to monitor his medication. You can (well in the UK you can) get pill counters - there is a little box for am and pm each day of the week and you count the tablets out in to the little boxes for the week ahead. Could you introduce something like this? Or simply count what is in the bottle on Monday and again on Friday and see if there are more missing than there should be? That way you would know for sure.

I read this post yesterday afternoon and then Husband went a bit wobbly last night - he asked me half a dozen times if I'd turned the bath off, a dozen times what was for tea and had no idea that he was repeating himself. I was a bit confused by it myself until I realised that today was his first day back at work after 10 peaceful days off - the stress of going back to work was obviously rising last night and by this morning was in full flow.

The forgetting dropped food part is more worrying, as is not knowing what day of the week it is - could they be side effects of his tablets?